HI EVERYONE! *twitches* I'm really sorry guys and I'm not even gonna try to make up a funny intro for this chapter…. Instead it will be apologetic and depressing. I know that last time I said I would update sooner and I am aware it's been really long… My mother gave me back the computer maybe a few days before I headed off to a week long camp and I started writing then… I scrapped the whole thing before leaving because I wasn't happy with it. So after the camp I really couldn't write because I had two days at home when I needed to pack and then we headed off straight to Poland where we couldn't get Internet access… then from their we went directly to Paris where I was so busy I didn't have time to write (and also, no computers except my dad's … he doesn't let me use his). Then after that I was home for maybe 5 days where I tried to write but was lazy (sorry… ) and then we went to Florida… and I finally got home a few days ago. However, that is no excuse because I had internet access and A LOT of it in Florida and I have to admit I wrote so little there because I didn't feel like writing and was being lazy. Again guys I apologize and I really hope that all of you are still reading and you're all not extremely mad at me. I have been a pretty bad author-ess and I just hope you'll keep reading. So without further ado: ENJOY! Also, Part 2 will be up later on today!
Disclaimer: You guys know the drill… My anger and sadness of not owning Labyrinth is merged with my apologies.. *puppyyy dog eyes*
P.S. Holly is Sarah's aunt the one who took care of her and Toby after Karen and her dad died…. Also… FREE COOKIES FOR ALL OF YOU for me being such a douche bag… pardon my French. Anyways… I'm sure you're all tired of my virtual voice so I'll leave you to read.
Sarah was twitching. Yes, twitching, you read right. Her right eye was blinking at a steady pace as she hung up the phone.
No one was available. NOBODY. How the hell was everyone of the people she trusted with Toby busy this weekend?
She dropped her head into her hands and sighed. She had even called HOLLY and God knows how hard that was for her to do. She shuddered, remembering the conversation she had had with her on the phone.
"Hello?"The girlish voice came out of the speaker cheerfully.
Sarah cringed. "Um... Holly?" She cursed mentally. She sounded like a damn teenager! She heard a squeal on the other end of the line. Ow.
"SARAH? Ohmygosh It's been so LONG!" I don't sound like more of a teenager than Holly does. She thought and took a deep breath.
"Yeah, It's um me!"
"Honey, why haven't you called before?" Holly screeched and Sarah could imagine her in a little pink dress, an apron draped daintily and way too perfectly over it.
"Um... I've been busy?" She said the phrase coming out as a question. Damn it.
"Hmph. Well, we've got SO MUCH to catch up on, no?"
"Actually Holly I just called to-" But she never finished her question as Holly had begun to chatter on a mile a minute once more, talking about everything from the new curtains in the living room to the whining of the next door neighbor's spoiled toddler.
"So... Anything you want to tell me Sarah?" She asked. Sarah was slumped on the floor, her back aching due to the fact she had been pressed against the hard wall for over 20 minutes of endless talk coming at her ear. She perked up a bit when she heard Holly breath and straightened up when Karen asked her to talk.
"I actually called for one thing only Holly. I wanted-"
"OH WAIT!" Sarah sighed, dropping her head in her hands in defeat. She would never be able to get a word in would she? But what Holly said next had her jumping up in surprise, her cheeks tinged with a deep red.
"I heard about the stripper."
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Sarah's mind went blank. How? How had she heard about the stupid police incident? Sarah opened her mouth, determined to make up a quick and witty excuse for what had happened. But nothing came out, no matter how many times she opened and closed it. She only succeeded in looking like an idiot.
" Sarah..." Holly began in a stern voice.
Shit. I'm gonna get it.Sarah thought, feeling small and unworthy.
"Was he good?" Holly's enthusiastic voice came out from the speakers, startling Sarah. She processed the question in her mind. Had Holly just asked... if Jareth, Sarah's make believe stripper, was a good stripper? Her mouth opened and closed silently a bit more... until she could finally speak.
"WHAT THE FUCK?" It came out indignant... Why the hell would Holly be asking that?
"Language Sarah! Language!" Sarah growled through the phone and tried to control her self.
"How the h-heck do you know about that?" She ground out, her fingers digging into her palm as she tried to calm the sudden wave of anger coursing through her veins.
"Why, called me and since I am your aunt she found it only natural to inform me." A million of profanities ran through Sarah's head, all directed at Mrs. Primp. Fucking nosy, no good, bi-
"But don't worry Sarah I'm not mad... Rather I'm glad a woman YOUR age is finally interested in sex... You never seemed to show any interest at all when you were younger. When all your friends were buying condoms I was buying you manga and books... really, I'm relieved... I just hope you used protection dear, you don't know who that man has been with." Sarah's face turned red and then maybe a little bit purple, resembling one of those mood rings that kids used to hav ein the '90's. She told herself to calm down and counted down from ten slowly.
"Karen, can you babysit Toby on Saturday?" She asked once done, her voice controlled enough now to have NO emotion... somehow, the monotone made it seem more- creepy. It was the voice of a person who had heard enough... the voice of someone who would KILL if she got even a bit more frustrated.
"Oh.. is that why you called? Sorry Sarah I can't I have to-" Sarah hung up before she could hear the reason. Fuck.
It was hopeless. Utterly, Completely, STUPIDLY hopeless. It wasn't that she didn't trust Jareth... it was just that she ... well she didn't trust him. She knew Jareth wouldn't hurt Toby. Oh no, he wouldn't do that. She had seen the look in his eyes whenever Toby got hurt. He wanted to protect him. And she had seen the look in his eyes when Toby had started hugging him. She had never seen his face light up like that. It was as if the dormant light bulb inside him finally emerged, gleaming brightly. She could tell he was happy... albeit a little surprised but after he had gotten over the astonishment that Toby was actually hugging him, he hugged back so exuberantly that Sarah would be a fool to question his feelings for Toby. But... Jareth and Toby were both like children. Small, little, immature children. She remembered with a smirk all the past incidents. The pizza incident, the computer incident, the "rape" incident. She could only imagine what would happen if she left the two of them ALONE for 2 days. It would be chaos.
Sarah sighed in frustration. But who the HELL was she supposed to get to stay with Toby? NOBODY was available. She had talked to Karen, to all of her friends, even to her assistant at the office, Jen.
Jen. Jen. Sarah let out a cry of triumph. She raced to her handbag and rummaged around in it. Lipstick, sanitary wipes, receipts, picture of Taylor Lautner (What the hell was that doing there?), picture of Toby. Aha. Her business card holder.
She leafed hurriedly through it. No not that one. Or that one. Or that one. There.
Ilda Gardener, Childcare Services. Oh God, she really hoped that this woman was good. Jen had said that she had used her a million times and that she did a really good job.
Sarah took out her phone and punched in the six numbers on the card. Her fingers trailed lightly over her shirt hem, pulling and tugging at it as the dial tone echoed in her ear.
"Hello?" A grainy voice crackled through the telephone, reminding Sarah of the many years she had spent serving prune juice to seniors. She shuddered.
"Hello? Is this Ms. Ilda Gardner?"
"Yes. Who Is this?" The woman croaked and Sarah sighed in relief.
"Hi I'm Sarah and I work with one of your clients, Jess Moore."
"Ah yes... Jess is such a sweetheart. Did she tell you to call?"
"Well, kind of. You see, I was looking for a babysitter and-"
"Say no more honey." Ilda's voice turned sweet and Sarah smiled. "Come on over."
TO BE CONTINUED... *ominous music*
TA DA!1 Ok so that's part one... Please pleaseeee review... it really does make a difference in speed/quality of chapters. Thanks for reading!