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"So, the GRE?" Liz says

"What about it?" Belly asks

"I, uh, saw you had a prep book. And I remember you were talking about maybe going to grad school for psychology or something. Have you figured out what you want to focus on?"

"Um, sports psychology."

"Oh, wow."

"Yeah. Kind of came to it in a roundabout way." Belly says, "Last year, when I hurt my knee and had to quit the team..."

"Mm-hmm."

"...my coach had me talk to the team psychologist. It really helped, and I thought maybe this is something I want to do."

"That's great." Liz nods

"How's your knee doing?" Conrad asks

"It's good." Belly chuckles, "Better."

"I also have, uh, started seeing a therapist." He says, "He's been helping me manage the panic attacks."

"Wow, that's, that's huge, that's great." Belly smiles looking between the two. She then chuckles, "You guys just, you just seem like you got, you got everything figured out. You know, your lives in California, your careers. You're just all grown up."

"You know, you've changed a lot, too." Liz says

"Have I?"

"Yeah."

Belly scoffs, "How?"

"Well, for one, you're not a bad driver anymore."

"I actually was never a bad driver."

Conrad chuckles, "That's wrong."

Belly shakes her head as Liz smiles, "Uh, you wear heels now. You were wearing heels at the dedication."

"I'm a real lady now."

"Mm-hmm." Liz says before her face scrunches up, "Still bite your nails, though."

Belly laughs, "You don't miss a thing."

Liz giggles making Belly laugh harder. Conrad smiles softly as he watches her.

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"Okay, these hurricane vases are both on sale." Belly says, "Which do you like more? Big one or medium?"

"Big ones, definitely." Liz nods before she stops suddenly as her stomach turns

"Okay, great. That's the one I was gonna pick, too! Perfect." Belly smiles grabbing one. Conrad watches Liz and immediately picks up on her cue.

"Hey, how long do you think this is going to take?" Conrad asks

"Uh... Not... not long." Belly stammers, "Um, I'm sorry that you guys stuck doing this with me. I know it's lame."

"No, no, it's not." Liz says before swallowing. She grabs the basket and pushes to attempt to steady herself, "It's not... that lame."

"Uh, well, we can just be done and go pay for the stuff."

"Well, no. I mean, we came all this way, and, uh, there's this big sale going on, so let's just take a lap, let's see what's going on." She says

"Okay." Belly says softly

"Look at all these little fake flowers and the garlands. They're kind of nice." Conrad says, "Actually, these are really sweet, maybe for the porch?"

Belly watches him grab one before he eyes widen, "Are you... Oh, you're serious?"

"Yeah?"

"Uh, yeah. I mean, you know what?" Belly says, "They're... they're all right, right? Not great, but all right."

"Yeah, well, they're $8.99, and 20% off sale." Liz says taking one from Conrad

"Yeah. Okay. I mean, who needs Hawaiian orchids anyway, right?"

"That's what I'm saying."

Belly nods, "All right. Maybe some sunflowers."

"You can't go wrong."

"Let's see. These here." Belly says grabbing a few. She turns to the two, "Pretty. Right?"

"Very." Liz says

"All right." Belly says placing the flowers in the basket. She then grabs the basket and takes off down the aisle.

Conrad follows close behind Liz, "You okay?"

"Yeah." She nods, "Felt nauseous for a second."

"I saw. That's why I'm asking."

"It'll pass."

"Liz."

"I'm okay." She says turning to him and placing her hands on his arms, "I can make it through Michaels. I promise. Okay?"

Conrad nods, "Okay."

"Okay." Liz nods before reaching up and kissing him softly. She pulls away shortly after and follows Belly around the corner.

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"Thanks for doing this with me today." Belly says sitting up from the back seat

"Mm-hmm." Liz nods

"I'm really glad that you guys decided to take the summer off and stay in Cousins." She smiles

Liz smiles back before her eyes fall on Conrad. He tilts his head, "Uh, um... I-I didn't just decide to... to take a break this summer. I got fired."

"What?"

"Yeah. The day that Steven got in his accident, I-I couldn't focus, and I fucked up."

"Oh, no. Oh, my God." She says as she looks over at Liz, "Should I not have told Taylor to call you two that day?"

"No, no, it's... I'm glad you did." He nods, "And you were right to. And Dr. Namazy was right to fire me."

Liz's eyes soften as she watches his eyes bounce around to different things out on the road, "You know nobody's perfect, right? Not even you."

"Trust me, I know." He says, "That day at work, I was so scared that I was gonna fuck up. And then I did. Who knows. Maybe I'm not cut out to be a doctor anyways."

"Maybe not." Belly says, "Or maybe you need to just knuckle up and stop being such a little bitch."

Conrad frowns as Liz laughs out of shock. Belly sits up, "Seriously, there's a world where getting fired is... was the best thing to happen to you."

"I don't know about that."

"Well, Jere told me your advisor said that most first years take the summer off before coming back anyway."

