The party isn't over yet. Besides everything else, there are still some more new experiences for Nils.

We'll be going away this weekend, so I won't be able to post on Friday but I'll have another couple of chapters for you on Wednesday before we go.

Chapter 49.

"Well, I guess everyone's here," Nancy said.

"I'll be back for the girls in a few hours." Elizabeth Carmichael's mother Lydia turned to leave.

"Are you sure you can't stay?" Nancy asked.

"I have to pick up Gareth from football practice. Enjoy your dinner everyone."

Everyone sat down. Except for Nils, they'd all been there before and didn't need to look at the menus. Tommy introduced Steven to Nelson. "I hear you and Alex are going to Martial Arts classes."

The two younger boys nodded. "It's outrageous, Tommy!" Alex said.

"We go every Saturday," Steven added.

"And my friend Joey's in our class too."

"That's great, little buddy."

"Why do you call Alex that?" Steven asked his cousin.

"'Cause his dad calls him that sometimes," Tommy answered. "Did his dad give you a name yet?"

Steven shook his head.

Meanwhile, Justin was telling Marty, "Thanks for inviting us."

"We wanted all of Audra's friends to celebrate with us."

Justin just smiled.

Then Gretchen asked Justin, "How did Tara's surgery go?"

"They said it went well, but she's still in the hospital. They replaced some of the damaged nerves."

"I read about that procedure," Nancy said. "It's been getting excellent results."

"Now they have to see if it'll help her walk again," Justin told them.

"Why wouldn't she?" Nelson asked.

"Because it's been years since she did. Her brain may not register the repair," House explained. But Nelson and some of the others still looked puzzled. "OK, say you live out in the boonies somewhere. Your electric went out years ago and you've been getting by with batteries and a generator. Finally, someone comes out and repairs your lines. But no one tells them back at the main generator station, so they don't send power your way."

"So someone has to tell her brain that the nerves were replaced?" Gretchen asked.

House smiled at her.

Nils had been listening to all of the conversations, but he was even more fascinated with the menu. "Amazing! I never knew there were so many ways to prepare hamburger."

"You can't go wrong with the standard cheeseburger." Marty advised. "But you also have to order the fries and onion rings."

They all ordered and then began to talk again. Nils continued to take it all in. He was both surprised and pleased by how comfortable Audra was with everyone. Then again, they were all here for her and Mr. and Mrs. Wilson.

When the food came the talk died down, but didn't stop entirely. Nils bit into his hamburger. He wasn't prepared for the juices dripping down his chin. It was quite tasty. He speared a French fry with his fork, but saw that almost everyone else was eating with their hands. That was probably why there were so many extra napkins on the table.

When they finished eating, the kids all asked to go off to the game room. House and Marty went with them, then Wilson and Billings followed. Nils decided that he wanted the entire experience. He was curious about these games that they'd been talking about.

When he first walked into the game room he thought it was a mistake to be there. The noises and lights were unlike anything he'd ever heard or seen. He walked to where Marty stood watching the two small boys, intent on a screen in front of them and using what looked like paddles with several buttons.

"These games teach the kids to think and act quickly, to reason and plan their moves. Some people think they're a waste of time, maybe even dangerous, but there've been reports that they spur intelligent thinking."

Now Nils could see that figures on the screen moved in response to the way the boys were pushing the buttons and moving their paddles. They were laughing as they played, it seemed to be a friendly competition.

He looked around for Audra. She was standing to the side with the Appleton boy, Justin, watching some of their friends play a game with helmets on their heads. There didn't seem to be any sounds coming from the machine in front of them. But he couldn't hear what Audra and Justin were talking about because of all the other beeps, clangs and voices in the room.

So he didn't hear her say, "I'm looking forward to your party."

"The party's really for you," Justin replied, smiling shyly.

"You didn't have to do that!"

"Well, I didn't think your parents were ready yet for me to take you on a real date. I figured this way they couldn't object."

"Oh, Justin!" she grinned.

Nils hadn't noticed House approaching him, he was so intent on what Audra might be saying. "Young love," House muttered.

"What?" Nils wondered if he'd heard right.

"Haven't you ever noticed how those two look at each other?"

"Oh!" the old man said. His eyes had been opened to so many new things, but none as astounding as the fact that his granddaughter was growing up.

Chapter 50.

"Your doctor signed your discharge papers and you're good to go," Marty told Helen the next morning. He'd agreed to take her home to her apartment, and get her settled. A nurse had helped her dress so that she was ready physically.

But she wasn't mentally. She wondered who would help her with shopping, cooking and cleaning. She still felt weak.

As if reading her thoughts, maybe because he knew her so well, Marty attempted to reassure her. "We've filled your refrigerator and cupboards. A home health aide will come by every day for a little while for the first couple of weeks to make sure you're all right and don't need anything."

"What about Steven?"

"I guess it'll be better for him to stay with us for a few more weeks while you get your strength back." He helped her on with her jacket. "We'll bring him by to visit every couple of days, okay?"

"I guess," she said.

He'd brought a wheelchair to take her down to the hospital lobby. When they got on the elevator, Cameron was already on it.

"I didn't know you were going home today. That's great."

"I guess," Helen repeated.

Her lack of enthusiasm made Cameron grimace, but she decided to changed the subject. "Marty, that was a great party last night. I'm so happy for you, Nan and Audra."

Helen's ears seemed to perk up. She had to ask what she meant. "What party?"

"Our adoption of Audra was final yesterday and we had a party to celebrate with our family and friends."

"Oh." Helen frowned.

They'd reached the lobby. Marty wheeled Helen to the door, then took her things and helped her up to go to his car. She seemed more depressed than before.

"Emily, how can you be so sure that Tommy is the right one for you?" Sylvie asked Em as they waited for their history teacher to begin their lesson. "You've never dated anyone else."

"I haven't really dated him yet, either," the little blond replied. "Is that why you've been so flirty lately?"

Sylvie shrugged. "I like it when boys laugh at my jokes and tell me how pretty I am."

"David has always laughed at your jokes, too," Emily pointed out. "And he thinks you're very pretty." She wasn't sure she had a right to say it, but she went on. "You know he's been unhappy watching you with the other guys."

Sylvie tried not to think about how her actions were affecting the boy she'd liked more and more as they were growing up. "Will he be at Justin's party?"

Emily smiled briefly. "I think so."

Sylvie nodded. She knew what she should do. "Good." She turned her attention to the teacher who was finally ready to begin.

"That was a great party last night," Gretchen told Audra in English class. "You're really happy with Marty and Nancy, aren't you?"

"When I was younger I never dreamed that I'd have a family like I do now, parents of my own, even a brother, well, sort of."

"Steven is your brother, your step-brother, anyway." Gretchen smiled. "How long do you think he'll be staying with you?"

Audra shrugged. "I don't know. Marty's taking his mom home from the hospital today, but she won't be able to take care of him for a while. I wouldn't mind if he stayed forever. I just hope that when he goes back to living with her, she'll let him spend time with us."

"I'm glad you like him. I could see last night how much he likes you. And he and Alex were so funny together."

"Your brother is really good for him. I don't think he's had many friends before." Audra hesitated, but needed to add, "I didn't either before I met you."

"And now you have lots of friends, everyone who was at the party last night, and everyone who'll be at Justin's tomorrow night. You do know that the party is for you, don't you?"

"Justin told me," she said, but she wasn't ready to tell anyone what else he said.