A/N: Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter, and also just the reads.
So this chapter is really only a short filler before the next one; which will have some more dramas, that will cross into 2 other stories...one that is already on here and the other one yet to be published (I can't help myself, I know!) and is in the midst of being written. So as long as you can vaguely remember what has happened in the chapters you have read, you should be all good with it; and it's not like I don't give clue as to what is happening when either and will tell you this links with that.
Anyway as always thanks for reading; and you all know what to do at the end!

Love always,
KJ xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Chapter 12:

Knowing that come the start of July, she would indeed be making the move back to South Carolina; Marley started to look at the ways that this would be able to happen at the most cost effective way that would get all her stuff back there, as well as her.
Sitting in the living area of the apartment that she still shared with Ryder, who was out over at Sam's place hanging out with him on the Sunday afternoon; she had spent most of that alone time researching and costing out the best ways to get her back to South Carolina.

Hearing the ping of Facebook, advising her that she had a new notification; she flicked over to the site and saw that Mikki had tagged her in a photo, and being curious as to what that was, since she wasn't there at the moment with her sister, clicked on the notification that took her to a picture that consisted of Mikki, Kitty, Brooke, Karen, Olivia and Ellie; and then a little smiley face emoji that had been interested into the photo, with written below it 'Insert Marley here' and the photo tagged with all of them and saying,
"Soon will have the missing one back – awesome shopping days to come then! #Sisters #BFFs #FamilyNotAlwaysBlood #ShoppingSaturday #JustMissingMarley'

Laughing at the photo and also smiling as well, she picked up her cell phone that was near to her on the sofa and dialed her oldest sisters number, and waited for it to connect.

"You saw the photo" said Mikki, with a laugh as she answered the call; and Marley gave a laugh also.

"Yeah, I did" she replied, with a smile. "I'm guessing you all went shopping yesterday?"

"We did, yeah" said Mikki. "Bee and Liv came down here to shop with the rest of us, and we kind of maybe spent a little too much money"

"When is there any time all of you are together shopping that doesn't happen?" asked Marley, with a laugh.

"Probably never" replied Mikki, with a laugh also. "And soon you will be able to do the same with us"

"Yeah, that will be fun" said Marley, smiling to herself at just the mere thought of being able to shop not only with her sisters again, but those just like Mikki had said she also thought of as family. "I know how much fun it was when you were here in California, and we'd spend the weekend shopping"

"Uh huh, totally fun" said Mikki, with a laugh. "So you better be saving your money, Leesy; cause when you're back epic shopping weekend coming up"

"Well at the moment all my money is going to be going into getting me back to South Carolina" she replied. "So maybe hold off on that epic shopping trip just a bit"

"Have you worked that out yet?" asked Mikki. "What you're going to be doing to get back here? Flying back?"

"Actually, I've been costing out the different ways to do it" replied Marley. "And I was actually going to call you tonight and talk about it"

"Well we're talking now, little sis" said Mikki. "So what's the plan?"

"I was initially thinking flying over and then getting my stuff shipped over by truck" she replied. "But that would also mean my car, and do you know how much it costs to get a car taken across country in a container?"

"A lot" replied Mikki, with a laugh. "I priced it when I was heading back here, and it was like over a thousand dollars, and that wasn't including getting any of my stuff back here. That would have been another thousand dollars on top of that"

"Yeah, that's what I got as well" said Marley. "So I was wondering when you drove back what route did you take? Because it will just be much more cost effective to hire a trailer like you did and drive home"

"Whilst that's a better solution Leesy" replied Mikki. "I also don't recommend doing it on your own, as it's a very long tiring exhausting drive if you do; by the end of it I was literally running off coffee and adrenaline"

"Well, I don't know how else I am meant to do it" replied Marley, with a small sigh. "I know when Kitty moved back over, she didn't need to worry about a car as the one she'd been driving had been a company car and she bought another one when she got to Lexington; and it was affordable to ship her stuff over as she really didn't have that much to take. But I don't really want to be selling my car as it's not that old and I haven't done much in mileage on it"

"I get what you're saying Leesy, really I do" said Mikki. "All I'm saying is don't do what I did, and drive forty hours in five days; it's really insane when I think back now that I even did that"

"What about when you came over here?" asked Marley. "How long did you take then?"

"Maybe two more days" replied Mikki. "But still on my own, it was tiring and really boring too just be driving all that time"

"I don't know what else I can do, Keeks" said Marley. "It really is my only option and it's not like I can ask anyone to drive over to South Carolina with me and all that, without it being a huge imposition on them"

"I'm sure no one would think of it as that" replied Mikki. "And if you can hold off any final plans, let me talk with Seb and I will give you a call tonight; as I have an idea that might just work"

"I don't want you all pitching into help me money wise" said Marley, shaking her head even though she knew that Mikki wasn't able to see this. "You all have your own expenses, and it's not fair to let you do that"

"No, it's not that what I am thinking Leesy" replied Mikki, with a laugh. "I will though however let you know when Seb is home; he's gone over to Jere and Kae's to help getting the bed together for Lucas, since they are going to try and get him out of sleeping in the cot"

"Okay, yeah" replied Marley. "What are you thinking of maybe?"

