Chapter 4
Disclaimer: I own nothing. I wish I did, and oh do I get ideas. But alas it is not to be.
A/N: First of all thank you to everyone who is continuing to read this. I am appreciative of anyone who favorites and follows this story. It still blows my mind when someone shows interest in my writing. Those that have left reviews I am always thankful to get feedback about what I have written. A guest remarked that Sarah's decision may not have been a good one...well we will see. You never know when you are dealing with goblins...or their king.
This chapter is more of a setup, not a lot of action, sorry about that. The end gives a bit of insight into Sarah's youthful transgressions.
A huge thank you to my Beta BowieQueen. She is an awesome writer and if you have not checked her fics out you need to. She has been so patient with me and my writing. I don't know what I would do without her.
"Hi, We're here!" Sarah called out loudly, looking around for either her dad or Karen. Seeing no one she waved Toby toward his room. He scurried down the hall as fast and as quietly as he could lugging a large duffel bag full of goblins.
"In the kitchen princess," called her father. "You and Toby should join us once you get your bags unloaded. Do you need help?"
"No Dad, I think Toby and I can handle getting a couple of bags into the house and to our rooms." Geeze, will they think I'm a child forever? She thought, walking out to start unloading the rest of the jeep.
Once the bags were in their rooms, and the goblin-filled one was stowed under Toby's bed (just in case). The siblings joined their parents in the kitchen. Sarah and Toby slid onto empty stools at the breakfast bar, Karen was making a list and her father was talking in low tones on the phone. Great, she thought I hope dad doesn't work the whole time. "What's up, Karen? A list usually means something is being planned."
"Not this time, Sarah. I am just taking note of what we have and what we will need at the store for the week. I thought we could shop after lunch. That way we won't have to go out again today unless we want to." Karen looked up from her list.
"Sounds good. Where are we going to eat for lunch?" Toby piped up. The boy was always hungry.
"Since it is still a bit early, how about the Food Shack, then everyone can get what they want, either breakfast or lunch." Sarah knew an argument was going to be had and no one would eat for hours if we debated late breakfast vs early lunch.
"Great idea princess." Sarah's father hung up the phone. She was sure that her dad had heard none of what was said. Sarah bit back a smile at the look on Karen's face. She was not a fan of The Shack and wanted to debate the restaurant choice.
Sarah excused herself to "freshen up from the drive." Before she got up she side kicked Toby in the ankle. He swallowed his yelp and glared at his older sister. Sarah gave him a glare of her own and then moved her eyes in the direction of his room. Toby got the picture quickly.
"I'll be just a sec Dad. I need to get my Discman from my room." He stood and started moving toward his room.
"Why, Toby? The restaurant is just a couple of miles away? The grocery store is close too. Do you really need that music player?" his dad countered.
"Dad, the only thing you play on the radio in the sedan is talk radio." Toby shuddered. "I'm thirteen, it's a medical fact that my ears will bleed and I'll die from boredom if I am forced to listen to that stuff for too long. Do you really want that on your conscience?" Toby continued walking out of the room not waiting for a reply to his sarcastic comment.
The siblings met up in Toby's room. Thankfully the room looked to be in one piece. That meant that the goblins had stayed put at least that is what Sarah hoped. Looking at each other without talking Sarah quickly went to the door and locked it, while Toby pulled the bag out from under the bed.
Toby unzipped the bag and five excited goblins burst out, knocking Toby over with the force. They started talking excitedly, and loudly. Sarah and Toby shushed them and signaled them for quiet. The room was silent again after only a minute, but it seemed much longer to Sarah. She expected her father or stepmother to be knocking on the door demanding entrance. When the demand for the door to open never came, Sarah breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Ok guys. We need to go out for a little while. No one will be home, but you all need to stay in Toby's room," Sarah explained in hushed tones.
"What we do Lady Sarah?" asked Glunk looking up at her adoringly.
