Disclamier: I do not own cheaper by the dozen
Hi this is my seqel story to The Return to Lake Winnetka, so if you've not read it, i would recommend you read it before reading this fanficiton. I hope you all enjoyed my last fanficiton, The Return to Lake Winnetka. Here is the first chapter of my next story hope you enjoy it and please review and let me know what you think.
Cheaper by the Dozen – Moving On
Chapter 1
"What you watching?" Jake asked Sarah as he sat down beside her on the couch.
"Dunno some movie," Sarah replied.
"Why are you down here at four in the morning anyway?" Jake asked.
"Couldn't sleep what about you?" Sarah replied.
"Woke up to go to the toilet and I heard the TV downstairs so thought I'd come to down to check it out," Jake replied.
It had been a few days now since the Baker's had gotten home from Lake Winnetka and they only had a few days left of summer before school started again.
"So why couldn't you sleep then?" Jake asked.
"Well I'm just not tired," Sarah replied.
"Like you haven't been tired the last few nights since we got home from the lake?" Jake asked.
Sarah raised her eyebrows.
"Yeah I heard you playing video games the last few nights you are only next door," Jake said. Sarah hadn't been herself since they had gotten home from the lake. She had spend no time at all with Jake and Mike and they kept inviting her to go out boarding or just to hang out but she had kept saying no.
Unknown to Jake and Mike the real reason for her strange mood lately was because she was upset and hurt after seeing Elliot and Jessica kissing. Ever since she had gotten home it had been playing on her mind, especially at nights when she went to her bed. Overall it had just put in her in a really bad mood, she didn't want to go out and have fun, she would just stay inside by herself watching TV or listening to music.
"So you going to tell me what's up or am I just going to have to put up with your bad mood for the rest of the summer?" Jake asked.
"Nothing's up," Sarah snapped.
"Sarah I know you way to well to know when you're lying and when something is up," Jake replied.
"Well it's nothing really and it doesn't concern you so can you just let it go," Sarah said. She had thought about telling Jake but she knew he had given Elliot another chance and thought it was because of her that their friendship ended the first time and didn't want to cause anymore problems.
"Ok!" Jake replied, he had given up trying to find out what was wrong with her because he doubted he would fine out now. Well if she won't tell me why she's in a bad mood the I'll just have to try and get her out of the bad mood she's in Jake thought to himself.
"You up for doing something today?" Jake asked.
"Like what?" Sarah asked.
"I don't know whatever you want to do," Jake replied.
"No it's fine you and Mike just go do whatever you want to do," Sarah replied.
"We'd rather you came you know," Jake said.
In a way Sarah wanted to go but she wasn't going to be a fun person to be around and knew she'd end up taking her bad mood out on Jake and Mike.
"Mike got a friend's birthday party today so he won't be here today anyway so me and you could just do something," Jake suggested.
"I don't know," Sarah replied.
"Dude come on," Jake smiled, "Well if you don't it just means I'll be stuck round the house anyway so there is a good chance I'll just keep annoying you."
Sarah shook her head, "Well ok then," she smiled.
"So what do you want to do then?" Jake asked.
"I've not been boarding since we got home so we could maybe do that," Sarah said.
"Sounds cool to me," Jake said.
They continued to watch TV until everyone else got up and Kate came down and started to make breakfast.
"Could some of you come down and help me it's not exactly easy making breakfast for ten kids," Kate shouted.
After getting some help from Henry, Jessica and Kim, Kate served up breakfast.
"This is delicious," Tom said with his mouth full of food.
Lorraine finally arrived at the table looking half asleep and still in her pyjamas. It was her last day with her family until she returned to New York. Her flight was late tonight.
"So you got everything packed then," Kate asked her.
"Not quite," Lorraine yawned, "I'll sort it out after breakfast."
"I'll give you a lift to the airport if you want," Tom offered.
"Yeah that would be great dad," Lorraine replied.
Breakfast passed and everyone went off to do their own thing. Lorraine was packing her stuff, Henry had band practise, and Jessica and Kim were at the library studying for a school project which was due in after the summer. Mike was getting ready to go to a friend from school's birthday party and Nigel and Kyle were outside playing on the trampoline.
Sarah was on her laptop in her room. She was speaking to some of her friends from school online. They were all asking to meet up since they hadn't seen her in ages because she had been away at the lake. Sarah had said no and had been making up excuses for the last few days as to why she couldn't meet up. She knew they'd all be asking questions about Elliot and she was dreading having to tell the Sophie story and then she didn't even want to mention Jessica.
