The Summer I Turned Pretty, #3
We'll Always Have Summer
by Jenny Han
Contents
Chapter Twelve
Overview
Belly dreams of a young, lost Conrad asking for help, revealing lingering, unresolved feelings. She wakes beside Jeremiah, grounds herself in his presence, and deliberately recalls the dream before choosing closeness with him. The moment contrasts past attachment to Conrad with Belly’s present commitment to Jeremiah after the proposal.
Summary
Belly dreams she and a younger Conrad play until dark, then become lost in the woods. When Conrad says he doesn’t know how to get home and asks for help, Belly realizes she doesn’t know either, and the sadness of their shared lostness overwhelms her.
She wakes crying at 4:57 a.m., with Jeremiah asleep beside her in the cramped dorm bed. Comforted by Jeremiah’s scent and steady breathing, Belly notes his solidity and their closeness.
In the morning, the dream begins to fade. Jeremiah pulls Belly close, asking for five more minutes as the big spoon. Belly fights the fading memory, momentarily silencing Jeremiah so she can retrieve it.
When Belly finally recalls the image of Conrad in denim overalls and their hours of play, she exhales in relief. Re-centered, she returns her attention to Jeremiah, accepts his suggestion of breakfast, then chooses “five more minutes,” leaning into their intimacy.
Who Appears
- Belly (Isabel Conklin)Dreams of a lost, younger Conrad; wakes emotional, then finds comfort and closeness with Jeremiah.
- Jeremiah FisherSleeps beside Belly; offers warmth and normalcy, sharing a tender morning and choosing five more minutes together.
- Conrad FisherAppears in Belly’s dream as a younger boy, lost and asking for help, symbolizing unresolved feelings.