Sometimes, Conrad would look across the table and see his mother smiling at him.

It didn’t matter that she had been gone for years now, her absence a quiet ache that threaded through every season since. It didn’t matter that this was her memorial, that the soft clink of cutlery was muted by the weight of grief, or that candles flickered gently in her name while bouquets of her favorite flowers filled the room with the ghost of summer. It didn’t matter that every chair was occupied by someone who had known her laugh, her warmth, and her boundless way of loving and who carried that loss like a stone in their chest.

It didn’t matter that the person really sitting across from him was his father, rigid in his collared shirt.

Because for him, Susannah was always there.

She was in the light. In the sun pouring through the restaurant window and catching the glint of the ocean just beyond the dunes. In the quiet way Laurel had wrapped her arms around him earlier, holding him like a second mother, so tight and grounding, as if she could hold him together just long enough to get through the day. She was in the sound of Steven’s easy laugh, in the way Belly rolled her eyes fondly at her brother’s joke, and in how Jeremiah nudged his shoulder like they hadn’t lost entire years between them.

Being with them again, after everything and despite everything, felt like slipping into a worn hoodie from his childhood. Frayed at the sleeves, thinned in places, but still warm. Still his.

And then there was you.

Maybe most of all, she was in you.

You, who had crashed into his life quietly and all at once, like the tide.

He’d met you just weeks before his mother died. A moment in time he sometimes thought about like a scene in a movie, too perfectly timed to be real. Like fate, or maybe something softer. Kinder. Maybe she had sent you. Maybe Susannah, with all her light and knowing and mother’s heart, had looked at her boy, being a splintered, grieving, impossibly young and already so tired, and thought: he’s going to need someone like her.

Someone patient. Someone with a voice like a lullaby and laughter that filled the cracks in his chest. Someone who ate ice cream even on rainy days and sang along, very badly, to the radio with him, who learned his silences and never tried to fix them, only sat beside him until he could breathe again.

You had been her parting gift. The last bright ribbon on a life wrapped too tightly around loss.

And sometimes, when you smiled at him from across the room like he was the only thing you saw, or when you pressed your hand flat against his chest like you could feel the places where it still hurt, Conrad would close his eyes, swallow the knot in his throat, and think:

Thank you, Mom.

He was still lost in thought about you when Laurel’s voice rose above the soft clink of glasses and low hum of conversation. Her tone was warm, filled with that quiet maternal pride that always wrapped around him like a knit blanket, one he never asked for but always accepted. She was raising a toast to her children, to their futures, her eyes glinting with unshed emotion beneath the dim restaurant lighting. The flicker of candlelight played across her face as she turned her gaze toward him, and the warmth in her voice softened further.

She spoke of him next.

Of all he’d done, all he’d built, far from home. Her words weren’t just kind, they were reverent and admiring. She spoke of his discipline, his strength, and the way he’d carried the weight of grief and still managed to chase down a future through lecture halls and exam rooms. Each sentence felt like a gentle pat on the shoulder, a reminder that he wasn’t invisible in his efforts. That someone, even from afar, had seen him.

Conrad stared down at the glass in front of him, the golden liquid inside catching the light just enough to blur his reflection. He felt the burn behind his eyes, low and steady, and swallowed it down like the rest of the things he never said.

But before the silence of her words could settle, before he could let the swell of emotion crest and fall, Steven’s voice cut in. Playful. Sharp. Curious. A disruption of that fragile stillness.

“So do you have a girl there?” He asked, his voice slicing through the quiet hum of reverence like a pebble skipped across still water.

Conrad blinked slowly, his gaze lifting from the golden ripple of his drink, catching the soft light that danced along the glass’s edge. For a moment, he hesitated, not because he didn’t know the answer, but because saying it aloud felt fragile and intimate, like unfolding a delicate secret in a room still steeped in memories and silence.

Around the table, Laurel smiled warmly, gently nudging Belly with an elbow as if sharing a quiet joke. Jeremiah tilted his head, curiosity flickering across his features. Even his father looked up from his plate, brows arched with a quiet but unmistakable interest.

The attention turned toward him like a slow tide.

Conrad didn’t rush. He never did. He rubbed a thumb against the condensation on his glass, lips twitching just slightly.

“Yeah,” he said, voice low but sure. “Yeah, I do.”

Steven leaned forward, eyes bright and wide with boyish enthusiasm. “Wait, seriously? You’re seeing someone?”

