Thank you all for your patience while waiting for this chapter to be finished. I will take a few minutes to explain what happened and why the wait was so long. My family emergency was my father being admitted to the hospital unexpectedly. Long days and nights were spent there with him and my mother. He passed away very unexpectedly about a week after being admitted. Plans were to have him home on Sunday but he died on Wednesday. I won't go into anything further with that as most of you probably know, the grieving process is a long one. Just know that I am back and writing now so on to my thanks.
Again
Devir Ginator
huge thanks for editing this and for your support during this time. It has been unwavering and very much appreciated. Any errors found are mine and mine alone.
Jessica
, I have used every word I can think of to try and thank you for all that you did during and after my dad's passing and they still don't seem to be enough. You are the most remarkable person that I know and I am blessed that you are in my life.
To you writers and soon to be writers, I say this, Answer Your Feedback! I did and the most amazing person walked into my life because of it!
This is a long chapter with a lot of volleyball action, some football and sex. Hope you enjoy! Thanks for reading, commenting and voting!
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"Jake!" Sarah yells out the window as the Golden's SUV pulls into the senior parking lot after school.
Jake gives her a wave as they pull to a stop in the empty space beside him.
"Hey, guys." Jake greets them after pulling his suitcase from the cab of Bobby's truck.
"Ready for your trip?" Marybeth asks after extracting herself from Bobby's arms. He had been standing behind her with his arms draped around hers, sharing the pockets of her jacket while they waited with Jake.
"We should be." Mr. Golden answers. "I just hope we left you enough room in the back for your stuff, Jake. Sarah insisted on bringing her new telescope along to show her grandma."
"And my 'stronme book too!" Sarah announces as she holds it up for Bobby and Marybeth to see.
"Nice!" Marybeth enthuses. "Has Jake and Jess been helping you look at stars?"
"Uh huh!" She answers. "We took it out to the drive-in last week and it was awesome!"
"Tell Marybeth and Bobby thank you for that red flashlight they got for you." Dr. Golden prompts Sarah.
"Thank you! It was so cool and made everything red!" She tells them.
"You are very welcome, sweetie." Marybeth smiles.
"You really enjoy the old drive in, huh?" Bobby asks.
"I think that she's thanked them a hundred times so far for taking her up there." Mr. Golden jokes.
"Thanks, Jake," Sarah says with a mischievous giggle.
"You're welcome again, Sarah." Jake chuckles as he plays Tetris with the luggage until his case fits in.
"A hundred and one." Mr. Golden corrects.
"Are you excited to head back home, Sarah?" Bobby asks.
"This is home, silly." Sarah answers.
"Yeah, silly." Marybeth giggles as she gives Bobby a playful shove.
"I mean your first home. Or to see your grandma?" Bobby corrects.
"Grandma makes me cookies when I visit. I'm really excited for those!" Sarah shares.
"Cookies?" Marybeth asks. "Do you have room for one more then?"
"We do but when we pick up Jess, you'll have to sit on Jake's lap," Sarah tells her.
Marybeth giggles. "I doubt your sis would appreciate me sitting on Jake's lap, Sarah, but thanks for the offer."
"We'll bring you back some cookies." Dr. Golden shares from behind the wheel.
"Thank you, Dr. Golden. I'd appreciate that." Bobby says.
"Depending on when the cookies are baked, you might get them tomorrow night, Bobby," Marybeth tells him. "The school has chartered a couple of buses to go down to the playoffs both tonight and tomorrow."
"That's why Shelly, Jody, Staci and the rest aren't here to see Jake off. They're all getting on one of the buses to head down to tonight's game. We'll be coming down with them tomorrow provided Jess and the team makes it to the championship game. Not that I doubt them but I've been warned not to jinx things." Bobby tells them.
"The school chartered buses to the games?" Mr. Golden asks.
"We take our sports teams very seriously if you hadn't noticed that by now, sir," Jake says after closing the hatch.
"I have but I thought this was a football town." He answers.
"This is a whoever is about to bring home a championship town, Mr. Golden," Bobby says. "Believe me, if our chess club was about to bring home a trophy, they'd have buses for them too."
"Bobby's not wrong. We had a big pep rally for the volleyball team right before they left on their bus. They usually reserve those for the football or basketball teams but Jess and the team are just too good to ignore." Marybeth informs him. "The band has a concert or they would be joining the cheerleaders in going. We would go both nights but I'm working tonight."
"Jake, if you want to ride down on the bus with your friends, we could take your suitcase with us and then meet up at the game." Dr. Golden suggests.
Jake shakes his head. "And miss out on some quality time with my Sar-bear? Not a chance."
"Yeah!" Sarah agrees, her new astronomy book perched on her lap. "Jake's gonna read to me the whole trip down!"
"Jake Gibson, book narrator. Have fun, bud." Bobby chuckles.
"Keep that up and I won't make that sausage stuffing that you scarf down every year." Jake jokes.
"Dude, you love me. You wouldn't leave me hanging like that would you?" Bobby asks.
"Ugh, I guess if you're going to give me puppy dog eyes, I have to make it. Or at least have mom make it since I won't be here for Thanksgiving." Jake tells him as he climbs into the back of the SUV beside Sarah.
"Sausage stuffing you say, Jake? You wouldn't happen to want to make some of that for our Thanksgiving meal would you?" Mr. Golden asks.
"Tim, Jake is our guest. He doesn't have to cook." Dr. Golden scolds him then turns to Jake. "You don't have to cook, Jake."
"If your mother can spare the room in the kitchen, I'd love to make it for you guys," Jake tells them. "It's no trouble."
"And I'll help." Sarah volunteers.
"Now it's going to be trouble." Mr. Golden says and everyone laughs.
"I'll text you when they win so you can plan on coming down tomorrow," Jake tells Bobby and Marybeth as he buckles in.
"Save us some good seats. I've got a feeling that we'll definitely be coming down." Bobby instructs him with a wink.
"Seats where Jess can hear us yelling for her," Marybeth adds.
"We'll see what we can do." Jake answers.
"Have a good trip and give Jess our best," Marybeth tells them.
"We will and thank you." Mr. Golden tells them. "We'll be looking for you tomorrow night."
