BACK TO YOU

nine. old times

▬▬ LENNOX PANTED AS SHE made her way into the kitchen, her hair pulled back into a high pony, a few loose strands sticking to her forehead with sweat. Jeremiah and Belly, who sat at the table eating cereal, turned and watched as the girl made her way to the sink and turned the water on before leaning down and taking several big gulps.

"You okay, Len?" The boy asked, an amused smile pulling at his lips and the girl gave him a thumbs up but she didn't move out from under the faucet.

"Yo, I'm gonna go wash the clams. Did you get the lighter fluid?" Conrad asked as he made his way into the kitchen.

"Yeah, it's already on the beach." Jeremiah told him and he nodded before Lennox caught his attention and his eyebrows creased as the girl gulped down water.

"Uh, Len?" He questioned and she gave another thumbs up before waving him off. "Are you waterboarding yourself?" He asked and she raised her middle finger, getting a laugh from the two at the table. "Okay." He mumbled before making his way out the back door.

"Are we done with the portrait yet?" Steven asked as he and Susannah walked into the kitchen.

"Yeah, for today." She nodded, then Lennox caught her attention.

"Angel?" She questioned and the girl stood up, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand as she looked at the woman, her eyes wide. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Lennox nodded as she turned the water off. "Went for a run. Forgot my water. Haven't gone running in a while. Thought I could pick it up again, run like I used to. No dice." She shook her head.

"You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, totally." She nodded. "I do need a shower though. I'll be down soon." She kissed the woman's cheek before making her up the stairs and to the bathroom.

After her shower, Lennox made her way down the stairs in a red, white, and blue tie-dye crop top and a pair of black cut off with the vans on her feet. Her hair was wet and pulled over her shoulder as she hummed to herself, but she stopped when she saw the boys and Belly looking out the window near the front door. She shrugged and made her way over, squeezing in front of Conrad so she could see.

"What are we looking at?" She asked, watching as Laurel and Susannah greeted John, Belly and Steven’s dad, and a woman she had never seen before.

"Their future step-mom." Conrad answered and she nodded then Steven pushed Conrad and the two started roughhousing.

"Hot." The girl mused, getting weird looks from the Belly. "What? I can't say that I think a woman is hot? I think you're hot, and I say it quite often."

"She gets me." Jeremiah mumbled, pulling her into his side as he patted the top of her head and she just laughed. "Guys! They're coming." Jeremiah stated as he let go of Lennox and stopped the other two boys before Conrad grabbed Lennox's hand and pulled her with him and Jeremiah as they left the foyer.

>>>>> • <<<<<

▬▬ LENNOX LAUGHED AS SHE ran across the yard, Nate's hat on her head, and the boy panted as he chased after her. She glanced over her shoulder, a wide smile on her face then she neared the pool and pulled the hat from her head as she easily dove into the water. She swam to the other side of the pool and resurfaced, a smile on her lips as she watched Nate swim towards her and when he was close enough he pulled her to him.

"You're in a good mood."

"I love the Fourth of July." She shrugged, holding his hat behind her back. "I'm happy you could make it. I don't think I could survive it without you. And Callie of course, but it seems Susannah has taken her hostage." She glanced over at the two, they were talking and laughing and it made Lennox smile.

"Well, it was this or take out with my mom and when I told her we were coming here she basically shoved us out of the house. She said, and I quote you're cramping my style."

"I love your mom." She hummed, wrapped her arm around his neck. "She cracks me up."

"She loves you, too. Even if you are a little hat thief."

"It looks better on me." She told him, placing the soaking wet hat on her head and he chuckled as he fixed it, pulling the bill down slightly. "Ooh, if you want, I could talk to Suze about getting you another flower crown."

"Definitely do that." He nodded and she laughed, pushing the boy away from her. Susannah couldn't help but smile at the two, she was happy that Lennox had someone to make her smile. But she didn't miss the way Conrad's eyes would travel back to them every once in a while.

Lennox swam across the pool and lifted herself up so she sat on the edge, her feet in the water and her eyes on Conrad. "Hey, Con." She kicked her leg out, splashing the boy a little and turned towards her. "Heard your dad isn't coming. You alright?"

"I'm great." He smiled and she nodded, a smile pulling up her lips. She was happy to see him smile, especially since it had been a while since she had actually seen one.

"Good, I'm glad." She told him and he splashed her a little, nothing more than a way of saying thanks before he swam away.

Nate smiled as he swam over to her and lifted himself up between her legs, his hands on either side of her hips against the edge of the pool. “I don't think I've ever seen you smile this wide.”

"It's a great day." She told him. “But, and I say this only because I feel like I should warn you, if you keep doing stuff like this-" she motioned to the way he held himself between her thighs. "-and saying really cute things, I might have to kiss you."

