Butterflies ~ Conrad Fisher

Chapter twelve

When Ivy finished her shower she went back to the room to find it empty. She walked over to the desk and started putting some makeup on. She only put on some mascara and lip gloss, because it was too hot for anything else.

Once she was finished with that she walked downstairs to see Susannah in the kitchen preparing dinner.

"Hey Susannah." She greeted.

"Hey Ivy." She smiled at her.

Ivy sat down on the stool across from Susannah.

"Do you know where Conrad went?"

"Yeah, he's right outside talking with Laurel."

"Oh okay. I'll let them have some privacy than." Ivy sat there watching Susannah make the food. She got lost in her train of thought, thinking about her sickness and how it's affecting her.

She was taken back into present time when Laurel walked back inside.

"He's all yours now sweetie." She told Ivy.

Ivy laughed and slid out of her spot. She made her way outside and sat down next to Conrad.

"Hi Connie." She smiled at him. She rested her head against his shoulder.

"Hi gorgeous."

"What's on your mind?" Ivy asked.

"Nothing." He sighed. "I just feel bad about the thing with Cleveland, and my mom is in there acting like nothing is wrong and she's not dying. It's stupid."

Ivy sucked in a breath and sat up straight.

"Conrad, you know none of that is your fault. You were taking care of me and that's what made you late today. So honestly I'm to blame." She grabbed his hand and put down the corn. "And your mom is one of the strongest people I have ever met in my life. I'm sure she's just putting a strong face on for all of us."

"Yeah, but she won't even tell us that she's sick."

"But maybe she thinks that's the right thing to do. You never know what she could be thinking. You just have to be patient, and I will be here with you for every step."

Conrad sighed and looked over at Ivy with tearful eyes.

"I love you so much Ivy. You don't even know."

He leaned in and kissed her passionately. She placed her hands on his face, guiding his lips to hers.

He pulled away after a minute and just stared into her eyes.

"Okay, let's finish this corn so we can eat." Ivy lightened the conversation. He smiled and handed her some corn.

~

Ivy was sat next to Conrad at the table, squished into his side. He was extra clingy with her since their conversation before dinner.

They were having a quiet conversation with each other when they were interrupted with Jeremiah talking across the table.

"So Cam. You mind if I call you Cam Cameron?"

"Yeah man, feel free. That's funny." Cameron awkwardly laughed.

"I'm glad you're here Cameron." Susannah cut in. "I know your mom Denise from the club.  I have heard a lot about you."

"Thank you so much for having me Susannah. My mom says hi."

Ivy smiled at the interaction. She brought her hand underneath the table and placed it on Conrad's thigh. He looked over at her and saw a smirk plastered on her face.

"Cam, have you ever had miyeok guk before? It's a Korean birthday tradition." Laurel spoke.

"No. Looks so good. Thank you."

"Belly told me you're vegetarian, so I didn't put any meat in it."

"Thank you Laurel, that was nice."

"Why don't you eat meat Cam Cameron?" Jere cut in the conversation.

"Uh, the meat industry is like the number one contributor to global warming. And I just, I like animals."

Ivy laughed slightly at that. She didn't see that both Isabel and Taylor gave her a dirty look at that, but Conrad saw it.

He placed his hand on top of hers and laced their fingers together.

"Just don't come for my leather jacket." Taylor joked.

"I'm pretty sure you mean pleather." Steven retorted.

Taylor flipped him off.

"You know, uh, actually, Belly eats meat. So, you let her kiss you with those lips?" Jere commented.

"Guys. Stop." Belly spoke up.

All of the teenagers on the left side of the table cracked up.

"No, I don't judge people for eating meat. It's just like a personal choice. I don't care." Cameron provided.

"So you don't care if she kisses you with those dirty meat lips?" Ivy cut in. Conrad squeezed her hand telling her to calm down. Belly glared at her.

"Um, no. I don't mind. In fact."

He leaned in and kissed Isabel on the lips.

Ivy just gave a disgusted look but didn't say anything. She didn't want to make a bad impression in front of the moms, or Cameron.

"Aw." Susannah said.

Steven and Jeremiah both started pretending to gag. Ivy and Conrad laughed at them.

"All right, all right." Laurel stopped them. "Belly's allowed to kiss, but that's it." She joked.

"Mom, please. No. You're so not funny. No more wine for you, okay?"

"I'm sorry, I just don't understand why anybody would want to kiss somebody who once fully shat in the bathtub." Steven said.

"I was like two years old."

"Two? More like six."

Ivy started laughing into her cup.

"Shut up Steven." Belly raised her voice.

Ivy leaned into Conrad's ear and whisper to him.

"Ooh, someone's getting angry."

Conrad stifled a laugh and looked at her. He mouthed the word 'stop' to her. She just rolled her eyes and listen back in to the conversation.

"I remember when I visited last summer and you and you dared him to pee in the fireplace, and you stunk up the entire house for days. Do you remember that?"

Ivy covered her mouth with her hand while she looked over at the boys. Everyone around the table was laughing.

"I blamed the neighbours cat." Susannah said with a shocked look.

"We were drunk. We were drunk." Steven tried to make the situation better.

"On like half a White Claw."

Ivy leaned into Conrad's shoulder laughing. He looked down at her in admiration, both of them missing the look Belly gave them.

"You know, I'm thinking. Maybe we should go to Nicole's party." Belly said after the laughter died down.

"Yes!" Taylor said.

Ivy smiled up at Conrad. He continued looking at her with a spark in his eye.