
Lᴀsᴛ Kɪss (5)

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After going back to the summer house, Liz and Conrad booked their flight back to California. They spent the night with Dakota and River knowing it'd probably be a long time before they saw one another again. They said their goodbyes the next morning before the two drove home.
Now, Liz and Conrad had their bags packed and stuffed in the trunk of the car. Ready to head back home after a very long few weeks. But, of course, they had one more thing to do.
They jumped out and walked over toward Susannah's grave together. Liz held a bouquet of flowers in her hand as they approached. A comfortable silence fell over the two of them as they walked hand in hand.
The two stared down at the tombstone with a familiar hurt blooming in their chests. Even after five years, their heart still had the cracks of her passing. Though it got easier to be without her, it still hurt. Of course it did. And it probably always would.
Liz kneeled down and gently placed the flowers beside in front of the tombstone. Her hand then traced over the letters spelling out the woman's name. She let out a shaky breath.
"I miss her." She says
"Me too." Conrad mutters as she stands. She steps back into him and he wraps his arm around her shoulder and kisses the crown of her head, "Too much sometimes."
Liz looks down, "Do you think she'd be proud of us?"
"I know she is." He says with a nod, "She always has been. Knowing that is the only way I can accomplish things sometimes."
Liz purses her lips. She tucks her hair behind her ear as a butterfly lands on the tombstone. Liz smiles, "She's here."
Conrad smiles sadly as she looks up at him, "She's probably been waiting for us."
Liz laughs softly as she turns back toward the butterfly, "Hi, Susannah." Conrad's heart flutters as she continues, "I know we haven't been here in a while, but there's been a lot of stuff going on. I'm taking care of him just like I promised."
A few seconds later, the butterfly is gone. Liz sighs, "We love you."
Conrad nods as Liz turns and wraps her arms around his torso, "I love you, Mom.
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The airport was hectic. Hundreds of people rushed around catching flights and making sure they had what they needed. In a way, Liz found it comforting. Or maybe, it was the fact that she knew in just a few hours, she'd be home. As much as she loved Cousins, this summer had definitely shown her just how much the people she loved changed.
She looks down as her phone vibrates in her lap. She quickly answers before putting the phone to her ear, "Hey, Mom."
"Hi, honey. You and Conrad already at the airport?"
"Uh, yeah." She says, "We have I think two hours before we board."
"Oh, okay." Megan says, "I just wanted to thank you for coming yesterday. I know it didn't go exactly how we thought, but I appreciate you being there."
Liz looks down, "Yeah. Mom, I actually wanted to talk to you about that."
"Okay."
"I understand that you wanted everyone to be together and for things to go great, but you made me feel like I had to be there despite how uncomfortable I told you I was."
"What do you mean?"
"Mom, you used Susannah as a way to force me to go. It's the same way Belly tried to bring her up when she announced the engagement. It made me feel bad."
"I wasn't trying to do that, honey."
"But you did, Mom." Liz says softly, "I love you and I love Dad, but the both of you have contributed to making me feel horrible this summer. I know I should've told you when I saw you, but I've been so worried about not hurting your feelings that I ignored my own."
The line is silent for a few seconds before Liz hears Megan sigh, "I'm sorry, honey. I really am, but Susannah would've loved for all of you to be at each other's weddings." Liz shuts her eyes with a sigh, "She loved when all of you were together-"
"Mom, you're still doing it." Liz chuckles sadly. She shakes her head, "An apology shouldn't have "but" in it."
"Liz, you know what I'm trying to say."
Liz raises her brows, "I gotta go, Mom. I'll talk to you soon."
Liz pulls her phone away from her ear and hangs up. Her shoulders raise as she takes a deep breath. She shakes her head with her a chuckle, "Unbelievable."
Conrad sat next to Liz with a sigh, "Alright, I got your coke, a Snickers, and Cheetos."
Liz giggles, "Thank you."
"Of course." He says as she sets the snacks on her lap and places the drink by her feet. He sets his own drink beside hers, "You feel okay?"
"Mhm." She mutters opening her Snickers
"You've been a little quiet since we visited my mom."
Liz shrugs taking a bite of her candy, "No reason. I'm just calm now."
"Yeah? You sure?"
"Yeah." She says, "I hadn't talked to her in a while. That was probably what I needed."
Conrad's brows furrow. He blinks a few times, "What do you mean? You used to talk to her?"
"There were times back home when I would go to the beach and just sit and talk." She says. She looks towards Conrad and chuckles nervously under his gaze, "What? Is that weird?"
"No, no. Of course not." He says softly, "I just- I didn't know you spoke to her."
"Yeah, when I was anxious or overwhelmed and just needed to vent." She explains, "It's only been a couple of times. I sometimes talked about you."
He raises his brows, "Me?"
"Yeah." She smiles, "All good things. I'd thank her for you."
Conrad's face softens tremendously at her confession, "Really?"
"Mhm." She nods biting into her Snickers again, "There are a lot of times when you've been my lifeline. When I could barely think and you were there. Sometimes knowing what was wrong before I did. I wouldn't know what to do without you, so I thanked her."
Conrad nods as she looks down at her candy. He looks away for a second before turning back to her. He watches her with a level of admiration he hadn't known was achievable.
He then leans over and kisses her softly. Liz yelps in surprise, but quickly kisses him back. He pulls away and her eyes flicker over his face. She smiles, "What was that for?"
"I love you so much, you know that, right?"
"Yeah." She says softly, "Doesn't hurt to hear though."
Conrad smiles before kissing her again. Liz laughs between kisses. His lips landing on her cheek as she squirmed away.
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