His dad chuckled softly, a sound rich with both surprise and amusement. “And you didn’t bring her? Why not?”

Conrad looked up then, eyes calm but glittering with something warmer, deeper. “It’s her family’s day, too,” he said quietly. “Didn’t feel right to take her away.”

A thoughtful pause followed, the kind that hangs heavy yet respectful in the air. Laurel’s voice broke it gently, honeyed with fondness. “What’s she like?”

And there it was, the question that mattered most.

Conrad didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he reached for his wallet, slow and deliberate, like he wasn’t just flipping through receipts and cards but handling something precious. He slid a small, worn photo from the back sleeve, the one he kept tucked there like a secret, like a prayer.

It was you, standing on the beach last fall, hair wild from the wind, the hem of your jeans wet with saltwater. You weren’t even looking at the camera. You were laughing at something he’d said, eyes half-shut from smiling, your hand lifted in a blurry motion like you’d just tossed a shell back into the waves.

He laid the photo on the table.

A soft collective breath escaped the group, somewhere between a sigh and a quiet ‘oh.’ Laurel’s hand fluttered to her chest, her eyes shining with unspoken emotion. Belly’s head tilted, brows knitting together in a thoughtful frown.

“Wait…that’s this beach,” she murmured.

“That’s our house behind,” Jeremiah added, glancing at his brother. “You brought her here? When?”

“Almost a year ago,” Conrad said softly.

For a moment, no one spoke. The room seemed to pause, the usual clatter of the restaurant fading beneath the weight of his quiet vulnerability. This raw, unguarded glimpse into his life was rare, almost sacred.

Even his father nodded slowly, a silent approval etched into the lines of his weathered face.

“Well,” Laurel said softly, eyes shimmering, “she must be pretty special.”

Conrad’s lips curved into a small, genuine smile, the corners lifting with a quiet certainty. “She is,” he murmured. “She really is.”

A minute later, Conrad quietly excused himself from the table, slipping away from the low hum of conversation and the soft clinking of glasses. He didn’t really need the bathroom, he just needed a moment to breathe, to catch the sharp edges of his thoughts before they cut too deep.

His throat felt tight and heavy, the strange ache that comes when grief and love collide pressing against his chest like a weight he couldn’t set down.

Leaning against the cool, smooth tile wall, he pulled out his phone. Your name was already glowing softly on the screen, as if waiting for him, an anchor in the swirling storm.

He tapped it gently and held the phone to his ear, heart pounding a quiet rhythm.

You answered on the second ring, your voice soft and warm, wrapping around him like a familiar melody that made the noisy restaurant fade into a distant murmur.

“Hey, love. Everything alright?” you asked, your tone tender, filled with a soothing kind of care that made his tight chest ease a little.

He swallowed hard, the ache tightening as he pressed his forehead against the cold wall, eyes closing for a brief moment. “Yeah, I’m okay. Just needed a little break.”

A pause stretched between them, your steady breathing a quiet comfort over the line.

“You sound a little shaken,” you said gently. “Talk to me.”

He let out a shaky breath, fingers curling around the edge of the sink. “It’s just…today. Being with them, remembering her. And now…hearing your voice.”

You didn’t rush to fill the silence. Instead, you let it hold him like a soft, protective cloak, an unspoken invitation to unravel the tight knot inside his chest.

“I told them I have a girlfriend,” he said, a shy, almost bashful smile touching his lips. “Showed them a picture of you.”

Your laughter was gentle and bright through the phone. “Oh? You really did?”

He nodded, though you couldn’t see the movement. “Yeah. Wanted them to know you’re not just a voice in my ear.”

There was a tenderness in your voice that made his heart skip, a soft anchor in the tumult. “I’m very real.”

He brushed a trembling hand over his face, trying to chase away the rawness threatening to spill through his words. “I miss you so much.”

“I miss you too,” you whispered, your voice barely more than a breath. “But at least we’re just a call away.”

His lips curved into a genuine, quiet smile. The heavy weight pressing on his chest lifted ever so slightly. “I’m lucky.”

“No,” you said softly, voice steady and sure. “I’m the lucky one.”

He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, letting the warmth of your voice fill the hollow spaces inside him, the steady pulse of your love a balm to his weary heart. For a fragile, fleeting moment, everything felt like it might be alright.

