ONE WEEK LATER, EMMI AND STEVEN HAD GONE BACK TO NORMAL. The duo even laughed about it now, but Steven was plagued with the guilt of cheating on Shayla, again. And Emmi was plagued with the guilt of betraying her best-friend.

"Happy birthday!" Jere cheered once the blonde reached the bottom of the stairs , wrapping his arms around her.

"Thanks Jere!" Emmi smiled, returning the hug. She pulled back, knowing there was going to be a lot of hugging this morning.

"Happy seventeenth birthday baby sis," Elijah mumbled as he pulled her in. Emmi sighed, enjoying it. She barely saw her brother now. "I love you."

Susannah walked up to her, pulling her against her. "I can't believe our oldest girl is almost an adult," She spoke, looking at Laur, who nodded. Susannah tucked a piece of hair behind Emmi's ear, smiling. "Happy birthday beautiful."

Emmilyn smiled, thanking her. The others wished her a happy birthday with hugs. Conrad walked up to her, going to pull her into a hug but Emmi pulled away from him.

Susannah seemed to notice the tension between the two, frowning. "Presents?" She asked. Emmi nodded in agreement, sitting on the edge of the couch. "The dads are arriving for the fourth later."

Emmilyn loved having her birthday be on the fourth of July. She got a firework display every year. "Here," Elijah spoke, handing his little sister a small box. Emmi smiled at him, gently tearing the paper. She picked up a small heart necklace with a black gem. "Put your eye to the gem."

Emmilyn, confused, followed his instruction, gasping as she found a picture of her and her mom. "Oh my god, Elijah, thank you." She grinned, pulling him into a hug.

"Mine next," Steven spoke, handing a gift to her. Emmilyn smiled at him before opening it, revealing a bath and bodys work candle.

"Thank you, Stevo." Emmi smiled, using their childhood nickname for him.

Laurel handed her a box, which had a book in it. A thousand boy kisses. "Your mom's favorite."

Emmi blinked, surprised she remembered. "Thank you."

Jeremiah and Belly handed her a gift they had apparently bought her together. A signed Olivia Rodrigo album. "Thank you guys," She smiled, hugging both of them.

Conrad and Susannah exchanged a look before Susannah motioned to Conrad to give her his present first. Conrad handed her a box, standing in front of her nervously.

Emmilyn gingerly opened the paper, revealing a necklace. It had saturn on it. He remembered. When Emmi was fifteen, Taylor released folklore. Em immediately became obsessed with the lyric love you to the moon and to santurn. She told him that everytime their families saw eachother. The last time she said it was when her mom died.

He got her a Saturn necklace.

Emmilyn stood up, wrapping her arms around him. "I have the moon," He spoke awkwardly, showing her the chain. Emmi smiled at him. He got them matching necklaces.

"Put it on?" Em questioned, holding the necklace. He cleared her throat, nodding as she turned, moving her hair away. Conrad fingers were trembling as he clasped the necklace. "It's perfect, Con, thank you."

Belly frowned. Conrad hadn't remembered her birthday but got Emmi matching necklaces with him?

"Here, Em." Susannah spoke, handing her a box. "This one is from your mom."

Emmi's eyes glazed over as she looked at her. Opening her moms in case I died present just makes it real she is dead. "Em," Elijah spoke, nodding. He wanted her to open it.

Enmilyn's hands shook as she opened it, confused when it was just a white dress. "It's not her in case she died box," Susannah spoke. "It's her deb ball dress. She wanted you to have it."

One of Em's hands flew to her mouth as she looked at the dress. She bit her lip to hold back tears as she laid out the dress. It had a flowy bottom, with string thin straps. Little white beads went up the whole thing. It was so beautiful.

"Oh my god." Emmilyn spoke. "Oh my god."

She grabbed Elijah's arm, yanking him towards her as he wrapped his arm around her, holding the back of her head. Emmilyn sniffed as she looked at the dress. "Oh, darling." Susannah smiled sadly.

Emmi pulled away from Elijah, wrapping her arms around Susannah instead. "Thank you, Susannah." She spoke. "You have no idea what this means to me."

Susannah inhaled, blinking back her own tears. "Oh, Em."

Laur smiled at the sight before clapping her hands, figuring she should interrupt before they both burst into tears. "Breakfast?"

"Yeah, I need to take my meds anyway." Emmi mumbled, deattaching from Susannah. She caught Conrad's eye, mumbling something under her breath.

"I'm going to go wash the clams," Conrad told Jere, walking past them. "Did you get the lighter fluid?"

"Yeah, it's already on the beach." Jeremiah nodded. Emmilyn's mind flickered back to the ocean, Conrad wrapping his arms around her middle. His confession.

