I honestly meant to update this sooner, sorry.

LOL you guys, I barely noticed that in my earlier chapters I would spell Conrad's ex's name as ~Agnes~ (which is the way it's spelled in the book) but as of late I've been spelling it with a U. Woops. Pretend I didn't do that... Oh and one last thing! Thank you so much for your positive feedback! -sobs-

Chapter 12

"Dark Side"

My eyes were trying to adjust to the darkness when Belly moved closer to me. "What was that?" she asked in a hushed voice.

"Maybe it's Agnes," I said, jokingly. "She's infiltrated the house, run!" I broke into a fit of laughter by the sight of her worried face.

She swatted at me. "It's not funny!"

After regaining composure, I blinked several times until my eyes were back in focus. I tried remembering where Mom used to keep the emergency flashlights. They definitely weren't in the hallway closet because the only things in there were beach-y stuff.

"What do you think happened to the lights?"

"Probably a power outage. It used to happen all the time. You know that."

"Conrad, that only happens during storms and—"

"Relax." I rubbed her arm. "You're such a baby."

She pushed my hand away. "You're not funny."

"But your reaction was. Hey do you know where the flashlights are?"

"I don't remember..." I left her standing in the middle of the foyer. "Where are you going?"

"Gonna check the kitchen," I said over my shoulder.

Belly followed me into the other room. She stopped in her tracks suddenly. "What?" Her eyes were trained on something ahead of us. I followed her gaze over to the counter she'd pretended to clean earlier. Laurel was leaning against it with a flashlight in hand.

"Beck kept the flashlights in this drawer over here," she said, pointing beside her.

I walked to her in a daze. I hugged her tightly and she returned the same affection.

"Mom? You scared the shit out of me."

"Watch your language Belly," Laurel said sharply. She turned to me. "When you called, you were at the airport."

"Yes and I meant to call you as soon as I landed but—"

"What are you doing here?" Belly interrupted.

"I should be asking you the same thing, Isabel."

I sucked in a breath. She only referred to her as Isabel when she was angry.

"Listen Laurel—" I tired but was interrupted again. By Laurel this time.

"What's going on here?"

"I needed some time alone..." Belly explained in a small voice.

"Yes and I see how well this alone time must be working out for you. Have you even thought about how Jeremiah would feel if he found out about this?"

Belly and I both shook our heads. Shamefully. In fact, we barely ever mentioned his name. I was a lousy brother.

The old owner of the seafood restaurant I used to work for, Ernie, once told me that "if a girl's the one, all bets are off, family or no family." Jere wouldn't see it that way. Crap.

"It's all just innocent fun, Mom. It's nothing."

It felt like I took a blow to the stomach or lemon juice to a wound. Nothing? Is that what Belly thought this was? I headed for the sliding door.

"Conrad?"

"Let him go. I need to talk to you alone." Laurel's tone was flat, emotionless.

I sat on a deck chair. I tried to ignore them but Belly's words started repeating in my head like a broken record. Did she say it to calm Laurel down? Or did she say it because she meant it?

Who was I kidding? The past few weeks had been amazing but what now? Belly was supposed to be starting her second year of college in less than a week and I my final year at Stanford. I would love nothing more than to take Belly with me to California. But what about her schooling? She couldn't just leave Finch University. Anyway, it was too late for her to apply at a different school and it would be selfish of me, anyway. I bet Belly was thinking the same thing all along. That whatever this is, it's only temporary. I'd been naive to think it would be simpler than that. That this was final. So no, I wasn't upset with Belly for what she said. I was upset about the way reality hit me smack in the face.

After a while Laurel plopped down on a deck chair beside mine. I wondered where Belly was but didn't ask.

"Did you know she was staying here?"

"No. I found her here; a big mess. I didn't have the heart to leave her again."

"While I understand that..." She hesitated for the slightest moment. "Belly needs to continue school and so do you." I knew those words were coming. "If you really love her, you'll go back to California and finish up. Do you still want to be a doctor?"

"Yes."

"Do you know what you're going to do about med school?"

"Not yet. I'm not even sure if I want to stay in the west coast after I graduate next year."

She nodded. "Well, take my advice kid and do the right thing."

"I would. You know I would." My hands were shaking when I said, "Now that we've reconnected I don't think I can leave again. I want to be with her now, not later."

She reached out to pat my arm. A big gesture coming from her. "No disrespect to your brother but I always knew you belong with her."

I finally turned to face her. She looked tired. "I want to marry her," I said with confidence.

The shock seemed to pass over her quickly. "Not now."

I couldn't help the smile forming at the corners of my mouth. "After we finish school."

"A lot after." Laurel smiled for the first time since she arrived. "I can't really tell you what to do, kid. All I can say is that if Beck were here, I know she would agree with me."

"I had a dream about her recently," I said abruptly. Her smile faltered. "We were here in Cousins. She told me to go home to her. So I did. Now that I think about it, it was like she knew that I would run into Belly here."

"Maybe she did know," she said clearing her throat. "Just do what feels right for you and for our girl. Okay?"

We hugged for a long time. She needed it; we both needed it. She shook in my arms and I figured she was crying. I pulled away first. "I've never seen you cry before."

"Consider it a one-time thing." She ruffled my hair.

There was no one like Laurel Fisher. She had the right amount of toughness and the biggest heart. I felt better after talking to her. Always did.

"I'm going to Beck's memorial garden," she said, standing up.

"I can go with you," I offered.

She waved me off. "Stay here and figure things out. You can come with me next time."

Laurel was gone without another word. I grabbed the flashlight she left me and went back inside the house. I assumed Belly was probably up in her room. First I stopped to test out the light switch in the kitchen and nothing. The power was still out. I continued on up, thinking about what to say to her. I wasn't ready for another goodbye. On the topmost step I almost slipped in what seemed to be water. I pointed the flashlight down and gasped. There was a very small puddle of blood.

"Belly?" I called out. No answer. I waved the flashlight around. My heart started beating faster. The hall walls had bloody hand prints splattered along, leading to Belly's room. I ran to her door and tried opening it but it wouldn't budge. "Bells!" I yelled this time, slamming my fists on the door. I heard the slightest creak of floorboards from within. I rammed the door as hard as I could and succeeded, knocking it down with a crash. With the aid of the flashlight I could make out the struggle in the room. Her bed spread was tangled up, random items were on the floor—some broken—and more blood scattered around. Obviously a fight was put up. Something like this would have reached my ears. But why hadn't I heard anything? I was opening her closet when something hard hit me on the back of the head. I remember slumping down to the floor and barely catching a glimpse of Belly's immobile body within the closet. I blanked out.