Among other things, we'll see in these chapters how Wilson and House did as Clarissa's babysitters.

Thanks for reading my story.

Chapter 95.

Barbara was reading through apartment listings when her phone rang. The caller ID indicated it was the hospital, so she picked up immediately.

"Mrs. Stewart?" the male voice said. "This is Sean Sullivan. I'm calling about the position in the hospital administrator's office."

"Oh! I didn't expect to hear so quickly," she said, then bit her lip. Had that been the right thing to say?

The man must have been satisfied, because he went on. "I've been Administrative Assistant to Dr. Cuddy for about twenty years."

"But I thought that was what the opening was..."

"Well, as the hospital has grown, the amount of work has increased steadily. Dr. Cuddy decided recently that my duties could be split between two people," he explained. "We'd like you to come in on...," he paused. "... on Monday morning so that we can both talk to you about your qualifications."

"Monday," she repeated. It was now Thursday, so she'd have the weekend to prepare for the interviews. "Yes, that would work. What time?"

"Dr. Cuddy has an eight o'clock meeting, but I can talk to you first. Say, nine?" he suggested.

"I'll be there!" She didn't even ask about other applicants.

"Well, see you then."

He'd sounded like a nice man, probably not very young if he'd been working for the dean for twenty years. She just hoped she could make a good impression on him and the dean, and convince them she could do the job.

#

By the afternoon, Amy seemed well enough that she was allowed to sit on the couch and watch cartoons on Jeff's small TV set while Charley and Jess argued in the kitchen. They didn't even try to keep their voices down.

There was a knock at the door, and then it opened before anyone could go to see who it was. A woman entered, and Charley frowned.

"Anita, what are you doing here at this hour?" Uncle Jeff demanded.

Amy stared at the woman with bright red hair, all pouffy around her face, and the bright red lipstick that didn't quite match it.

Anita ignored the question and asked one of her own. "And who's this cutie?" She was looking at Amy.

"That's my brother's kid," Jeff explained. "They're staying here for a few days."

Charley stood in the opening to the kitchen, not saying a word. He didn't look happy to see Anita.

"She has a bad cold," Charley told the woman. "You should leave. It may be catching." He eyed her warily. One more person who knew where he and Amy were. He wondered how he could ask her to keep quiet about it.

"Well, I can only stay for a little while, but I can come back this evening," she said. "Is there anything I can bring y'all?"

Charley thought quickly. Amy was doing better, and he had enough whiskey to last a couple of days. Maybe if they didn't need anything she wouldn't come back.

Before he could say anything, Jeff spoke up. "Yeah, bring a pizza with you. Make that two."

"You got it!" Anita said. "What kind do you like, Sweetie?" she asked Amy, but the little girl looked to her father to answer for her.

Resigned to the fact that they couldn't get rid of Anita, he said, "Plain cheese, if she's well enough to eat it."

Anita pecked at Jeff's cheek and told Amy, "Feel better hon." Then she left.

Charley just had to hope she wouldn't say anything to anyone about her boyfriend's visitors.

#

With Emily at his side, Tommy knocked on his dad's office door, but it was clear there was no one there.

"Where'd they go?" an alarmed Emily asked.

"Calm down, Em!" Tommy told her. "I'm sure Dad wouldn't have taken Clarissa far. Let's check Uncle Greg's office."

But Wilson and the baby weren't there, and neither was House. Next they took the elevator down to the first floor and entered Tommy's mother's office.

Sean was intent on his computer screen, checking the educational background and work histories of the three candidates for the Administrative Assistant job. He looked up as they entered, and the frown on his face turned into a smile.

"Hi Tommy, Emily," Sean said. "Looking for your mother?"

"Yeah. Is she in?" Tommy peered through the glass doors and didn't see her.

"She's still in her meeting," Sean replied.

"Oh, OK. Thanks anyway."

Tommy and Emily went back out into the hospital lobby. "My mother had a meeting too," Emily said. They were running out of places to look.

Tommy glanced at his watch as his stomach grumbled. It was way past his lunchtime. "Maybe Dad took her with him to lunch."

Emily smiled with renewed hope, and they walk towards the cafeteria. When they reached the entrance, they saw a cluster of nurses and doctors standing around a table near the center. Tommy and Emily looked at each other and smiled, then joined the crowd. They'd found their daughter.