He lingered in the silence, the phone pressed gently to his ear, as if holding onto you through the line could stop the world from spinning too fast.

“I wish you were here,” he finally murmured, his voice barely above a whisper, heavy with longing.

There was a quiet pause, full of everything that words couldn’t say.

“I know,” you answered softly. “I wish I was, too.”

He swallowed the lump in his throat, feeling the chill of the tiles seep through his skin, grounding him even as his heart soared.

“Soon,” you promised gently, “I’ll be with you for real. No more phone calls.”

A small, hopeful smile broke through the tension coiled inside him.

“Yeah,” he whispered, “I’d like that.”

Conrad woke up from feeling the empty side of your bed. His blurry eyes looked around the room, hoping that you were just standing in front of the crib, which wouldn’t be the first time.

His friend Agnes introduced you to him; she thought the two of you would make a cute couple, plus it would get him to move on from his brother's girlfriend. You and Agnes met at the coffee shop, and she noticed a pin on your backpack was from a show she also enjoyed. So the two of them clicked and became best friends.

Towards the end of the fall semester, Agnes was hosting a Christmas party. She practically dragged the two of you to come. She pushed you into a conversation and would tackle anyone who tried to get one of your attention. You guys have been talking and taking it slow, and now you’ve been dating for two years.

Well, except for your first anniversary in January, when you told Conrad you were pregnant. You were so scared to tell him, not knowing how he’d react. He smiled and assured you that it was going to be okay because you’re in this together.

Conrad noticed you weren’t in the room. He was trying to keep his anxious thoughts at bay, but it was hard. What if you fell and you both got hurt? How could he be so careless? He should’ve noticed you weren’t gone and waited up for you.

He bolted out of the bedroom, about to scream your name, but he saw the kitchen light on. Conrad walked into the kitchen, and his heart relaxed at what he saw.

You are sitting at the kitchen island, wearing a short lounge set, which had your showing off your five-month bump proudly. From what Conrad could see, you were eating a bowl of Cookies and Cream ice cream with whipped cream, chocolate drizzle, and… jalapeños? Not the weirdest craving you’ve had, but maybe top three.

“You scared me, love,” Conrad smiled, towering behind you, “I’m sorry, bub. I was going to come back from the bathroom, but she wanted this.” You smiled before taking a big bite of your snack. Conrad chuckled before pressing a kiss on the top of your head.

Conrad moved next to you, his brows furrowed when he saw the abundance of jalapeños you had in your bowl. Now Conrad didn’t want to say anything because he never wants you to be insecure about your pregnancy, but the need to protect you overrides him. “Just be careful with the jalapeños, love. I don’t want you getting heartburn,” Conrad's voice softened, rubbing your back. You gave him your best puppy dog eyes. “More?” You threw in a pout.

The power you had over Conrad was insane. You could ask him to rob a bank, and he would ask which one. Conrad never minded about your power until you used it for evil, like now.

Conrad shook his head, sighing, but his small smile gave him away. “Fine. But only one,” Conrad agreed. You smiled brightly before littering his face with kisses. To this day, Conrad had no idea how he survived life without your kisses.

Conrad opened the jalapeño jar with ease, “You’re going to make me spill the jar.” Conrad smiled, trying to keep his hands steady. You pulled away and looked at him like he had committed a war crime. “Do not drop my jalapeño, Conrad!” You sassed, Conrad, knowing the consequences if he did. Conrad hated when you called him by his real name. It's always his way of knowing when you’re mad at him. Which would make Conrad's chest physically hurt; he never wants to hurt you. He wants to be with you forever, to pick you up when you’re feeling down, and he wants to protect you and his baby girl, Susannah.

You never met Susannah, but from the stories Conrad told you, it feels like you do. You could tell how much Conrad loved his mom, so when you found out you were having a baby girl, it was a no-brainer what her name was going to be. As a way to honor his mom and a thank you for raising such a wonderful guy.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, love,” Conrad smiled, pulling out a big and juicy one. Hoping that this was his ticket to earn back his status as your bub. Conrad dug the jalapeño deep into your snack to make sure it was covered in every sweet treat.

You were almost at the scene where Céline and Jesse shared their first kiss when you heard a car pulling up outside.

‘’That must be the food,’’ Conrad said, shifting and stretching his arms above his head. ‘’I’ll get it.’’ 

He slipped out of bed and padded out of the room. 

