A New Horizon- Chapter 10- Hey Thanks (Thanksgiving at Horizon)
Disclaimer- I do not own any old Higher Ground charaters. But I do own all the new ones.
Hey Guys, Sorry this has taken so long, almost a month. But I had a HUGE social History project on the Holocaust. It was worth 75% of our grade and it took up like all my time. Plus I was starting a new Higher Ground site- http://www.geocities.com/numberonehighergroundfan
In this Chapter- The time you've all been waiting for: Wedding plans are announced!!!
SAN FRANSISCO CA.- The day before thanksgiving- 5:30 p.m.
"Auggie, I don't know if I can do this." Juliet whispered nervously to her fiancé.
"I mean my mother hates your parents. And the wedding, God she's gonna flip out."
Auggie came over and hugged her. "Jules, Honey, we've put this off for over a month. We should have been screaming it to the whole world but we've kept it a secret. I don't want to anymore." Auggie said.
"I know, I know." Juliet said as she took off the apron she was wearing as she stuck the Turkey in the oven.
MOUNT HORIZON
Aiken and Jamie were in the lodge. Cutting our paper turkeys to use as a centerpiece for their "thanksgiving" dinner. It was only the cliffhangers who were still at Horizon. Aiken's grandparents were sick and didn't want him coming home and catching what they had. Ally didn't have a home to go back to, since she was at Horizon social services hadn't bothered to place her at a home to come back to. Jamie and Jacob had refused to go home, Andy didn't want to put pressure on having his foster parents explain about him like they had to every year. And Rylan, she stayed because the others had stayed.
"I hate big Holidays." Jamie said suddenly.
"How can you hate thanksgiving?" Aiken asked.
"I didn't say I hated Thanksgiving." Jamie corrected " I said I hated holidays in general."
"Why is that?"
"Family coming, acting all cheerful when you know they are at each others throats. And everyone has to have on a pasted fake smile so no one things their weird." Jamie said bitterly.
Aiken looked at her astonished. He remembered thanksgiving with his grandparents. Turkey, stuffing, all that stuff. And smiles and all that too. But he remembered the years that he didn't eat on thanksgiving, the years he had spent with his father. He couldn't imagine family being like Jamie had described though.
"It's really like that at your house?" Aiken asked. Jamie barely ever let people glimpse into her home life like that.
Jamie laughed. "Yeah. Once after mom and dad got separated dad came over with a friend from work, Molly, we had known her for years, her and dad had been friends since they were kids. Well mom thought otherwise, like they were going out and she went ballistic. She went around with this little smile until dinner. Then she threw the gravy at him." She said bitterly. "Dad didn't do anything he wasn't like that. Just wiped his face and shrugged it off. But he hasn't come with anyone since."
"Wow. All we do at thanksgiving is eat." Aiken laughed as Peter came up to them.
"Guys, Dinner time." He shouted to the two as he stepped back outside.
Outside the air was cold. It was beginning to snow. Peter had always loved the snow. And winter in the mountains was always beautiful. He looked at the footprints in the fresh snow. Anthony had been playing in it.
"Dad." He heard Anthony shout.
Peter turned around to be met with a snowball to the chest. He laughed and threw one back at his son. Feelings of family washed over him and he knew he would have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
LATER THAT NIGHT- GIRLS DORM
Rylan, Ally, and Jamie sat on Rylan's bed in their pajamas. They were going to gossip about all the other students who had left but after a while their conversation had gotten sidetracked.
"Have you guys seen John and Amy? I'm surprised Peter and Sophie haven't caught onto them yet." Ally said laughing.
"I know. How many trips to the wood shed can you make?" Jamie said laughing to.
Rylan laughed to. She really didn't care about the whole guy thing, seeing that there wasn't one for her at the school.
"Hey Ry. You're the only one of us that doesn't like someone. Or hasn't dished it out yet. Come on tell us." Jamie said eagerly.
"Yeah I mean I am totally in love with Aiken." Alley said dreamily.
"And I kinda like Andy." Jamie said shyly.
Rylan sighed and looked at the ceiling. "There's no one. I mean I'm still trying to face my past. A guy isn't what I need right now." She said seriously.
