Roller Coaster: Book 2

By T. E. Goddard

Turning 10 is an exciting time for any child, but for Sam, it is something that he has really been looking forward to. Double figures. Dressing up, enjoying pizza and a movie with his friends.

What he didn’t expect was Jake. Wasn’t he in jail? Why is he back? What does he want?

With a baby sister on the way, Sam feels a bit left out. But with the reassurance from his mum, he took it in his stride and stepped up.

Is hospitals meant to be a maze? Mike becomes lost in the hospital. Apparently asking for help isn’t an option.

We meet Donna but who is Donna?

Lilian and Leila prepare for their last dance performance for Elementary, whereas the boys are making a mess in the building class.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris AU
• Release date: Aug 31, 2020
• ISBN: 9781664100602

Book preview

Chapter 1

5 years had passed! Sam and Sturt are now nine years old, almost ten. Sarah and Mike finally got married last year and are expecting their first child together. Sam is not too impressed that he will no longer be his mother’s only child. Sam thinks that she won’t love him the same. Sarah reassured Sam that she still loves him no matter what. She would do anything for him. Sam has his tenth birthday in two weeks. Sam wants to have a big birthday with Sturt, Lilian and Leila. Sarah agreed that he can have his birthday party, however there will be rules. Sarah said to Sam, ‘You may have your birthday party, but you can only invite ten friends to your party. Your party MUST be here!’

Sam agreed with his mother and said, ‘I’m happy to have only ten people to come to my party and to have it here.’

Sam was very excited about his party birthday party.

The next day, Mike drives Sam and Sturt to school. Sam and Sturt were very quick to hop out of the car. The boys waved to Mike then turned and ran into the school building. Mike watched the boys as they entered the school building and then drove away. Mike headed to the shopping mall, well actually Maggie’s Marvellous Mall, to get somethings for the apartment.

Back at the school, Sam, Sturt, Lilian and Leila went into maths class and was learning fractions. Sam whispered to Sturt, ‘My mother agreed to my birthday party, that is in two weeks. Would you like to come?’

‘Sure. I would love to,’ Sturt said loudly.

Mrs Penrite, the maths teacher, turned from the chalkboard and said, ‘Sturt! Do you know the answer to this equation?’

Mrs Penrite points to the fraction equation on the chalkboard, 44259.png .

‘No. I don’t know, Mrs Penrite.’ Sturt replied.

‘Please sit there and listen. You will learn something.’ Mrs Penrite said.

Mrs Penrite asked the whole class, ‘Does anyone know the answer to the equation on the chalkboard?’

Everyone was looking around at each other, shaking their heads. The next minute, Sam raised his hand and said, ‘I know what it is.’

‘Go on. What is the answer, Sam?’ Mrs Penrite asked.

‘The answer is 44246.png , Sam replied.

‘That is correct, Sam. Well done!’ Mrs Penrite said.

Mrs Penrite continued to say, ‘Now everyone can learn a lesson from Sam. If you stay focus, you will understand.’

Sturt laughed. Mrs Penrite gave Sturt a funny look, before turning back towards the chalkboard and continuing with teaching the class maths. 20 minutes passed and the bell rang.

‘Lunch time,’ Leila yelled.

Sam, Sturt, Lilian and Leila waited until everyone else had left the classroom before leaving. Sam and Lilian are on the left side of the corridor, holding hands. Sturt and Leila were walking on the right side of the corridor and holding hands. The four of them headed out to the playground. Sam and Sturt suggested that they should sit at the far-left table in the seating area in the playground. The girls sat down at the table. The boys sat down shortly after the girls. They all pulled out their lunch boxes and began to eat their lunch. Sam takes a bite from his chicken and salad sandwich, swallowed and said, ‘So, Lilian and Leila, I’m having a birthday party in two weeks. I was wondering if you are interested in coming?’

‘We would like to come,’ Lilian and Leila said together.

‘Great!’ Sam said happily.

‘Is there a theme?’ Sturt asked Sam.