"And you felt the need to warn me because…?"

"You know why."

"Well, I'll make this easy for you." He quickly leaned forwards and pressed his lips against hers, she was caught off guard but easily fell into a nice rhythm as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Only when Jeremiah whistled did the two pull apart. "Get a room!" He called out, getting a few laughs.

"No." Laurel shook her head. "There will no getting a room."

"Yes, mom." Lennox grinned, looking over her shoulder at the woman then a scream left her lips when Nate wrapped his arms around her waist, he pulled her into the pool and under the water. She resurfaced and pushed her hair out of her face, a smile on her lips as she shook her head at the boy. "Jerk."

"You love me." He mumbled and he moved closer to her and placed his hat back on her head, this time it was backwards, then he pulled her to him and the girl giggled.

"No, jeez, Luar. He's a friend." The girl pulled back, her eyes narrowed at Steven as he repeated what she had told Laurel just weeks before.

"Nate, can you just let me go for a moment?" She asked the boy calmly,

"I don't think I should." He told her, his lips tugging up into a smile.

"Please don't." Steven told the boy, hiding behind Shayla, who was more than a little confused.

"Nate, let go."

"Okay." He released and she swam towards the edge of the pool and lifted herself out as Steven took a few steps backwards.

"Len, no. I-I was just playin'." The boy told her then she took a step, he turned and took off across the yard.

"I don't even have to do anything." She grinned as she turned back towards the pool, a proud smile on her lips as she placed her hands on her hips.

"That's because we all have faced the wrath." Conrad told her, his arms crossed on the edge of the pool. "More than once."

"Then don't piss me off." She shrugged and he laughed a little as he looked up at her and for a moment, it was like it used to be. “I’m surprised you guys haven’t learned that yet.” She squatted down in front of him, her arm around her knees.

“Oh, we know. Pissing you off is just super fun.” He told her and she rolled her eyes before pushing him back, the heel of her hand hitting his forehead and he fell back into the water making the girl laugh before she stood up and made her way over to the table of food.

“It’s nice to see you and Connie getting back to normal.” Laurel told the girl as she tucked a strand of wet hair behind the girl’s ear.

“Yeah, I guess so.” The teenager shrugged. “So, uh, John, how’s the new girlfriend?”

“She’s good.”

“Good, good.” She hummed, nodding her head. “Just make sure you have her home before her curfew.” She joked and Laurel laughed as the girl made her way into the house, a towel around her shoulders and she waved as she passed Victoria, who was on the way out the door.

“Hey, what are we drinking?” Lennox asked as she neared the counter where Belly sat with Jeremiah, the former passing a margarita glass to the boy.

“Pomegranate margaritas.” Belly grinned.

“No wonder you like it, it tastes just like a slurpee.” Jeremiah told the girl. “Wanna try?” He offered it to Lennox and she grinned as she took it and raised it to her lips.

“Wow.” She mumbled. “Okay, we need more of these.” She pointed at the glass before looking between the two.

“I have an idea.” Belly smiled.

“Oh, no.” The boy mumbled.

“I’m listening.” Lennox leaned forward, her elbows on the counter and Belly looked between the two of them.

“Sous-chefs, I’m gonna need some more pomegranate juice.” She told them and they nodded.

“You got it.” Jeremiah told her before he started squeezing some pomegranates and Lennox moved around the counter, scanning the bottles of alcohol that sat on the counter as Belly made her way over the cupboard.

“What are you guys making?” Conrad asked as he made his way into the kitchen.

“Pomegranate margarita, but with a twist.” Belly told him, a wide smile on her face as she walked over to the counter with kool-aid mix.

“I have never loved you more.” Lennox leaned over and kissed Belly’s temple making the younger girl laugh.

“Well, you gotta use the good blender.” Conrad told them and Lennox grinned as she looked over at him.

“He’s back.” She mumbled, getting a small chuckle from Belly.

“Oh, I-I haven’t used that thing since the great kool-aid debacle of 2011.” Jeremiah stated, but his brother pulled the blender out and made his way to the island, putting himself between Belly and Lennox as he put it on the counter.

“I remember.” Conrad laughed. “The counters were sticky for… two summers?”

“Yeah, just about.” Jeremiah nodded. “Dad kept his briefcase in my room for a year. As a reminder that all mistakes are not reversible.”

“I never apologized for that, did I?” Lennox looked up at the youngest Fisher making them all laugh and Conrad wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side, all she could do was smile

It felt like old times, all of them together and laughing. It was nice and she relished in it.

“Wait, won’t he be mad if he finds out?” Belly asked, but Conrad let his arm fall from Lennox as he plugged the blender in.

