(Third Person Pov)

When they were done with their snow cones, they then went back to the house to clean up. The couple noticed Belly and Jeremiah were back as they got back to the house. They put away the surfboards and walk back to the house. "You guys went to the store?" Conrad questioned after noticing Jeremiah and Belly holding grocery bags while they walked over to the house.

"Uh, we actually thought about leaving, but then we decided not to listen to you." Belly replied.

"We didn't just get groceries. We actually went to see Aunt Julia." Jeremiah added.

Conrad raises his eyebrows. "How did that go?"

Jeremiah and Belly share a look. "Not great." Jeremiah admits. "Talk to dad yet?" He asked his brother.

"No." Conrad replied, putting his hands on his hips.

"That's probably my fault." Lauryn speaks up sheepishly. "Probably distracted him from talking to your dad."

Conrad shakes his head, his arm wrapping around her waist and gave her waist a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry about it, Lauryn. It's not your fault. We both needed a break from all the stress." Lauryn nodded, feeling better. She knew Conrad meant it.

"Uh, I'm-I'm gonna take these inside." Belly stammered and took the bag Jeremiah held.

Sensing that the brothers most likely needed to talk alone, Lauryn glances at Belly with a smile. "I'll help you with that." She offered, sharing a smile with Belly, who handed her one of the bags. Lauryn turned to kiss Conrad on the cheek, earning a small smile from him in response before she pulled away. She followed Belly to the house, the two of them chatting about their day.

"So, you finally learned how to surf?" Belly grinned as they put everything away.

Lauryn laughs. "Yeah, well, I'm still a work in progress, but Conrad was an amazing teacher. I never thought I'd get the hang of it, but he made it fun and encouraged me through all the falls."

Belly giggles. "I'm glad. It's really nice to see you two together. You make a great couple."

Lauryn blushes. "Thanks. You and Jeremiah are also very cute." She tells Belly with a small smile. "I'm happy for the two of you."

Belly smiles, feeling her cheeks heat up a little. "Thank you. I'm really happy too." She pauses when she notices something that catches her attention. "I've been meaning to ask, where'd you get those bruises?" She questioned, referring to the ones on her arm and leg.

"Oh," Lauryn shakes her head, smiling reassuringly. "Those? You know I'm clumsy, so it's nothing. I've just been running into stuff. They'll heal." She replied, waving a hand. Belly wasn't entirely convinced, but she nodded.

"Okay." She replied, deciding not to push the issue. She was sure Lauryn would tell her when she was ready.

Lauryn and Belly continue talking as they put the groceries away. When they were done, they join the boys in the dining room where Conrad sat at the table and Jeremiah was sitting across from him. Lauryn moved to sit by Conrad, gaining a small smile from him, his hand finding hers under the table. She gave his hand a squeeze as she sat beside him.

"Dad should be calling soon." Conrad announced, glancing over at Jeremiah.

"Yeah." Jeremiah nodded.

"Do you guys want to talk to him alone?" Belly spoke up hesitantly.

"I'm not leaving," Lauryn argues, her hand giving Conrad's hand a gentle squeeze. "I-I mean, I will if you guys want to talk to him privately, but I'm here to support you." She said softly, looking at Conrad with a fond smile. "Both of you." She added, glancing over at Jeremiah, who gave her a small smile.

"Belly, you should stay. You helped me and J get this far. Plus, it's your house as much as it is ours." Conrad tells Belly, earning a relieved smile from Belly as she sat down. When Conrad's phone rang, he answers it and puts it on speaker. "Dad, hey."

"Hey, Con. I only got a bout a few minutes here." Adam responded.

"Hey, dad." Jeremiah spoke up.

"Jere?" Adam questioned, sounding surprised. "You're in Cousins too?"

"Yeah, just got here last night." Jeremiah answered.

"Alright, look, I got a heads-up from the bank telling me you're trying to access your trust. That's not gonna happen." Adam said to Conrad.

"So you've already made up your mind?" Conrad inquired.

"Yeah, I mean, that money is for your future. I'm not gonna let you blow it no a beach house." Adam replied.

"It's not just a house, dad." Jeremiah argued.

"You want me to beg, dad? 'Cause I will." Conrad admitted. Lauryn sighed quietly, leaning her head on Conrad's arm. She had a feeling this wouldn't go well. Her gaze fell on the flowers in the vase on the table and her heart ached. They were just like the flowers that were on the vase of Susannah's casket on her funeral. She remembered that day all too well.