‘Hmm… I really hadn’t thought about a theme actually, well apart from it having to do with the double digits. Do you have any suggestions?’ Sam commented.

Sturt and the girls had a bit of a think. Sturt replied with, ‘How about a car theme? We can be the car driver and the ladies can be our co-drivers? What do you think?’

Before Sam had time to comment Leila had added her five-sense in.

‘Co-drivers? Your dreaming Sturt.’ Leila stated.

‘I think we should have a movie party, have some good food, drinks and watch a movie. What do you think, Sam?’ Lilian suggested.

‘I’m not a fan of Sturt’s suggestion. Sorry. I like your suggestion Lilian. We could come dressed as our favourite characters from our favourite movie. My mother said that, I can invite ten people to my party. However, I’m with just the four of us.’ Sam replied.

‘Take Lilian’s suggestion,’ Sturt said upset.

‘I just like Lilian’s suggestion more, it doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate your suggestion, Sturt. I just think that the ladies would also feel more comfortable with the movie theme too. We can dress up at car driver some other time.’ Sam said to Sturt.

‘Ok. Well I’m happy with any theme. I could dress up as a race car driver.’ Sturt said excitedly.

‘See a win, win, Sturt.’ Leila said.

The four of them were thinking about what they were going to wear, while they were finishing their lunch. It was very quiet for the remainder of their lunch break.

The bell rang loudly for all the student to go back to class. Sam, Sturt, Lilian and Leila packed up their lunch boxes and headed toward the doorway to the school building. Lilian and Leila were off to dance class, whereas the boys were off to model building class. The girls very excited to be doing dance for their last year of Elementary School. They will be performing their duet dance at the end of the year. This is something the girls have been dreaming of, for all their lives. A life changing experience. The girls get to select their music and dance routine themselves. The girls are not wasting anytime working on their routine. The girls go and get changed into more comfortable outfits to dance in.

Over in the model building classroom, Sam and Sturt were thinking about what they were going to design and build for their major project for their last year of Elementary. Sturt was thinking something simple like a wooden bird house or a wooden box, whereas Sam wanted to make something with a bit complexity and work outside the box. Sturt walks over to Sam and said, ‘I think I’m going to do a cool bird house.’

‘That sounds like a good idea.’ Sam said.

‘What are you going to do?’ Sturt asked Sam.

‘Hmm… I’m not quite sure yet. I just going to do some brainstorming over in the quiet corner. Don’t worry, I will think of something.’ Sam replied to Sturt.

‘Ok. I’m going to be over at the drawing board, working on my design for my bird house.’ Sturt said.

Sturt walked over to the drawing board to work on his design for his bird house. Sam walked over to the quiet corner and sat at a long, narrow desk. Sam pulled out some paper and a pencil and started drawing ideas.

Chapter 2

Meanwhile, at the Maggie’s Marvellous Mall, Mike had finished doing the grocery shopping and was heading back to the car to put everything in the car. Mike saw a face that liked familiar. It looked like Jake. ‘It couldn’t be, could it? He is in jail.’ Mike said as he tried to convince himself that it wasn’t Jake.

Mike turned and had a second glance, the man he thought was Jake, was gone. Mike walked very quickly to the car and put all the groceries in the car, before he got into the car himself. Mike left Maggie’s Marvellous Mall’s carpark straight away. He wasn’t staying to find out if it was really Jake. Mike drove straight home. He didn’t want to go the long way back home, so he took all the short cuts home. Mike didn’t realise that so many people were on the road and also took the short cut roads. Mike decided to ring Sarah and tell her that he was on his way home.

Mike had his phone connected to the cars Bluetooth system. Mike said to the car Siri, ‘Call my wife, Sarah.’

Siri replied, ‘I don’t understand what you said, try again.’

‘What!’ Mike said confused.

Siri started playing ‘So What’ by PINK.

‘Stop playing music,’ Mike yelled at Siri.

Siri stopped playing the music. Mike tried for the third time. He said, ‘Call Sarah.’

