"Thirteen is a pretty special birthday, Scott," Susan said as she snuggled deeper into the pillows of her bed and pressed the phone closer to her ear for their nightly phone call. "What are you going to do to celebrate?"
"Last year we took a couple of friends to the Shedd Aquarium and then to Ed Debevics for dinner," he said. "Think that might fly again?"
"No," Susan chuckled.
"Why not? They had a great time."
"Yeah, when they were twelve," she laughed quietly. "But that's a good idea for Cosmo's birthday so thanks for that."
"You're not helping me," he grumped. She grinned and sighed.
"Would she want a party?" she suggested. "Maybe a sleepover? A mani-pedi session with some friends?" There was silence on the other end of the line.
"Molly doesn't really have a lot of friends," he said finally. "She's kind of choosey about who she hangs with."
"So was Susie," Susan sighed.
"What did you do with her when she turned thirteen?" he asked.
"Well, we were in Iowa then," she said thoughtfully. "She hadn't been with us for even a year. I think we took Heather and went out to dinner and to a movie or something."
"I could try that," he said hopefully.
"What about just doing a daddy slash daughter date night?" Susan suggested. "You could get dressed up and take her someplace fancy…just the two of you? You could leave Casey here."
"I don't know about that," he sighed. "She already thinks you like Casey more than you do her anyway."
"No, she doesn't," Susan chuckled.
"Yes, she does," Scott said quietly. "I think the whole chicken pox thing hit her deeper than we thought. She really wasn't happy being left with her grandparents while, as she puts it, Casey got to have all the fun." Susan frowned sadly and then brightened.
"I think I thought of something," she said slowly.
"What?" he asked.
"I can't tell you just yet," she said. "I have to investigate it first."
"I'm not going to like then, am I?" he groaned softly. Susan laughed.
"I don't know," she chuckled. "But I won't make you suffer alone. I promise."
"I'm already suffering because I'm all alone," he sighed. "I miss you."
"I miss you too," she said softly.
"Can we have breakfast in the morning?" he asked hopefully.
"I'm on at eight," she sighed. "I have to get Cosmo to up and over to Abby's early so she can put him on the bus. I don't think it will work." She frowned as there was silence at the other end.
"Scott?"
"Just trying to think of another communicable disease that might get us all in the same house again," he sighed. Susan laughed and she could hear him sigh.
"I love to hear that laugh," he said. She grinned and snuggled deeper into her quilts.
"I have to go to sleep," she yawned.
"I know," he said. "Me too."
"We aren't going to play that stupid good bye game again, are we?" Susan said.
"Of course not," he said with a laugh. "What are we? Teenagers?"
"Okay then," she said. "Good night, Scott."
"Good night, babe," he said. "Have a good day tomorrow." Susan waited and didn't hear the call disconnect.
"Scott?" she said.
"What?" Susan laughed quietly.
"Hang up," she said.
"You first…" Susan laughed again.
"Good night, Scott," she said firmly and then disconnected her phone. Susan smiled and sighed and set the phone on her bedside table and snuggled deeper into her pillows. Molly was turning thirteen and she had the perfect birthday gift for her. Susan smiled as she drifted to sleep.
The next morning Susan and Frank were studying the computer screen at the desk when Abby checked in for her shift.
"This is perfect, Frank," Susan said happily. "I could just kiss you for finding them!" She looked at the screen again and then leaned over and planted a kiss on the desk clerk's cheek and then went to work clicking computer keys. Abby chuckled as Frank looked at Susan in surprise and actually blushed.
"Well, I, uh, hope that your, uh, intended will be as happy as you are," he sputtered and walked away. Abby circled the desk to look at the computer.
"What is this?" she asked.
"Molly's birthday present," Susan grinned triumphantly. Abby studied the screen and then looked at Susan.
"Are you serious?" she asked. Susan nodded.
"It's perfect," she said.
"Well, I'm with Frank on this one," Abby shook her head. "I hope Scott feels the same way."
"Oh," Susan chuckled. "He'll endure it because he loves her." Abby studied Susan's face and smiled.
"Does this mean we're having a Duplex birthday party?" she asked.
"A week from Saturday," Susan nodded and then glanced at her. "I should probably order a cake, huh?
"Maybe we should have Luka order the cake," Abby suggested with a nod. "He'll most likely be eating most of it anyway." Susan laughed and pulled a slip of paper from her pocket.
"Scott's credit card number," she shrugged.
"You mean you are making…him…pay for that torture?" Abby gasped. Susan laughed again.
On Saturday Scott and Susan were sitting in Chuny's car on the street near the dance studio.
"Wanna tell me why we needed to borrow a nurse's car again?" Scott asked as he shifted himself uncomfortably in the Chevy's driver's seat.
"Because the girls know my car and they know Abby's car and Luka's car," Susan said impatiently. "We don't want them to see us here. And we wouldn't be doing this if Molly didn't have all of her friends listed as Harry Potter characters in her cell phone." Scott grimaced.
"You're still mad because she has your number listed as Professor Snape, aren't you?" she snorted as she watched the dance studio doors. "Oh wait...here they come." She slid down in her seat as far as she could go and still see over the dash board. Rachel was the first to leave the studio with Molly and Casey holding her hands. They wove their way past other dancers entering and headed in the other direction. Susan nudged him as Scott watched wistfully as they walked away.
"There she is," Susan nodded toward another girl coming from the dance studio door with her mother.
"Are you sure?" Scott asked. Susan nodded.
"Yes. That's Chelsea with her," she said as she watched the woman and the girl pass by the car.
"I feel like a stalker," he sighed wearily and opened his door.
"Just tell her that you didn't know how else to contact her without spoiling the surprise for Molly," Susan laughed and pushed him out the car door.
