The Summer I Turned Pretty, #2
It's Not Summer Without You
by Jenny Han
Contents
Chapter Twenty-Four
Overview
Belly recalls a childhood incident when she and Jeremiah used Mr. Fisher’s blender for Kool-Aid Slurpees, causing a mess and Mr. Fisher’s harsh reprimand. Susannah protects Jeremiah, Conrad challenges their father, and Belly’s mother confronts Mr. Fisher. The memory underscores family power dynamics and Belly’s realization of the mothers’ independent inner lives.
Summary
Belly remembers how Mr. Fisher made milk shakes at the summer house and how the kids longed for Slurpees. One hot day, eight-year-old Belly and nine-year-old Jeremiah decided to make Kool-Aid Slurpees using Mr. Fisher’s off-limits blender while no one else was home.
They chose grape, overloaded the blender with sugar and ice, and experimented with settings. When Belly failed to secure the lid, the mixture exploded, covering them, the kitchen, and Mr. Fisher’s prized leather briefcase. Panic set in as they tried to clean up.
The family returned mid-cleanup. Mr. Fisher, furious, focused his anger on Jeremiah for disobeying the unspoken rule, while Belly tried to take the blame. Jeremiah nearly cried under the pressure. Conrad intervened, calmly stating that their father had never explicitly banned using the blender.
Susannah embraced Jeremiah and urged Mr. Fisher to let it go; Belly’s mother stiffly cleaned, then later argued with Mr. Fisher, even calling him an “ass-hat.” Steven hustled Belly away as the adults fought, both shocked and thrilled by the rare conflict at the usually carefree beach house.
In reflection, Belly notes that the summer house was a place of relaxed rules where the mothers were occupied with their own pursuits. She recognizes a distance—an inner world the mothers inhabited apart from the children—as well as the kids’ own parallel lives.
Who Appears
- BellyNarrator; recalls a childhood blender mishap and reflects on family dynamics and mothers’ separate inner lives.
- Mr. Fisher (Adam)Arrives to a mess, harshly scolds Jeremiah over the forbidden blender and stained briefcase.
- JeremiahCo-conspirator in making Kool-Aid Slurpees; takes the brunt of his father’s anger and nearly cries.
- ConradQuietly defends Jeremiah by noting their father never explicitly banned the blender.
- Belly’s motherCleans up, later confronts Mr. Fisher, calling him an “ass-hat,” revealing adult tensions.
- SusannahComforts Jeremiah and urges Mr. Fisher to let the incident go.
- StevenHelps Belly clean up and ushers her away, amused by the adults’ rare argument.