Siri didn’t get it again, so Mike just gave up and raced home through the busy traffic. Mike was thinking the worst. If Jake was there, maybe she can’t use her phone to get help. Arriving back to the apartment and Mike drove into the car garage. Mike parked the car and ran straight towards the lift. Mike pushed the button for the lift. A few seconds later the lift made a ‘ding’ noise and then the doors opened. Mike quickly got into the lift and pressed the closing doors button for the doors to hurry up and close, but it didn’t make any difference to the speed of the doors closing. The doors still took five minutes to close. Mike pressed the number eight to get to the eighth floor. Mike paced the lift floor until it reached the eighth floor. Mike arrived at the eighth floor and the lift made another ‘ding’ noise. Mike was very quick to get out of the lift. He walked very fast down the corridor towards eight B. Mike pulled out his key and opened the door. Mike looked around and was looking for Sarah, but he couldn’t see her. The worst had happened, Jake was here Mike had thought. Mike started calling out to Sarah. ‘Sarah, Sarah,’ Mike yelled.

Mike stopped calling out to Sarah, as he thought, if Jake is here, he may hurt her more, if he hears someone calling out to her. Mike moves around the apartment slowly and quietly. Mike checked every room except their room. Mike moves towards their bedroom. The door was closed. Mike slowly grabbed the door handle and turned it. He released the door and it opened. Mike walked into the room and Jake was no where in sight. Mike seen Sarah laying on the bed on her side, he ran over to her to make sure she was okay. Mike kept his eyes open, to make sure Jake wasn’t going to jump out of the cupboard or something. Mike softly called out to Sarah as he checked to make sure she was still breathing. She was. Mike breathed a sign of relief. As Mike continued to softly talk to Sarah, Sarah slowly rolled over to lie on her back. Her eyes slowly opened. Sarah looked up and said, ‘Mike. Is that you? What are you doing here? Should you be shopping?’

‘I have finished shopping. Oh, wait I left it all in the car. I must go and get it in a minute. I rushed back to make sure you are okay.’ Mike replied.

‘Why wouldn’t I be okay?’ Sarah questioned Mike.

‘For starters your pregnant and J….’ Mike said.

Mike was going to tell Sarah about Jake but stopped himself. It isn’t something for her to worry about right now. I will keep Jake away from her.

‘What is J…?’ Sarah asked.

‘I just love you,’ Mike said lovingly.

‘I love you too.’ Sarah said as she kissed Mike on the lips.

‘Please stay here and I’m going down to the car garage to get the groceries out of the car. Don’t let anyone else in, I will be back in a few minutes.’ Mike said.

‘What? Are you expecting someone to turn up?’ Sarah asked confused.

‘No.’ Mike replied.

Sarah waddles out of their bedroom and heads out to the kitchen area. Mike walked out of the apartment and the down corridor before Sarah could ask him more questions. Mike doesn’t like keeping things from Sarah, but he wants to protect her and keep her safe. Mike remembers Sarah doing the same 5 years ago. Mike arrives back at the lift. Mike hits the lift button. The lift made its normal ‘ding’ noise. Mike steps into the lift and presses the ‘CG’ button. The lift goes down to ‘CG’ and makes another ‘ding’. Mike steps out and walks towards the back of the car. Mike opens the boot of the car, being careful not to break the eggs or squash the bread. Mike checked the whole car for everything that needed to go up to the apartment, as he doesn’t want to have to come back down until he had to go and get the boys. Mike believed that he had everything and headed back towards the lift, pressed the button. The lift makes a funny ‘ding’ noise but doesn’t open the doors. Mike waits a couple of minutes but still nothing. Mike thinks about Sarah and decided to go up the eight floors of stairs. The first few flights of stairs didn’t worry Mike, however, by the time he had reached floors five and six, Mike became pretty tired. Mike continued to go up the stairs. Mike made it up to the top of the stairs, he placed the groceries on the top step. Mike punched in a security code into the keypad and released the door. Mike grabbed the handle of the door and pulled it towards him. Mike placed the door on the latch, bent down and picked up the groceries from the top step. Mike hurried down the corridor to the apartment to put the groceries away and to check on Sarah. Mike knocked on the apartment door, as he left the apartment key on the kitchen counter. Mike was hoping that Sarah would open the door. Sarah waddled over to the door and asked, ‘Who was at the door?’

