Chapter Five: Dinner Social

"No way Lorraine!" Sarah shouted as she stormed into the room where Liz was fruitlessly trying to study. "You're not getting me to wear that hideous dress!"

"Come on Sarah. You can't go looking like that. Talk about amajor fashion don't." Lorraine argued back, holding a frilly pink sundress draped over her arm.

Putting her book away for the umpteenth time, Liz interrupted Sarah's response. "Seriously you two, I'm trying to study. I have finals when I get back to school and I can't afford to fail them. Tone it down a little, 'kay?"

Lorraine looked up from her glaring match with Sarah. "She refuses to wear a dress or anything else close to decent to the event tonight!" she accused, obviously annoyed.

"Duh," Sarah interjected rudely. "Nothing said that I had to dress up."

"Well, that's not what –"

Liz clapped her hands loudly, silencing both of her sisters. "That's enough!" she said sharply. When she had their attention, she swung her legs off the bed and sat up. "Now, what's going on? What's this event?"

A dark, curly head peeked in. "Dude," Jake said, "it's a 'dinner social', whatever that is."

Charlie leaned in and peered around. "Well, you've shut them up, Lizzy. Thanks. Oh, and Sarah, it does say on the invitation that dressy clothes are required, so you might as well pick something out, or I'll help Lorraine get that dress on you." Sarah stuck her tongue out at her oldest brother, which caused him to laugh. "Real mature, Sarah. Very fourteen. Hey," he added quickly, "I'm sure pants will be fine, if they're dressy. No gym shorts, got it?" He winked at Liz and ducked out, nudging Jake along in front of him. As he left, Liz caught his remark to Jake: "Leave the girls alone, little bro, let them do their thing without us. They're good at it."

She chuckled softly to herself and leaned down to pull out her suitcase and survey her wardrobe options. Eventually, she settled on a close-fitting white polo shirt and a flirty white-with-blue-embroidery skirt that came to just above her knees. She pony tailed her long brown hair and dabbed on a bit up makeup before helping Sarah choose a pair of cream flares, a green light-weight tee and a matching headband. She braided her hair and pinned it up, brushing her bangs to one side and declared her ready. "Good enough, Tomboy," she teased gently. Kim and Jessica were dressed in matching little-girl halter tops and khaki capris while Lorraine was decked out in her usual mega-trendy clothes.

"Kids, come on!" Kate called down the hall, "Let's go!"

Liz herded her sisters down the hall, stopping to slip her white strappy sandals off until she got in the car. She hopped into Charlie's car with Lorraine and Bud and Nora – who would be joining the parents upstairs – whereon her twin let out a low whistle. "I might have to beat Calvin off with a stick. Daniel too."

"Thanks bro," Liz scoffed, appraising her twin's navy sweater and dressy slacks. "I'll fence Anne off for you, deal?"

"Whatever you two," Lorraine interrupted, "Let's go."

They arrived ahead of the van carrying the rest of their family and were met at the door by Mike Romanow. "Welcome Bakers! The party's just started! Kids and single young folks downstairs, parents this way…" he escorted Tom, Kate, Bud and Nora through the double French doors while the twelve other Bakers made their way down the outside steps to the party below.

Liz's eyebrows went up and she cast an apprehensive glance at Charlie as she took in the dozens of teens gyrating slowly in time to the music. For reasons she wasn't willing to admit, she felt distinctly out of place.

"Welcome to high society," Charlie muttered in her ear as two figures broke away from the crowd and approached. The boy looked to be Liz and Charlie's age, maybe a little older, while the girl was similarly close to their age. Both were decked out in expensive formal evening attire, making Liz feel acutely underdressed. The boy looked her over while his sister – for they looked like siblings – cast an appreciative eye over Charlie's slightly tight sweater.

"The name's Braddock," the boy said with a distinct air of superiority, "Braddock Zimmerman, from the North Shore of Long Island. My dad owns one of the largest advertising industries in the world. This is my sister Kelly." He reached for Liz's hand and brought it to his lips, winking slyly at her. "We're the hosts of this little party."

Charlie glared darkly at the new kid and slipped a protective arm around his sister's shoulders, pulling her away ever so slightly. "I'm Charlie Baker and this is my twin sister Liz," he introduced briskly.

"Charmed, I'm sure," Kelly simpered, batting her eyes at Charlie.

Braddock glanced at his sister in what appeared to be surprise before sidling a little closer to Liz and slipping an arm around her waist, smoothly displacing Charlie's hand from her shoulders. "So, what brings you two to this rustic little lake?" he asked casually.

"We're here with…" Charlie trailed off suddenly as Kelly boldly looped her arm through his. "… with our family," he continued, mastering his surprise.

"Oh?" Braddock squeezed Liz a little tighter and brushed her cheek with his lips. "You're a pretty little thing, aren't you, Liz Baker?" he murmured in her ear.

She tried to wriggle free, but found she couldn't. So, she resorted to talk. "We're here with our parents and our eleven other siblings," she said bluntly, hoping the number might scare him off.

Instead he didn't seem to mind. "What's your phone number sweetie?" he asked, seemingly ignoring her last statement.

Charlie's fists clenched, but Kelly saw this and faked a slip, forcing him to catch her and take his attention off Braddock and Liz.

Liz pushed him away. "Why do you want it?" she asked rudely.

"You're adorable when you're demanding," was his only response.

Suddenly a pair of vice-like hands closed on the city boy's shoulders and shoved him away from her. "Back off, Zimmerman," Calvin growled, stepping smoothly between them. Anne stood behind him with Daniel, glaring with deep dislike at Kelly, who immediately straightened and backed away from Charlie. Calvin continued to speak, "Leave her alone."

"What does it matter to you, Murtaugh?" Braddock sneered. "You got your eyes on her? Go back to your physics book, Ivy League boy."

Calvin's lip curled. "Go find someone else to flirt with, Zimmerman. She's not your date."

"I'm hosting this party," Braddock hissed venomously, "I'll choose whatever date I want." He reached past Calvin and pulled Liz back to him. She pushed against his chest, but he was stronger than he appeared and she couldn't fight him.

Calvin traded a glance with his younger brother Daniel and gave the tiniest nod. In a trice, Daniel had Braddock's arms trapped and Calvin again stepped between Liz and Braddock. "Don't make me repeat myself, Zimmerman," Calvin said dangerously, "I'll hit you if I have to."

Braddock may have talked tough, but Liz could see him glance nervously at Calvin's clenched fist and all the fight went out of him. He shrugged Daniel off and, with a disgusted snort, stalked off, Kelly following in his wake.

And thus the Zimmerman's make an entrance. Let me know what you think of them! I know it's only the two so far, but I'll get some Sarah/Eliot/Evan stuff in soon for all you big Sarah/Eliot fans! Review please!