“Well, he’s not gonna find out. He’s not coming.”

“Okay.” She chuckled before dumping a scope of kool-aid mix into the blender then Conrad poured in the pomegranate juice before Jeremiah handed him a lime, which he squeezed into the blender.

“So, Len, have you made a choice?” Conrad asked, turning to the girl and she grinned as she picked up the Tequila.

“Oh, she’s going for the good stuff.” Jeremiah mused as the short girl moved around Conrad and twisted the top off the bottle as the boy added ice.

“Did you doubt me?” She asked, pouring some into the blender only to have Conrad push the bottom of the bottle up, pouring more than enough into the blender. “What-what are you- Connie!” She giggled as she looked up at him, his smile wide as their eyes met.

That smile took her breath away. And for a few seconds they just smiled at each other, off in their own little world of beautiful smiles and long gazes.

“Okay, okay, okay!” Belly nearly shouted, pulling the two back to Earth. “I think that’s enough.” She grabbed the bottle and they all laughed as Conrad put the lid on the blender and turned it on, then he moved his hands from the lid and both Jeremiah and Lennox jumped.

“No, keep your hands on it.” Jeremiah chuckled and Lennox put her hands on the lid then Conrad put his hands over hers and the two shared a smile.

“Okay, I-I think it’s done.” Lennox mumbled when she felt heat rising up the back of her neck. She pulled her hands back and Conrad took a small breath before he turned it off and popped open the little spout on the side of the blender.

“Man, you know what I miss?” Conrad asked, looking over at his brother.

“Huh?”

“Watching Laurel put dad in his place. You know, she’d walk in, she’d be like Adam.” He smiled as he sat down, his arm absently winding around Lennox’s waist as they all laughed – it really did feel like nothing had changed. Like it was last summer and there was nothing wrong, nothing was broken between them.

“Adam.” Laurel stated as she walked into the kitchen, seeing the boys’ father in the doorway of the kitchen and all four turned to see the man. “You came.”

“Happy Fourth.”

“Dad!” Jeremiah pushed himself up and made his way over to his dad and hugged him. Lennox looked down at the boy on her right when his arm tightened around her waist, his fingers lightly digging into her hip, like he was trying to ground himself.

“Hey, girls.” Adam greeted, a smile on his face as he looked between Belly and Lennox. “Hey, Connie.” He nodded but the boy just leaned into Lennox’s side. “I’ll have a little of what you’re mixing up there.”

“Yeah, sure.” Belly smiled as she handed him one of the glasses.

“Thanks, Belly.” He took the glass.

“Oh, you’re gonna love the fireworks show this year. It’s gonna be the best one yet.” Jeremiah told his dad, clearly happy that he had made it for the holiday.

“I believe it.” Adam chuckled and Lennox turned a little, wrapping her arm around Conrad’s shoulder. She squeezed him a little, her way of letting him know that she was there.

“You okay?” She asked, her voice a mere whisper but he just pulled her closer to him. She knew he didn’t really talk about his feelings, she understood that, so she just tightened her arm around his shoulders a little more and leaned into him. The boy couldn’t help but let out a relieved breath as he rested his head against her side.

Then the back door opened. “Where’d everyone go?” Susannah asked as she walked into the kitchen, her jaw hanging open when she saw her husband. “Adam. You managed to get off work.” She smiled, but Lennox could tell it was forced, after all she had been forcing her smile for most of the summer.

“Yeah, couldn’t miss the Fourth with my family.” He grinned, looking over at Jeremiah then over at Conrad, who clung to Lennox and a beat of silence fell over the room.

“All right, well, let’s get back to the party.” Susannah told them.

“Okay, let’s go kids.” Laurel smiled and they all filed out of the room, Lennox keeping her hand in Conrad’s.

“Hey, Connie, can I talk to you for a minute?” Adam asked when the two passed him.

“I actually need his help with something.” Lennox smiled and Adam just nodded, letting the two go.

“Thanks.” The boy mumbled as they stepped out the back door.

“What’s going on?” She asked, keeping her voice low as she looked up at him. He parted his lips but no sound came out before he shook his head. “Hey, why don’t we head down to the beach with everyone?”

“Thanks, Len.” He gave her a smile and she nodded, then he pulled his hand from hers, flexing it a little with the absences of her warmth as he walked over towards the others. And the girl walked over to the pool where Callie sat with her feet in the water and Nate was laid out on a float with his eyes closed.

“Hey, we’re going down to the beach. Wanna come?”

“Hell yeah.” Nate nodded, jumping off the float and swimming to the edge of the pool as Lennox pulled on her shorts, then the three joined the others.