‘It’s your husband Mike,’ Mike replied.

‘What happened to your key?’ Sarah asked.

‘On the kitchen counter. So, are you going to let me in?’ Mike asked.

Sarah turned and looked at the kitchen counter and sure enough was Mike’s keys on the counter. Sarah turned back to face the door. Sarah unlocked the door and let Mike in. Mike walked in through the door. Mike placed the groceries on the kitchen counter and walked back over and kissed Sarah on the lips. Sarah placed her arms around Mike, as she moves her head to his chest. Mike places his around her. Mike is hoping that she forgets about what happened earlier. Ten minutes passed and Sarah pulls away. Mike asked, ‘Is everything okay?’

Sarah replies, ‘Well the groceries don’t put themselves away, are they?

‘Why don’t you sit down on the lounge and select a movie, while I put away the groceries. Would you like some lunch while I am in the kitchen?’ Mike asked.

Mike started to put the groceries away as Sarah walked over to the lounge. Sarah started sorting through DVDs.

Sarah replied, ‘Yes Please.’

‘What would you like?’ Mike asked.

‘Can I please have a ham, tomato and cheese sandwich? By any chance did you get some more of cookie and cream ice cream when you went shopping?’ Sarah asked.

‘I can make you your sandwich. Yes, I did get more cookies and cream, would you like some? Have you selected a movie yet?’ Mike asked.

‘Thanks. Yes please. I would love some ice cream. I haven’t decided what to watch yet. I’m tossing between Sweet Home Alabama and Notebook. What you think?’ Sarah asked.

Mike finishes making Sarah’s lunch and brought it over to her.

Mike replies, ‘It’s not like you not making a decision like that. Are you okay?’

‘I think it’s the hormones. I want to watch Sweet Home Alabama,’ Sarah said.

‘Good choice. Do you need anything before the movie starts?’ Mike asks.

‘No. I think I’m fine. Thank you.’ Sarah said politely.

Mike set the movie up and sat down on the lounge with Sarah. Sarah finished her lunch and ice cream. Mike put his arm around Sarah, as Sarah snuggled up to Mike. Mike and Sarah sat and watched the movie.

***

Meanwhile, at Lakewood Elementary, Sturt was working on his final touches to his design of his bird house. Sam was still in the quiet corner, working a few different designs. Sturt draws his last line on his design and drops his pencil on the floor. Sturt bends down and picks it up. Sturt places it back on the table. Sturt grabbed his paper with his design on it and starts jumping up and down. Everyone looked at Sturt and then returned back to their own work. Sturt was so proud of his design and walked over to Sam to show him. Sturt said to Sam, ‘Look at my design, Sam.’

Sam looks up from his design and looks at Sturt. Sturt hands Sam his design. Sam takes it from Sturt. Sam looks at it for a few minutes and then Sturt asks Sam, ‘So, what do you think?’

"It looks great. Good job,’ Sam replied as he handed it back to Sturt.

‘How is your designing going? Have you decided on anything yet?’ Sturt asked Sam.

‘I’m working on a couple of different designs, but I believe I have decided what I’m going to build and what design I’m going to use.’ Sam replied to Sturt.

‘So, are you going to share your design with me?’ Sturt asked.

‘Not just yet! Sorry. I still got to make sure it’s going to be possible first. Sorry Sturt.’ Sam explains to Sturt.

Sturt walks sadly around the classroom. Mr Drew, the teacher walked over to Sturt and asked, ‘What is wrong Sturt? Ten minutes ago, you were jumping up and down, and now you are walking around sad. What