#67 Dawn's Big Move

Summary

Dawn has been missing California, her dad, and Jeff a lot lately. She's been missing it so much, in fact, that she decides to try living there again for 6 months. Her Stoneybrook family is pretty surprised at this, and Sharon is understandably hurt. She agrees to try and work something out, though. Mary Anne actually takes the news pretty well, unlike when Dawn leaves forever later in the series. She actually encourages Dawn to go, and tells her that even though she'll be missed, her happiness is the most important thing.

Sharon and Jack have multiple pphone discussions about the logisitcs of Dawn making this change. They have to coordinate with both SMS and Dawn's CA school to see if she'll be able to switch from one to the other. Jack also has to learn about Dawn's everyday life (dating, curfew, etc), since he hasn't been around for that for awhile. The guidance counselors at both schools agree that the change wouldn't be too tough for Dawn to handle from an academic point of view, so it's official: Dawn is going to be a California girl again.

When Dawn breaks the news to the other members of the BSC, they 're surprised but understanding...with one exception. That would be (surprise, surprise) Kristy. She's worried about what will happen to the club with one full member gone. Shannon is too busy to take on the role, and Logan doesn't really want to try it again. The girls consider just taking on a new member, but everyone is kind of afraid of ending up with another Janet or Leslie.

As the big day gets closer and closer, Dawn starts to have second thoughts. Jessi comes back from a weekend in Oakley, where she was visiting Keisha, to find that EVERYTHING had changed (including Keisha). Stacey has also had similar experiences going back to New York, which makes Dawn worry that she won't fit into her old life as quickly and easily as she'd like to. She even briefly changes her mind and decides to stay in Stoneybrook, after making a pros and cons list (also after the BSC had thrown her a goodbye party, and after her plane ticket had already been bought). In the end, though, Dawn decides that regardless of what her list says, California is where she belongs.

In other news, Stoneybrook is hosting an event called "Run For Your Money." People form teams and compete in all kinds of contests and sporting events against teams from Lawrenceville, and the winning city gets money for charity. Needless to say, Stoneybrook wins.

Rating: 2.5

Thoughts and Things

• The whole pros and cons list was already used in Dawn on the Coast. The only difference was that in that case, the list told her to stay in California, but she chose Stoneybrook.


• Once again, the girls throw one of their members a goodbye party that includes primarily children as guests. Sheesh. All the baking of cookies they do for the occasion was fun to read about, though. Yum!


• I always mix up events that happened in this books with ones that happen in Farewell, Dawn. I my head, they're essentially the same book.


• Quote: "Oh, this is absurd!" Richard was struggling with the zipper on his pants. "And where am I supposed to drop this?" I really don't want to know, Richard....