"Uh huh. But you know you want one." The two said to her slyly.
"Yeah but not any of the guys here right now." Rylan said trying to get off the subject.
The girls sensed Rylan's discomfort on the subject and got off of it. That's when the conversation started getting more serious.
"Ry, can I ask you a question?" Ally asked seriously.
"Sure." Rylan said.
"Do you, um... ever um... wish that you did remember what happened in your past? Like do you ever wish you could have memories like everyone else does?" Alley asked. She had always wondered.
"Yeah. I mean it makes me different and I don't want to be different, It's hard like right now, like the holidays. When people are always talking about how this happened one Thanksgiving and how that happened one Christmas. And I have nothing to say because I don't have any memories of it at all." She said seriously. A hint of sadness was in her voice.
"Well we'll just have to make our own memories now won't we." A voice said from the door.
It was Sophie, she had over heard the whole conversation. The girls looked at her excitedly. They wanted to know what she was scheming up in her mind.
SAN FRANSISCO- Thanksgiving day, 2005- NOON
Juliet and Auggie sat nervously watching the parade on t.v.. Their parents would soon be arriving. And today was the day of their big announcement. Juliet pressed down the pleats of her new dress, a pinkish orange one she had bought especially for this occasion.
"Do you think we should call peter and Sophie and tell them that we're telling?" she said nervously, all the words mashed together.
"If it will make you feel better Jules. Maybe Sophie can calm you down." Auggie said handing her the phone.
Juliet dialed the number for Horizon. Her hands were trembling, she was so nervous.
AT HORIZON- Peter and Sophie's office- 12:10 pm.
Sophie was trying to button the top button on the back of her dress. They were trying to make the Thanksgiving meal at Horizon like any other that you would have at home. That meant dressing up along with having the food. Just as she buttoned up the phone rang.
"Hello, Mount Horizon. Sophie Becker-Scarbrow speaking." Sophie said in her formal voice.
"Hey Sophie. It's Juliet." Juliet said in a hurry.
Sophie worried of the tone of Juliets voice. "Juliet what's wrong? Is everything okay?" she asked concerned.
"We're suppose to be breaking the news to our parents today and I don't think I can do it." Juliet choked. "I mean my mother, she's awful. And I don't want her disappointment on my shoulders."
Sophie took a seat. She searched for the words to try to say to Juliet to make her feel better. Juliet had always been sensitive. And her mother could be a real witch. But Juliet and Auggie had loved each other for so long. They needed this to happen.
"Oh Juliet, it will be fine. You and Auggie are perfect for each other. And anyone, who can't see that, like your mother, will probably never see that." Sophie hoped those words would work.
"Yeah I know." Juliet said the words calming her down. "Um.... I've got to go." She said. "Auggie's parents are here."
LATER THAT DAY- SAN FRANSICO
Auggie, Juliet and their parents were sitting around the dinner table. Auggie hithis spoon against his glass. Everyone looked up at him.
"Mama, papa, Mrs. Wayborne, we have something to tell you."
"What is it my son?" Auggie's mother asked.
"Well... Juliet and I are getting married." He said excitedly.
"Yeah, we've been engaged for over a month!" Juliet said happily as she saw the joy on her new mother and father in law's faces. She didn't even look at her mom's face she didn't want to see the disappointment.
"We knew you would. Welcome to the family officially Juliet." Auggie's father said and went over to hug his new daughter.
"This is wonderful. When is the wedding?"
"Yeah when is this thing going to happen." Mrs. Wayborne said bored and almost bitterly.
"Don't worry about her Juliet, look at how happy my parents are." Auggie whispered to her.
"We were thinking about maybe March or April. Where it's still winter but you can use spring colors." Juliet said happily.
"Well that's great." Auggie's mother said.
The family went back to eating as Mrs. Wayborne excused herself.
HORIZON- 2:00 PM. THANKSGIVING DAY.
The cliffhangers and the Scarbrows (Peter, Sophie, Anthony, and Anne Marie) were sitting around one of the tables in the dinning hall.
"I'd like to thank everyone who is here today." Peter said.
"Yeah Hey thanks too." Aiken said. "For putting up with us for more time than anyone else. "
Sophie stood up. "I'd like to make an announcement." She said.