"You guys can hang in here. Check out Toby's stuff." Sarah ignored the glare and elbow jab to her ribs by Toby. "Just be careful with it. And don't go out of this room."
Toby left them his Gameboy to play, and comic books to look at. They were favorites of the goblins when they visited. They promised to bring snacks and would spend time with the goblins when they returned. With assurances from Zot that they would indeed stay put Toby grabbed the Discman and they left to meet their parents to go to lunch.
They piled into the family sedan. The restaurant was only a couple of miles away, so the drive took less to no time. They were seated at a table with a view of the beach. It was early but the tourists were storming the sand in force. They had come to the shore forever, but Sarah always loved the energy that the crowded beach had. Usually, she hated crowds, but at Point Pleasant, it was weird not to be in a crowd.
The family ordered. Karen seemed satisfied with her avocado toast, while the rest of the Williams' had burgers for lunch. As they ate the family talked about things they all wanted to do during the week. Toby would be happy living at the beach daily. He wanted to try surfing and spend time skateboarding on the boardwalk. There were kids, both locals and those vacationing, that Toby would find to hang with, so he could take care of entertaining himself. Karen hated to admit it, but Sarah knew her dad would let him go and do what he wanted within reason. That was the one thing Toby liked most about the Shore. The freedom he got here was so different from how it was at home under his mom's eagle-eyes.
Sarah's dad would be happy hanging out in the house on a lounge chair on the back deck, or a chair on the beach. Sarah knew part of the time he would be working, he could never leave it all at the office, but he would slow down some.
Karen planned on some beach time as well, but she also liked going to town. All the cute shops and antique stores called to her. Sarah knew her dad would be spending more time than he wanted to go to these shops with her. Then Karen surprised Sarah by asking if she would want to come along antiquing with her.
"Sure, Karen. It's not my usual thing, but yeah I'll go along, " Sarah said before she realized she agreed to spend a day with Karen.
"I thought we might find something for your apartment. You never know what you might find in those sweet shops." Karen seemed happy, so Sarah decided to go with the flow, maybe it wouldn't be so bad.
"What are you planning to do sweetie?" her dad asked.
"I'll hang at the beach some, and go with Toby to the boardwalk at least once or twice," Sarah offered after swallowing a bite. "I guess Karen and I will spend at least one day looking at the antique stores. That will take up a good bit of the week." Sarah smiled.
"What about the evenings? I know the last time you came you brought that boy you were seeing." Her dad's voice had an edge to it when talking about one of her many failed relationships.
"This place hasn't changed much since the last time I came. Probably I'll go to karaoke and trivia night at The Ark, and listen to the music at the Broadway. If I meet anyone we may go to the comedy club. The usual stuff I guess. I also plan to spend time with you guys. That is why we are here." Sarah listed the things she knew they expected, and she knew that the last comment would please her dad.
"Just remember I know that you are too old for a curfew, but you do have Toby in the room next to yours…" Sarah's father trailed off, obviously uncomfortable.
"Eww, Dad. Don't finish that thought. Just to ease your mind I don't plan on hooking up with anyone during this trip. And if I did, give me a little bit of credit." Sarah put a quick end to the turn the conversation had taken.
"I was just wondering if you were planning to meet up with any old friends. You used to have a group that you have known for years." Her dad tried again.
"Dad, I haven't been here in three years," Sarah said patiently. "That was right after college. That was the group that I hung with when we were all in school. I am sure most of them have moved away, or don't go on "family trips" anymore." She gave him a pointed look at that one. "They are either married or have kids by this point." Sarah knew it sounded flat, but she just wanted to end this topic of conversation.
"I was thinking the same thing. When are you going to find a nice young man to settle down with and get married and have kids." Karen jumped into her favorite topic "Sarah needs a man".
"Karen, I love you, drop it," Sarah said flatly. She hurriedly finished her lunch anxious to get out of the restaurant. Toby was way too quiet, which never boded well for her. Usually when he was quiet with that look meant that she would pay for it in one way or another later.
