A BAKER'S DOZEN | CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN¹

Chapter 2

[ movie - cheaper by the dozen ]

[ chapter two ]

I WAS OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE, hanging out with my close friends since they had come to see me off along with the rest of the family. Everyone had expected this day of couse, but it was still too soon, I would've preferred if we had at least moved after the school year finished so I could've graduated with my friends. I didn't like the idea of the moving, my siblings didn't, and even Gunner didn't want to move since he kept being stubborn with Dad.

Henry was with his friends from band, all of them playing their respective instruments. They were playing Taps by the United States Marine Band, and they were horrible but nobody said anything to them, not wanting to ruin the moment and hurt their feelings. I could see Mark sitting down near a grave that Dad had made for Beans' mother, Pork.

Lorraine was hugging her close friends tightly while Charlie was hugging his girlfriend, Beth, tightly against him. I smirked to myself in amusement when I spotted Dad near the van, trying to convince Gunner to jump aboard, but it wasn't happening. I shook my head when I spotted Mike holding a duffel bag as he exited through the side door, still practicing karate moves.

I smiled sadly in realization that we were leaving, and most likely, never coming back to fill up the house that I grew up in with my siblings. I hugged my friends, knowing that while we loved each other, we probably wouldn't travel 4 hours back and forth to visit one another. I could feel myself trembling, and my eyes welling up with tears but I took a deep breath before I let my friends go.

"Hey, Charlie. Do me a favor and drive the Cutlass?" I could hear Dad ask Charlie as I started to make my way to my car

"Thanks for ruining Jamie and I's lives." I heard Charlie comment to Dad and I opened the car door to sit inside the driver seat

"I don't wanna move!" I could hear one of the twins, and I turned my head to see who it was and from where I stood, it was Nigel

"Charlie, come here!" I called out to my moping brother and gestured for him to come over to me with a wave of my hand

"I'm going, I'm going." I heard Charlie respond back to me, and in the matter of a couple seconds, I could hear his footsteps coming to rest by the driver side, leaning against the door since it was still open

"Did Dad tell you the driving plan?" I asked him, glancing up at his direction and he shook his head at me, confusion etched on his face

"Since we're taking different cars, we're going to separate the kiddos. Dad and Mom are going to take Kyle & Nigel, Lorraine, and Mark along with Gunner. You're supposed to take Jessica & Kim, and Henry while I take Sarah, Jake, and Mike." I told Charlie with a nervous grin at the mention on who I was taking