______________________________________

"Can I finish your milk?" Jeremiah asks as he, Belly, and Liz sit at the table.

"Here." Belly chuckles

Liz frowns, "Who asks someone that?"

"Mm." Jeremiah hums as he drinks the milk. Belly laughs as Liz rolls her eyes.

Dakota and Conrad come into the kitchen, "Yo, I'm gonna go wash the clams. Did you get the lighter fluid?" Conrad asks Jeremiah

"Mm." Jeremiah says as he puts the bowl down, "Yeah, it's already on the beach."

Conrad whistles as he walks out of the back door. Dakota sits next to Liz and grabs at her food. She smacks his hand as Susannah and Steven walk in.

"Are we done with the portrait yet?" Steven says as he opens the fridge

"Yeah, for today. But you do look good in a dress shirt, Steven." Susannah smiles, "Uh, which makes me think if Belly doesn't hurry up and ask Cam to that ball, you should take her."

Belly instantly frowns, "Ew. No way."

"No, no, no, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm already going with Shayla." Steven says right as Laurel walks in

"To the debutante ball?"

"Yes."

"As an escort?"

"Wrap your head around it, Mom, all right?" He chuckles, "Shayla's coming today with Nicole and Gigi, so you'll meet her."

"That's wonderful." Susannah says, "Oh, and don't forget, Ms. Covington's first dance rehearsal is tomorrow, so, uh, tick-tock."

"I'm asking Cam today." Belly nods

"I don't know my kids anymore." Laurel mutters

"Wait, are you wearing makeup?" Susannah says

"Yeah, she's wearing makeup." Dakota jokes

"Oh, my... She definitely is." Steven says

"Ooh!"

"Mom!" Belly laughs

"So what? We're having a party." She says

"Mm-hmm. I'm sure it has nothing to do with John coming to the clam bake?" Susannah smiles teasingly

"Oh, please. The husbands always come for the Fourth."

"He's not your husband anymore." Belly says as the room goes quiet. The twins eyebrows raise as they look elsewhere.

"Oops. Yeah." She chuckles, "Ex-husband."

"You know, I still don't understand why you invited Dad's girlfriend." Steven says

"Her name is Victoria, and your father wanted us all to meet her. Oh, Belly, I need you to make up the guest bed."

"Wait, Dad and Victoria are staying here?" Laurel nods, "In the room next to mine?" She grimaces

"Yeah." Laurel says. Liz laughs when Belly groans at hits her head on the table. Jeremiah smiles at her.

"Oh, speaking of dads, yours called." Susannah points to Jeremiah, "He's closing a deal, so he can't come."

"What?" Jeremiah says as Conrad walks back in, "Did you say Dad's not coming?"

"Mm-hmm." Susannah hums as Conrad leans on the counter by the sink

"But I got some serious fireworks for the show this year." Jeremiah says

"We'll take a video."

"It's not the same." He mutters

"I know." She says

"What're you smiling over there for?" Dakota asks. Liz looks over to see Conrad with a light smile.

"No reason." He says before he looks at Liz. She just looks back at him before looking down at her food.

______________________________________

The kids gather by the door as they watch Belly and Steven's dad arrive with his girlfriend. The mom's stood outside to greet them.

"She's hot." Dakota says as he looked out of the window

"Dude." Steven groans

"What? I'm just saying what everyone else is thinking." He scoffs

"I definitely wasn't thinking that." Liz says

"Yo, that could be their future stepmom." Conrad smirks. Steven pushes his shoulder. "Dude, what the hell? "Don't push me." Conrad says as he goes to hit him back

"Guys, they're coming, they're coming." Jeremiah says as he rushes to leave.

"Ah!" Dakota exclaims as he and Liz rush to the living room

"Go, go, go, go, go." Steven says quietly

______________________________________

Gigi, Nicole, and Shayla finally made it and everyone was gathered outside. Shayla talking with Laurel, Gigi with Susannah, Jeremiah was flirting with Victoria, Belly's dad's girlfriend, and Conrad was with Nicole in the pool much to Liz's demise.

Liz and Dakota sat on the edge of the pool with their feet in the water. Liz was looking at Conrad and Nicole who seemed to be having a good time laughing and flirting. Dakota looked at her and sighed.

"You know, you shouldn't torture yourself."

Liz finally looks away and at her brother, "I'm not trying to."

"I know," He nods. "but you are and as much as I love to annoy you, I don't like seeing you miserable."

She sighed as she looked down. She knew he was right, but she couldn't help but look at them whenever she heard one of them laugh. Without realizing, she was staring again.

"Lizzie, I swear to god." Dakota groans

"Sorry." She says as she looks down when Dakota starts laughing. 

Dakota watches Liz as she stares down at the water. She turns to Dakota who raises his brows, "If it comes down to it, and he miraculously does have a crush on Belly, and he has to choose. Let him choose Belly. You deserve better than that."