The family finished their meal, her dad paid the check, and they walked back to the sedan. They piled in and rode the five-minute drive to the Stop N Shop in silence. When they got there Sarah and Toby went in one direction and their parents led by Karen went the other following her list. While Karen focused on the family staples for the house, Sarah and Toby picked up their favorite snacks and quick meals as well as things that they knew from experience that the goblins liked and could only get Above. These they would use to hopefully keep them under some semblance of control
They met up with their parents at the checkout. Their arms were loaded with cookies, sugared cereal, and s'more makings. Hidden in these items were candies, and surprisingly, dog biscuits. Sarah hoped that the dog biscuits especially would be overlooked by Karen since the family had not had a dog since Merlin died years ago. The purchases were bought and bagged, Sarah made sure that she kept the "special" items in a bag on their own. She planned to get that bag to her room as soon as they returned to the house.
When they returned to the house things went according to plan at first. Karen went in first calling over her shoulder that she needed to use the restroom. That left the kids and Robert to bring in the grocery bags. Sarah made sure that she grabbed "the bag" as soon as her father popped the trunk. Walking into the backdoor to the kitchen she could hear Karen yell out.
"Tobias Williams, what is your skateboard doing on the floor of the hallway? I almost killed myself on it!" Sarah cringed. She knew that skateboard was in Toby's room when they left. She leaned it against the wall by the dresser herself.
"Sorry, mom. It must have been in the bag Sarah carried in. The zipper is a bit loose, maybe it slipped out and she didn't know." Toby threw her directly under the bus.
"Sarah, honestly you need to be more careful." Karen's voice died with the closing of the master bedroom door. Sarah glared at Toby who did his best to look innocent.
"You are so dead, kid," Sarah hissed at him. "You know that was in your room. How do you think it got out of your room and into the hall in a supposedly empty house?" She raised her eyebrows at him.
Realization dawned on Toby. "Shit." He hissed under his breath. Not wanting a lecture on cursing. The siblings ran quickly to Toby's room not sure they wanted to see what was inside. This left their father to put away the groceries on his own.
Toby opened the door and Sarah looked inside. It could have been worse. The books were off the bookcase and some were in places in the room that Sarah didn't want to know what they were being used for. Clothes were scattered everywhere. And in the middle of it were five passed-out goblins upended on the floor. On the center of them were two bottles of their father's whisky from his liquor cabinet.
Sarah grabbed Toby by the shirt and hulled him into the room. "How did they get into the liquor cabinet? I thought dad still locked it up." She tried to keep her panicked voice down.
"Not anymore." Toby managed to look smug. "He stopped when you stopped coming with us. Mom convinced him that her angel wouldn't be swiping booze for beach parties, unlike the troubled teenager." He cast a glance at her with a smirk.
"It was one time, and I was eighteen. I learned my lesson." Sarah felt insulted. "I let other people supply the booze and I just drank it," she added under her breath.
Sarah walked over to the window and opened it. The smell from the bottles permeated the room. "If your mom or dad smells this you will be an angel. Dad will kill you." Toby paled a little at this, but Sarah had no time to relish her small victory. Sarah grabbed the bottles and shoved them in the grocery bag after emptying them of the treats. Taking a page from Toby's playbook she dropped the bag out the window to be thrown in the garbage later.
Toby was checking on the goblins and determined they were dead to the world. "You clean up this place in case your mom comes in. Hopefully, she will just yell for you and not get curious about how you are unpacking. Keep an eye on those guys." Sarah was in "take charge mode". "I will stow their snacks in my room, where hopefully they won't find them and get rid of the bottles. First I will check on the liquor cabinet. If dad sees me it won't look too bad since I can drink."
Sarah quietly scooted down the hall to the living room, after tossing the dog biscuit boxes and candy bags under her bed. The liquor cabinet was in the corner, and her dad was in his recliner reading the local paper he picked up.
"Hello, Sarah dear," he said, looking at her over the paper. "Thank you for all the help in the kitchen."
