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Few moments in The Summer I Turned Pretty caused as much fan debate as the scene where Laurel, Belly’s mother, handed Jeremiah Conrad’s letter. The moment landed like a grenade in the middle of the Fisher brothers’ fragile relationship — forcing fans to ask: did Laurel do this on purpose?
On the surface, Laurel has always been the grounded figure in the chaos of Cousins Beach. She is protective of Belly, loyal to Susannah’s memory, and deeply connected to the Fisher family. But handing Jeremiah that letter felt strangely deliberate — like she wanted him to know what Conrad truly felt but could never say out loud.
The moment reignited fandom debates about Jeremiah vs. Conrad and Laurel’s role as a mediator, or possibly, an instigator. Was she trying to repair a rift? Or did she inadvertently make it worse?
The Context Behind Conrad’s Letter
Conrad’s letter wasn’t just any note — it was an emotional release. He wrote it during one of the most pivotal points in the series, when grief, heartbreak, and transition were colliding all at once.
At this point in the story, Conrad was losing more than just Belly. He was losing his mother, his childhood home, and the security that made Cousins feel eternal. His letter was a way to preserve something of himself, a quiet confession of his deepest thoughts and emotions that he couldn’t say aloud.
For Jeremiah, who always felt like the more emotionally available brother, this letter became a rare window into Conrad’s guarded heart. Fans have long noted that Conrad struggles to express vulnerability — his love for Belly, his pain, his sense of responsibility — everything is bottled up. The letter was proof that Conrad felt deeply, even when he couldn’t articulate it face-to-face.
This is why Laurel’s decision to give it away hit so hard. It wasn’t just about sibling rivalry — it was about revealing Conrad’s private, unfiltered emotions to someone who could never unsee them.
Laurel’s Possible Motives — Mediator or Catalyst?
Laurel is one of the most emotionally intelligent characters in the series, and her decisions are rarely accidental. Giving Jeremiah the letter could have been her attempt to bridge the gap between the brothers.
Laurel’s relationship with the Fisher family has always been maternal and honest. She knew how fractured Jeremiah and Conrad had become after Susannah’s death and the chaos surrounding the beach house. By handing over the letter, she may have hoped Jeremiah would see Conrad’s pain and soften toward him.
Another interpretation is that Laurel wanted to take some of the emotional burden off Conrad. As a mother figure, she might have felt Conrad deserved to be “heard” without having to put himself in a vulnerable position.
Of course, the choice also risked causing further conflict. Jeremiah might feel betrayed or even manipulated — interpreting the letter as a way to guilt him into forgiving Conrad. The complexity of Laurel’s decision keeps this moment layered and open to fan interpretation.
How the Scene Impacts Jeremiah and Conrad’s Relationship
This single act changes the Fisher brothers’ dynamic. Jeremiah, who was already hurt by Conrad’s tendency to withdraw, suddenly has to process his brother’s private grief and love on paper.
The letter is almost like a confession that Jeremiah didn’t ask for — and that knowledge shifts the way he sees his brother. Some fans argue that it humanizes Conrad, making Jeremiah more empathetic. Others think it deepens the rift, since Jeremiah might see the letter as an attempt to sway Belly’s affections.
What’s clear is that the letter serves as a narrative catalyst. It forces Jeremiah to confront not just Conrad’s emotions but his own. Their rivalry over Belly can no longer just be about who she chooses — it’s also about understanding one another’s pain and growing past it.
What This Moment Says About Family and Growing Up
At its heart, The Summer I Turned Pretty is about coming of age — and moments like this highlight what growing up really looks like. Laurel’s choice shows that adults in the story are just as complex, flawed, and emotional as the teenagers.
By giving Jeremiah the letter, Laurel forces him to face messy feelings and uncomfortable truths. Growing up often means realizing that love, grief, and forgiveness are not clean or simple.
This is also a key moment in how the show explores the idea of chosen family. Laurel is not just Belly’s mom — she is a stand-in for Susannah, a protector of both Fisher boys. Her actions suggest that she sees it as her responsibility to help keep the brothers from drifting too far apart, even if it means making hard choices.
Conclusion
Whether Laurel acted intentionally or impulsively, her decision to give Jeremiah Conrad’s letter is one of the most emotionally charged moments in The Summer I Turned Pretty.
For some fans, it was a touching gesture meant to heal. For others, it was an intrusion on Conrad’s privacy that risked widening the rift between the brothers.
What makes this scene so powerful is that it mirrors the show’s central theme: love is messy, and growing up means learning to navigate complicated truths. Laurel may not have gotten it perfectly right, but she acted with a mother’s heart — trying to connect two brothers who were drifting apart.
Ultimately, this moment isn’t about sides — Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah. It’s about family, vulnerability, and the ways we try, sometimes clumsily, to hold people together when everything feels like it’s falling apart.