Sarah and Lily rounded the corner and walked up the front steps to the McHall house and knocked on the door. Lily was so excited to see her friend that she practically wore a hole in the door from so much knocking until Sarah had to push Lily's hand away from the door.
A bunch of little footsteps could be heard from inside the house and the barking. So much barking. "Get back! Sit!" Said a ruff, male voice on the other side of the door.
The door creaked open and Mr. McHall was standing there, using his legs to keep the puppy's from running outside.
"Ladies, Come on it!" He said, inviting them in with a friendly wave of his hand.
Lily ran right inside and Sarah grabbed Lily's suitcase off the wagon and drug it inside, leaving both the wagon and her own suitcase on the front porch.
When she walked in Malissa was showing Lily the new puppy that she had just gotten. Mr. McHall waved her into the other room and said, "I know that you're probably in a rush to go on your trip but I have a few questions about Lily's stay her if that's ok with you"
"Of course Mr. McHall, ask me anything you like" Sarah Replied
He began by asking "How long does Lily need to stay here for?"
"Just a week"
"Well, if for some reason you or Lily need to stay any longer then that, it's ok, we have a spare bedroom that you 2 could take until things get situated."
"Thank you sir, that is very kind and I hope that there will be no need to take you up on your offer and I thank you for your kindness."
"Of course, you 2 will always be welcome here. Also if you don't mind me asking, what did happen to your mother?"
"She got into a car crash late last night. I eventually got a call saying she had fallen into a very deep coma and she may never wake up…" Sarah said without emotion. She had already mentally prepared herself for answering this question. He was giving Lily hospitality for the week, he deserved to know.
"Oh Sarah… I am so sorry…"
"It's ok Mr. McHall, the lady who called me said that the best thing for us to do is to let her have lots of undisturbed rest, so that's exactly what we're going to do.
"I also have one more question for you."
"Yes?"
"Did you tell Lily yet? About your mother, I mean"
"No, not yet. I plan to tell her when I get back. She deserves to know but I need to figure some stuff out before I tell her anything."
"Ok, I won't tell her why she's here, it should be you who tells her after all."
"Thank you Mr. McHall"
"Of course, of course. Well, I won't hold you up any longer."
"Thank you, I will just go say goodbye to lily and then I will be out of your way."
Sarah walked up to Lily and gave her a hug saying, "Bye Lily, see you in a week. I am gonna go over to my friends house now, call me if you need anything using Mr. McHall's phone, ok?"
"Ok Sarah! See you!"
"See you" Sarah said as she shut the door behind her and grabbed the wagon with only one suitcase on it and went to Max's house.
When she finally arrived at his house it was 7:50 am. She knocked on it and Max opened the door "Cutting it kinda close to the time frame, aren't you Sarah?"
"Sorry, had to drop Lily off at the McHall's first"
"That's alright, how are you doing anyways? I didn't tell my parents yet, in case you're wondering. I didn't know if you wanted them to know about it or not."
"Thanks Max, I will tell them in a minute, don't worry. Also I am ok. A little freaked out and scared but ok."
Right then Max's mom came into view and when she saw Sarah standing in the doorway she said "Max Invite her in! Sarah, I will take your wagon and put it in the garage, you can just set your suitcase by the door over there."
Sarah put her suitcase inside and his mom wheeled the wagon away. Sarah walked over to their couch and sat down. "Gosh I have been walking for what feels like ages!" Sarah said.
Ignoring her comment Max said "Did you pack the dress?"
"The blindingly pink one? The one that makes me look like a 5 year old? The one that-"
"Ok, ok. I get it. You don't like the dress. Just answer the question."
"Yea I packed it."
"Geez Sarah. Was that so hard?
"Yes."
Max put his head in his hands and said to himself "Sometimes you make me want to bang my head on a wall."
Even though Max had said it quietly, Sarah had still heard him and said "Vanessa makes me feel that way too."
"Oh, speaking of Vanessa. Vanessa called me this morning to tell me that you and her had gotten into a fight about something. What was that about?"
Sarah's face instantly turned dark. She replied "Vanessa randomly called me out from the other side of the street this morning. She was asking me a bunch of weird questions and saying how she wanted to meet my dad, even though she clearly knows he's not around. She got mad when I said I was going on a trip with you and told me she was going to call you to say that we can't talk anymore. I told her that it was selfish and that she's a terrible girlfriend." Then with a laugh she said "You should have seen the look on her face after that. I just turned around and never looked back. Her mouth was open so wide, it was hilarious!"
It was a good thing that Max was still facing away from Sarah because a smile broke out onto his face before he could stop it. It sounded just like something Sarah would do. Casually insult somebody and then just walk away, leaving them speechless. When Max finally got his face under control he turned around to face Sarah and said "Your stories on this situation was very different"
"Well then who do you believe?" Sarah said
"It doesn't matter who I believe, it only matters that I calmed Vanessa down and we can still go on this trip without her flipping out."
"Maybe that's what matters to you but Vanessa's opinion about whether she likes me going on this trip with you or not doesn��t matter because her opinion holds no value to me, but yours does. So, who do you believe?" Sarah stated firmly.
Max's mom chose that exact moment to walk in and start talking to them.
'Saved' Max though. "Sarah! Did you bring a ball gown? I must see it! I told Max that I wanted to take you shopping on the way to pick a new one out as compensation for taking you on the trip but he said that you wouldn't want to go, I kept the booking anyways. Just in case the dress is no good"
Sarah nodded and got the dress out of her suitcase. She held it up to Ms. Fredrickson and she saw that she was already shaking her head.
"No no no no! This just will not do! We must get you a new dress!"
"Oh Ms. Fredrickson, you really don't have to. This dress will work just fin-"
"No nonsense Ms. Benson! I told Max to make you come 2 hours early just for this reason! I knew that you would need a new dress!"
Sarah's eyes widened at her words "it takes 2 house to pick out a dress?!��� Sarah Said incredulously.
" 2 hours at least! Come, get in the car. Max you come too, we have to pick up your suit from the tailor anyways."
"Ok, just let me go get my shoes…" Max said as he scurried away to find them
All of a sudden here was a pull on Sarah's arm, she was being dragged to the car.
"We really don't have to, I will be just fine in this dress."
"No! I will not have a girl wearing such a dress dance with a prince!" She replied
Sarah was in such a confused daze that she hadn't realized what was wrong with Ms Fredrickson's statement.