You watched him leave, the cozy warmth of the moment still lingering in the sheets and blanket wrapped around you. The room smelled faintly of coconut shampoo and woodsy bodywash, lingering from Conrad’s post-beach shower. You let out a soft sigh, already missing him, and continued the movie. 

A few seconds passed. Then a minute.

Then—

Raised voices.

Your head snapped toward the hallway.

You couldn’t hear what they were saying; just the sharp edges of tension cutting through the quiet house. A frown drew on your face. What was going on?  

You paused the movie and swung your legs off the bed, heart suddenly racing. Someone else was at the house — and Conrad didn’t sound happy about it. You quickly pulled on his sweatshirt over your small pajamas before going near the stairs.

‘’—This is Mom’s house, I don’t need your permission to come here,’’ someone — assumingly his brother — snapped over Conrad's voice. ‘’I’m allowed to be here with Belly. You don’t get to tell us to leave.’’ 

‘’This is not what I said!’’ Conrad shot back, voice tight with frustration. ‘’How could I have known that you and Belly were planning to come here after your last exams? No one was supposed to be here until the fourth of July. ’’

‘’Then why are you here? Showing off to your new girl?’’ Jeremiah said. 

‘’Don’t bring her into this. You don’t even know her—’’

‘’Will you two stop?!’’ interrupted a girl’s voice — that must be Belly. 

But the two brothers didn’t listen, the argument continuing as the two added more oil to the fire. 

‘’What is going on?’’ you asked, taking the last step and looking at Conrad. 

The three pairs of eyes turned to you, each a different look on their faces.

Jeremiah eyed you up and down quickly, then scoffed. ‘’I see you two have been having fun.’’

‘’Jeremiah!’’ Belly gasped, both embarrassed and shocked. 

Conrad walked over to you, one of his hands instantly wrapped around your waist, and pulled you closer to him. ‘’That’s enough, Jere!’’ He gave his brother murderous eyes, beyond pissed at him for insulting you. ‘’If you two want to stay, it’s fine. But don’t talk to my girl like that.’’

—

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“Yeah?” He asked with a teasing lilt. Conrad licked around the curve of the breast exposed above the hem of your tank top before sucking hard. You subconsciously pushed your chest up into him, jerking as he bit into the fat of your breasts. You whined his name, pulling on his hair.

You’d never been more grateful to go braless than when Conrad travelled further down, teeth grazing your nipple through the thin cotton fabric.

Seeing your pleasure, he carried on, free-hand bunching your top up so he could stare down upon your boobs.

“So fucking pretty,” He mumbled before diving back in, mouth sucking on one pink nipple as his hand moved to torture the other. You were already a mess, and you’d barely started.

You took the initiative to remove your shirt, flinging it across the room. Conrad’s guitar made a discordant echo as the fabric landed on the neck. Neither of you paid it any attention, Conrad practically devouring your breasts as you pawed at his shirt, silently begging him to take it off.

You propped yourself up on your elbows as Conrad pulled away for a moment, struggling almost comedically to get his shirt off in his desperation. Maybe Conrad wasn’t as built as his younger brother, but that couldn’t have concerned you less. You thought he was perfect, and gave him your best bedroom eyes to convey it.

Conrad watched you, staring up at him with lidded eyes under thick lashes. The corners of his lips twitched in an almost smile before he dove back into you, stealing a passionate kiss from your lips as his hands wandered down to the waistband of your white linen trousers, fiddling with the button.

You helped him shimmy the trousers and your panties down your legs, landing in a pile on Conrad’s floor.

Conrad kept his eyes on you as his fingers crept closer to where you needed them most, your breathing shallow as he teased. When his nimble fingers finally made contact with your clit you yelped, hips bucking up to create more friction.

“Calm down, baby. I’m not gonna let you go unsatisfied,” He teased you, floppy hair falling in front of his face as he lowered himself down to be level with your crotch.

Conrad only managed one polite lick before he was devouring you, mouthing at your pussy like it was the last time he’d ever eat. All you could do was sigh and moan and writhe under his attention.

“Oh, Connie, you treat me so well,” You babbled, hands fisting the sheets in an attempt to ground yourself.

If you thought Conrad’s mouth was heavenly, it was nothing compared to when he slid one long digit inside you, stretching you out.

“Need you, Con,” You mumbled, trying to wriggle out of his grip. He was reluctant to let you go, enjoying giving as much as you were enjoying getting.