"Sorry, Daddy," Sarah answered, her eyes tracking to the small cabinet behind the couch. "I wanted to help make sure Toby put the skateboard up where it couldn't accidentally roll anywhere." Sarah slid around to the back of the room, trying to appear nonchalant. "I thought we might get pizza delivered for dinner, just checking to see if there is a bottle of wine for you and Karen if you want any." It was a lame excuse, but it was her dad and even though as a lawyer he had a sharp mind, he had a blind spot where Sarah was concerned.
"We all know you are old enough to drink if you want to, Sarah, just not to excess ok?" her dad said patiently.
"I know. It's cool. I'll stick with pop," Sarah replied. Reaching her destination and opening it to survey the damage. It seemed a little sparse, but not by too much. She would search Toby's room later and hoped her dad would not remember how many bottles he had at the beach house. It had been months since he had been here.
Sarah hung out in the living room for a bit. It would seem suspicious if she came down, walked around the living room, and hurried back upstairs. So she sat on the couch with a magazine, her feet curled up underneath her. She could not focus on anything. Her mind kept drifting upstairs to her brother's room. But really how much trouble could five passed-out goblins be? She involuntarily shuddered at the many thoughts.
"Cold Princess?" Robert looked over his paper at his daughter again.
Sarah tried not to shoot to her feet, but she may have stood a bit too quickly. "Yeah, a little bit Dad." Sarah tossed her magazine back on the coffee table in front of her. "I think I'll go up and grab a sweater." Sarah was grateful for the excuse that allowed her to get back upstairs.
She rapped a quick staccato of three raps, a pause, and then another two. It was their private knock that they used since Toby was four. The door opened quickly and she slipped into her brother's room. A glance told her that the alcohol still was affecting the group since they were sprawled in the same place as when she left them. Toby had cleaned up the mess made by the quintet of goblins.
"What are you doing? Have you gone mental?" Toby asked as she walked over to the open window, and removed the screen.
"There was no good way to get out. I'm going to get rid of those bottles unless you want to have a bag with empty liquor bottles under your window. I'm sure Karen and Dad would think that they came from someone at the beach and just coincidentally landed under your window." Sarah raised an eyebrow at him.
"Ok yeah, I get it. Just hurry." Toby waved his hands at her in a "get going" gesture.
Sarah sat on the windowsill and swung her legs over the side. She hopped down happy that the house was a bungalow, and the windows were relatively low to the ground. She grabbed the bag off the ground and threw it into the trash can. She walked back to Toby's window, jumped, and grabbed the sill. She pushed and wiggled her way back into the room. She replaced the screen and turned to look at her brother smirking at her.
"You're awfully good at that. It's like you did it before," he said.
"Live and learn, kid. Stay on my good side and I can show you the best way to sneak out of your room at home too." Sarah winked at him.
It looked like the goblins were going to sleep it off for a while, so the Williams siblings let them where they lay, hoping that Karen would not go into his room. They closed the door. Sarah remembered to go into her room to get a sweater for her "chill". They went downstairs to start the family argument about the number of pizzas and toppings.
They sat down in the kitchen to eat a meal of pizza, and salad that Karen threw together. The conversation was light, but both Sarah and Toby kept listening for sounds of goblins. Sarah volunteered to clean up and nudged Toby toward the hall to the bedrooms. He took the hint and headed to his room to check on his "roommates". Sarah washed the dishes and then took the empty pizza boxes out to the trash making sure to completely cover the bag with the bottles she threw away earlier.
She came back in and went to the living room where the rest of the family was gathered. Toby gave her a thumbs up which she took to mean that everything was ok back in his room. The family settled in for a night of card and board games. Both Karen and Robert Williams were aware that their children's attention was not completely on the games, but they were getting along and not sniping at each other so they wouldn't question it. When everyone turned in for the night Sarah could only hope that the rest of the week would go this smoothly.
A/N: Thank you for reading. Please...Please...Please review! (I am not above begging)