Chapter 1

Getting three children up and ready for school was never an easy feat, but today Diana Hesse was feeling even more tired than usual. Since her husband was out of town every task of caring for their children fell upon her shoulders, and it was wearing on her. She had already managed to get the two youngest children up, and now it was time to wake up the oldest. She walked into the bedroom to see Junior curled up in the covers sleeping peacefully, her long blond hair covering part of her face.

"Junior, wake up," she said softly, as she rubbed her daughter's shoulder. "It's time to get up, darling."

"Ugh," muttered Junior in reply as she rolled to her other side. "I don't need to be up, my alarm hasn't gone off."

"Yes it has love," said Diana as she gently started to pull the covers down. "It sounded five minutes ago, you just didn't hear it."

Junior opened her eyes and looked at the clock on her nightstand. Realizing that her mother was correct she got out of bed, almost panicked, grabbed the clothes off the chair she had laid out the night before and made her way toward the bathroom down the hall.

"I turned your straightener on for you," Diana called down the hall.

"Thanks mom," said Junior just before shutting the bathroom door.

About 20 minutes later Junior emerged from the bathroom ready for the day. Her siblings were already sitting at the kitchen table starting to eat, while her mother stood at the counter packing lunches. Diana looked up to see her daughter in a long navy blue sun dress, worn with a pair of flat, mint green sandals.

"Where did you get that dress?" inquired Diana as she threw a sandwich into her youngest child's lunch box.

"I got it at a thrift store last weekend when I went shopping with Aunt Angela," she replied, taking a seat next to her five year old sister "The seventies are coming back, even Vogue said so. You like it?"

"It's lovely, dear."

The truth was that Diana didn't care for the outfit at all. It wasn't revealing, but instead it gave the impression that the young girl wearing it was far older than she was. Instead of looking like a freshmen in high school, her daughter looked as though she could have easily fit in on a college campus. Even her makeup choices reflected a certain maturity. While most girls her age were drawn to brightly colored eyeshadows and applied them with an inexperienced and heavy hand, Junior applied neutral shades in a way that most women fail to master the art of until their mid twenties.

"I think you look beautiful," squealed Claire, the youngest Hesse.

"And I think you look ridiculous," added Jamie, smirking at his older sister before shoveling another bite of cereal into his mouth.

Out of all three children, Jamie resembled their father the most. At only 12 he was already close to six feet tall, he was lean, and he was the only child in the family to need glasses, which he hated.

"If I wanted the opinion of peasants I would have asked for it," snapped Junior.

"It's not even 8am," exclaimed Diana, irritated. "Be civil with each other."

The bickering siblings were silent, yet they stared at each other in a way that signaled their argument was far from finished, and would be sorted out at a later time. But for now, they went back to eating their cereal.

"Junior, remember you have a half day of school today," said Diana as she placed applesauce cups into two lunch bags. "So Larry will be picking you and Jake up."

"I wish I had a half day of school," Jamie whined as he stood up and took his empty bowl to the sink.

"I don't," replied Claire with a serious look on her face. The youngest Hesse child had inherited her mother's soft, blond hair, and her aptitude for learning from both parents. "I love school!"

"Give it a few years," grumbled Junior before taking the last bite of her cereal.

A moment later they heard the familiar honk of Angela's minivan outside the house. Diana scurried to pass out lunch bags and kiss each of her children before hurrying them out the front door.

All three children hurried toward the blue van, Jamie opening the door and crawling in first, followed by Claire, and last by Junior. She quickly shut the door and helped Claire get buckled into her booster seat.

"Morning kids," said Angela cheerfully. "Junior that dress looks great."

"Thanks," replied Junior, slightly bashfully. "I was excited to see that the weather would be warm enough for it today.

"Beautiful weather, and a half day of school," declared Jake from the front seat. "Basically the perfect San Francisco fall day."

"San Francisco has better Autumn weather than Summer weather," said Angela as she turned down the street leading toward the children's schools. "I've lived here for almost 30 years, it's a fact."

"Not to mention my birthday is next month," added Jake with a smirk. "Hope I get something good."

