Eleanor 🎀
Steven turns off the car engine as we pull up to the beach house. The ritual is familiar; two honks to announce our arrival. Jeremiah is the first to bound out of the car. My mom follows, eager to greet him. I linger in the car for a moment, watching as Susannah dashes out of the house, her excitement palpable. I catch sight of Jeremiah and Steven sharing a hug, their camaraderie evident.
Taking a moment to gather myself, I finally step out of the car. Steven joins my mom and Susannah, leaving me momentarily alone. Jeremiah, looking noticeably taller than last summer, notices me and flashes a grin. "Look who came back all grown up," he teases, closing the distance between us in a few swift strides. Before I can protest, he engulfs me in a hug, lifting me off the ground and spinning me around. It's a gesture he knows I dislike, but in that moment, I can't help but smile at the familiarity and warmth of our reunion.
"Oiii, put me down," I protest as Steven calls out for Jeremiah. Glancing to the side, I see Conrad making his way towards me. I offer him a smile, and he returns it with one of his own.
"I liked you better with glasses," he remarks, reminding me of the time I used to sport spectacles before succumbing to Taylor and Belly's insistence on contacts.
"Too bad. I like me better without them," I retort, though I can't suppress a grin as he tousles my hair.
"Hey, hey, guys, guys," Steven interjects, accompanied by Jeremiah, as they approach. With Belly and the moms having retreated indoors, it's just us in the moment. "I mean, I-I don't know about you, but I... well, I-I think it's time for a..." Before Steven can finish his sentence, I make a break for it, hoping to evade their mischief. But Jeremiah grabs hold of me, and soon enough, Steven and Conrad seize my legs.
"One... Two... Three!" they chorus before launching me into the pool. It's a tradition, being thrown in on the first day of our beach house excursion because I'm the youngest. Despite the initial shock of the cold water, I can't help but feel a rush of joy at being part of their antics once again.
"How's the water?" Jeremiah calls out as I struggle to resurface, my white t-shirt clinging to me, revealing more than intended.
"Guys, I hurt my ankle," I announce, hoping to end the aquatic antics. Both Conrad and Jeremiah offer their hands, and I grab Conrad's, pulling both of them into the pool with a mischievous grin. I quickly make my escape, darting inside before they can retaliate.
Indoors, I find Susannah slicing lemons while my mom shuttles items from the car. Belly is already in our shared bedroom, likely meticulously unpacking her belongings. She's always been the first to tackle that task, her efficiency a stark contrast to my own tendency to procrastinate.
"Hi," I greet Susannah as I enter the room, still slightly damp from my impromptu dip in the pool.
"You're dripping water all over the place," my mom chides gently, moving to the towel cupboard to fetch one for me. She drapes it around my shoulders, her touch comforting.
"You have always been lovely, but, oh, honey, look at you," Susannah remarks, taking my hands in hers.
"I think I look pretty much the same," I reply modestly.
"You do not look the same at all," Susannah insists with a warm smile. "You're growing up. You're in bloom." She pulls me into a hug, and I reciprocate. Susannah has a way of saying things that almost makes me believe her. "Laur, she's you all over," she adds, returning to the task of cutting lemons.
"People always say I look like my dad," I mention casually.
"No, when your mom and I first met, she looked just like you," Susannah reveals, her words carrying a hint of nostalgia.
"Except I had no boobs at all," my mom quips, pointing to my chest with a playful smirk.
"Gross, Mom," I reply, rolling my eyes. She heads over to the table, grabbing two cereal boxes to stash in the cupboard.
"You should call your father and tell him we got in safely," she instructs, casting a meaningful glance my way.
"Yeah, sure," I agree, meeting her gaze. Susannah passes me a glass of sweet tea, and I take a grateful sip.
"Oh, one more thing: your dad will be here for the Fourth," my mom announces upon returning to my side.
"Wait, he's coming here?" I ask, caught off guard by the news.
"Of course. He always comes for the Fourth," my mom reassures me.
"He didn't come last summer," I point out, a hint of confusion in my tone. My relationship with my dad has always been strained; he's always seemed to favor Belly and Steven over me, but I've learned to accept it.
"Because we'd just gotten divorced. We're good now," my mom explains, reaching for a glass of sweet tea from Susannah. Her words carry a sense of reconciliation, but I can't shake off the years of disappointment and resentment.
Hope you have liked these chapters.
The next Friday I'm only going to be posting three chapters at a time.
Then when I'm up to date with my old book, then I will be posting two chapter a week.
Word count: 916 words
आप पढ़ रहे हैं
Lover // the fisher brothers
रोमांसEleanor Conklin is belly's younger twin sister. Conrad and Jeremiah thought of Eleanor as their little sister. But was this summer gonna be different...
