Chuck and Sarah's triplets, Mary Emma, Stevie, and JR are all grown up, nearly twenty five years old. The three of them, along with their three best friends Kipper Coleshaw, Katie Coleshaw and Samantha Lisa Torres, return to Bel Aire for the weekend to attend a wedding.
The first chapter detailed Chuck and Sarah's epilogue, a glimpse into what the life of the fifty something Bartowski's was like. I hope you agree that Chuck and Sarah continue having rich, adventurous, meaningful and loving lives.
Now the story goes back in time and begins to explain what Chuck and Sarah talked about in the beginning of the chapter, when Sarah asked Chuck, "Did you know?" It appeared they were talking about their kids from the dialog, but was somewhat ambiguous.
Can you guess the secret Chuck and Sarah did not know? Do you already know which triplet marries and to whom? I don't tell you who's getting married and what causes Chuck and Sarah to be surprised until a later chapter. But I do give some clues.
Before you start reading, try this quiz. Most of the questions are not remarkably hard and are meant to be consistent with the kids as portrayed in my other stories so far, as well as with what you might expect. Not all the answers are in this chapter, but all will be revealed by the last chapter. See how you do.
1 – One of the six kids graduates from UCLA, one from Stanford, one from Oxford, one from Harvard, one from West Point, and one did not attend college? Who went where? (6 points)
2 – Who were the couples at their Junior High Prom, the night five of the six had their first kiss? (2 points as outside of incest, Mary Emma and Kipper have to be a couple)
3 – One of the six is / was teased mercilessly for being Mrs B's favorite, who? (1 point)
4 – One other of the kids gets teased in general more than the rest, any guesses who? (1 point)
5 – The six are involved in lots of career choices (more than one), can you match them up? Spy, Movie Star, Author, Scientist, Carmichael Exec, Special Forces, Archaeologist, Journalist, TV Reporter, Fashion Model, College Professor. (10 points minimum, bonus points for getting more)
6 – Who gets married on 5/16/2037? (5 points)
7 – What's the secret revealed at the very end? (bonus 5 pts)
Enjoy.
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Bartowski Family Breakfast, 6AM, Saturday, 5/16/2037, Orion Heights Kitchen
"Chuck, I'm so happy. Two of our 'six' kids are getting married. They're so cute together." Sarah had a happy, far off look to her face.
"Plus. Our six 'kids' are joining us for 6 AM breakfast." Chuck was happy too, but very much in the moment.
"Oh yes Chuck. I love it when they're at our house for breakfast, just like the old days." Sarah still was dreamingly happy.
Chuck replied, "So much has changed since then. Life is amazing Sarah."
"One thing hasn't, I'm the first one to show up in the morning." Mary Emma Bartowski was cheerful as ever as she kissed both her mom and dad. Only now grown up Mary Emma walked straight to the coffee as an adult would. "Can I get either of you a refill? Mary Emma bore a striking resemblance to her Aunt Ellie.
"Just a skoch Angel." Chuck said, with complete delight in his voice.
"Yes please. Mary Emma. Where's Kipper?" Sarah asked.
"Oh Momma, please. He stayed at the Coleshaw estate last night. We have lots of time to be together. Last night Stevie, JR, Sam and I stayed up and talked after the rehearsal party broke up. Kipper and Katie went back to their house to get a good nights sleep for the big day." Mary Emma replied.
Stevie bounced down the stairs next, "Morning my beautiful mother." Stevie said as he had a huge smile on his face and kissed his mom and gave her a big hug, picking her up off the ground causing Sarah to laugh. Then Stevie made a beeline and hugged his dad, picking him up off the ground too. Stevie looked like a cross between young versions of Robert Redford and Harrison Ford.
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The Movie Star
"Thanks for keeping my room exactly as it was Mrs B." Sam Torres said to Sarah as she appeared next. "Orion Heights is about as far from the paparazzi as any place in the world. Sometimes I wish I could just live here, like I did in high school." Sam said as she looked dazzling, even though she had no makeup on and was wearing sweat pants and a sweat shirt. To get a feel for Sam's appearance, think exotic looking, maybe like the model Iman looked in her mid twenties.
"Nothing would make me happier Sammie. If you ever need a place to come to, this is you home, your room will always be here waiting for you. Is everything OK Sammie?" Sarah looked worried. Sarah and Sam had a special connection.
"Sammie. I miss being called that so much Mrs B. Yea. Just fine. All I can say is being one of the most famous actresses and models in the world is not all its cracked up to be." Sam forced a smile to her surrogate mother, as her own passed away her senior year in high school.
Sarah made a sad face, as she knew and understood the world Sam was in, as Sam's life was not all that different from some of Sarah's own struggles as a twenty something, before Chuck. "It'll all turn out Sammie, my life was no picnic before I met Chuck. And look at me now. I have everything I ever wanted."
