The Summers After

two

BELLY

Sometimes, waking up next to Conrad still feels like a dream. His hair is shorter than it was when they were falling in love, way back when. But otherwise he looks the same. He still has that innocent face, and she's glad she knows every line.

She watches his chest rise and fall as he sleeps soundly. He still makes her heart flutter and it's the best feeling after all these years.

"I can feel you watching me," he says softly, his voice still thick with sleep.

She smiles, "I can't help it."

His eyes flutter open and immediately meet hers. He finds her hands and brings them up to his lips to kiss. "Good morning."

"Good morning," Belly runs her fingers down his jawline, "do you want me to go get muffins?"

He shakes his head, "No, I'll go get them and take the boys. Why don't you just enjoy your morning?"

"You're sweet. I want to enjoy my morning with you though,"

"We can enjoy our mornings in a lot of other ways, Bells."

Belly looks at the clock, "You've got about 20 minutes before the boys are up, Con."

Conrad wiggles his eyebrows at her, his face lighting up. "I can do a lot in 20 minutes,"

This makes Belly laugh, and Conrad is already climbing on top of her.

An hour later, Conrad and Belly load up Matt and Henry in the car and head into town. They walk around for a little bit and shop, Belly gets a few new dresses, Conrad finds an antique set of telescopes he has to have, they pick up a few toys for the boys and end up eating muffins on a bench. Matt is running around, giggling about a butterfly. Henry is sound asleep in Conrad's arms. Conrad is holding Henry in one arm with his other wrapped around Belly.

Belly hands him a bite of muffin, "it's so nice getting to spend the morning with you like this."

"I know. I feel the same way. This is the stuff I don't want to miss."

Belly snuggles closer into him. "I talked to Steven yesterday, Shayla and the kids are coming up on Monday. Steven is coming to come up next weekend."

"Oh great. Did you talk to Jere?"

"I did. He's going to come up after the 4th, apparently with a new girlfriend."

Conrad chuckles, "of course he has a new girlfriend. Do we know what happened to Jenny?"

"No, and I don't ask."

Conrad kissed Belly's forehead. "I'm glad he's coming up, it'll be good to hang out."

Conrad and Jeremiah have made a real effort at improving their relationship, even though it's hard for both of them. Belly has always been Conrad's, everyone has always known that. But what she had with Jeremiah was real too, in a completely different way. And even though they ended on good terms, and it's been 7 years, the wounds are still there.

Matt comes running up, out of breath, "pool today, daddy?"

"Sure buddy," Conrad answers.

Matt is thrilled with this answer. He climbs up on Belly's lap and starts eating her muffin.

Conrad smiles at Matt but turns his attention back to Belly, "how's your dad?"

"Good. He's traveling right now, Bethany and the boys are with him so I haven't heard much from him. He'll probably want to come up at the end of the summer,"

Bethany is great, as far as step moms go. She's really kind, and she genuinely loves my dad. Steven and I were shocked when we found out they were pregnant. We were in our 20's, Conrad and I were engaged and I was going to have a little brother? It felt weird, and still does. But now it feels like they've always been here, Liam and Nick.

"The boys should definitely come up. They haven't been since they were little. Steven and I could teach them how to surf."

Belly smiles. Conrad has always made such an effort with her parents. Even with kids of his own, he wants to make sure that Liam and Nick have somewhat of a similar experience in Cousins that we did.

"I think they would love that," Belly says softly. She rubs Matt's head gently. He dangles his feet in between her legs while he eats, "Do you think your dad will come up this summer?"

Conrad shrugs while he looks down at Henry, who is still sound asleep, "I don't know. I haven't thought about it," He lies.

He has thought about it, and Belly knows he's thought about it because he's her husband. She knows that stuff with his Dad is hard. They never fully mended things after Susannah, or almost losing the house. Even when Conrad was in med school, they would have dinners in Boston together but they never got it back, not really.

"Con, you should invite him up. He'd want to see the boys," Belly says in a hushed tone, not wanting Matt to hear what they're saying,

"I'll think about it," Conrad pauses, then sighs, "I don't want him to make comments about the boys, how they could be better or I'm not doing something right, you know?"

Belly looks up at him, his eyes are steady on the horizon but she can tell, he wants to cry. "Hey, look at me," she says calmly but firmly, he looks down at her, "He has no place to say anything to you about your kids, he raised his kids already. You are the best dad, Con. I wouldn't want to raise kids with anyone else."

Conrad lips pull up at the corners, "I know, I just wanted my whole life to be better than him, to not be the guy who cheats on his dying wife, or abandons his kids to close a deal in London. I just don't want to be him, so if I let him come up, I open that door."

"No, you don't. You are twice the man he is, Con. Nothing he can say could affect that. But you also have to set an example for our kids. You have to show them how to be a bigger man,"

He sighs, knowing she's probably right, because she is. "And you'll protect me from him?" His voice is lighter, more playful now.

"Promise," Belly says softly.

Conrad leans down to kiss her. Belly's stomach flips. It's the same feeling she got when she was 16 and they kissed on the beach for the first time. Nothing has changed.

Matt spins around on her lap, "ewwww!"

Conrad pulls away, laughing, "One day you're going to be happy your parents are so in love, I promise." He ruffles Matt's hair that Belly just spent time combing down. But he has his Dad's hair, thick and impossible to tame.

"Hey," Belly says softly to Conrad, Matt has turned back around to finish eating, "kiss me again." Conrad doesn't hesitate. They share a few quick, light, easy kisses. Belly breathes out. "I love you,"

"I love you," He says back to her quietly.

They sit like this on the bench for a while. They're happy. And that's all that matters.