The group looked up. They waited for what Sophie had to say.
"We seam to have a slight problem here." Sophie began. "Last night I over heard some talking and found out that one of you doesn't remember having an actual Thanksgiving."
The group looked at Rylan who blushed brightly. They turned their attention back to Sophie as she began talking again.
"So I thought we might as well let the memories start here right?" Sophie said.
"Right!" Anthony chimed in.
"So I think we should all go around the table and say one thing we are thankful for."
The group let out a groan.
"Anthony, seeing that you seam to have so much to say today, why don't you go first." Peter told his son, getting him back for throwing the snowball.
"I'm thankful that you two adopted me and Annie." He said. "Do I get to pick who goes next?" he asked
Sophie nodded her head. Smiling at her son, she brushed her hands through his hair.
"Okay, I pick um..." he said looking around.
"Come on Anthony, we want to eat here." Aiken said laughing impatiently.
"Okay fine, Aiken. You go." He said.
"I'm thankful that we have enough food to feed a small army here today. So that none of us are going hungry on Thanksgiving." He said remembering the holidays he had spent with his father. "Alley."
"I am thankful for having friends like Aiken that tell me that it's okay to be who I am." She said squeezing Aiken's hand under the table. "Peter."
"I am thankful for my family and for my students here today." He said eyeing especially Sophie, Anthony and Anne Marie. "Sophie."
"I'm thankful for being here, and not on the road." She said. "Rylan."
"I'm thankful for having people that care like you guys do." She said looking at the group. "Jamie."
"I'm thankful for having Jacob as my brother. And to be here instead of home.' She said almost bitterly at the end. "Jacob."
"I'm thankful that we're here so we don't have to hear mom yelling at dad when she's 10 times worse." He said looking secretly at Jamie. "Andy."
"I'm thankful that there are people that care for me." He said.
"Okay. Lets eat already." Aiken said looking at his turkey.
Everyone started eating and saying happy thanks giving, and like as any t.v. show would this installment ends with the screen fading slowly to black.
THE END
To be continued.
In the next chapter- a bit on Andy and Jamie's relationship.
Disclaimer- I do not own any old Higher Ground charaters. But I do own all the new ones.
Hey Guys, Sorry this has taken so long, almost a month. But I had a HUGE social History project on the Holocaust. It was worth 75% of our grade and it took up like all my time. Plus I was starting a new Higher Ground site- http://www.geocities.com/numberonehighergroundfan
In this Chapter- The time you've all been waiting for: Wedding plans are announced!!!
SAN FRANSISCO CA.- The day before thanksgiving- 5:30 p.m.
"Auggie, I don't know if I can do this." Juliet whispered nervously to her fiancé.
"I mean my mother hates your parents. And the wedding, God she's gonna flip out."
Auggie came over and hugged her. "Jules, Honey, we've put this off for over a month. We should have been screaming it to the whole world but we've kept it a secret. I don't want to anymore." Auggie said.
"I know, I know." Juliet said as she took off the apron she was wearing as she stuck the Turkey in the oven.
MOUNT HORIZON
Aiken and Jamie were in the lodge. Cutting our paper turkeys to use as a centerpiece for their "thanksgiving" dinner. It was only the cliffhangers who were still at Horizon. Aiken's grandparents were sick and didn't want him coming home and catching what they had. Ally didn't have a home to go back to, since she was at Horizon social services hadn't bothered to place her at a home to come back to. Jamie and Jacob had refused to go home, Andy didn't want to put pressure on having his foster parents explain about him like they had to every year. And Rylan, she stayed because the others had stayed.
"I hate big Holidays." Jamie said suddenly.
"How can you hate thanksgiving?" Aiken asked.
"I didn't say I hated Thanksgiving." Jamie corrected " I said I hated holidays in general."
"Why is that?"
"Family coming, acting all cheerful when you know they are at each others throats. And everyone has to have on a pasted fake smile so no one things their weird." Jamie said bitterly.
Aiken looked at her astonished. He remembered thanksgiving with his grandparents. Turkey, stuffing, all that stuff. And smiles and all that too. But he remembered the years that he didn't eat on thanksgiving, the years he had spent with his father. He couldn't imagine family being like Jamie had described though.
