four. your truth is a harder pill to swallow
you look like yourself, but I see someone else
only it ain't on the surface
Laurel stood in her robe, facing two police officers on the welcome mat. Behind her, Belly, Conrad, Steven, Jeremiah, and Katherine anxiously watched the exchange.
"Officers, thank you," Laurel said with a strained smile. "It won't happen again, I can promise you that much."
The second cop spoke up. "Tell Mr. Fisher that the Chief wants to set a tea time with him when he's back in town."
Laurel nodded, trying not to grimace. "Absolutely. Sorry again for the trouble. Have a good night, officers."
As the officers left, Laurel closed the door and turned to face all five of the children, her frustration evident.
"How could you guys be so irresponsible?" Laurel's gaze fell on Conrad and Katherine, who sat on the couch together. She sighed, realizing that they were both part of the problem. Katherine shifted uncomfortably, guilt written across his face. Steven stepped forward, trying to defend their actions.
"Mom, it wasn't a big deal. Seriously," Steven said, his voice filled with false nonchalance. "The cops were just looking to break up the bonfire."
Laurel shook her head, her disappointment clear. "Not a big deal? I would say getting picked up by the cops for underage drinking is a pretty big deal, Steven!"
Laurel's hair swung around, and Steven sniffed, feeling the tension in the room. Katherine exchanged a nervous glance with Conrad, realizing they were both in trouble.
Steven scoffed, "Were you guys... smoking tonight?"
"Wh-What," Then Laurel shook her head, glaring at her son, "Keep your voice down, Susannah is asleep on the couch."
"I wasn't yelling! You-You were."
Laurel's frustration intensified, and she spoke turning to Conrad and Katherine. "You two were supposed to know better. As the older ones, you should have been there, setting a better example."
Jeremiah interjected, his voice filled with remorse. "Laurel, just so you know, I didn't drink tonight, I swear. I was the DD."
Laurel's attention shifted to Belly, who looked slightly disheveled and wore a hoodie that wasn't hers.
"And when did you leave the house without telling anybody? And what in the world are you wearing?" Laurel asked, her voice a mix of concern and exasperation.
Belly hesitated for a moment, her eyes darting around before she spoke. "It's Taylor's. And why am I the only one not allowed to go out?"
Laurel took a deep breath, struggling to maintain her composure. "It's not that you're not allowed, Belly. It's that you should have let us know you were going out. How did you even get there?"
Belly hesitated once again, her voice wavering. "I... I walked."
Laurel's glare intensified. "Jesus! Belly, you know better than to walk alone that far down the beach late at night! It's dangerous."
"I was fine! Stop treating me like a kid!" Belly retorted, her defiance shining through.
Laurel took a moment to collect herself, her tone firm yet caring. "Belly, we're not trying to treat you like a kid. We're concerned for your safety. If you want to be treated like an adult, you need to act like one."
Then Conrad, unable to remain silent any longer, spoke up with a bitter tone. "Then maybe you guys should too."
Laurel's eyes widened, hurt and confusion etched across her face. "What does that mean?"
Conrad shrugged, avoiding eye contact, and didn't offer an explanation. The room fell into an uncomfortable silence.
Laurel sighed, her frustration giving way to a softer tone. "Guys, you need to understand this could have ended up a lot differently if your family wasn't your family." she pleaded, her voice filled with a mix of disappointment and vulnerability.
Katherine looked down, her defiance subsiding as she understood the gravity of the situation. Laurel's gaze shifted to the girl, her voice tinged with concern. "I hope you realize, Katherine, that all of you guy's behavior tonight could have had serious consequences. We're family, and we need to look out for each other."
Turning away from the stairs, Laurel took a deep breath ."Just go to bed, guys," she said with a mix of exhaustion and resignation. "We'll talk more in the morning."
The night had been a rollercoaster of emotions for Conrad and Katherine. They had experienced moments of joy and confusion, a whirlwind of feelings that lingered in the air. As the sun began to rise, casting a golden hue on the beach, Conrad found solace in the familiar sand, waiting for the first light of day to break through.
Katherine, her heart heavy with unspoken thoughts, found herself at the beach as well, joining him, settling down in the sand beside him. They sat in a comfortable silence for a moment, their eyes fixed on the horizon.
"Last night was..." Katherine began, her voice laced with a mix of reflection and contemplation.
"A shitshow," Conrad replied, his voice holding a tinge of resignation.
Katherine sighed, her gaze fixed on the horizon. "Yes, it was." There was a hint of weariness in her voice, as if the events of the night had taken their toll on her.
