Cruel Summer, Jeremiah Fisher

eleven

"Belly and Jere! Hurry up! We can't be late to see the fireworks!" A young Lauren called to her friends. She was officially 10 years old, spending her third summer and 4th of July in Cousins with the Conklins and the Fishers.

When no one replied throughout the large beach house, she yelled again, "Hello? Is anyone in here?"

Lauren sprinted around one of the corners leading into the family room and shouted when she knocked into a table, watching a glass vase wobble before it fell onto the ground.

She crumpled to her knees and tried to grab at the glass with her hands, worry instantly flooding her. She remembered hearing Susannah talk about the vase that she was gifted by her mother, and tears spilled down her cheeks at the thought of disappointing her.

That NEVER would have flown in her house.

She grew up being expected by her mother to do everything perfect, and she rarely ever saw her father.

Small shards of glass dug into her hands, and she heard Susannah call, "Elle?"

The young girl's eyes widened in fear, "No, no, no."

Susannah was shocked when she rounded the corner to see Elle crying on the ground, hands covered in glass.

Never once did she care about the vase, she was only concerned for the young girl, "Oh my gosh, what happened? Are you alright sweet girl?"

Lauren looked up from the ground with tear-stained cheeks, "It was an accident, I'm so sorry Susannah. Your vase!"

She quickly shook her head and helped Lauren to her feet, "No matter the vase, let's get you cleaned up."

She led Lauren to the bathroom and cleaned her cuts before making sure that they were all carefully wrapped, "Are you sure you are okay?"

Elle sniffed, "Yeah, I just didn't want you to be disappointed in me for breaking your mom's vase."

Susannah let out a quiet laugh, "You could never disappoint me darling, I love you like you're my own. I never liked that old thing anyway."

Lauren smiled and wiped her eyes before throwing her arms around the older woman, "I'll always love you, Susannah."

-

"Are you sure you don't want to go back to the ball, Elle? You're definitely missing the dance right now." Jeremiah asked me as we walked towards the pool area.

I shook my head, "No, it's alright, I want to help find out what's wrong with your mom. Plus, I don't think I would have been able to waltz in these heels anyways."

He gave me a brief smile and we sat down on one of the lounge chairs before opening her phone.

The whole situation was surreal. I could still here the laughter and music blasting indoors while we were outside confused as hell.

"Did you find anything yet?" I asked Jere scooting closer to him.

He shook his head, "No, nothing in her texts."

We continued to look through her phone or a while before Jeremiah opened her emails, "Oh, my god." he whispered.

"What? Let me see."

I wish I didn't ask to see the screen.

I wish I could just go back in time and start this whole night over.

"Upcoming Cancer Trials" read across the top of the email and my heart dropped to my stomach.

I felt Jere start to shake beside me and I grabbed his shoulders, "No, Jere. Th-there's no way that's r-real," I shook my head in denial but was betrayed by the tears streaming down my cheeks, "It has to be a scam or something, right? Jere? Jere? Please say something. Tell me that's not real."