You're my safe haven || Jeremiah Fisher

Chapter Three

<You're my safe haven<3 >

-Chapter Three: Shower Songs

Later that night everyone was sitting around the table, eating dinner while Steven kept laughing at his phone, occasionally showing Jeremiah who would laugh. Beau pushed his food around, getting bored, no one was talking and it was awkward. The boy looked up to see Jeremiah already looking at him before Steven took his attention away showing him a new meme, Laurel getting annoyed at her eldest son. "Steven, I swear to God, if you look at that phone one more time, I'm putting it in the screen basket." His mother threatened, Beau letting out an 'Ooo.' earning a look of annoyance.

"It's just, we want to see your beautiful faces." Susannah took over smiling "Can dinner be a screen-free zone? You know, like the olden days." The cheerful woman asked the kids. Beau smiled "Yeah of course." Susannah smiled at him gratefully "Thank you Beau." The mentioned boy blushed in embarrassment and looked down at his food, he then felt a soft kick on his leg. He looked up to see Jeremiah smiling at him before he got up and took Stevens' phone. "Steven."

He then tossed the phone to Beau who softly placed the phone in the screen basket. "Boom! Nailed it." Jeremiah did a fist bump in the air. "Okay, okay, okay, we get it, you've been working out." Steven scoffed and Belly looked up at him "You're just jealous that Jere has a better body than you." She stated eyeing Jeremiah who looked uncomfortable. Steven scoffed at her "Uh, no, actually, it's all about the lean look now, right Beau?" He asked his brother, who pretended not to hear him, shaking his head Steven continued.

"Otherwise, you can't wear tailored suits." Jeremiah laughed at Stevens' reason "Sure sure." Conrad shook his head chuckling "Tailored suits." Steven looked at him amused "When are you leaving for training camp, man?" He asked and everyone went quiet. Beau looked up in confusion, Jeremiah took over "Uh, he quit football." Conrad looked down, Steven looking at him confused "Wait, really? You quit?" Steven asked him, getting a hum of confirmation.

"Um..I'll be right back." Beau spoke up heading to the bathroom, Laurel looked up at her son "Don't take too long." She told him and he nodded at her. He walked into the bathroom and closed the door, looking at his reflection and placing his hands on the sides of the sink, exhaling a breath he didn't know he had been holding. He stared at his reflection before shaking his head and turning on the tap, slashing some water on his face, drying it, then going back to the dining room where everyone was.

"Yeah, Beau and I are lifeguarding, and Steven's working at the snack shop." Jeremiah's voice reached Beau's ears as he walked into the room and sat down, Jeremiah looked up at him and smiled while Belly glared at him. "Oh Belly I almost forgot. I have a surprise for you." Susannah spoke up and Laurel chuckled looking at her best friend. "So, this is why you had to stop by the country club."

Susannah sat down handing the card she grabbed out of her bag to Belly, humming in confirmation. "What, uh, wh-wh-what is that?" Steven stuttered looking at the invitation as all the boys tried to get a peek at the card. "I wrangled Belly an invitation to be a debutante." Susannah replied looking at Belly. Belly looked up at Susannah questionably "Is that the thing where the girls wear white dresses and curtsy?" Laurel scoffed and Susannah smiled.

"It's when a girl comes of age and is presented to society. I-I know it sounds silly, but I swear it's fun." Laurel shook her head "Girls come from all over New England to Cousins just to be a part of it. You'll make so many new friends." Susannah continued before Laurel finally decided to speak up. "I cannot believe you are still holding on to this archaic dream." Laurel stood up to grab something while Susannah looked at her.

"No, it used to be about finding a husband, but now it's about networking. They teach you leadership skills, like how to market yourself, and it benefits charity. It's, um, like a bat mitzvah." SUsannah responded and Conrad looked at the rest of the boys in amusement. Laurel came back into the room with another bottle of wine looking at her friend "It's not like a bat mitzvah. There is nothing religious about a debutante ball."

"The whole deb scene is bullshit. It's for sheep." Conrad said annoyedly while Belly looked at him. Beau shook his head, staying silent as he felt another kick, he looked up to Jeremiah to see him throw a playful over exaggerated wink. He burst out in a quiet fit of giggles while Laurel and Susannah smiled softly at the boys, looking at each other with knowing looks.

"No, it's not. It's when a girl has a coming out, it's a formal recognition she's reached maturity." The boy's mother rejected and Steven started to laugh. "Oh, sorry. I'm sorry. Mature? Belly?" He questioned and Belly threw him a glare. "A-a couple months ago you had a cat funeral. You made us all wear black." He continued and Beau looked down, remembering the death of his cat, Mochi. Jeremiah looked at him in surprise "Wait Mochi died? Dang I'm sorry guys"

Belly glared at Steven, annoyed "Shut up, Steven. I saw you crying in your room." Susannah redirected the conversation "Belly. Don't you want to get all dressed up?" Laurel and Beau shook their heads "It's just not Belly's kind of thing. She's our feral little alley cat." The girl's mother denied and the boy's all burst out into laughter. "Alley cat." Belly looked at them annoyed before looking at Susannah. "I'll think about it." Susannah smiled, "She'll think about it." SHe looked at Laurel in triumph.

Later Steven was in the shower while Jeremiah and Beau were brushing their teeth. Steven started singing

♪ Oh ♪

♪ Girl ♪

♪ It's you ♪

♪ That I lie with ♪

Beau spit out his toothpaste and took over

♪ As the atom bomb ♪

♪ Locks in ♪

♪ Oh, girl ♪

♪ It's you ♪

Jeremiah then spit out his toothpaste as Steven stuck his head out of the shower and they all sang together.

♪ You ♪

♪ I watch TV with♪

About 5 minutes later the boys all were ready to go and were walking out of the house, their mothers already knowing where they were going. "Bye mama, bye Auntie Suzie! I love you!" Beau called out as Jeremiah chuckled at his adorableness. Beau was going to stay with his mom and Laurel but they convinced him to go to the bonfire. They all stepped out in the pool area to see Belly and Conrad talking, Belly in the pool. "First bonfire of the summer!" The three boys laugh as Conrad and Belly look at them.

"All right, we're totally taking my car. You're not driving." Jeremiah stated as Steven laughed "If anything Beau drives because he doesn't drink." He stated as Beau nodded. "It tastes gross." He stuck his tongue out in disgust. Jeremiah gazed at him before shaking his head and looked over to Steven as he spoke to Conrad. "Come on, man, we're leaving. You ready?" He asked as Conrad put his cigarette out. Belly looked up at Steven "Can I come?" Steven laughed. "Uh, no."

"The moms are getting everything set up for your movie night." Jeremiah told Belly as he wrapped his arm around Beau's shoulder. "See ya." Conrad spoke getting out of the pool. Steven looked at him starting to go to the car. "Let's go slowpoke." When they got to the car Beau got in the passenger seat as Jeremiah got in the driver seat. Putting on his seat belt Beau grabbed his phone taking a picture of Jeremiah and posting on Instagram captioning it 'Bonfire here we come!'