Jake knocked on her door before opening it and popping his head round.
"You still up for today then?" Jake asked.
"Yeah," Sarah smiled. Her smile was fake because really all too excited about it. She still didn't even know what they were going to do all day because she would get bored spending the whole day at the skate park.
"I'll go get my board then," Jake said.
"Same," Sarah said as Jake disappeared from her room to go get his board.
Sarah signed off from her laptop and grabbed her board before meeting Jake down stairs in the kitchen.
"Where are you away off to?" Kate asked her.
"Oh I'm going boarding with Jake," Sarah replied.
"About time you finally got out of the house," Lorraine said.
"You haven't exactly left the house a whole lot yourself" Sarah snapped back.
"Actually I have. I've been out shopping, meeting some friends as I haven't seen them in a while and been to see Nora a few times but you wouldn't have noticed I've been gone because you've just spent your time up in your room. Only emerging to come down for a meal or get some food," Lorraine said correcting Sarah.
"Why haven't you been outside like you usually would be?" Kate asked.
"Didn't feel like it," Sarah replied.
"You ready to go," Jake said as he walked into the kitchen.
"Yeah," Sarah said as she picked up her board and followed Jake through the back door.
"She really hasn't been herself these last few days," Kate said as she had a sip of her coffee.
"I know right," Lorraine agreed.
"Must be something up," Kate said, "I'll try talking to her later."
"No I'll do it mom," Lorraine said, "She's more likely to tell me than you."
"And how is that?" Kate asked.
"I know she would," Lorraine replied. She probably was right because Lorraine was the one Sarah called after everything went wrong with Elliot at the Lake.
"Well I'll let you try then," Kate said.
Sarah and Jake returned a few hours later for lunch. Sarah seemed al lot happier and it seemed Jake had been able to cheer her up and put a smile back on her face.
Sarah enjoyed spending time with Jake he was always able to cheer her up and he really did again this time. She was able to get her mind off of Elliot and everything that happened with him and Jessica.
"Someone looks a lot happier," Lorraine said to Kate.
"Yeah she does," Kate replied, "You still going to speak to her?"
"Yeah just to be sure everything is ok. I'll either do it this afternoon or if she goes back out I'll do it after dinner before I leave," Lorraine answered.
"Ok that's great," Kate said as she got up to go make Sarah and Jake a sandwich for their lunch.
Kate placed the sandwiches on two plates and called her two kids through.
"Mmmm, cheese and ham sandwiches my favourite," Sarah said as she sat down and tucked in to her sandwich.
Jessica and Kim wandered through to the kitchen with their hands full of books.
"Get everything you need at the library then?" Lorraine asked.
"More like got the whole library," Jake joked.
"Ha," Kim said sarcastically, "And yeah we got everything we needed".
Sarah had been trying her best to avoid Jessica ever since she seen her kiss Elliot. She was very annoyed at her because Jessica knew exactly how she felt about Elliot and couldn't understand why she would do this to her. She was also very annoyed at herself for confiding in Jessica because she would usually confide in Jake or Mike or more recently Lorraine.
Jessica hadn't really noticed that Sarah had been avoiding her since all Sarah had done since they had gotten home was sit in her room and barley talk to anyone.
"Are we going back out then Sarah?" Jake asked.
"What to do?" She asked.
"I don't know. Whatever," Jake replied.
"Good to see you finally leaving your room," Jessica said, "What has been up with you these last few days?"
"Nothing," the tone in Sarah's voice changed and she wouldn't look at Jessica while she was talking.
"Cheez," Jessica said. "Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning".
"Why don't you go back to the library and study and leave me alone," Sarah snapped back.
"Girls calm down," Kate said.
"She started it," Jessica said.
"I don't care who started it. I'm now ending it," Kate said.
Jessica and Kim left the room and went upstairs to start studying.
"Dude what was all that about?" Jake asked Sarah.
"Nothing," Sarah replied.
"You just turned on her," Jake said.
"Could we please just forget about it," Sarah said.
"I'll be back in a minute I need something from upstairs," Jake said as he left the table.
Lorraine followed him up a few seconds later.
"Do you know what is up with Sarah?" Lorraine asked Jake.
"No I have no idea she won't tell me," Jake replied.
"If you don't mind I'll do something with her this afternoon and see if she tells me anything," Lorraine said.
"Yeah that's cool," Jake replied.
Thanks for reading and please review.