"It's really like that at your house?" Aiken asked. Jamie barely ever let people glimpse into her home life like that.
Jamie laughed. "Yeah. Once after mom and dad got separated dad came over with a friend from work, Molly, we had known her for years, her and dad had been friends since they were kids. Well mom thought otherwise, like they were going out and she went ballistic. She went around with this little smile until dinner. Then she threw the gravy at him." She said bitterly. "Dad didn't do anything he wasn't like that. Just wiped his face and shrugged it off. But he hasn't come with anyone since."
"Wow. All we do at thanksgiving is eat." Aiken laughed as Peter came up to them.
"Guys, Dinner time." He shouted to the two as he stepped back outside.
Outside the air was cold. It was beginning to snow. Peter had always loved the snow. And winter in the mountains was always beautiful. He looked at the footprints in the fresh snow. Anthony had been playing in it.
"Dad." He heard Anthony shout.
Peter turned around to be met with a snowball to the chest. He laughed and threw one back at his son. Feelings of family washed over him and he knew he would have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
LATER THAT NIGHT- GIRLS DORM
Rylan, Ally, and Jamie sat on Rylan's bed in their pajamas. They were going to gossip about all the other students who had left but after a while their conversation had gotten sidetracked.
"Have you guys seen John and Amy? I'm surprised Peter and Sophie haven't caught onto them yet." Ally said laughing.
"I know. How many trips to the wood shed can you make?" Jamie said laughing to.
Rylan laughed to. She really didn't care about the whole guy thing, seeing that there wasn't one for her at the school.
"Hey Ry. You're the only one of us that doesn't like someone. Or hasn't dished it out yet. Come on tell us." Jamie said eagerly.
"Yeah I mean I am totally in love with Aiken." Alley said dreamily.
"And I kinda like Andy." Jamie said shyly.
Rylan sighed and looked at the ceiling. "There's no one. I mean I'm still trying to face my past. A guy isn't what I need right now." She said seriously.
"Uh huh. But you know you want one." The two said to her slyly.
"Yeah but not any of the guys here right now." Rylan said trying to get off the subject.
The girls sensed Rylan's discomfort on the subject and got off of it. That's when the conversation started getting more serious.
"Ry, can I ask you a question?" Ally asked seriously.
"Sure." Rylan said.
"Do you, um... ever um... wish that you did remember what happened in your past? Like do you ever wish you could have memories like everyone else does?" Alley asked. She had always wondered.
"Yeah. I mean it makes me different and I don't want to be different, It's hard like right now, like the holidays. When people are always talking about how this happened one Thanksgiving and how that happened one Christmas. And I have nothing to say because I don't have any memories of it at all." She said seriously. A hint of sadness was in her voice.
"Well we'll just have to make our own memories now won't we." A voice said from the door.
It was Sophie, she had over heard the whole conversation. The girls looked at her excitedly. They wanted to know what she was scheming up in her mind.
SAN FRANSISCO- Thanksgiving day, 2005- NOON
Juliet and Auggie sat nervously watching the parade on t.v.. Their parents would soon be arriving. And today was the day of their big announcement. Juliet pressed down the pleats of her new dress, a pinkish orange one she had bought especially for this occasion.
"Do you think we should call peter and Sophie and tell them that we're telling?" she said nervously, all the words mashed together.
"If it will make you feel better Jules. Maybe Sophie can calm you down." Auggie said handing her the phone.
Juliet dialed the number for Horizon. Her hands were trembling, she was so nervous.
AT HORIZON- Peter and Sophie's office- 12:10 pm.
Sophie was trying to button the top button on the back of her dress. They were trying to make the Thanksgiving meal at Horizon like any other that you would have at home. That meant dressing up along with having the food. Just as she buttoned up the phone rang.
"Hello, Mount Horizon. Sophie Becker-Scarbrow speaking." Sophie said in her formal voice.
"Hey Sophie. It's Juliet." Juliet said in a hurry.
Sophie worried of the tone of Juliets voice. "Juliet what's wrong? Is everything okay?" she asked concerned.
