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Chapter 36

It had been about eight hours since Sarah, Jake, Jessica and Mike returned home. Kate and Jessica were not long home from the hospital. Jessica had gotten her ankle checked out and it was just a bad sprain and she had been told to try not and out any weight on it for the next few days.

All the Bakers including Nora, Charlie, Lorraine and Bud and Baby Tom were gathered at the table for dinner. It was the first time in about a year the whole family had sat down and had a meal together.

Everyone was getting along well and talking amongst themselves.

"So I hear you have a new frog," Nora said to Mark.

"Yeah he's called Buttons," Mark replied.

Tom stood up and called for everyone's attention.

"I just wanted to take this opportunity to say thanks to Nora, Bud, Lorraine and Charlie for all coming here and spending the rest of the time we have here at the lake with us and to say that it's great to have Mike back here with us and well also Sarah, Jake and Jessica because we were all worried about you too."

"Thanks dad, it's great to be back," Mike said.

"Bud and I also have something we like to say to you all," Nora announced.

Everyone looked over towards them, looking worried

"Don't worry its good news," Bud said.

"We've decided that we're moving back home from Houghton because Bud's had a job offer back home in Chicago," Nora said.

"Well that's great news," Tom said.

"So when do you move back," Kate asked.

"Well we're not a hundred percent sure but probably within the next few weeks," Bud answered.

After dinner everyone went and did their own thing in the house.

Sarah was in her room listening to her iPod.

"Hey," Lorraine said as she walked into the room.

"Hey."

"I think we need to have a little talk," Lorraine said shutting the door behind her.

"About what?" Sarah said as she took her iPod headphones out her ears.

"Well about Elliot. Remember you did call me when you were in tears telling me all about it," Lorraine said.

"Oh that," Sarah replied.

"So did you do as I said and tell someone else who was here at the lake so they could help you," Lorraine said.

"Yeah I told Jessica and Kim but they weren't exactly the best help," Sarah said.

"So I'm guessing this all has something to do with Mike running away," Lorraine said.

"Yeah you got that right," Sarah said, "To make a long story short I forgave Mike and Henry for not telling me about Elliot and Sophie but I didn't forgive Jake and we were having this huge argument and Mike had, had enough of it so he ran away to get away from it,"

"Why didn't you forgive Jake?" Lorraine asked.

"I forgave Mike because he was younger and thought he probably didn't know what to do and I forgave Henry because I know he would have just done whatever Jake had decided to do but I didn't forgive him because well out of everyone I know I would have least expected him to hide something like that form me," Sarah said.

"He was just trying to spare your feelings," Lorraine said.

"I know but I think I was just looking for someone to blame," Sarah said.

"It's not Jake's fault though," Lorraine said.

"I know and we're cool now and Mike running away showed me that arguing with Jake was stupid and I've also decided I'm going to go speak to Elliot tomorrow and turn over a new leave between us," Sarah said.

"You are?" Lorraine said.

"Yeah but I'm not taking him back, no way there's not a chance in hell of that happening. I'm not going to be his best friend either I probably won't even speak to him but I know arguing with him won't do anyone any good so may as well sort things out and it might make Mike happy," Sarah said.

"That quite a mature thing for you to do," Lorraine said.

"I know I'm kind of surprising myself too," Sarah laughed.

"It's like a new and improved Sarah," Lorraine said.

"Yeah it is," Sarah smiled.

"Let's just see how long it takes before you're back to your usual self," Lorraine said.

"Probably not long," Sarah smirked.

Kim and Jessica were sitting in their room, Kim was reading a book and Jessica was doing her hair, trying out new styles.

"What do you think about this one?" Jessica asked Kim. She had curled her hair and then tied it up into a pony tail leaving the front down.

"It's ok but it's not really you?" Kim said.

"How is it not?" Jessica asked.

"It is nice but it's quite fancy for you and usually you're quite plain and simple," Kim replied.

"Well maybe I'm fed up being plain and simple Jessica," Jessica replied.

"What's up with the sudden change of style? Is there a boy you like or something?" Kim asked.

"No I just fancied a change," Jessica replied. As much as Jessica wished there wasn't a boy she was trying to impress there was, Elliot Murtaugh. Since last night when she was out looking for Mike with him she had seen a different side to him a side she liked. Jessica knew things wouldn't be easy considering Elliot was Sarah's ex and that he probably did still fancy Sarah but she couldn't help they way she felt.

She thought maybe a new look would get Elliot's attention and maybe he would realise that he liked her back but even if that did happen she knew that Sarah would hate her so was Eliot worth it, was he worth putting her relationship with Sarah on the line.

"You sure there's not a boy?" Kim asked again.

Jessica's POV

"No there's not," I lied. I wanted to tell Kim but thought that things would be better if I kept it to myself that way Sarah wouldn't find out and get annoyed and I knew Elliot probably didn't feel the same way about me.

"So I've been meaning to ask how you ended up with Elliot the other night when you were looking for Mike." Kim asked. Did she know that I liked Elliot was it really obvious, Why else would she ask me that.

"Well after you went home to see mom I carried on looking for Mike and I met him while I was looking and he was his own as well and he said it would probably be best if we stayed together since it was getting dark," I replied.

"How you were able to spend the whole night with that jerk, I don't know," Kim said.

"He's not that bad you know. To begin with I barley spoke to him but I seen a different side of him and he's not the jerk I thought he was," I said.

"How is he not? He cheated on our sister with someone else and then dumped her and then he tried to get back with her even though Jake told him he had to tell Sarah about Sophie or he would so what does Elliot go and do. He decides to get back with Sarah but make her keep it secret," Kim said.

"Well maybe he made a mistake but nobody's perfect," Jessica replied.

"Spilling your drink all over your work is a mistake not cheating on your girlfriend, dumping her, getting back with her and make her keep it secret. That is not a mistake. He knew exactly what he was doing" Kim replied.

"Yeah he did know what he was doing but he got back with Sarah and told her to keep it secret because he wanted to try and save their relationship and yeah he knew what he was doing when he cheated on Sarah as well, but he never seen her and he said it didn't feel like she was her girlfriend," I said. Now I was just making it really obvious that I liked him.

"Why are you so protective of him?" Kim asked.

"Am not I'm just saying that, that night I seen a different side of him and know that he's really sorry for what he's done and I know that if he could change things he would do them a lot differently," I replied. I knew I was being protective about what Kim had to say about him but I knew she was wrong. Elliot isn't the Jerk she thinks he is or the Jerk I use to think he was.

"Has he liked brainwashed you or something?" Kim asked.

"No and I know you don't understand but I really get Elliot spending all that time with him I learnt loads about him and I know if it were the other way round and it was you who was saying all this I would think you were going mad," I said.

"Ok well maybe you do get him and maybe you're able to forgive him for what he done to Sarah but I can't," Kim said.

"Look I'm sorry I didn't mean to cause an argument," I said. Kim and I never argue and this was all because I like Elliot and I know he's a nice guy but she thinks he's a total jerk when he's not at all he just made a mistake.

"No it's cool I'm sorry too," Kim replied.

"I think I just need to get things back to normality I've had little sleep and I'm just tired," I said.

I can't believe I just had that argument with Kim. I usually able to tell her everything but why did I feel like I couldn't tell her this. Why was I so defensive of Elliot and jump in and defend him after everything Kim said about him, when I know he doesn't feel the same way about me.

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