𝗜𝗡 𝗕𝗟𝗢𝗢𝗠 ᐅ𝙟𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙖𝙝 𝙛𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 [ 𝗢𝗡 𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗗 ]

𝟬𝟮

TW: mentions of strong topics, terminal illness.

✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩ A YEAR AGO ✧ ೃ༄*ੈ✩

Rose had always been able to predict anything.

It was almost unavoidable—she was naturally a dreamer, fantasising of elaborate battles and romances, losing herself in the 'what if's and the 'maybe's of the world. She knew what was coming, because she dreamed of all the different alternatives. But her pale cheeks stained in salty tears showed otherwise. Never in her life would she have been able to predict this.

Cousins was their home away from home. It was her safe space. Who else was going to watch movies with her family? Who was going to give her fashion tips? Who was going to compliment her on her hair every day, even if it was atrocious? Who would laugh at her jokes? Who would untimely be there for anyone, no matter how big or small the worry?

Susannah wouldn't be there much longer, and there was nothing and no one who could ever fill that abyss. She was irreplaceable. She was a true personification of joy, without which the Fisher and Conklin family would not know the complete meaning of happiness.

Rose crept up the stairs, wiping her eyes. It took her twenty minutes to ascend the staircase. At some point, Conrad had dashed down, only offering her a fleeting glance before exploding out the front steps, headed for god knows where.

At some point, she'd slid down the wall, and stayed there for a few more minutes. She'd stopped crying.

Somehow that was worse.

There was no outlet for her emotions anymore. She just sat there, festering in misery. In the knowledge that next summer, they would not have Susannah with them. Cousins wouldn't be Cousins without her.

Everyone had there own glimmer about them, something that made the summer special. For Jeremiah, it was his energy. Conrad's was his thoughtfulness. Rose's was her kindness, but Susannah was the glue that bound them together. She was the love. It wouldn't be summer without her.

Rose dragged her feet along the floor as she crossed the landing, running quickly past her mother's room. She knew, too. She knew, and she didn't say a thing. Her mother had kept this from her. That was unforgivable.

Shattered sobs echoed from down the hall. It was a raw, real cry, not hidden through sniffles and flippant dismissals, but it was lethal. Almost as though it was ripped through their throat.

Rose spun around.

Jeremiah.

She was at his door, and knocking, before she could stop herself. There was something about hearing Jeremiah's cries that made her stomach churn. Hearing anyone this devastated always tore at Rose's heart...But this was Jere. Her Jere.