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"That's bullshit." Dakota scoffs

"I'm not overreacting, am I?" Liz asks

"No, of course you aren't." Conrad says

"I feel like I'm being made out to be the one that is just ruining everything." Liz says, "So, they have someone to blame when this wedding turns out to be the shit show it's destined to be."

"No matter what, you're not the one who's ruining it. It was ruined from the jump."

"If I don't go, Mom is throwing a fit."

"Who cares?" Dakota says, "She'll get over it. There's no real reason for you to be there if you don't want to be."

"When I told her I didn't want to go and asked her why she was so insistent, she told me it's because she promised Susannah." Liz says shutting her eyes with a sigh.

When she opens them, she's met with three pairs of eyes filled to the brim with sadness, "She promised her she'd keep everyone together and this wedding is the last chance she has to do that."

"Liz, that's not on you." Conrad says softly

"But it is." Liz says, "If I don't go, my mom can't keep her promise. How is that not on me?"

"Because it's not your promise." River says, "No matter what would've happened, there was no way she would've been able to keep everyone together. Life happens."

"Lizzie, you've already had to sit through a bullshit lunch with Dad because of Mom, alright? If you go to that rehearsal and that dinner, you're gonna stress yourself out."

River looked over at Liz. She knew that deep down Liz didn't want to disappoint her mother, but she also knew Liz didn't want anything to do with Belly.

River shakes her head, "Say you did go. You'd only be sitting there. You don't have to say anything to Belly at all and we'll all be there with you. You can keep your mom happy and still have nothing really to do with the wedding or the rehearsal."

Dakota narrows his eyes as Conrad shakes his head, "Liz, don't force yourself to go if you really don't want to go."

"Yeah, I get you wanna keep Mom happy and all, but she's forcing her promise on you. She's gonna have to deal with the fact that things just aren't the same."

"But what if this is her way of grieving or something? She's probably sees Susannah in all of us." Liz asks

"But we're not Susannah." Dakota says with a sad chuckle

Liz looks over at Conrad. The boy smiles lightly at her from his place beside the dresser, "If you don't want to go, I don't think you should. But if you do decide to go, like River said, we'll all be right there."

Liz looks off out of the window with a sigh. She purses her lips before rolling her eyes, "I don't even have a dress."

"You know I do." River scoffs playfully

Liz shakes her head with a smile before sighing loudly, "Let's get this shit over with."

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Soft murmurs could be heard around the country club. Everyone stood around as they waited for the others to arrive. Dakota, Steven, and Conrad stood together, catching up while River and Liz stood near.

The door then opens and Belly enters with her parents. Belly's steps slow as she makes eye contact with Liz. Liz's eyes were filled with anger and a slight sadness. Belly had never seen her look at her that way before.

Liz turns towards River who looks at her with raised brows, "You okay?"

"If okay is wanting to rush across the room at her, then yes." She says with a smile, "I'm okay."

"As much as I would love to see that, I would love to see the baby more." River says

Liz sighs, "God, I need a drink."

"You can't."

"I know." She mutters

Megan approaches with a bright smile, "You came."

"Yeah, you didn't give me much of a choice."

Megan tilts her head, "Liz, I'm sure whatever you and Belly have going on, can be fixed."

Liz lets out a deep breath through her nose, "Whatever you say, Mom."

"Okay, could everyone join me, please?" Paige calls out. Megan turns and joins Laurel while Liz looks over at River.

River hooks her arm around Liz's, "Come on."

•••

River, Liz, and Dakota sat in the row behind the parents. Liz's eyes follow Conrad as he and Steven walked with Taylor down the aisle. The boys walked with her until they reached the altar and then stood beside Jeremiah. Conrad looks up and his eyes immediately drift over to Liz.

A small smile takes over his face. She smiles back uncontrollably before looking down.

"Oh, here she comes." She hears Dakota say from beside River. Liz looks up and turns as Belly slowly makes her way down the aisle. They all stand while Belly smiles before she stands beside Taylor. She and Jeremiah look over at each other with beaming smiles.

Liz sighs as River leans over and mutters, "I don't know what they're smiling about."

"Hell, if I know." Liz mumbles

"Being cheaters?" Dakota chims in quietly

"This wedding truly is a joke." River sighs

Liz's eyes flicker over to Conrad to find him already looking at her. A smile spreads across her face again.

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Liz sat at the end of the table beside Conrad. A few of the others stood around the room stuck in their own conversations. She looks over as Conrad turns toward his dad, "Kayleigh, the table looks great."

Kayleigh looks suprised, but smiles, "Thank you."

"Yeah, yeah, she worked really hard on it." Adam says

"It shows." Conrad mutters with a nod before turning back to Liz. He smiles at her look of confusion, "What?"

"Nothing." She hums, "That was nice."

"I'm trying." He chuckles, "What about you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She shrugs

He raises his brows, "Are you sure?"

"Another hour and a half, two hours and I can be in bed." She says, "That's all I'm thinking about."

Conrad smiles as River and Dakota pop up behind them. River leans down on Liz's chair and Dakota on Conrad's. River looks between the two, "What are you guys talking about?"