"Yeah, well, I was..."

"Yeah, so, then, you are right where you're supposed to be. You're going to make mistakes sometimes. It's just part of being alive." She says, "And you don't have to be the hero all the time. You know, you and your therapist should tackle that next. Your hero complex."

"Wow, Belly the wise one." Liz jokes

"I don't have a hero complex." Conrad says making Belly scoff, "All right, maybe I'll... spend some time on that."

"Mm-hmm."

"Maybe I'll surprise everyone. Maybe I'll be a med-school dropout."

"Oh. Oh, please." Belly laughs, "One day, you'll be running the oncology department at Mass General."

Conrad smiles, "Honestly, I don't know if I want to come back to Boston."

"Do you guys love it in California that much?" Belly asks with a frown

"Yeah. It's fine. I like it."

"What was it like moving so far away and just starting over fresh?"

Conrad turns to Liz. She sits up with a sigh, "Um... It was scary. Especially being so far away from family. But... I'll never forget the first time that we watched the sun set over the Pacific. I thought it was so strange. It felt strange to be looking west instead of east. Like I was on another planet. Like... anything was possible."

"I've never had an experience like that." Belly says, "I've never... been... away from home, really."

"You can do it." Conrad nods

"For a minute, I thought I might study abroad in Paris."

"Well, it's still gonna be there when you finish school." Liz says

"Yeah. Maybe Jere and I can go on our honeymoon next summer." Belly sighs

"I'm starving." Liz says suddenly eliciting a chuckle from Belly and a smile from Conrad, "Should we stop somewhere and get something to eat?"

"Uh, I defrosted some chicken."

"Chicken." Liz nods, "Yes. I know. I saw."

Conrad turns to her before following her line of sight. A sign that read Peaches sat on the side of the road. The stand wasn't too far from it, "You want to stop?"

"No, it's fine. We already passed it." She says

The words can barely leave her lips before Conrad hits a u-turn. He pulls in beside the stand and parks. The three hop out and Liz and Belly make it over first.

"Okay." Belly says placing a dollar in the jar, "You gonna have one?"

"Uh, definitely." Liz says doing the same

"What about you?" Belly asks turning to Conrad

"I'm allergic to peaches."

"What? Since when? I've definitely seen you eat a peach before." Belly says, "Peach pie, at least."

"Since always." Liz chuckles as Belly grabs a peach

"I mean, I've had 'em before, but they make my mouth itchy." Conrad says

"Okay. Your loss." Belly says biting into the peach. Conrad looks over as Liz grabs a peach and bites into it. She jumps back as juice squirts out and slides down her chin.

"Oh, my God." Belly chuckles wiping her own mouth as Liz takes another bite, "That is a perfect peach."

"I don't want to eat another one, 'cause there's no way that it can be this good." Liz says biting into it again.

"Let's test that." Conrad says stepping past her and putting another dollar into the jar. Belly follows and places another dollar into the jar and grabs a peach.

"Oh, I should grab a couple for Jere." She says before walking around the stand

Liz looks up as Conrad stands in front of her. He holds the peach out and she takes it with a chuckle, "Okay."

She bites into the peach and steps back again as more juice squirts out. She giggles as juice runs down her arm.

"Was it as good?" He asks

"Yeah. It was." She nods before taking another bite. Conrad watches as she hums in content with her eyes shut. After a few seconds, her eyes flutter open and she takes another bite. She attempts to wipe away the juice that drips down.

Conrad steps forward and untucks his shirt before pulling it up and wiping her chin softly. Liz stares up at him and he holds eye contact as he continues to wipe her face. A lovestruck look appears in her eyes as he lets his shirt go, but still stands just as close.

The two miss the way Belly looked over at them from behind the stand. Too caught up in their own world to notice anything else.

Conrad watches Liz's eyes flicker down to his lips making him chuckle, "You can't kiss me, I'll get all itchy."

Liz purses her lips, but her eyes flicker up to his anyway. He then leans down and kisses her cheek softly. When he stands upright, Liz's eyes stay locked on him. He smiles as he steps back over to the stand. Liz turns and tosses her trash into the bin beside her.

She turns back as Conrad places a few dollars in the jar and turns back to her holding up a few peaches. Liz chuckles as he walks over, "You didn't have to."

"You like them." He shrugs

Liz takes them from him then grabs his hand and kisses it softly. She smiles before turning away toward the car, "We'll be in the car, Belly."

"Yeah, okay." She says. She watches as the two walk off toward the car. Liz's laughter fading out as they got further and further away.

Belly's stomach turned as she watched Conrad open the door and help Liz in. The familiar feeling of jealousy and longing pumped through her body.

The smile never left his face as he rounded the car and got in on the drivers side. Belly could see him lean closer to Liz as soon as he settled in his seat.

Belly looked down and took a deep breath as she cradled the few peaches in her arms. She placed a couple of dollars in the jar before walking over toward the car.

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