"I asked my parents for a sewing machine," chimed Junior. "We'll see if it happens."

"What do you want a sewing machine for?" inquired Angela.

"So she can pretend she's back in the 1950's," replied Jamie quickly.

"No," exclaimed Junior. "I kind of want to try making some clothes."

"Kind of?" asked Jake turning in his seat to look back his friend. "Mom, she has a sketchbook full of things dresses and outfits that she's drawn up."

"I think that's great," said Angela sincerely.

"I smell fish," said Jamie suddenly, while looking at his oldest sister.

"Don't look at me," shrieked Junior.

"Well I know what's in my lunch, looked," replied Jamie.

"Claire, let me see your lunch bag," said Junior.

"Why?" asked Claire as she handed the bag over.

Junior opened the bag and pulled out a tuna fish sandwich on wheat in an ill-fitted sandwich bag.

"Mom accidentally packed you a tuna sandwich."

"But I hate tuna!" whined the small child.

"I know," replied Junior empathetically. She reached into her own backpack and pulled out a ten dollar bill, which she promptly tucked into her sister's lunch box. "I don't have a lunch to trade with you, so you're going to have to buy school lunch today."

"But I don't know how to buy lunch," said Claire quietly. "I've never done it before."

"Then it's time to learn," replied Junior in a matter-of-fact tone. "Do you know Nolan Prewitt?"

"Yes."

"Good," said Junior. "Find Nolan at lunch time. I know for a fact that he has a new stepmother that makes him buy school lunch every day. He'll show you how."

"Here we are, guys," announced Angela as she pulled up in front of the high school. "Have a good day. And Jake, don't forget your dad's picking you up, so if he's late call his cell phone."

"Ok, mom," said Jake as he exited the vehicle.

"Doesn't your mom know Claire doesn't like tuna?" inquired Jake as opened the the door to school for his friend.

"Yeah, she does," sighed Junior. "But with my dad gone she's overwhelmed. Plus, he normally makes our lunches. At about noon she's going to open up her own lunch and realize she gave her sandwich to Claire accidentally."

"When does your dad get back?"

"Monday night," she replied as they reached their locker. The two had been forced to share a locker in elementary school, and never stopped sharing one even once they reached middle school and were assigned their own. "He's got one more speaking thing left. It's in Oklahoma, I think. I don't know I lost track."

"Hey when my dad picks us up maybe we can talk him into going to a movie or something."

"I bet we can convince him to buy us junk food, too," added Junior as she grabbed her history book off the shelf.

The two walked down the hall a few feet then parted ways as Jake went to history and Junior headed toward Algebra.

At 11:10 am the bell rang and all high school students were released for the day. At 11:20 am Jake and Junior sat side-by-side on one of the benches in front of the school sharing a package of skittles Jake bought out of the vending machine. Neither was worried since the Arbogast patriarch was often late.

"I'm starving," said Junior as she fidgeted in her seat. "I'm definitely demanding food when he gets here."

A few minutes later Larry Arbogast's BMW came into view, and pulled up to the curb. Even with tinted windows it was obvious that he wasn't alone. When the car came to a stop the passenger door opened and Alex Hesse stepped out, opening the rear door of the car for the kids.

"I thought you weren't coming home until Monday," inquired Junior as she walked up to the car.

"I missed you too, darling," replied Alex as he pulled her in for a hug and kissed the top of her head. She crawled into the back seat, followed by Jake, Alex shutting the door behind them before getting back in the front seat. "My last lecture was canceled so I came home early."

"And I was kind enough to pick him up from the airport," chimed Larry. "But no need to thank me for my selfless act."

"I'm hungry, Uncle Larry," said Junior. "Can we get lunch?"

"I think we should go to Buffalo Wild Wings," suggested Jake.

"Yes!" agreed Junior.

"Ok we put it to a vote," said Larry. "Who wants wings?"

All three passengers raised the hands.

"Outnumbered again," sighed Larry. He then looked at Alex, "You're supposed to be on my side, ya know."

"Not when it comes to food," replied Alex with a shrug.