Liz turns back to Nicole and Conrad. The two splash each other and laugh together. Liz groans as she tosses her head back.

______________________________________

Dakota and Liz walk in the house just as Jeremiah is taking a sip of a drink, "What the hell are you guys doing?" Liz chuckles

Jeremiah looks over and a smile covers his face, "Liz. You have to try this. It's so good."

Jeremiah shoves the drink in her hand. She takes a sip and her eyes widen. She turns to Dakota as Belly starts laughing.

"What?" Dakota says.

"It's so good." Liz says as Dakota takes the drink from her hand.

He sips it and immediately looks at Jeremiah, "Dude."

"I know right." Jeremiah chuckles

"Sous-chef, I'm gonna need some more pomegranate juice." Belly says as she gets up

"You got it." Jeremiah says

"What are you guys making?" Conrad says as he walks in from outside. Liz walks over to the other side of the counter by Belly.

"Pomegranate margaritas, but with a twist." Belly smiles

"Well, you got to use the good blender." Conrad says

"Oh, I-I haven't used that thing since the great Kool-Aid debacle of 2011." Jeremiah chuckles

Conrad chuckles, "I remember, the counters were sticky for... two summers?" He says as he stands by Liz to plug in the blender

"Yeah. Just about." Dakota says as Belly laughs

"Dad kept his, uh, briefcase in my room for a year." Jeremiah says, "As a reminder that all mistakes are not reversible."He says as he imitates his dad

"Wait, won't he be mad if he finds out?" Belly says

"Well, he's not gonna find out. He's not coming." Dakota smirks. Belly looks over to Liz who shrugs

"Okay." Belly smiles as she starts adding the ingredients

"Yeah." Dakota cheers

"Thank you, sir." Conrad says as Jeremiah hands him a lime

"Oh, she's going for the good stuff." Liz jokes as Belly grabs the alcohol

"Yeah..." Belly nods. Conrad starts adding the ice.

"We don't need another debacle." Jeremiah says. Belly starts adding the alcohol. Dakota steps up behind her and moves her elbow to tilt the bottle more.

"Yeah." Jeremiah smiles

"Stop it, stop." Belly smiles, "No, stop."

"A lot more, a lot more tequila." Liz says

"No, no, no, no, no!" Belly squeals as Dakota keeps adding alcohol. Conrad puts the top on and starts the blender.

"No, keep your hands on it. Keep your hands on it." Jeremiah chuckles as Conrad moves his hands.

"Man, you know what I miss?" Conrad says as he stops the blender

"Huh?" Jeremiah says

"Watching Laurel put Dad in his place. You know, she'd walk in, she'd be like, "Adam."" He says as he sits down

"Adam. You came." Laurel smiles. Conrad stops as the teens watch his dad walk in.

"Happy Fourth." Adam says

"Dad! You came." Jeremiah jumps up to hug his dad

"Hey. Hey, guys. Hey, Connie." Conrad keeps his head down, "I'll have a little of what you're mixing up there."

"Ooh. Yeah, sure." Belly chuckles awkwardly

"Hey, thanks, Belly." Adam says

"Oh, you're gonna love the firework show this year. It's gonna be the best one yet." Jeremiah smiles

"I believe it."

The door opens again as the twins' mom walks in. Liz jumps up, "Mom!"

"No way." Dakota says as she walks in the kitchen with a big smile

"Hey, my loves." She chuckles as the twins hug her, "Hey guys." She says as she looks at the other teens. Jeremiah and Belly smile as Conrad has yet to look up.

"I thought you weren't gonna be able to come this year." Dakota says

Before Megan can answer, she's interrupted, "We made time."

Dakota's face drops as he recognizes his dad's voice. Liz looks over to see him with a smile on his face standing behind their mom.

"Dad." She says softly. He goes in for a hug as Liz stands there awkwardly. She gives a small smile as he goes to hug Dakota.

"Don't even think about it." He mutters as he backs up

"Where'd everyone go?" Susannah says walking in

"Hey." Adam says

"Adam." She stops, "You managed to get off work."

"Yeah, couldn't miss the Fourth with my family." He chuckles

It's silent for a second as everyone stands around, "All right, well, let's get back to the party." Susannah tries

"Okay, let's go, kids." Laurel says

"All right." Adam says. The kids start walking out as Adam tries to stop Conrad, "Hey, Connie, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Conrad dodges his hand as he keeps walking, "I'm gonna head to the beach."

Adam stands there and looks around as it goes quiet again. Liz looks at Dakota as he stands there looking at his dad. She sighs before looking at her mom quickly and following the others. Megan looks at Dakota as she walks closer to him.

"I was gonna tell you sweetie. I wanted it to be a surprise. I'm sorry." She whispers. He nods as he brushes past her.

"Just letting you know now that I don't want you here and neither does Liz." He says to his dad without looking back.

______________________________________