ephemeral [ Conrad Fisher ]

6

"Lennox honey will you help me set the table?" Susannah calls from the kitchen pulling my attention from the novel in my hands

"Seriously Mom we're busy." Jeremiah complains from his spot next to me "She was just getting to the good part."

I snort shaking my head "You can read the rest of the chapter alone Jere, I'm going to help your mom." I drop the book in his lap making my way into the large kitchen "Is everything pulled out already or should I get everything?"

Susannah smiles, the table already set as she leans against the granite island "I actually wanted to talk to you about something."

"Am I in trouble?"

She laughs as if that was the most outlandish thing I had ever suggested "I don't think you could get in trouble if you tried Lennox. I wanted to talk to you about the debutant ball we do here in Cousins. I know that you're scheduled to debut in the fall - your mom sent me an invitation." she smiles, a faraway look in her eyes "But, I was able to snag you and Belly an invite to the ball here, I was hoping to be able to see the both of you do it. It really is a once-in-a-lifetime moment,"

For the past seven years, Susannah had been like a second mother to me, hell she was the one I went to when I was having boy troubles, and never once had she asked me to do anything for her, and while I knew she wasn't going to make me take part of the ball here at cousins the look in her eyes was enough for me to know that I needed to say yes, that I should help her fulfill whatever dream she had conjured.

"I... Okay, I'll do it."

She smiled one of those smiles that make you feel good, make you feel all warm and safe - she was good at that, making people feel seen and safe.

"Maybe you'll find the perfect boy to be your date, or maybe, you already have." Handing me my invite she winked before calling out to the rest of the house "Dinners ready!"

Laurel shakes her head as she watches her son"Steven, I swear to God, if you look at that phone one more time, I'm putting it in the screen basket."

Susannah nods, a soft smile playing on her lips "It's just, we want to see your beautiful faces. Can dinner be a screen-free zone? You know, like the olden days."

I can't help but laugh at that, if Susannah and my mother had one thing in common, it was their capability to make some of the most outlandish comments to hit home with as my mom would say "the younger generations."

Steven doesn't even blink, in his own world as he continues to be locked into his phone, Jeremiah shakes his head as he snatches the phone from his friend's hand, pretending as if he had just made the winning basket as the phone hits the chair nestled in the corner.

"And the crowd goes wild." I giggle clapping at the younger boys' display "Maybe you should forget football and take up basketball after all."

"Okay, okay, okay, we get it, you've been working out." Steven shakes his head elbowing the younger Fisher boy playfully

"Oh, you're just jealous because Jere has a better body than you."

I'm not sure if I had imagined it, or if Jeremiah had actually perked up at Belly's comment

"Uh, no, actually, it's all about the lean look now. Otherwise, you can't wear tailored suits."

Conrad snorts, smiling to himself "Tailored suites."

"When are you leaving for training camp man?"

The topic was still a fresh wound for the Fisher family, damn it was even a hard pill to swallow for me. Conrad was a damn good play and he had loved the sport for as long as I could remember. so when the atmosphere shifted and silence engulfs the table I wasn't shocked.

"He quit." I supplied softly "He wanted to focus more on academics." I give his hand a gentle squeeze under the table

"Wait really you quit?'

"Mhm." he holds my hand tight his face impassive

"Are you kidding me, man? I'd-I'd kill to play college ball."

As I said, the wound was still fresh and neither of Conrad's parents had taken the news well, they had been riding him about it since he made the decision.

"He can always change his mind."

"I'm not going to change my mind, Mom. I was just gonna sit on the bench all season anyways. "

It was clear that we were all looking for a way to change the subject, lighten the tension, and do anything to end this conversation before someone got hurt. Before I could even gather my thoughts - how could I when my hand was in his like it belonged there. Laurel became the saving grace our dinner needed

"Well, if you're not playing football anymore, what are you gonna do

all summer?"

"Oh dude you could work at the club with me and Jere."

Jeremiah smiles nodding along with Steven, a thousand thoughts running behind those wild blue eyes

Conrad's grip on my hand loosened as he shakes his head "I'm not going to work at the club."

"Wait, you guys are working this summer?" Belly asks looking around the table "All of you?

Jeremiah nods "I'm lifeguarding and Stevens going to work at the snack shop. I don't think Lennox is working though so you'll have someone to keep you company.

I could tell she wasn't amused, not only had I crashed her summer plans the boys were going to be busy more often than not leaving her with me as her only option - I didn't know her well enough to know what she was thinking but I knew by the furrow of her eyebrow it wasn't anything good.

"Oh." she sighs, leaning back in her plush dining room chair

"Actually, Belly. I was thinking you would have plenty to be busy with this summer too." Susannah smiles softly handing Belly a white envelope, identical to the one she had handed me not much earlier "I managed to wrangle you an invitation to be a debutante this summer."

"Is that the thing where the girls wear the white dresses and curtsey?"

Laurel lifted her wine glass as her daughter tore open the envelope, finishing it in one sip.

"The whole deb scene is bullshit. It's for sheep, you shouldn't do it."

Jeremiah nods "And you'll have to find a date,"

Belly's eyes catch Conrad's as she nods softly.

"Lennox is doing it too" Susannah nods at me, a small smile on her face.

"Lennox in a dress?" Jeremiah snorts shaking his head "Yeah right."

"That's what I'm saying man! That's not Belly's scene either like mature? She had a funeral for our cat a couple of months ago and made us all wear black!"

Conrad's hand is no longer holding mine as he runs a hand through his messy hair, his brows furrowed in annoyance.

"Hey, I like to wear dresses." I glare at Jeremiah

"Shut up, Steven. I saw you crying in your room." Belly huffs too, annoyed at the two boys antics.