"Our bed." Liz mutters as she rests her head in her hand

River and Dakota's eyes widen. Conrad shakes his head with a smile, "Not like that."

"Okay, well, I just talked to Denise and I like her." River says, "She seems kind of bitchy, but a good bitchy. Way less of a bitch than Taylor."

"I think majority of people are less bitchy than Taylor." Liz says

"She and Steven are definitely feeling each other, by the way." Dakota says

"Obviously." Conrad chuckles

"Getting with another girl in front of your ex is kind of crazy."

"It's her fault if she's watching." River shrugs

"He said she was fine with it." Conrad says

"That's bullshit." Liz and River say

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you could take your seats..." The host says as the servers walk in with trays of food. Dakota pats Conrad's shoulder before he and River walk to the other side to sit across from them.

•••

Belly looked around as everyone finished up their dinner. Caught up in their conversations while the servers took their plates for them. Her eyes land on Liz and Conrad. The two were smiling while speaking quietly. Conrad leaned down for a moment to listen to her before sitting up and smiling again. They hadn't even realized that she was looking at them.

Belly's stomach twisted in the way it always did when she saw them. And she knew it shouldn't. She was at a dinner with her fiancé and family the night before her wedding. She should be her happiest right now.

But she wasn't.

"Hey. You ready?" Jeremiah says

"Yeah, let's do it." She says before standing beside him. She grabs her glass and hits her knife gently against it. As she got everyone's attention, she set the knife down, "Jeremiah and I just wanted to, uh, thank you all for, for being with us tonight."

"Yes, yes. We know the wedding came as a shock, um, for all of you, so we don't take your support for granted and we know you'll never let us." Jeremiah says nodding towards Laurel earning laughter

"I know." Laurel smiles holding her hands up

"Um... we've been lucky enough to have you all by our sides for our whole lives, and, um, we'll take the lessons that we've learned from you with us into this next chapter together." Belly says

"Yeah."

"Yeah." Belly smiles, "From my mom, her strength and resilience, and from my dad, his optimism and steadfastness."

"And from my father, his drive and determination." Jeremiah says

"And from Steven..." Belly says before looking down at the paper in Jeremiah's hand. The two stay quiet for a second before Belly tilts her head, "Yeah, I guess we didn't come up with anything."

"Weird." Jeremiah jokes

"Sorry." Belly says as the group laughs. She shakes her head with a smile, "Um... Uh, in all seriousness... nobody has a bigger heart than my big brother." She says, "And, Taylor... the way that you go so hard for the people that you love is something that we both deeply admire. And you may not be my sister by blood, but you are in my heart."

"Love you." Taylor says softly

"And, Conrad..." Jeremiah starts, "like most brothers, sometimes we're best friends, and other times, well..." He trails off with a smile, "But, man, um, you're loyal as hell, and I really respect that. Brothers till the end."

"Mm." Conrad hums raising his glass

"And to the twins," Jeremiah starts, "You guys have been in our lives since the beginning. You're like family to us. Dakota, you've been like a second brother to me. There are too many memories to count where you've been there and I wouldn't want it any other way."

"And Liz.." Belly starts. Liz looks up and Belly's mouth goes dry. She clears her throat before plastering on a tight smile, "For a long time, you've been like my older sister. There are so many things I've learned from you that I'll always keep in my heart."

"We really love you guys." Jeremiah smiles. Dakota nods while Liz simply looks down, "There's one more person that we want to recognize. Um, we both miss my mom so much... especially now." He says before turning to Belly, "Belly, you were the daughter she always wished she had, and that makes me feel like a part of her is with us every day. I've known you your whole life, my Bells, and I have loved you the entire time, first as a friend, then as something more, and at the risk of sounding really cringey... as soulmates. And I cannot wait to marry you tomorrow."

He ends the speech off with a kiss to her lips. Belly then smiles, "Me, too."

"Cheers." Adam says

"Cheers."

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Liz and Conrad walk out of the restaurant hand in hand.

"Hey, bunch of us are grabbing some ice cream. You guys want to join?" Jeremiah asks

Liz runs a hand through her hair, "Uh, yeah, I think we're just gonna head back to the house. I'm pretty beat."

Jeremiah scoffs, "Seriously? Just join."

"I don't really want to."

"So, first you tap out on the bachelorette party, and... today you barely say a word?"

Liz's eyes narrow as Conrad straightens up protectively, "Chill out, man, okay? She's tired. We're just gonna head home."

"Seriously?"

"Yes." Conrad says firmly, "I'm not gonna force her to go out. It's ice cream."

"Hey, they're gonna close in ten. We should go." Belly says sensing the tension

"Sorry." Liz says to Jeremiah

Jeremiah turns to Conrad, "You're supposed to be my best man."

"Co-best man. Remember?" Conrad says

An awkward silence settles over them before Jeremiah gives a small smile, "Excited for your speech tomorrow. We'll get you guys some ice cream. The usual, right?"

Conrad nods, "Thanks, man."

"Rest your weary bones." He jokes before the two walk off. Liz sighs laying her head on Conrad's shoulder.

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