Then she remembered he went to stay the night at Nicole's house afterwards.

Conrad whistled. "Are we done with the portrait yet?" Steven asked Susannah, walking back into the house.

"Yeah, for today." Susannah nodded before pointing at Elijah. "I want your portrait next." Her attention settled on Emmilyn. "And I want yours before the deb ball."

Em nodded, smiling warmly at Susannah. She adored her; She was like her other mom. "If Belly doesn't hurry up and ask Cam to that ball, you should take her." Susannah told Steven.

"Ew! No way!" Belly protested.

"Yeah, no way, besides I'm already taking Shayla." Steven told her. Another flash of guilt hit Emmilyn, hard.

"To the debutante ball?" Laurel questioned, walking in. Steven nodded with a laugh. "As an escort?"

"Wrap your head around it mom," Steven laughed. "Shayla's coming today with Nicole and Gigi, so you'll meet her."

Emmi's nose crinkled up in disgust. She hadn't seen Nicole since she swung at her, she didn't like Gigi, and she was scared to face Shayla.

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

"I'm asking Cam today." Belly told her with a nod.

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

Susannah froze as she took in Laurel's appearance. "Wait, are you wearing makeup? Yeah she's wearing makeup!"

"She definitely is!"

"Mom!"

"Oooh!"

"So what?" Laurel laughed. "We're having a party!"

"I'm sure it has nothing to do with John coming to the clam bake?" Susannah teased. Emmilyn paused, not realizing Belly's dad was coming.

"Oh please." Laur scoffed. "The husbands always come for the Fourth."

"He's not your husband anymore." Belly reminded.

"Oops, yeah." Laur laughed. "Ex-husband."

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

Emmilyn coughed. "John has a new girlfriend?"

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

Elijah's face crinkled up. "How many rooms does this place have?" He questioned.

It was a fair question. All six teenagers had their own rooms, Susannah and Laurel had their own rooms, and there was a guest room.

"Wait, dad and Victoria are staying here?" Belly questioned. Laur stared at her. "In the room next to mine?"

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

"What?" Jere questioned, disappointed. Emmi felt bad for him, and she would miss Adam
this year. He always called her the daughter he never had.

"Did you say dad's not coming?" Con asked, walking in briskly.

"But I got some serious fireworks for the show this year." Jere continued.

Susannah shrugged. "We'll take a video."

"It's not the same."

"I know."

"What are you smiling over there for?" Jeremiah questioned Conrad, making Em looked over at him.

"No reason." Conrad shrugged.

"Do you have a date yet?" Susannah questioned Emmilyn. Emmi paused; after the ocean the other night, she considered asking Conrad. But after finding out he spent the night with Nicole, she quickly took that back.

"I was hoping she'd take Scott." A voice called, making Emmilyn look up. Conrad's eyes immediately went to her at the mention of the boy, while Elijah Wilson beamed, going up to their dad and hugging him tightly.

Jameson Wilson walked up to his daughter, leaning down to kiss her cheek. "Happy birthday, Em n Ems."

Emmilyn blushed at the nickname, pulling back. "Thank you!" She paused,

Emmi waited for everyone else to clear out of the room before she turned her attention to the mothers. "Does Nicole have to come?" She questioned.

Susannah shared a confused look with Laurel. "Well, she's one of Belly's new friends. Why, honey?"

Emmi let out a small huff. "She told me Conrad doesn't want me because I have a thousand mental issues, and she said I look pathetic following Conrad around as if he's not the one that wants me."

Susannah seemed concerned now, sitting down beside her and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Nicole said you have a thousand mental issues?"

"Yeah." Emmi confirmed.

Susannah and Laurel shared a look, except this time they were both clearly upset. "Okay, hon, we'll talk to Belly about it."

•••

"She's hot!" Jere announced as Emmi and Conrad walked up to the door where the other four teens were crowded. Emmi leaned up on her tip-toes, catching sight of the woman Jere was referring to. She was hot.

"Dude!" Steven chastised.

"What?" Jere questioned innocently. "I'm just saying what everyone else is thinking."

"I wasn't thinking that." Belly told him.

"I was!"

"Emmi!" Steven scolded even more.

"Yo, that could be their future step-mom." Conrad spoke in realization.

"Dude, what the hell?" Steven questioned, raising his voice and gently pushing Conrad's shoulder.

"Don't push me!" Conrad spoke, shoving him back. The boys got into a wrestling match before Jere ran back, shouting.

"Guys, they're coming, they're coming!"

The six kids ran back, Belly and Steven standing in the hall while the other four ran to the kitchen. Scout barked as the door opened, making Emmi shush her with a treat.