"I see you found a new way to attract attention," Tommy told the two men sitting at the table.

"It's your daughter," House pretended to complain. "I just wanted a peaceful lunch, and see what I got?"

"She can't help being cute," Em said.

"Cuter than two old doctors, anyway," her father-in-law said with a twinkle in his eyes.

Oblivious to the many onlookers, Clarissa lay in her baby seat, her blue eyes big, drinking water from the bottle her grandfather held.

"She's adorable!" Becca Foreman said. She stood with two other med students on one side of the table. "I sure hope Steven and I have kids that cute!"

Chapter 96.

A.G. and his parents hadn't quite finished their lunches when the sound of Danny's cries came loud and clear through the baby monitor. Scott and Gretchen frowned at each other. The baby had only slept for forty-five minutes. He should have been down for quite a bit longer.

"I'll get him," Scott offered, dropping the last bit of his sandwich on his plate.

Gretchen nodded, too tired to argue.

A.G. sensed his parents' anxiety. "Can I help?" he asked.

Gretchen gave him a wan smile. "Oh, honey, that's so sweet of you."

Scott returned with the squalling infant. "He's dry, and he can't possibly be hungry again, not so soon after you fed him."

Gretchen's concern had increased as her exhaustion grew. She took the baby and examined him, checking to see if he was feverish or had a rash anywhere, but there was no obvious explanation for Davey's distress. She stood and walked around with him, hoping the movement would help.

Davey seemed to calm down. His loud cries became a whimper, and finally he fell asleep. But Gretchen was at a loss. It was beginning to seem as if this baby was going to be a lot harder to take care of than A.G. ever was.

#

Barbara found a listing for an apartment that appealed to her. It was in a part of Princeton she didn't know, but it was close to the hospital and she'd already decided she had the job there.

She called the listing agent and set up an appointment for that afternoon at two, then went out for a celebratory lunch. She had a job and a place to live. Things were working out just fine!

Barbara arrived at the building a half hour early. She wanted to check out the neighborhood, and the other people who lived there. It was a quiet street, at least at this time of day. She assumed everyone was at work or otherwise engaged.

The apartment houses on the street all seemed to be in good repair. There was no off-street parking, but she didn't see any parking restrictions on the street itself. She'd been able to leave her car directly in front of the building.

The agent showed up promptly. "Mrs. Stewart? I'm Terry Barton. We spoke on the phone." She held out a well-manicured hand, and Barbara shook it.

The apartment Terry showed her was exactly what Barbara wanted, a decent sized kitchen, combined dining room-living room, and a large bedroom with walk-in closet and well-appointed bathroom. Without asking the price, she said "I'll take it."

#

After lunch, Wilson had to tend to one of his patients, so Tommy and Emily took their daughter, and all her paraphernalia back to his mother's office. This time Cuddy was there, looking a little harried. But the moment she set eyes on her granddaughter, her frown turned upward.

"Hello, Clarissa!" She reached for the baby, and held her tenderly. "You don't know how good it is to see you today!"

"Problems?" Tommy asked.

"The fundraiser is a little over a week away, and we still haven't settled on decorations or the menu!" Cuddy complained. "The women from the auxiliary who are usually so helpful have such antiquated ideas!" She shook her head. "I'm about ready to cancel and try to raise the funds for the fuel cells some other way."

Tommy felt guilty. He'd always helped with fundraising as part of his job at the hospital, but he'd been so busy with Em and the baby, that he'd left it all to his mother. "Is there anything I can do to help?" he offered.

Cuddy tried to smile at him. "You have your hands full. I'll manage!" She looked down at Clarissa, who lay in her arms staring up at her with big blue eyes. "Your daughter is much more important."

"Well, call me if I can help," Tommy said.

"I hope you'll both be able to attend," Cuddy said.

"Everyone we know will be there, so no one will be available to take care of Clarissa," Emily said.

"Maybe one of the hospital candy-stripers would be able to sit for you," Cuddy suggested.

"We certainly don't want to leave her with a stranger," Tommy replied.

"We'll see if we can find someone," Emily promised.

"OK," Cuddy said. Her phone rang and she looked at it with distaste. She'd much rather visit with Clarissa than answer it, but duty called. Reluctantly, she handed the baby back to Emily and said, "Come visit anytime you want!"

"We will," her son replied.

She was on the phone before they were out the door.