"We're suppose to be breaking the news to our parents today and I don't think I can do it." Juliet choked. "I mean my mother, she's awful. And I don't want her disappointment on my shoulders."
Sophie took a seat. She searched for the words to try to say to Juliet to make her feel better. Juliet had always been sensitive. And her mother could be a real witch. But Juliet and Auggie had loved each other for so long. They needed this to happen.
"Oh Juliet, it will be fine. You and Auggie are perfect for each other. And anyone, who can't see that, like your mother, will probably never see that." Sophie hoped those words would work.
"Yeah I know." Juliet said the words calming her down. "Um.... I've got to go." She said. "Auggie's parents are here."
LATER THAT DAY- SAN FRANSICO
Auggie, Juliet and their parents were sitting around the dinner table. Auggie hithis spoon against his glass. Everyone looked up at him.
"Mama, papa, Mrs. Wayborne, we have something to tell you."
"What is it my son?" Auggie's mother asked.
"Well... Juliet and I are getting married." He said excitedly.
"Yeah, we've been engaged for over a month!" Juliet said happily as she saw the joy on her new mother and father in law's faces. She didn't even look at her mom's face she didn't want to see the disappointment.
"We knew you would. Welcome to the family officially Juliet." Auggie's father said and went over to hug his new daughter.
"This is wonderful. When is the wedding?"
"Yeah when is this thing going to happen." Mrs. Wayborne said bored and almost bitterly.
"Don't worry about her Juliet, look at how happy my parents are." Auggie whispered to her.
"We were thinking about maybe March or April. Where it's still winter but you can use spring colors." Juliet said happily.
"Well that's great." Auggie's mother said.
The family went back to eating as Mrs. Wayborne excused herself.
HORIZON- 2:00 PM. THANKSGIVING DAY.
The cliffhangers and the Scarbrows (Peter, Sophie, Anthony, and Anne Marie) were sitting around one of the tables in the dinning hall.
"I'd like to thank everyone who is here today." Peter said.
"Yeah Hey thanks too." Aiken said. "For putting up with us for more time than anyone else. "
Sophie stood up. "I'd like to make an announcement." She said.
The group looked up. They waited for what Sophie had to say.
"We seam to have a slight problem here." Sophie began. "Last night I over heard some talking and found out that one of you doesn't remember having an actual Thanksgiving."
The group looked at Rylan who blushed brightly. They turned their attention back to Sophie as she began talking again.
"So I thought we might as well let the memories start here right?" Sophie said.
"Right!" Anthony chimed in.
"So I think we should all go around the table and say one thing we are thankful for."
The group let out a groan.
"Anthony, seeing that you seam to have so much to say today, why don't you go first." Peter told his son, getting him back for throwing the snowball.
"I'm thankful that you two adopted me and Annie." He said. "Do I get to pick who goes next?" he asked
Sophie nodded her head. Smiling at her son, she brushed her hands through his hair.
"Okay, I pick um..." he said looking around.
"Come on Anthony, we want to eat here." Aiken said laughing impatiently.
"Okay fine, Aiken. You go." He said.
"I'm thankful that we have enough food to feed a small army here today. So that none of us are going hungry on Thanksgiving." He said remembering the holidays he had spent with his father. "Alley."
"I am thankful for having friends like Aiken that tell me that it's okay to be who I am." She said squeezing Aiken's hand under the table. "Peter."
"I am thankful for my family and for my students here today." He said eyeing especially Sophie, Anthony and Anne Marie. "Sophie."
"I'm thankful for being here, and not on the road." She said. "Rylan."
"I'm thankful for having people that care like you guys do." She said looking at the group. "Jamie."
"I'm thankful for having Jacob as my brother. And to be here instead of home.' She said almost bitterly at the end. "Jacob."
"I'm thankful that we're here so we don't have to hear mom yelling at dad when she's 10 times worse." He said looking secretly at Jamie. "Andy."
"I'm thankful that there are people that care for me." He said.
"Okay. Lets eat already." Aiken said looking at his turkey.
Everyone started eating and saying happy thanks giving, and like as any t.v. show would this installment ends with the screen fading slowly to black.
THE END
To be continued.
In the next chapter- a bit on Andy and Jamie's relationship.