"I'll call you tonight with more details" said Mikki. "I just got to talk with Seb and see if he agrees and then we can take it from there"

"Okay, you're being very cryptic big sister there" replied Marley, with a laugh. "We'll talk again tonight"

"Yeah, it shouldn't be too late" said Mikki. "Seb should be home soon anyway, and we'll talk and then I will call you back"

"Okay, talk soon Miks" replied Marley, with a smile. "Miss you"

"Miss you too Leesy" said Mikki, with a small laugh. "But soon you will be able to see me all the time; and probably end up getting totally sick of me"

"Never get sick of you" replied Marley, with a laugh. "Talk later"

"Yeah later Leesy" said Mikki. "Bye"

"Bye" replied Marley, and with a small sigh ended the call; and got back to doing some more research as into the costs of moving; waiting to hear back from her older sister about whatever it she first has to talk with Sebastian about.

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Later that day, still waiting to hear back for Mikki and what she had to discuss with Sebastian; before talking to her about it.
Marley was in the second bedroom of the apartment, that she was now residing in; that prior to that had once been Sam's and then Mikki's for short periods of time when they had lived there, going through her the clothes in her wardrobe trying to figure out if she was needing to take back all that had there, or if she should donate some of it to Goodwill or maybe even try and sell on eBay for some extra money.

Picking up her phone that was sitting on the bedside table in the room, and sitting on the bed; she opened up her message thread to Mikki and started typing.
Hey Miks, you're the eBay Queen! LOL! Just wondering if best to sell the clothes I am no longer wanting on there, or donate to Goodwill before I go? Keep in mind, I have never sold anything on there, I have maybe just bought a few things in a few years; so my feedback isn't anywhere near that of miss addicted to eBay scores! Let me know when we talk later xxoo.

Sighing as she put her phone down, she stood up again and held a dress that she really liked up against herself, but had only maybe work once or twice; and put it to the pile that she had declared to be the undecided pile of stuff; when she heard the front door open and then Ryder's voice. "Marley, are you here?"

"I am yeah" replied Marley, as she walked out from the room that she was in, to the living area where Ryder was. "Just starting to do some packing and all that"

"Oh, okay yeah" said Ryder, giving her a small smile and nod. "Have you worked out when your big move back to South Carolina is then?"

"I have some idea when" replied Marley, with a nod also. "But I am waiting to hear back from Mik, as I called her earlier today and kind of told her what my plans would be for getting back there, and she said something really that of cryptic and that she'd call me back later tonight"

"I can only imagine how confused you are right now" replied Ryder, with a laugh. "Your sister can be very confusing sometimes"

"She can be" said Marley, with a laugh as well. "The only thing I don't think she has ever been confused about is how much she loves Seb; that is like the one thing in her life that has been constant for over ten years now"

"Yeah" replied Ryder, with a nod. "So, I was thinking about going and grabbing some Mexican down the road for dinner; and was thinking you might want to join me"

"Umm yeah okay" said Marley, looking to him with a small smile. "I was just going to maybe do up some rice and chicken later, make a bit of a stir fry; but that sounds like a better option. Just as long as I'm back in time to get Mik's call later on, as you know my sister can really talk"

"Yeah, no problem" said Ryder, with a laugh. "We'll be like an hour at the most"

"Okay" said Marley, with a nod. "Shall we go then?"

"Sure" replied Ryder, looking to her with a nod; as Marley grabbed her handbag from where she had placed it. "Did you need any help with packing any big stuff to move back home?"

"Umm, I think I'm okay there" said Marley, as the two of them headed out of the apartment. "Most of the big stuff here is yours; it's mainly just clothes, shoes, old teaching resources and a few other personal items that I do need to be packing"

"Well we did buy some things together" said Ryder, as they headed out of the apartment and down the stairs to their cars. "So if you do want any of it, just let me know and it's yours"

"Thanks" replied Marley, with a smile to him; glad that their divorce was staying amicable and they were able to do it with ease and not have it be awkward. "I'll think about that"

"Okay, yeah" said Ryder, with a nod; and the two of them in both their own cars, headed to dinner before Marley hopefully later on that evening received a call back from Mikki, as to what her older sister's idea was.

End Note: Like said at beginning, this is mostly a filler chapter; but over all an important one as there is a plan in place for interconnecting. And also as well I wanted to show that even though they are divorcing Marley and Ryder are still on friendly terms, evident by the two of them still being able to co-exist together and go out to dinner; they are regardless of circumstances (at least at the moment, that's not to say it will be like that forever...warning of future evil plans in the works!) still able to get along!

Anyway, will be back soon with another story update; or maybe the first chapter of another planned story that will connect into this one; and that also then will lean me eventually into another story as there is something of another strange twist that comes from there, that I really do want to explore and write as well, when I got to thinking about it!
Never a quiet moment in my head; that much I can assure you!

Catch you all soon on the flip side,
Love always, KJ
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo