Sunday Teddy knocked on Evelyn's door and Owen let her in.

"No Danika," Owen asked.

"Her house mom was taking them all rock climbing," Teddy said, "she wanted to be with her friends."

"Good," Owen said.

Evelyn joined them in the entry, "Teddy it's been too long. How are you?"

"Busy," Teddy replied.

"Owen told me you have a lot going on," Evelyn replied, "come sit down. Do you want red or white?"

"Red please," Teddy replied.

When they were seated Owen asked, "how did today go with Danika?"

"She blocked me out most of it," Teddy said, "she's shy."

"What did she do," Owen asked.

"iPod in and homework," Teddy said, "read her book, worked on her painting for her visual arts class."

"Just quiet maybe," Evelyn said handing Teddy a glass of wine.

"She's always been quiet but she's almost mute," Teddy said, "she answers when asked questions but won't start talking. And I have to figure out how to raise her. She needs a mom. I'm not a parent. Her mom wasn't interested in having children it was our dad that wanted Danika."

"Owen mentioned she was at a boarding school," Evelyn said.

"Park ridge ballet," Teddy replied, "she's been there since she was 19. She's 14. She's pretty independent in a lot of ways. I don't think I can come in and make sweeping decisions and tell her what's going to happen. She doesn't need a CO she needs a mentor."

"What changes do you want to make," Evelyn asked.

"I don't want her boarding full time," Teddy said, "she's lived at the school except for 3 or 4 weeks a year since she was 9. I want her home for weekends at least. She's only doing one of the two summer programs and she's going to spend time with me. "

"Kids need a home," Evelyn agreed, "don't be afraid to be strict with her and give her rules and boundaries. Your write she doesn't need a drill Sargent but she needs guidance. "

"Where do I start," Teddy asked.

"Chores that are fair, her room, the bathroom she uses, help cook and clean up dinner, a curfew," Evelyn suggested, "telling you where she's going and who she's with. Homework time."

"She does okay at school," Teddy said, "I'd like her grades to come up but her marks are decent."

"I had minimum averages my two had to maintain," Evelyn said.

"Mom you ruled with an iron fist," Owen said.

"Boundaries, limits, guidelines," Evelyn said, "basic human respect."

"We had to ask 24 hours in advance to have friends over or for mom to drive us somewhere," Owen said.

Teddy nodded , "that I like. No friends over if I'm not home. Boys in shared spaces only."

"she has a boyfriend," Owen said.

"no," Teddy said, "just thinking of myself at her age and the girls I grew up with."

"where did you grow up," Evelyn asked.

"New York," Teddy said, "not far from Central Park."

"what did your parents do," Evelyn asked.

"Dad was a partner in a publishing company mainly children's books and my mom was a lawyer," Teddy said.

"privlidged childhood," Evenly said.

"they tried," Teddy said, "they were around a lot compared to my friends parents. they were always there. together and happy until I was 20."

"what happened," Evelyn asked.

"Dad met June," Teddy said, "she was his assistant. He left my mom and married June a year after the divorce was final. I was angry, I didn't understand why after 25 years he could do that. Then Danika was born when I was 23. She was the cutest baby. Dad would bring her to see me. People thought she was mine."

"23 year age gap," Evelyn said, "seeing you in a park or out I would have assumed. What does she look like?"

"About 5'5", blonde, blue eyes," Teddy said.

"What do you need to do," Evelyn asked.

"I start work tomorrow," Teddy replied, "choose between two houses but I need to see what Danika likes, I'm leaning towards the house over the apartment. I need a car the rental isn't going to work long term."

"What do you want," Owen asked.

"I don't know," Teddy said, "I've never bought a car. Nothing fancy. I have a feeling I'm going to do a lot of driving a teenager around and I have to teach her to drive in a couple years. I didn't learn until college and it was a disadvantage. She'll learn at 16. It's her independence here. I didn't need to drive in New York but in Seattle you need to."

"Your goal is independent," Evelyn said, "has a career path to support herself, drives, cooks, can clean up after herself."

"I want something more for her than ballet," Teddy said, "when the time comes I'll encourage college or college dance programs. I treated a few ballerinas at Columbia that had heart problems due to malnutrition. That's one reason I want her home with me to make sure she stays healthy."

"She seemed healthy enough," Owen said.

"Other then the fact that I can carry her," Teddy said.

"Think of the kits we packed," Owen said, "our gear was about 100 pounds at times."

"I didn't think of that," Teddy said, "she was so tired last night she fell asleep on the couch watching Gossip Girl with her friends and I carried her to her room."

"What's gossip girl," Evelyn asked.

"Teen drama," Teddy replied, "a bit dramatic and over the top. But it reminded me of a few of the girls I grew up with. My parents wouldn't let me act like that. I had limits and boundaries and an allowance not an unlimited credit card. Danika will not behave like those girls on that show."

"She seems pretty grounded," Owen said, and their apartment was simple."

"Except for what you found in June's nightstand," Teddy said.

"I was shocked by that," Owen said.

"I knew there was something wrong with June which is why I authorized Danika's tuition from what dad left us," Teddy said.

"Why was she boarding so young," Evelyn asked.

"June didn't want to be a parent," Teddy said, "Danika was dad's little princess. The school will take them as young as nine for boarding. I did a lot of research before okaying it but I was away and I couldn't get out here to see her as much as I needed to. I thought she would be safer and cared for there. She's had the same house mother for the last five years and will stay with her until she's a senior. Their senior year if she's still boarding they go into supervised apartments on campus and are taught to look after themselves. I'm hoping to do partial boarding and have her slowly transition to living with me."

"Do you want to parent full time," Owen asked.

"I'd rather have her with me," Teddy said.

"It's a full time job," Evelyn said.

"I know," Teddy said, "but she's so lost and needs more than boarding. She needs someone day to day. Family. She needs a home. I want a home. We can make it ours. I have no clue what I'm doing but I'll figure it out."

"Let me know how I can help," Evelyn said.

"I will," Teddy said, "Owens been great."

"I helped move," Owen said.

"I'm glad we found my dads books," Teddy smiled.

"So am I," Owen replied.

"We need bookshelves for them," Teddy said.

Evelyn began asking what Teddy was looking for in a home and smiled at what Teddy described. Room for both her and Danika, outside space, natural light.

After a relaxed and comfortable dinner Teddy headed back to Danika's school. She let herself into the building and to Danika's room. She was surprised that Danika wasn't back

"I thought you had a dinner," Danika said.

"I did," Teddy smiled, "it's 9:30 it's later than I thought your be back."

"We stopped for ice cream after," Danika said.

"Did you have a good night," Teddy asked.

"I did," Danika said, "I was the fastest to the top of the wall."

"Good job," Teddy smiled giving her a high five, "what time Is lights out?"

"Ten in our rooms and 10:30 lights out," Danika said.

"Go shower and I'll stay till lights out," Teddy said.

"Can you French braid my hair," Danika asked.

"I can but I need wet hair to do it," Teddy answered.

Danika grabbed her shower stuff and went to shower. Teddy did her now daily tidy of the room and laid out the clothes Danika would need the next morning, leotard and tights, school uniform, and backpack.

"Do you lay out my clothes every night," Danika asked.

"It's something for me to do," Teddy said, "little things I can do for you."

"What would happen if I lived with you," Danika asked.

"We have some things to figure out," Teddy said, "that's why after school tomorrow we're going to look at two places."

"Do I get my own room," Danika asked.

"Of course," Teddy said, "I want two bathrooms. You'll have to keep your room and bathroom clean."

"Other rules," Danika asked.

"I know where you are at all times, you ask me before you go with friends and answer your phone, curfew to be decided, we share house work and cooking," Teddy said.

"School work," Danika asked.

"I expect a decent gpa in your academics," Teddy said, "B average. I want you to have to option to go to college."

"Mom never cared as long as I didn't bug her," Danika said.

"I care," Teddy said, "I want you to have choices. You need the choice of going to college if you want it. The other one if you get sick I make the decisions."

"Auntie T decides if it's just a cold or I need a doctor," Danika said.

"My job," Teddy said, "sick or injured you have to tell me. You'll be on my coverage so that's not an issue. I need to see you healthy. I have your whole file from the school. I want to look into the ear infections 7-8 a year at your age isn't normal. I want to know why it's happening and how we can fix it."

"A few days of antibiotics and Advil," Danika said.

"I want a permanent solution," Teddy said, "we'll figure it out my way."

"Will it stop hurting and being itchy," Danika asked.

"We can stop that," Teddy agreed, "I'm looking for someone away from the school an adolescent specialist."

"Other things I need to consider about living with you," Danika asked.

"Not really," Teddy said, "what do you want?"

"Can we get a puppy or a kitten," Danika asked.

"Puppy or kitten," Teddy said, "look at our space and schedules. Puppies need a lot of time. Once we're settled we can have a pet. What else?"

"Can I pick the colour of my room," Danika asked.

"If I buy it yes. If we rent probably not," Teddy said, "either way you get to pick your furniture and bedding with in reason."

"Really," Danika said.

"I'll give you a budget and we'll pick together," Teddy said, "we'll decorate together."

"Really," Danika asked again.

"Really," Teddy replied, "where's the elastics for this braid. I'm half done."

"I like when you do my hair," Danika admitted.

"I like doing it," Teddy agreed.