The Summers After

thirty

BELLY

Belly is up early the next morning. She needs to talk to Taylor before she leaves and they need to get back to the hospital for Matt. Conrad exhales next to her. They were up late, and Belly isn't sure what spurred last night, but it was the best sex they've had in a while.

Belly runs her thumb over his swollen lips. She leans forward and presses her lips to his, kissing him awake.

His eyes flutter open, landing on her immediately. She gets butterflies in her stomach.

"What time is it?" Conrad asks, his voice still scratchy.

"It's only 5:30," Belly says back to him. She reaches up and buries her fingers in his hair.

Conrad closes his eyes at her touch, "I'm so tired."

"You have only yourself to blame," Belly says, biting her lip to keep herself from smiling.

"I have no regrets," His voice is softer now.

"I thought you said no sex in here until it was renovated."

Conrad shrugs, opening his eyes to look at her, "I know."

"Are you okay?" Belly asks inquisitively.

Conrad pulls her closer to his chest, "I'm fine." And Belly can tell from his tone, he really is fine. Maybe last night was just one of those nights, when all he really needed was to be loved in a way that only Belly could give him. To provide that safety and closeness after their awful day.

Belly places her hand on his bare chest to feel his heartbeat. It's slow, he's calm and relaxed. His breathing starts to get deeper, and she knows he's about to fall asleep again.

She waits to get up until she's sure he's out. It's after 6 when she finally heads downstairs.

Taylor's bags are by the door.

Belly walks out to the driveway, "Taylor?"

Taylor is loading Crew's stuff into the trunk of her white Honda Accord. Crew is already in his carseat in the back. Taylor doesn't respond.

"Where are you going to go?"

"I don't know, maybe my mom's." Taylor says sharply.

"Taylor—"

"Save it. I don't want your apology or your pity. I needed you. I needed you to be my friend this week, and instead you had to go off with your little summer pack and leave me out, like always."

Belly can't believe Taylor is pulling this. It's so typical Taylor, make everyone else feel bad for her mistakes.

"Are you kidding me? Conrad and I moved out of our room for you, without a question. I haven't asked you for a dime and you've eaten our food, drank our alcohol and stayed in our home. This is what you do Taylor, you take and you take until there's nothing left to give!" Belly shouts at her.

Taylor fumes, "I didn't realize I was asking so much of you!" Her voice is sarcastic. "I'm so sorry for putting you out,"

Belly wants to strangle her, "Taylor! You haven't even apologized for what happened to Matt, not really."