“Need me how, angel?” He emerged, chin glistening with your juice.

“Wanna ride you.” Conrad’s face broke out into a grin, the pretty kind you loved being the cause of.

“Yeah?” He asked, sounding almost disbelieving. You nodded, producing an affirmative hum.

Conrad sprang into action, climbing up the bed to sit against his headboard, shimmying out of his shorts and boxers. He held out his hand, and you spat in it, watching in fascination as he jerked himself off with a few languid strokes.

You climbed on top of him, legs straddling his own brilliant thighs. There was a moment of quiet as you lined Conrad up with your entrance. You both moaned as you sank down on his length, holding each other like you were the only ones left on earth.

You smashed your lips against his, hands wandering over his body as you began to lift and sink on Conrad’s erection, the friction sending shudders up through your body.

Conrad’s eyes were glued to your breasts, staring as they bounced up and down in time with your movements. Without warning, he attached himself to you again, teeth catching your nipple.

He sucked, hard, his other hand drifting up your body so that both buds were stimulated, breathy sighs escaping without your consent.

“So handsome,” You admired him, eyes barely open as you focused on keeping a steady rhythm. “You’re so good to me, Con. I love you, I love you so much.” You blabbered, pressure building where the two of you joined.

“My girl,” He mumbled in response, face in the crook of your neck so his breath tickled your skin. “Making me feel so good. I love you.”

You traded whispered declarations of love and admiration as Conrad began thrusting up into you, both on the very edge of falling apart.

“Come on, beautiful. Come for me.” Conrad’s words, the earnestness and devotion, sent you over the edge, shaking until you slumped into your boyfriend’s chest.

Your erotic show was too much for Conrad to handle, and he followed soon after you, holding you tight to him as you felt him twitch and spill inside you.

When you were both finished, Conrad manoeuvred you into a lying position, still inside you. You lay intertwined, syncing your breaths until you felt like a singular being.

“Thank you,” You mumbled, hand threading through his hair.

“For what?” Conrad huffed a quiet laugh, “You did all the work.”

“For loving me. I’ve never felt the way I feel with you, Conrad.”

Conrad didn’t reply, just kissing your temple and pulling your head closer to his chest.

It was late February the first time Conrad took you to Cousins. It was chilly and the house was all alone at this time of the year, it was the perfect get away.

You’ve been seeing Conrad for three months now, you took a class together and started having all these study dates until one night he finally kissed you. And now, you’re still in a dating phase but it still seems a bit casual. 

The house was quiet, just the sound of the ocean outside. You settled easily, memorizing every old picture of Conrad and the names of the other people posing with him. 

“Is this you?” you ask, holding up a framed picture of him at about ten years old, sunburnt and a cap. 

“Please put that down” he cringed. 

“No way! You were adorable!” 

“Were?” he laughs. 

“Oh come on! Admit it, you look like the cutest thing” you show him the picture again.

“Not gonna happen” he shook his head. 

“I’ll just leave this here where everyone can see” you tease him.

“I wanna go to your parent’s house and mock all your baby pictures” he smirks.

“Joke’s on you, I made them hide all the embarrassing ones” you laugh. 

You watched all the sunsets together, the blue sky turning all shades of pink and orange, feeling like magic itself. 

“Thank you for bringing me here. It’s different here” you tell him. 

“Different how?” he asks. 

“Like slower, calmer” Romantic you wanted to say, but decided against it. ”You’re lucky to have this”

“Yeah, guess I am” he smiled, not looking at the sky any longer, only your side profile. The way your hair fell back, and your favorite sweater hugging your skin, his own slippers looking way too big on you, hiding the cute socks with little cartoons on them you always like to wear. He really is lucky. “You fit here”

“I fit?” 

“Yeah, like… some people come here and it just feels like a visit. But with you it’s like you’ve always been here” he explains. 

You got to wake up by his side. Only the sound of birds and the waves. You had lazy breakfasts together, he had this skill to make a great plate out of whatever he could find around. 

You still had to go grocery shopping desperately. 

And within a few minutes of arriving at the little grocery store, the cart was half full. 

“Conrad, we’re just two people, we don’t need that much chicken” you say firmly.

“I let you pick all the 30 different kinds of fruit you wanted, let me have this” he teases you. 

“Oh, cereal” you grab a box and drop it in the cart. 

