Hey Guys! Here is the sequel to Family is Everything! This first chapter is pretty heartwrenching so be prepared! Please Read AND review! Hope you enjoy this story!

It was a beautiful September morning. Suzannah Morganstern was getting ready for her first day of 8th grade. She was really nervous. Her best friend, Bess Lindstrom, was going to be starting high school this year. That meant Suzi wouldn't have her best friend right in the same building. Bess had promised to walk her to the bus stop, though, and wait for the bus with her. Bess would be riding a different bus. Suzannah was just finishing up applying her makeup when her Aunt called from the other room.

"Suzi, breakfast!" Suzi called out,

"Coming!" Then she quickly finished putting on her mascara. A few minutes later she was sitting at the table trying to enjoy her eggs. It was all quiet at first, then Rhoda asked,

"You all right, Sweetheart?" Suzi nodded ,then shook her head.

"It's just that…" She cut herself off.

"What is it, Honey?" Rhoda coaxed, as she brushed a lock of Suzi's hair out of her face. Suzi looked down for a moment then looked back at her Aunt.

"I'm scared." she admitted softly. Rhoda gave Suzi a small smile and reached out to stroke her hair.

"Ya know, Baby, change is hard. I get that. But you really have nothing to be scared of." Suzi looked at her aunt skeptically.

"I won't have any friends! Not like Bess ,anyway."

"What about Auggie and Vanessa?", asked Rhoda, mentioning a couple of the kids in Suzi's school she sometimes got together with. Suzi just shook her head.

"They are both in a few of my classes, and I'll see them at lunch, but it won't be the same without Bess. Bess is my best friend."

"I know, Sweetheart, but you can still spend time with other friends. It will be good for you. Help you grow as a person." Suzi made a face at that but before she could respond ,there was a knock on the door and a voice called out,

"Sue? You ready?"

"Come on in,Bess!", called Rhoda. Bess entered and Suzi looked up at her friend.

"Hi, Bess. I'll be ready in a minute. Would you like some breakfast?"

"No, thanks. I already ate. Hurry up, Sue. We don't want to miss our busses." Suzi nodded and quickly gulped down the rest of her breakfast. Then, she ran to brush her teeth and get her bag. She came back out and gave her aunt a hug and kiss.

"Bye, Aunt Rho!" Bess added,

"Bye Aunt Rhoda!" Rhoda smiled and said,

"Bye,Girls. Have a great first day!" Rhoda then began cleaning up from breakfast. Soon there was another knock at the door. Rhoda knew who it was.

"Door's open,Mare!", she called out. Mary came into the apartment and said,

"Hi Rhoda. Are you about ready to go?"

"Almost,Kid. I just gotta brush my teeth and grab my purse." Mary was taking Rhoda to work because Rhoda's car was, yet again, in the shop.

"Hey, Rhoda? Why don't you just buy a new car? This one's been giving you problems for at least a year." Rhoda sighed and looked at her friend.

"Honestly,Mare, I just can't afford it right now. I mean, I've got a kid to support and to tell you the truth, the plant store isn't doing too well right now. I just don't have too much room for anything but the real necessities."

"But won't it cost more in the long run to keep taking the car in?", asked Mary.

"Well, I've been trying to save up for a new car, actually Mare. But it's taking longer than it normally would because of the new expenses and the business reverses." Before Mary could reply, the phone rang.

"I need to get that. you go ahead, Kid. I'll meet you by the car.

"Ok." said Mary, as Rhoda picked up the phone.

"Hello…. Oh, Hiya, Bren. How're ya doin'?" She paused a moment and listened, her face getting paler by the second. Mary was just out the door when she heard Rhoda say,

"What?!" Something in her tone made Mary turn around and come back inside. She walked over to her friend and put a hand on her shoulder as a show of support. Mary didn't know what was being said on the other end, but she could tell it was bad news. Rhoda barely acknowledged her friend as she continued to talk to her sister.

"How? Wh-when?" Rhoda listened again and then said,

"al-allright… Yeah… Well, Suzi will be at school until Three PM, but I'll make arrangements for us to be on the earliest flight this evening…. Ok. Hang in there, kiddo.I'll be there as soon as I can. Yeah… I love you, too. Bye." Rhoda hung up the phone and then just sat on the sofa staring into space. She didn't seem to register that tears were running down her face or that Mary was still sitting beside her. After a few minutes of silence, Mary took Rhoda's hand and said,

"Rhoda,What's wrong?" Rhoda didn't respond so Mary tried again. She got in front of her friend and put her hands on her shoulder,

"Rhoda!" Rhoda slowly looked up at her friend. Mary asked gently,

"Are you ok? What's happened?" Rhoda just shook her head and continued crying, silently for a few seconds, then she haltingly began telling Mary about the phone call.

"That was Brenda." Rhoda said. Mary nodded at her to continue.

"She was calling to tell me , um, some bad news." Rhoda took a shaky breath and kept going. Mary rubbed her back and just listened, letting her friend take her time.

"Well, Debbie and Eddie, my sister and her husband, were supposed to be coming home from their honeymoon tonight. They, well, the plane they were on, crashed. There were no survivors. Mary's eyes widened and she held her friend's hands in hers.

"Oh, Rhoda. I'm so sorry!" Rhoda pulled free from Mary and stood up, walking over to a window. She pounded her fist on the wall next to the window and said,

"First Arnold, now Debbie. WHY?! How much more can my family take?! What did we do to deserve this?!" She cursed and then leaned back against the wall, sobbing. Mary had tears in her eyes by now and she slowly walked over to her best friend and pulled her into a hug. She held her friend for several minutes until she regained control. Rhoda then pulled away and went over to sit on the couch again.