**FLASHBACK**

The church was packed with people there for the funeral of Susannah Fisher. Many beautiful flowers decorated the altar, their sweet smell filling the air. A beautiful picture of Susannah smiling set up in the room. The pastor said a eulogy for Susannah despite never meeting her. A lot of people were there, some people who didn't know her were there sobbing while others knew her very well. Lauryn was dressed in a black dress, her eyes red and puffy as she sat by her Aunt Coralee and Uncle Doug. She still couldn't believe Susannah was gone. It felt like a nightmare that she couldn't wake up from.

She glanced over at Conrad, who was sitting on the other side of the church with his family. He looked broken, his eyes bloodshot and red as he stared blankly ahead. She wished she could go over to him and hold him in her arms, tell him everything was going to be okay. But she couldn't. Her heart ached more as she noticed Jeremiah sobbing by Conrad's side. She turned her gaze to the floor, blinking rapidly to try to fight the tears that threatened to spill. She had to be strong, not just for her, but for the others who were also grieving Susannah.

This funeral was lovely, but it was what she expected it to be. Beautiful flowers, kind words, and many tears. But she didn't expect Conrad to get up and head to the front to say something. He sat on a stool and grabbed his acoustic guitar.

"This was the song that she always asked me to play for her." Conrad admitted as he began strumming. Lauryn looked at him with surprise, proud and impressed that he could even get up there, let alone sing and play guitar. His voice was soft and gentle yet it was wavering, and the emotion behind his words made her heart ache more. She sat up straighter, frowning deeper when his voice cracked and he stopped singing at one point. He muttered an 'excuse me' as his gaze looked up at the crowd, his eyes meeting hers. The two teens locked eyes, both their hearts hurting, the pain clear on their faces. But Lauryn tried her best to reassure and encourage him to keep going, that it if he wanted to. She mouths, 'you got this', and 'i love you' to him. Conrad felt a bit more comforted by her encouragement. He took a deep breath and continued to play the song for Susannah, this time able to finish it thanks to Lauryn's support.

****

The ceremony was after the funeral and many people had came. It was held at the beach house loved by family and friends. Lauryn watched as people talked with Laurel and Jeremiah, sharing their condolences. Her aunt and uncle were speaking with some people she didn't know. But as she looked around the crowded house, she didn't see Conrad. She figured he must have gone upstairs to get away from everyone. So she went up stairs and searched through all the rooms, finding him in the rec room. Her heart ached and she frowned at seeing the state he was in. Conrad was panicking, struggling to loosen his tie, his breathing ragged and uneven. 

When he couldn't loosen his tie, he began to try to take his blazer off, his eyes filling with tears as he struggled. She rushed over and helped him, her hands pulling the blazer off his arms and dropping it to the floor. Then, she moved her hands to his tie as he kept fumbling with the tie, his hands shaking. Her heart ached for him, and she was quick to undo his tie, pulling it off. He stumbled back and onto the couch, his breathing heavy. He looked up at Lauryn with tears in his eyes, his face pale and full of anguish. Lauryn sat beside him on the couch, her heart aching for him. She reached out and took his hand, squeezing it gently.

"Just breathe, Coco. It's going to be alright. Take deep breaths. In and out. First breath in...And out." She scooted closer to him, keeping her voice low and gentle as she spoke, her thumb stroking the back of his hand. Conrad focused on his breathing, doing as Lauryn instructed, following her lead as she took deep breaths. As he listened to her, his breathing gradually slowed and his heartbeat began to slow down as well. He leaned against her, resting his head on her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close, rubbing his back soothingly.

"I'm so sorry," Lauryn whispers, holding him tighter while tears form in her on eyes. "I wish I could take your pain away, make everything better. But I can't. I'm here, though, and I'm not leaving you. I'll stay as long as you need me." She promised, her fingers combing through his hair. Conrad sniffled and nodded, nuzzling his face into her neck. She kept her arms around him and continued to hold him. Her heart ached for him, and the guilt was eating away at her. She wanted to tell him she loved him, she had for awhile now, but she knew it was the wrong time. So she did the next best thing she could.

She sang him the song she sang to him when they were younger. When he would get sick, have a bad day, or when he was upset. A song she knew Lauryn gently sang the lullaby that had been a comfort to Conrad in his younger years. Her voice was soft, steady, and soothing, weaving through the air like a comforting embrace. The song spoke of hope and solace, promising that even in the darkest times, there would be light again. As she sang, Conrad's breathing gradually steadied, his tears slowing to quiet sniffles. 

