Cruel Summer, Jeremiah Fisher

fifteen

As quietly as possible, I tip-toed next to Jere into the empty living room so that we could all listen to Laurel's conversation with Adam.

"Thanks for coming all this way to back me up," I could hear him proudly say, "They haven't been making it easy on me."

I smirked hearing Laurel, "Oh, I'm not here to back you up. I'm here to back up the boys. You cant let them lose this house Adam."

"Well it's done," he said and I glanced between Jere and Conrad, "Julia sold it."

Thankfully, I heard Julia walk into the kitchen with them, "Actually I um, changed my mind. Hi."

Adam clapped and scoffed, "Okay, well let's get something straight here. I'm not letting them lose anything, this has been out of my hands since the start, so don't go making me the bad guy here."

What an ass.

"I'm not making you out to be anything, I'm trying to help you," Laurel said.

Conrad stepped forward to move into the kitchen, but Jere grabbed his arm and stopped him, "Let someone else try to solve a problem for once."

Adam spoke up again, "So, what? You're just gonna dissolve the trust and gift the boys the beach house?"

"No, she can't do that," Laurel defended, "She has a child of her own to consider."

"Yeah, well I'm not gonna squander their trusts to buy this house," Adam said and I rolled my eyes, "Frankly, I'm surprised that you would support that."

Laurel scoffed, "When did I ever say that? I just want you to move some money around and buy it for them."

"What?" he asked.

Julia defended the idea, "Fair market value, terms negotiable, of course."

Adam cut her off, "I think, um, I'm gonna go now, because that's... That's not happening, end of story."

I could hear Julia moving around, "You know what, I have a question for you. Why is it that those boys have been trying harder for the last three days to save this house than you have for the past several weeks?"

Pop off Julia.

"Adam-" Laurel tried to persuade.

Adam snapped, "No, shut up, Laurel. You don't have a vote, okay? I know Suze made you feel like this house is part yours, but it's not."

THIS PRICK.

Conrad folded and stepped into the kitchen, "Where do you get off saying shit like that?"

"Con..." Adam looked over to see all of us standing there, "It's for the best. Did you really think railroading me would change my mind?"

"Excuse me, but fuck you!" Laurel said. Literally my favorite woman ever.

Julia held her hands up, "Okay, all right, all right, let's-"

Adam cut her off once again, "Suze wouldn't want us fighting like this."

Conrad snapped, "You have no idea what she would want! You lost her a long time ago."

Laurel pleaded, "Cant you get past your own grief and see what it means to the boys?"

Adam turned back towards us, "Look, I thought it would be better this way... Easier for everyone if we let this place go."

"Easier for you," Con said.

"Yeah," Adam admitted, "Being here is hard.  It's hard. Uh...she's everywhere here."

"Please?" Jere pleaded.