“That cereal?” he makes a disgusted face. 

“What’s wrong with it?”

“Way too sugary” he cringes. 

“You eat like a seventy-year-old man” you mock him.

At the dairy section, you were grabbing milk and yogurt until a voice interrupted you. 

“Connie?” 

Conrad turns and sees Mrs. McCarthy –an older woman from down the street by the beach house. She’d known the Fishers since they were kids.

“Hey, Mrs. McCathy. How are you?” he smiles at the sight of the old woman. 

“I’m good. And who’s this lovely girl?” she smiles warmly. 

“This is my girlfriend” he tells her your name. The title slipped out, smooth, natural. 

You glance at him surprised, but he smiles at you like it’s the most obvious thing. 

“Oh, it’s very nice to meet you, dear. You’ve got your hands full with this one” The woman says, delighted.

“Don’t I know it” you joke while Conrad rolls his eyes.

You finished shopping with his words still lingering. 

“Girlfriend, huh?” you nudged him with your elbow. 

“Well, what was I supposed to say? This is the girl I’ve been seeing for three months, casually” he jokes.

“Well, yeah, kinda” you laugh. 

“No. girlfriend fits” he smiles.

“You kinda missed a step” 

“What step?”

“You never actually asked me” you smirk.

“You’re right,” he comes closer to you, not breaking eye contact. “I want you to be my girlfriend, I thought that was obvious enough and you already knew that. But if you need me to say it outloud… will you be my girlfriend?” 

“Yes, I will, you dingus” you smile and hug him and then he kisses you. 

The night then slipped into the perfect date. You cooked together and were now cuddling on the couch, watching some old movie, ice cream on its way. 

You were so wrapped up in each other that you jumped when you heard a car right outside. 

“Finally, ice cream” he gets up. 

You go to grab your wallet, but he stops you. 

“Don’t even think about it” he laughs, throwing your wallet further away from the couch you were on.

He padded across the living room towards the front door, opening it with the expectation of a delivery guy waiting for him. Instead, his stomach dropped. 

“Conrad?” Jeremiah frowns, with keys in his hands, ready to open the door. 

“Jere?” he says, half a question, half disbelief. 

Behind the car appears none other than Belly, looking at him with the same confused face he has. 

“Surprise I guess, didn’t know you were here” Jeremiah speaks.

“Yeah, sorry, I didn’t-” he was apologizing when he noticed Jeremiah hadn’t told him he was coming to the house either, so he stopped. 

“Needed a break. Thought we’d crash for a bit. Belly came with.” the younger brother explains. Belly just gave him a small wave.

Conrad was still frozen at the door. Uncomfortable memories of their past came haunting him again, like they hadn’t in a long while. Especially not in these last three months. His face was not the best at hiding his rising anger. 

“Connie? Did you get-” you appear behind him, his own hoodie looking too big on you, hair mussed from the couch. You stopped, eyes widening at the unexpected guests. “Oh”

Jeremiah’s bows lifted, taking the comfy state of the unknown girl, calling his brother Connie. But he couldn’t hide the growing smirk on his face. 

Conrad clears his throat, stepping closer to you, as he introduces them to you, telling them your name. “Guys, this is my girlfriend” 

The word hung in the tick air, solid and sure. Conrad catched your eyes softening and a small blush rising to your cheeks. 

“Wow, nice to meet you. I’m Jeremiah, the younger, hotter Fisher” he smiles at you a little too warmly. 

“Hi, yeah, I’ve heard a lot about you” you say. 

“Good things I hope” Jeremiah laughs. 

Belly, on the other hand, was standing with a straight face. She forces a smile. “Hi, I’m Belly”

“Hi” you say politely, offering a small smile back. 

The silence that followed was heavy, even with Jeremiah’s attempt to keep it light. 

After some small talk, with Jeremiah making too many questions at you and a weirdly quiet Belly, they went upstairs to unpack. 

“Well, that was something” you say, carefully.

“Yeah” Conrad agrees. 

“You okay?” 

“Yeah” he looks back at you, small smile forming. “I’m just sorry our little get away was ruined” 

“Yeah, well. We couldn’t live in wonderland forever” you joke. 

“Yeah, but it was perfect… I haven’t felt that good in a long long while” he admits.

“I know, but we can have more” you say, hopeful. 

“We will” he nods. 

“So… girlfriend, huh?” you joke, smirking.