He clung to her, finding a fragile sense of peace in her presence. Lauryn kept her arms wrapped around him, her voice blending with his rhythmic breathing. She continued to sing until Conrad's trembling subsided, his body relaxing against hers. The room was quiet, save for the gentle cadence of her song and the muffled sounds from downstairs. Lauryn's heart was heavy with the weight of their shared grief, but she was determined to be a steady anchor for him.

As the last notes of the lullaby faded, Lauryn pressed a tender kiss to Conrad's forehead, her fingers lightly brushing his hair. "I'm here, Conrad," She whispers again, her voice barely audible. "I'm not going anywhere. We'll get through this together." Conrad lifted his head from her shoulder, his eyes red but his expression softened by the comfort she had given him. He managed a small, grateful smile, and for a moment, the intensity of his pain seemed to lessen. Lauryn brushed a stray lock of hair from his face, her gaze steady and reassuring.

"I'm really lucky to have you, Lulu." Conrad said quietly, his voice hoarse but sincere. Lauryn smiled softly, her heart aching with empathy.

"Just as lucky as I am to have you, Coco." She replied, her voice filled with warmth and affection. They shared a quiet moment, surrounded by the remnants of grief but also by the strength of their connection.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

Back in the dining room, Lauryn's thoughts lingered on that painful day. The flowers on the table reminded her of the sorrow they had all felt. She glanced at Conrad, his face a mix of frustration and determination as he spoke with his father. Conrad's phone conversation had turned heated, but Lauryn's presence seemed to offer him some stability. She could tell how much this conversation meant to him, how deeply the unresolved issues with his father affected him. Even as the tension mounted, she maintained a supportive, calm demeanor, holding Conrad's hand firmly under the table.

"Guys, I had my lawyers look into any possible loopholes right after the funeral, but there's none. Okay? The house is legally Julia's." Adam explained.

"Wait, so you've known we're losing the house since the funeral?" Jeremiah asked in disbelief.

"Jere, I'm not your evil father trying to ruin your life. And believe it or not, I'm just as upset about this as you are about it." Adam admitted.

"That's such bulls****." Conrad comments, shaking his head. "You never cared about this house, dad. You never cared about it 'cause you never cared about mom."

Adam exhales sharply. "You know that's not true. Jere, come on. You get it, don't you?"

"Dad, I-I don't, I don't get why we can't use our trust to buy it, and then we can sell it later if we need the money." Jeremiah sighed.

"No, Julia's gonna go ahead with the open house tomorrow. I really appreciate the attempt here, but this is the end of the conversation. You just make sure that Julia gets everything that she needs. You got it?" Adam questioned. Lauryn couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was like he wasn't listening to his kids, not one bit. It made her angry, and she could tell the boys were frustrated. She was too. She didn't want to lose this house, none of them did. But what were they going to do now?

"Conrad was right. Talking to you was pointless." Jeremiah answered and ended the call. Lauryn sent the boys a sympathetic smile and squeezed Conrad's hand, her head still on his arm. His free hand went to her thigh, and she placed her free hand on top of his, giving it a squeeze. She had no idea how much he appreciated her presence, her touch and words of comfort. It was just what he needed. Belly was sat by Jeremiah, comforting him the best she could as well. Everyone was silent, no one knowing what to say. Suddenly the front door opened and Taylor and Steven walked in, holding some boxes.

"Surprise!" Steven announces, grimacing when he saw everyone's faces. "Oh, s***. I-I knew we should have told them we were coming."

"No, it's not that. It's..." Conrad started, his voice trailing off as he looked down. Lauryn squeezed his hand, moving one of her arms to rub his back.

"We're losing the house." Jeremiah admits. "They put it up for sale."

"Oh, Cinderbelly..." Taylor frowns, hugging Belly immediately when the girl got up. "They're selling the house?"

"Yeah..." Belly said sadly while she hugged her best friend.

"Um, I-I brought you blueberry." Steven stuttered, showing her the box of muffins he had.

"I'm glad you're here." Belly admitted. Lauryn smiled at seeing the interaction, knowing something had happened between them. Belly had told her what happened at a party they had went to with Taylor, but she was glad to see they make up. Lauryn turned to Taylor, smiling a little at her.

"Hey, Taylor, it's great to see you." She greeted, getting up to hug the blonde.

"It's always great to see you too, Lauryn." Taylor returned the smile and hugged her back.

Lauryn wasn't sure what was going to happen next, but she was certain of one thing: She wasn't going to let the house get taken away. She wasn't sure what she was going to do, but she was willing to do anything she could to help her boyfriend and her friends to keep the house.