The conversation was interrupted by a groggy JR, "Mooorrrnnniiinnnggg." JR said with several yawns mixed in. JR was nearly seven feet tall. Picture a cross between Charles Bartowski and Kareem Abdul Jabbar and you have a feel for JR.
"Sleep well Honey?" Sarah asked.
"I diiiddd. Orange juice. I need orange juice." JR walked around like a robot as he headed for the refrigerator.
"Set the pitcher on the table, I'm sure the others will want some too JR." Sarah asked, again, just like the old days, making sure everyone pulled their own weight in the morning.
"Still not drinking coffee JR? You should try it. Once cup and you'll be fresh and wide awake like me every morning." Stevie pitched in.
"Gross. Who'd want to be like that." JR replied.
"JR's just fine in the morning Indy." Sam defended JR, as usual.
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Indiana Jones Story
"Yea Innn … dddiiieee." JR shot back, suddenly wide awake.
"Indy? I don't get it." Sarah asked.
Mary Emma broke in to explain, "Now that Stevie found the lost city of Atlantis, the press at Oxford refers to him as Indy, after the character Indiana Jones."
Sarah looked confused, "Really? Why? His name is Stevie."
Chuck gave Sarah one of his looks, "Sar … rah. I can't believe you sometimes. I can't believe you didn't know that."
"Know what?" Kipper Coleshaw asked as he and his sister Katie walked in. Kipper was a wonderful combination of his dad's good looks, quick wit and confidence, along Devon Woodcomb's body. If any of you have watched the Wild, Wild West, Kipper was James West like.
Mary Emma fielded Kipper's question, "Know that Stevie's new nickname is Indy. He's a full professor at Oxford you know?"
Kipper replied somewhat teasingly, "Well, we can't all be professors at Oxford or Magna Cum Laude at Harvard MEBS."
Katie pitched in admiringly, "Or make the cover of Time Emag like MEBS did as the most heroic ITV broadcaster of her era." Katie did not fit the clan, as she was barely over five feet, weighed less than a hundred pounds, had blond hair, and was sweet as an angel. In most any other group, she would have been the alpha personality, in this group she was content to stay in the background.
"Every man in my barracks put her Time cover picture up after that, I loved it." Kipper proudly boasted, as he loved Mary Emma Bartowski seemingly from the moment he was born.
Sararh looked frustrated as she broke in, "Remember kids, Mary Emma was not the only one, Katie was Magna Cum Laude at UCLA. And Sammie was on the cover of Time EMag as the most beautiful woman in the world."
Kipper laughed at Sarah's comment, "Sam's cover showed up in the barracks too." Then Kipper looked at Stevie, "Indy, did you even pass college at Oxford? I don't see how they made you a professor?"
"My class fills up quicker than any at the school you know." Stevie boasted.
Kipper quickly replied, "That's just a bunch of starry eyed coeds signing up."
"I can picture it in class. Oh Indy. Oh Indy." Sam squeed in mock delight as she held her hand over her forehead and acted like she was about to pass out.
"Oh Indy." Kaite followed suit acting like she was passing out too.
"Oh Indy." Mary Emma joined in the fun, falling off of her chair in riveting laughter.
Sarah had enough, "Enough of that. Leave Stevie alone. Lets eat and catch up with the rest of you. I want to hear all your stories."
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Sarah's Best Student Ever
Mary Emma sat down to begin eating as she looked up at Sarah, "Mom. Did you hear Kipper broke Uncle Casey's marksman record in special forces training?"
Sarah was pleased, "Kipper, that's fantastic."
Kipper responded, "I owe it all to you Mrs B. Thank you."
Sarah couldn't help but show her enthusiasm, "You're quite welcome Kipper. It was a pleasure to help you. You were my best pupil ever."
"Best ever?" Chuck asked in mock jealousy.
Sarah responded without giving an inch, "Yes he was Sweetie. When I taught you, you always wanted to fool around, rather than work."
"EEEwwweee." The six kids sang out in unison.
Mary Emma then continued, "Too much information mom and dad. Its amazing any of us grew up normal being raised by you two sex fiends."
"Mary Emma." Sarah scolded back.
"Just kidding mom. But geez, I think everyone in the entire city of Bel Aire has busted the two of you making out or worse at one time or another." Mary Emma continued the teasing.
"Maybe that's why I'm the way I am." Stevie looked serious while the other five kids cracked up.
"OK. OK. Lets talk about you guys. Your mother and my actions are seemingly a matter of public record. What's going on with you guys, as that information seems hard to come by? What's going on with all of you?" Chuck asked.
A hush went over the six kids, as Chuck's question seemed to kill the momentum of the fun. The kids seemed to have a secret that they were not willing to share.
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More to be revealed in the next chapter.
