The job offers

Thanks to Engineerd for beta reading and to the readers who are sticking with the story. Better late…really really late than never, right?

Recap: Single mother Sarah moves to California with two year old son Travis. Chuck is a handyman who gets a job fixing he house but that is not all he fixes. Carina hooks them up. Morgan almost tears them apart. They get together. They develop a serious relationship. Chuck's mom approves. Chuck's dad thinks Sarah's a gold digger. Chuck, Sarah, and Travis go on vacation. Chuck tries to ask Sarah if they should move in together but gets interrupted each time.

Chuck, Sarah, and Travis return from their 3 relaxing, peaceful weeks of vacation…

Sarah falls back on her bed and groans. "So. Tired."

Chuck walks into the room. "I just tucked Travis into his crib. He's out like a rock."

"So will I in 5 seconds."

"Oh come on, we finally have a moment to ourselves to do whatever we want and you want to go to sleep?"

"Yep."

"Me too." Chuck plots down beside Sarah.

Sarah slowly slides on top of him and covers them.

Just as they are getting comfortable, the door bell rings.

Chuck groans as he slides Sarah back off him and walks to the door.

"Yes?" Chuck asks the man at the door.

"I got a package for Sarah Walker." The UPS guy says.

"She's sleeping but I can take it."

"Alright, please sign here." He hands Chuck a clipboard.

Chuck signs, hands the clipboard back to the guy, and takes the package.

"Have a nice day."

"You too."

Chuck walks back into Sarah's room. "You got mail." Chuck says in a robotic voice.

"Very funny." Sarah sits up.

Chuck hands Sarah the package and lays down on the bed.

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!"

Chuck quickly sits up straight. "What? What?!"

Sarah runs with the package to her home office. She turns on her laptop, fax/scanner/printer, and phone. Chuck follows her into the room.

"It's a computer program I ordered a month ago! It's finally here."

"Obliviously."

Sarah hits Chuck on the shoulder.

The answering machine turns on. "You got two new messages." The robotic voice informs her. "Message One, 'Hello Miss Walker, this is Fulcrum Security Agency, we were informed by a sister company in Washington that you were an excellent accountant. We'd like to hire you as our accountant. You can reach us at…'"

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" Sarah squeals in excitement. "I have my first big client!"

"That's great honey!" Chuck picks up Sarah and spins her around as they kiss.

Sarah slaps Chuck on the shoulder so he'll stop. "Let me down, I've got to call these people, see if the offer still stands."

Chuck sets her on the floor with one more kiss. "Alright business woman, I'll leave you to your work."

"Thank you."

Chuck walks out of the office and closes the door as Sarah sits on her chair and grabs the phone.

Dinnertime rolls around and Sarah is still in her office.

Chuck knocks softly on the door. "Sarah?"

"Come in."

Chuck opens the door and walks in. "How's everything going?"

"It's great! They gave me the job. This is the big break I've been waiting for. Hopefully FULCRUM will put my company on the map."

"That's great honey."

"But I don't know how to install this damn program and I really need it."

"Let me see." Chuck takes the CD-ROM from her and looks at the instructions.

"What? Are you gunna tell me now that you know about computers?"

"Actually, yes. I took some courses in college. Br…an old friend of mine and I wanted to make our own video game. That doesn't matter. Give me some time and I can install this for you."

"Ok, thanks, honey."

"Anything for you."

Sarah kisses Chuck and leaves the room.

Chuck gets to work, typing away on the keyboard.

10 minutes later Chuck steps out of the room to find Sarah pacing in front of the door. She stops when she sees Chuck.

She looks up at him with hope.

"It's a boy!" Chuck says excitedly.

Sarah hugs Chuck. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

Sarah starts to walk into the room but Chuck stops her.

"What?"

"Dinner time."

"Oh, right. I can cook…"

"As…delicious…as your food is, honey, remember that we're going over to my sisters for dinner?"

"Ok than."

Woodcomb home

"Chuck! Sarah!" Ellie says embracing both people as they walk through the door. "Travis!" She bends down and picks up Travis. "It's been forever since I've seen you all."

"It's been three weeks, sis." Chuck say.

"Chuckster, whats up?" Devon walks into the living room holding Natty.

"Devon."

Everyone greets each other and move to the dining room.

Chuck and Ellie's mom arrives and they start eating.

Later they move to the living room where Sarah shows everyone pictures of the vacation.

"Aw, you all look like a happy family." Catherine say.

Chuck puts his arm around Sarah and Travis.

"You know, I was actually thinking we could spend Christmas at the beach house this year."

"Yeah cuz nothing says Christmas like sun and sand, mom."

"Charles." Catherine says.

"You have a beach house?" Sarah asks.

"We have houses everywhere, honey." Catherine says.

"So um back to the pictures." Chuck says.

The phone rings.

"I'll get it." Ellie says.

"No one's stopping you, sis." Chuck jokes.

Ellie throws a pillow at him as she gets up.

"Very mature, Eleanor." Catherine says.

"He started it." Ellie sticks out her tongue and answers the phone. "Hello?...Yes, hold on. Chuck it's for you."

Chuck quickly gets up to get the phone. "Hello?...Yes this is Charles Bartowski."

Everyone watches Chuck's face change dramatically from smiling to shocked to a huge grin.

"Yes! That would be great! That's…wow!..." Chuck turns around and sees Sarah holding Travis. "Um, actually, could I have some time to discuss this with my family?...Okay, thank you, I will." Chuck hangs up the phone and sits next to Sarah. "I got offered a job to design and build a new subdivision!"

"That's great!"

"Yeah except that it's in Chicago. I could be there for a year or more."

Sarah's face falls.

"Sarah, say the word and I won't take the job. I'll stay here with you and Travis. I'll find something close. It's California, there's always construction jobs."

"Chuck, it took you five years to get offered a bigjob. Who knows how long it'll be until you get offered another job."

"Wow, thanks for those encouraging words."

"What I'm saying is take the job. We'll find some way to make it work."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Great! Now both of you have jobs." Ellie says.

"How did you know I had a job?" Sarah says.

"I made some calls to some old friends." Catherine says. "Think of it as an early wedding gift."

"Mom." Chuck warns.

"Oh Charles we all know it's gunna happen."

Sarah blushes.

Next Up: One-on-one

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