"Women are so much better at this subterfuge thing," he muttered.
She watched out the back car window as Scott followed the woman to her car. She saw him introduce himself and the woman smiled and nodded. She opened her car door and stood inside of it listening to him as Chelsea buckled herself into the back seat. Susan smiled and sighed as she turned back to watch the dancers going in and out of the dance studio. She looked up as the car door opened and he slid behind the steering wheel.
"Score!" he grinned as he handed her a business card with a phone number on the back. Susan took it from him and leaned to kiss his cheek.
"My hero," she said. Scott was grinning as he turned the keys on and pulled the car back into traffic.
"This was a brilliant idea," he said as he reached for Susan's hand. "It's going to be such a special night for her."
"For you too?" Susan asked. She laughed as he scowled warily.
"It's not my idea of an ideal date but as long as you are there…." He kissed her hand.
"Oh such a romantic," she sighed and pulled her hand away. "Now let's get this car back to Chuny at the hospital so you can take me out to lunch." Scott nodded and turned the car at the corner toward County. He parked the small car while Susan took the keys back into the ER. He was waiting for her in his own car when she came out again.
"Where to?" he asked.
"It has to be quick and close because we only have an hour and a half before we have to pick Cosmo up and take him to his football class," she said as she glanced at her watch.
"What are you hungry for?" he asked. She shrugged and then looked at him slyly. Scott studied her for a second and then shook his head.
"Your house is loaded with people and mine is too far out," he admonished.
"Aw…" she sighed in disappointment. Scott suddenly grinned and put the car into gear.
"What are you doing?" Susan asked.
"Never mind," he said. She glanced from him to the street and then her eyes widened as he pulled the car into the entry area of a nearby hotel. He looked into the lobby.
"Cheap," he said with an approving nod. "And it's only slightly cheesy."
"No," she shook her head in realization of what he was planning.
"Come on," he said as he pulled the keys out of the ignition and opened his door. She watched in disbelief as he circled the front of the car and handed his keys to the attendant. He said something and the man nodded. Scott was grinning as he opened her door.
"What did you say to him?" she asked in disbelief.
"I told him to keep it close because we were just checking in," Scott shrugged. "As far as anyone knows we have an appointment in an hour. Now, come on. You're wasting time." Susan's mouth dropped open and then she blushed as he insistently tugged her from the car.
She followed him into the hotel lobby and he went to the desk and was grinning happily several minutes later as he held up a key card.
"Told them we were just going to check out the room and will bring our luggage in later," he said softly. Susan didn't start giggling until they were in the elevator and he had pushed the buttons to their floor.
"I can't believe we are doing this," she said. Scott's grin widened and he pulled her close for a kiss. He stopped when the elevator did and backed her into a corner as a maid pushed a housekeeping cart through the opened doors and into the confined space. He turned around and exchanged smiles with the little Hispanic woman. He pressed his back against Susan and she slipped a hand covertly into his jeans pocket. Scott grinned and admonished her with a nudge of his elbow. He smiled brightly at the housekeeper and then sighed as the elevator door opened on their floor. They eased their way past the cart and he grabbed her hand as they hurried through the empty hall looking from one door number to the next. He struggled with the key card but finally pushed the door open and they almost fell over each other into the room.
Susan laughed as she made her way to the huge bed and sat down while he crossed the room to close the blinds and flipped on the air conditioning. He turned around as he pulled the polo shirt he wore over his head. She started to laugh nervously as she looked around her and he frowned as he moved to stand in front of her.
"You're taking too long, babe," he said and reached for her. Susan chuckled happily and pulled him closer.
She was still smiling an hour and a half later when they stood side by side on the edge of the YMCA field with other parents watching as Cosmo and ten other little boys warmed up in their football gear. The sun was shining and there was a slight warm breeze. It was a beautiful afternoon.
"Definitely a first," she nodded happily.
"And a second and I am thinking quite possibly a third in the shower," he laughed softly as he leaned closer. Susan's eye lids dropped as she shook her head slowly. She glanced toward him and actually blushed as their eyes met.
"Kind or proud of yourself, aren't you?" she frowned in consternation.
"Oh yeah," Scott grinned and kissed her quickly and wrapped an arm around her waist. Susan's frown deepened slightly as a car pulled in the lot across the field from them. A little girl hopped out of an open door and ran toward them.
"What's Casey doing here?" she asked. "I thought her grandparents didn't approve of this." Scott turned and knelt down as Casey came close enough for a quick hug.
"Hi, Daddy," she said breathlessly. "Grandma took Molly shopping for her birthday party and Grandpa said we could come here while they were gone. But I can't tell Grandma." She went to the nearby pile of extra equipment and pulled out a pair of shoulder pads and a jersey and brought them back to Susan. Susan helped her into the equipment and shirt. The little girl grinned as she grabbed an extra helmet and joined her class on the field.
"Did she say….birthday party?" Susan asked softly as they watched her join the warm ups. He nodded slowly as he watched his father in law get back into his car across the field to watch the practice.
"I wonder what that's all about," she said as she followed his gaze and then leaned back against the hood of their own car.
"Kind of sad that he feels like he has to stay over there and not talk to us," she said. Scott nodded wordlessly.
"Oh crap," Susan groaned loudly as Cosmo threw a perfect spiraling football across the field to his coach. Other parents watching looked at her and she smiled brightly.
"And I was hoping that he would be more inclined to playing the oboe," she shrugged. The other parents laughed and she rolled her eyes as she glanced at Scott. He was frowning as he watched Cosmo and Casey thoughtfully. She nudged him with an elbow. He shook his head and then looked at her and smiled as he wrapped his arm around her again. Susan grinned and nestled closer as he kissed her cheek.
A camera shutter clicked.