Thanks for the instant response to Chapter One! It made my day!

Chapter Two:

Jess flew through the doorway and nearly tripped over Dolly Parton. The chicken backed away quickly. Jess frowned.

"What are you doing in the house?" She scooped her up and walked to the back door, placing her outside. Up the stairs Jess went, and into her bedroom. Her mother sat on the bed. Shannon smiled at her daughters flushed face.

"I take it you're excited about this trip?"

"Extremely." Her daughter replied, turning to her closet. "But now I have to pack enough clothes for a year in England."

"Well, as a little surprise…your father and I thought that I should give you some money for shopping in England." Jess's eyebrows shot up.

"You don't have to do that Mom, the conversion rate is to high to be throwing away money like that!"

"We know. Your father and I have talked this over and we want to do it. This is an opportunity of a lifetime for you and you should have the best time possible." With that her mother walked out of the room, leaving three crisp hundred dollar bills laying on the bed. Jess's mouth dropped open. She jumped gleefully over to her bed and picked up the money. Jess shook her head, surprised that her parents would give her this much money. She stuffed the money into a pouch, which she tossed into her suitcase on the floor behind her. Then she started packing.

A few miles away Emma was doing the same thing. She was just putting the last outfit into her bag as her mom entered the room.

"How's it going?"

"Great. I'm really happy you decided to let Jess go with us." Phoebe smiled.

"Well they have an extra room in the cottage and we have enough miles to buy an extra ticket so I don't see why she shouldn't come." Emma smiled.

"Thanks Mom." Her mother smiled back at her.

"No problem Emma, just finish up packing and then come downstairs, we've got to leave for the party at Half Moon Farm soon."

"Great, I'll be down in a few minutes." Phoebe left the room. Emma turned to her bag and threw a few pairs of shoes into it. She had to sit on her bag to zip it shut. This was a big adventure she was going on and she had to have all the right clothes to do it right. Not only were they going to live in England for the year, but they were starting at a new school. A school where no one knew them. It could be the opportunity that she and Jess had been hoping for. Emma stood up off her bag and left the room, turning and heading down the stairs. Darcy ran out of the kitchen.

"What's the hurry?"

"Gotta start packing!" He disappeared up the stairs. Emma shook her head and wondered what in the world Jess saw in him.

Thirty minutes later they were all piled in the car that the Hawthorne's had owned as long as pretty much anyone in Concord could remember. Soon they were pulling into the driveway of the hundred year old farm that Jess's family owned. Jess and her twin brothers ran out to meet them.

"Hey Emma!" The twins chorused.

"Hi!" Jess shouted, waving wildly. All the Hawthorne's waved back and walked up to the door. Emma laughed, she was giddy with excitement, and it seemed like Jess was too. Emma and Jess hugged and then ducked inside the door to the living room where all of their book club friends were waiting. Cassidy's mother was the first to speak.

"I think we should take our little pow-pow outside. It is such a beautiful day." All of the mothers nodded in agreement. Everyone grabbed a chair and headed outside. Once they were all settled again Megan's mother turned to Mrs. Hawthorne.

"We know that you tend to plan everything for the book club Phoebe, but we thought it would take it off your hands this year so that you don't have to worry about it while you're exploring England." Phoebe smiled.

"You don't really need to do that Lilly." Megan's mother cut her off.

"Oh but we really do. We want you to have as much fun as possible without having to worry about trivial things like this." Phoebe looked extremely grateful.

"Well thank you." All the mothers smiled at her. Shannon turned to Jess and Emma.

"We have something for the both of you." They both looked surprised as Becca and Megan gave them both what looked like a square box wrapped in white and gold polka dotted paper. They looked like they didn't really know what to do. Cassidy rolled her eyes.

"Well open them!" Both Jess and Emma came to life, pulling at the wrapping paper. It was Jess who managed to unwrap hers first. Her mouth dropped open. Right beside her Emma pulled off the final bit of wrapping paper off and assumed the same shocked expression as her best friend.

"They're laptops!" Jess exclaimed. Emma's was case in a deep, rich plum purple, Jess's was a royal blue. Everyone around them smiled, except for Mrs. Hawthorne who bit her lip and looked worried.

"I hope you didn't spend too much on those." She looked around the group.

"That's the beauty of it Phoebe, miniature laptops don't cost that much these days and everyone chipped in." Clementine answered.

"It was hard getting Jess's in such a hurry, but we managed to pull it off." Becca added. Jess and Emma smiled at her and immediately began thanking everyone.

"That's not all!" Screeched Cassidy in her most dramatic voice. "We have also decided what book we will be reading this year." Everyone but Mrs. Hawthorne, Jess and Emma nodded.

"What?" Emma asked.

"We are going to read The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan!" Megan shouted. Emma and Jess gasped and Mrs. Hawthorne smiled.

"A wonderful choice." She said. "But how are we going to communicate with you guys on this one?"

"The laptops both have web cams! We can find a time that works for all of us and then skype with you!" Becca said excitedly.

"Yesss!" Jess and Emma both exclaimed. They turned and high fived each other. Then they got up and proceeded to hug everyone in the circle.

"Who wants a burger?" Jess's dad shouted from over by the grill.

"ME!" Shouted Cassidy, running towards him jumping over chairs. Everyone laughed and followed in her wake.

The dads had been cooking away during their little discussion and everything was ready. Cassidy, of course, got a little bit of literally everything. Emma and Jess had light plates, as they were both nervous about the long flight the next day. When everyone had gotten their food they all settled down on the quilts that were spread throughout the lawn. Moms on one, Darcy, the twins, Stewart and all of the dads on another, and all of the book club girls on the other one. Laughter and chatter quickly filled the area. The food was great and everyone was smiling.

No body could've sensed what was coming next.