The doorbell rang a minute later, making Emmi frown. The debs were here.

"I'll get it!" Belly smiled.

A little while later, Emmilyn Wilson rolled her eyes as she watched Conrad flirt with Nicole on the other side of the pool, all over her. He got Emmi a matching necklace but still went to Nicole. It was bullshit.

Scout dropped her ball in front of Emmilyn, causing the girl to sigh. She threw it, the tennis ball landing right beside Nicole and Conrad. "Sorry!"

She was not sorry.

Scout swam back a minute later after getting a cuddle from Nicole and Conrad. Emmilyn rubbed her dogs back, shaking her head. "Traitor." She muttered.

Emmi pulled herself out of the pool, walking to where Shayla was. Conrad looked after her, making her scoff.

"Do you have a date yet?" Shayla questioned as Emmi approached the her and other debutants.

Emmilyn shook her head. "Nah, figured I could make Eli take me. Not ready for boys yet."

Gigi shook her head. "No, come on Emmilyn. You can't go to your coming out party with your brother? You got to get a date!"

Emmilyn's eyes flickered over to Conrad for a second, sighing. She wanted him to take her; he would be too busy with Nicole.

"It's alright guys," Emmilyn shook her head, watching as Conrad went inside. "I didn't even want to deb, my mom wanted me to."

The girls stayed silent, knowing they couldn't argue with that. "Let's go to the beach," Shayla suggested, grabbing Emmi's hand. The blonde nodded.

She curled herself into one of the pool floaties, Scout joining. The girls were right; she'd be a laughing stock if she took her brother. But the one person she wanted to take her would say no.

"May I present!" Belly spoke, holding up a blender as she joined them. "The Belly special."

"We saved you the inflatable unicorn." Gigi told her, gesturing at it.

"Thank you!"

"Hey guys!" Jere called, jogging down to them with another hoy beside him. "Look who I found!"

"Cam!" They cheered, making Emmi smile. Belly's hoyfriend was loved by all. She was happy for Belly, that her first boyfriend treated her so well. Emmi hadn't been that lucky.

"Oh, I'm good man." Cam shook his head as Conrad offered him the blender with the drink. "Thank you, I don't drink."

"Yes, that's right." Conrad spoke, remembering. "More for me, that's fine."

Jeremiah went around the circle, offering greetings. He paused at Emmi, who had curled herself up like she did when they were kids and was scared. He didn't want to push her, so he continued to make his rounds.

"It's not a race, Con." Nicole laughed, looking at Conrad who was chugging the drink. Emmi frowned, wondering what was up with him. He was so off this summer.

"Yeah, save some for the rest of us." Jeremiah added in.

Belly laughed. "Wait, wait, wait. But what if it was a race?" The others tilted their heads in confusion. "I mean, isn't that the premise of like every drinking game?"

"You want to play a drinking game?" Gigi questioned judgingly. It was weird for Belly,
who had never drank before.

"Why not?" Belly asked. "I mean, it's the fourth of July right? Plus Emmi's seventeenth birthday."

"Oh shit," Shayla chuckled. "Happy birthday, Emmi girl," The dark haired girl approached her, hugging her tightly. Emmi returned the hug, another flash of guilt hitting her. Everyone else in the circle, besides Nicole, added in happy birthday.

The others muttered agreements to Belly's drinking idea, but Elijah and Emmi shook their heads. "We can't drink in front of our dad." They explained.

Conrad sent Emmi a look, making her chuckle. "No, I'm serious. If he sees either of us drunk once, Elijah would go back to Dr. Turner and I'd probably be sent to rehab."

Conrad nodded in understanding as the siblings walked away, Elijah wrapping his arm around Emmi's shoulder. "I'm sorry he's bothering you about Scott." He mumbled. "He needs to let it go."

"Yeah." Emmi nodded. "He does."

"Back already?" Susannah questioned, icing the cake as they walked back inside the house. Emmi kicked her shoes off, bending down to greet Scout with a kiss on her nose.

"The others are drinking and we can't drink around our dad." Elijah spoke, making Susannah nod. She knew what their father would do if she saw them drunk.

"How's your birthday Em?" She questioned, putting a tiny bit of frosting on her nose.

Emmi laughed as she took it off, licking her finger. "It's okay. I just wish my mom was here for it. We've never been apart on my birthday."

Susannah paused, letting out a soft sigh. "I know, honey, I miss her too. I still feel her everywhere here, though. She never left you. She's still here with you, on your birthday. You just can't see her."

Emmi started crying, making Susanmah and Elijah pull her into a hug, trying to comfort the grieving blonde.

Susannah was wrong. She said she still feels Amy everywhere, but all Emmi could ever feel anymore was her mother's absence.