"I better call into work. Mary, you should go, you'll be late for work. Oh my gosh, I need to figure out how I'm going to tell Suzi. And we'll need to make arrangments with the school to get her school work so she can be gone. I need to call the airline…." Mary took her friend's hand to stop her rambling.

"Rhoda. Slow down. You need to breath." Rhoda stopped babbling and took a deep breath.

"Sorry, Kid." Mary dismissed the apology and put an arm around her friend.

"Rhoda, it's ok. you don't need to apologize. I understand. Just take a moment. You're in shock right now." Rhoda nodded and took a few more deep breaths and pinched the bridge of her nose. Then she looked up at her friend and managed a small smile.

"Thanks,Mare. Really. I'll be alright. You should go."

"Mr Grant will understand. Rhoda, you don't have to handle all this alone. I'll make the flight arrangments for you. You take care of what you need to do here before you have to go to the school. You'll need to pack for yourself and Suzi, and you'll need to call into work. You'll also have to let Georgette know so she can open the store."

"Thanks, kid. That would help a lot if you'd get the tickets." Mary squeezed her hand and then stood up to go. When she reached the door, Rhoda suddenly said,

"Mary?" When Mary turned to face her Rhoda said softly,

"Could you do me one more big favor?"

"Sure,Rhoda, What is it?"

"Could you come with us?", Then before Mary could respond, Rhoda continued on quickly.

"You see,Mare,my mother isn't doing too well, Brenda told me. Pop is trying to be strong for her and I need to be strong for them and Bren. Pop shouldn't have to take care of Ma and do funeral arrangements ,but I don't want to handle them alone. If I'm gonna be strong for them and for Suzi, I think it would really help if I had someone to give me support. Please, kid?" Mary hesitated for a moment. It wasn't that she didn't want to be there for Rhoda. It was only that she was concerned that she'd be intruding on a family tragedy."

"Are you sure I wouldn't be in the way. I don't want to intrude on a family matter."

"Mary, You're my best friend, kid. That automatically makes you family in my book. My parents even see you as a third daughter. Please, Mare. I really need you with me."

"Well, ok, then. If you really need me there, Of course I'll be there." Rhoda hugged her friend and said,

"Thanks,kid, You're a real friend." After the embrace ended,Mary headed out. She would make the call to the airline at work. Rhoda called Hemphil's first, then Georgette. After that, She packed suitcases for her and Suzi. Sometime during the day, Rhoda wasn't sure when, Mary called her to say that the tickets were purchased. The flight would leave at eight PM. Mary asked Rhoda to pack her suitcase for her, but please don't put in the shortie nightie. Mary could always make Rhoda smile no matter what was going on.

"Kid, we're staying with my parents. That nightie would NOT be a good call!"

"Just wanted to make sure. Do you still have the extra key from when you took care of my plants?"

"Yeah. I got it right here in the drawer. I'll head down after we hang up." Mary said goodbye and then Rhoda headed upstairs to her apartment. She went in and pack the things she knew Mary would need and then Watered her plants for her. After she was done, she picked up the Luggage and went back up to her place. she called a cab. Mary had taken the car. She was able to get permission to leave before the news was over that night and get off for the next day. She would come back to the apartment building and they would all take a cab to the airport.

When the cab arrived, Rhoda got in and gave the driver the address of the school. Once there, she paid him and headed to the main office. She explained what was going on and they were very nice. they called all Suzi's teachers and asked them to get her work ready for the next day. School was almost out and so Rhoda waited in the office while the AA also called to have them notify Suzi to come to the office after school instead of taking the bus. Half an hour later a confused looking Suzi came in with all her stuff.

"Hi, Aunt Rho. What are you doing here? Why did I have to get all my work for tomorrow? Where are we going?" Rhoda hugged her niece and then said,

"Let's go outside to wait for the cab and I'll tell you I just called the cab from here a few minutes ago." Suzi gave her a funny look. The sound of Rhoda's voice was kind of scaring her. But, she followed her Aunt out the door and they sat down on a bench.

"What's the matter Aunt Rhoda? You look upset." Rhoda took a deep breath and tried to keep the tears at bay.

"Darling, Something terrible happened today. After you left for school, I got a call from your Aunt Brenda. Well, there's no easy way to say this, so I guess I'll just have to come right out and say it."

Aunt Rho, you're frightening me! What's going on?" Rhoda took another deep breath and said,

"Baby, There was a plane crash this morning. It was the plane your Aunt Debbie was on with her new husband. They were headed back from their honeymoon. Sweetheart, There were no survivors." Suzi just stared at Rhoda in shock and then said in a small voice,

"Aunt Debbie and Uncle Eddie are dead?" Rhoda just nodded, the tears making it imposible for her to speak. Suzi started crying as well. Rhoda pulled her niece into a tight hug as tears flowed down both of their cheeks. They stayed that way for a few minutes, then the cab arrived and they quickly composed themselves. Once they were back home, they both decided to take naps before dinner. They were emotionally exhausted. Especially Rhoda. They slept for a couple of hours, then they made a simple dinner and ate quickly. By the time they had cleaned up, Mary was back and ready to go. Mary had called the cab as soon as she had arrived home and changed. When the cab arrived They all took the luggage down and put it in the trunk before getting in. As they rode to the airport, they were all thinking the same thing. This was going to be a very long and depressing flight.

Well there's chapter 1 of my new story for ya! Hope you enjoyed! The next chapter will either be later this week or next week. Again ALL reviews are MUCH appreciated! Please don't forget! Thanks!