Conrad's expression softened, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "Are you okay?"
Katherine smiled lightly, "I am. Do you even remember anything from last night? You were pretty wasted."
"I always remember everything when I'm drunk."
Katherine, sensing his mood, looked at him with concern. "You're gonna have a black eye tomorrow."
Katherine touched him face gently, feeling the tenderness around his eye.
"Perhaps," Conrad's expression softened, a flicker of the past him in his eyes. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette, contemplating his next move.
Katherine, her curiosity piqued, looked at him intently. "May I have a puff?" she asked, her voice filled with a mixture of longing and acceptance.
Conrad hesitated, weighing the consequences in his mind. After a moment, he handed her the cigarette, their fingers brushing briefly. "Just one," he said, his voice carrying a trace of caution.
Katherine took a careful drag, the smoke curling around her, intertwining with the cool morning breeze. She exhaled slowly, contemplating the complexities of their shared past. She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts and summoning the courage to express her gratitude. She turned to Conrad, her voice filled with a mix of vulnerability and sincerity.
"Conrad, I wanted to thank you for what you did last night," Katherine began, her voice wavering slightly. "When that guy tried to kiss me, you stepped in and you protected me. You got hurt in the process, and I... I just want you to know how much that means to me."
Conrad glanced at her, a guarded expression crossing his face. He shrugged nonchalantly, as if trying to downplay his actions. "It was nothing, really. I didn't want to see you get hurt, that's all."
Katherine's eyes widened. "Conrad, it wasn't nothing. You risked getting hurt for me. You stood up for me and I don't understand how you can just brush it off like it's no big deal."
Conrad shifted uncomfortably in the sand, his gaze fixated on a distant point in the horizon. "Look, Katherine, I... I don't like seeing anyone get taken advantage of. It's just who I am, okay? I didn't do it for recognition or praise."
Katherine's voice softened, tinged with a mix of frustration and tenderness. "Conrad, I know you didn't do it for recognition. But you need to understand that your actions have an impact. You made me feel safe and protected in a moment when I felt vulnerable. I want to just thank you."
A flicker of vulnerability crossed Conrad's eyes, a crack in his tough exterior. He sighed, his voice laced with a hint of resignation. "I guess I just don't like making a big deal out of things. It's not really my style."
Katherine reached out, her hand gently resting on Conrad's arm. "I know. And you said somethings in the car–"
"I was drunk," he shook his head, "Just ignore it."
"Conrad, we can't just ignore what happened. It was intense, and I need to understand where we stand."
Conrad let out a frustrated sigh, his gaze fixed on the crashing waves before him. "Why do we have to dissect every little thing? Can't we just move on and enjoy the moment?"
Katherine's voice grew more determined, tinged with a touch of hurt. "Conrad, a few months ago, you broke up with me over a call and basically said I meant nothing to you.And then yesterday night, I- I don't know what it was but it was not nothing."
Conrad's jaw clenched, his words laced with defensiveness. "Look, Katherine, it was a moment of drunken weakness. We were caught up in the chaos of the night, and maybe things got carried away. But it doesn't change anything. We're just us, friends, people who used to hook up together and that's it."
Katherine's eyes welled up with tears, a mix of disappointment and hurt coursing through her. "That's it? People who used to hook up together? And now you think we can just go back to being friends like none of that fucking shit ever happened? Like there's no elephant in the room between us?"
"There is no elephant in the room, Katherine." Conrad looked away from her, unable to look her in the eyes "I am sorry you felt like there was something real between us but there just... wasn't."
He looked away. That was his tell. It was she had come to recognize over the years—the subtle giveaway that he couldn't look at Katherine and tell a straight lie. His eyes would always dart away.
"I know you, Conrad," she whispered, "You forget that I know you. And I know when are you're lying. I had my suspicions over the phone call but it was easier to believe you when you were so far away. But I don't believe you anymore. Look me in the eyes and tell me what's wrong, or tell me the truth and actually admit you've never loved me."
He finally looks at her. Blue eyes meet brown ones and she sees the pain, the mixture of regret and longing that they hid.
"I can't tell you, Kathy," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper, "I just– I need you to move on, okay. I can't handle all of this. And I know, Kath. I know I've made mistakes, and I've hurt you in the process. But please believe me when I say that it's not because I don't care. It's because I care too much.""
"What can't you handle, Conrad?" she tried to break through the walls his eyes were already putting back up, "What is happening?"
"I can't tell you," he decides and looks away. "I can't tell you."
END OF EPISODE ONE!!