Spoilers beneath.
Right here’s the factor: If Stomach had requested for Laurel’s assist with the seashore home from the start, perhaps they wouldn’t have needed to undergo all this hassle. Why did a bunch of youngsters suppose they might win an actual property battle on their very own? Are you aware what a mortgage is?? (I barely do.) Let the adults deal with it!
However in Stomach & Co.’s protection, the adults of their neighborhood weren’t taking them severely. Laurel, in the meantime, was at an creator’s conference in New York. Stomach didn’t know the right way to inform her mom that she had stolen away to Cousins Seaside to assist Jeremiah search for his lacking brother, so as an alternative she informed her she was staying at Taylor’s home. However because of a wild night time with low cost alcohol, that lie utterly crumbled. Stomach acquired too drunk, referred to as her mother for assist, and poor nervous Laurel arrived the following morning to search out the home in shambles and her daughter a hungover wreck.
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Laurel’s livid wakeup name turns right into a confrontation between her and her teenage daughter. Stomach accuses Laurel of being indignant together with her since Susannah’s funeral (she was), not dealing with her grief, and worse, abandoning Susannah’s boys after her dying. When issues get heated, Laurel slaps Stomach and immediately exhibits regret. Stomach storms off and sees that Conrad and Jeremiah overheard the entire battle.
Jere goes to consolation Stomach on the seashore. Reflecting on their disastrous get together final night time, she tells him that there’s “nothing left between me and Conrad.” He replies, “There’ll at all times be one thing between you and Conrad.” Do I sense foreshadowing?
Laurel is stunned to search out out the home has already been offered. She thought Susannah and Julia got here to an settlement about the home earlier than she died. This angers Steven and Conrad, who want they’d a heads up {that a} sale was even doable. Steven, like Stomach, chastises his mother for not placing sufficient effort into her youngsters following Susannah’s loss. I really feel for Laurel. First, she appears to have a lot much less display time this season with Susannah gone. Their enjoyable Mother Nights Out had been a pleasant break between the teenager drama (I’m saying this as somebody between her and Stomach’s ages), and it gave the present some depth. And second? She, too, is grieving Susannah—her finest pal. She was nearer to her than Stomach and Steven had been, and so they’re vilifying her for the way she chooses to deal with her passing.
Nonetheless, Laurel realizes that she doesn’t should be the sturdy, unfeeling mother to maintain her household collectively. She will be able to really feel what she must really feel round her youngsters and present them that she’s in ache with them, too. “I ought to’ve been there for you, or let any person be there for me,” she tells Stomach. Laurel and Stomach forgive one another and hug. She decides to ask Julia for a chat.
Taylor received’t keep for this half, so she heads dwelling, however as an alternative of taking the bus, Steven lets her borrow his automotive for the hours-long drive dwelling.
When Julia arrives, Laurel asks her to again out of the sale, however she refuses. Then the reality comes out: Julia is mad that Susannah by no means referred to as her to inform her she was in poor health. As a substitute, she wrote a letter about the home, and that was the place she revealed her most cancers prognosis and state of her well being. Julia goes on to disclose that her dad left her mom and remarried six months later. She doesn’t belong in Cousins like Laurel, Susannah, and their households do. The home is simply one other reminder of that—and of different issues that also hang-out her, like the truth that she by no means wrote or referred to as Susannah again, and even stated goodbye. She purchased a aircraft ticket to go to the funeral however couldn’t deliver herself to go. It’s this that basically bothers Julia: She needs she tried tougher to make things better between her and her sister. Laurel reminds her that that is the proper alternative to make issues proper.
Eventually, Julia decides to drag out of the sale. (See what occurs while you let a grown-up become involved?) The subsequent step is convincing Conrad and Jeremiah’s dad to purchase the home from her. However we get a number of candy moments of decision earlier than that battle.
Conrad approaches Stomach in regards to the battle they’d final night time. He needs he didn’t finish their relationship the way in which he did. And extra importantly, he doesn’t need her to remorse the night time after they slept collectively on the seashore home. (She doesn’t.) “I liked you. And I do know you liked me too,” she says. It looks as if Conrad is raring to make things better and rekindle their romance, however Stomach appears prepared to maneuver on. Elsewhere in the home, in a extra lovely dialog, Skye reveals to Julia that they’d their first kiss with a man who loves whales. Julia practically squeals with pleasure.
Adam—Conrad and Jeremiah’s dad—tries to withstand being steamrolled into shopping for the seashore home. It seems he’s not simply being a dick; it’s simpler for him to let the place go as a result of there are reminiscences of Susannah all over the place. (Everyone seems to be simply hurting!) Laurel convinces him to “do that one last item for her” and perceive what it means for the boys. Ultimately, Adam received’t dissolve his sons’ belief funds to buy the property, however he’ll promote their Boston home for it as an alternative. The boys will likely be away in school anyway, so the Cousins home will be their main residence. Success!
On the seashore, Conrad and Jeremiah regroup, particularly after final night time’s battle. Jeremiah admits that he doesn’t wish to be the pleased man everybody expects him to be on a regular basis, and Conrad apologizes for not seeing his ache. They promise to speak about every part, irrespective of if it hurts. In step with this promise, Conrad reveals he acquired into Stanford as a switch scholar, however says he’ll keep at Brown to remain near household. Jere received’t let him surrender his dream. He arranges for the group to assist Conrad research for his remaining tomorrow so he can hold his Stanford admission.
Throughout their emergency research sesh, Stomach units up a cheeseburger reward system, however Conrad desires greater than that. “What else do I get?” he asks suggestively. (Lady???!?!?) In the course of the night time, Stomach finds Conrad mendacity by the pool. She tries to inform him she has emotions for Jeremiah, however he falls asleep earlier than she will be able to end the sentence.
The subsequent morning, Laurel remembers one among her remaining moments with Susannah on the dock as she tried ending her e book. Susannah joked that Laurel was simply making an attempt to attract out the story, to keep away from the reality that Susannah didn’t have a lot time left. Again within the current day, Laurel takes photograph of Jeremiah, Stomach, Conrad, and Steven, per custom. She permits for Stomach to trip with the brothers to Brown. (There will likely be penalties for her drunken partying later.) Steven, with a brand new romantic outlook because of his love for Taylor, encourages Conrad to inform Stomach how he feels. One way or the other there’s time for all of them to leap into the pool earlier than Conrad’s examination.
Whereas Conrad takes his remaining, Jere exhibits Stomach round his college Finch (it’s one of many colleges her steerage counselor beneficial), and their campus tour seems to be loads like a date. Whereas having a look on the volleyball trophies and the gymnasium, Stomach imagines herself right here—particularly with him round.
Within the Brown car parking zone, Stomach asks Jeremiah for a second likelihood, however he’s nonetheless guarded. “If I fall for you once more, I don’t suppose I can take it when you change your thoughts like final time.” She guarantees she received’t—issues are completely different now! After spending most of her life dreaming of being with Conrad, Stomach has realized after this hellish yr that desires aren’t actual. “Actual” is what she desires, and that’s Jeremiah. Lastly, she kisses him, and so they make out within the car parking zone. Then Conrad seems, wanting confused as hell.
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Tradition Editor at ELLE.com, the place she oversees protection on TV, films, music, books, and extra. She was beforehand an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There’s a 75 p.c likelihood she’s listening to Lorde proper now.