One step at a time. One thing at a time. One small moment at a time. Susan was trying very hard to follow her own advice. She nudged Susie as she pulled the car toward the Iowa City exit. The girl slipped her head phones down and looped them around her neck. She snapped the screen down on her laptop computer and sat up straighter in the front seat. Wow...she was actually showing some interest in where she was going to be living for a change. Susan had tried to talk to her about Chuck...about Cosmo...about her job. Susie had been very uninterested. Any questions about Joe, about her friends andher summer school class had gone basically unanswered. For the most part, she was uncommunicative. Then in the next minute they would get into an animated debate about the music Susie insisted on choosing from the radio. Susan was basically told that she had an 'antiquated' idea of what good music was. Oh yes...this was going to be a very interesting ride.

Chuck and Cosmo were waiting on the front steps of the house when she pulled in to the driveway. Chuck had a firm grip on the back of the little boy's tee shirt until the car came to a complete stop. Cosmo dashed around the car to Susan's side and was bouncing up and down until she opened the door. He threw himself into Susan's arms and hugged her tightly around the neck.

"Mommy!" he squealed. Susan laughed and squeezed him tightly.

"I missed you, little man," she sighed and kissed his cheek. Susan got out of the car and shifted her son to her hip. She carried him around to the front sidewalk of the house. Susie had gotten out of the passenger side and stood uncertainly by the door. Chuck waved and sauntered down the walk. He wrapped his arm around Susan and Cosmo and kissed her.

"Glad you're home, babe," he said softly. Susan smiled and touched his cheek

"Me too," she said. Cosmo twisted and curiously eyed Susie who still stood by the car. He squirmed and Susan set him down on the ground. He took a couple of steps toward her and eyed her closely.

"Cosmo," Susan said. "This is Susie."

"Cool name," Susie said approvingly as she stared down at him. Cosmo frowned a little bit as he looked up at her. Susie returned his gaze as he took in her black jeans with the heavy chain belt and black tee shirt. She adjusted her glasses and crossed her arms across her chest defensively.

"I like yo hair," he nodded finally. "It's a rainbow." Susie smiled and held her hand up in a high five salute. Cosmo slapped it and then took her hand. He pulled her toward the house past Susan and Chuck.

"Yeah," Susan said as they moved past her. "I should have known that you two desperados would connect. You have a lot in common. He's already been kicked out of one daycare."

"No kidding!" Susie nodded happily. She looked down at him and grinned. Chuck watched them go into the house and then looked at Susan.

"Ummm...interesting kid," he nodded. Susan laughed and hugged him.

"Are you ready for this? I mean, a teenager?" Chuck shrugged and then grinned as he kissed her.

"I am ready for anything as long as I have you by my side." Susan laughed as he swept her into his arms and dipped her low in a romantic dance move.

"Ow! Ow...ow!" he cried suddenly and Susan laughed and pulled herself upright again. Chuck grabbed his side and she helped him limp toward the front steps laughing all the way.

One step at a time. One thing at a time. It took Susie no time at all to unpack her things. One box of clothes. One box of books on a bookshelf. One box shoved into the back of her closet. She looked seriously out of place in the butter yellow painted room with lace curtains. She didn't seem to mind too much. It looked as if she were just 'parked' for a while. Chuck had arranged his work schedule around Susan's so they were working different shifts and could dispense with the whole daycare issue for a few weeks. Aside from the fact that they didn't see much of each other, it was working out for them. The few times when they didn't cross paths, Susie stepped in and babysat Cosmo for an hour. Susan had to admit that watching the two of them interact was a lot of fun. Cosmo adored Susie and followed her like a little puppy.

"Where is dere face?" Cosmo said one evening at the dinner table as he examined his sliced hot dog.

"Face?" Susan asked him.

"Do hot dogs have a face?" he asked as he plunged a piece into his ketchup and popped it in his mouth.

"No..." Susan said. "Where would you get an idea like that?" Susie slumped deeply into her chair and scowled at him.

"Susie don't eat stuff with faces and her don't eat hot dogs," he said as he shook his head. "Where is dere face?" Susan turned to Susie and shook her head.

"Susie likes vegetables more than she likes hot dogs, sweetie," she said. "So you need to eat yours too." Cosmo nodded and picked up a green bean and examined it carefully.

"Do green beanies have a face?" he asked. Susan rolled her eyes.

"You are SO dead..." she said quietly to Susie. Susie shrugged.

"Oh, by the way," Susan said. "You and I have a meeting with the principal of the middle school tomorrow morning. They have your records from Toledo and want to talk to us about a schedule for you."

"Tomorrow?" Susie exclaimed. "Why didn't you say something before this?"

"Hey...I just got the call myself this afternoon. We're lucky that tomorrow is my day off." Susan looked at her and sighed. "I don't suppose you have a dress or something hanging in that closet of yours, do you? I mean, first impressions mean a lot some times."

Susie scoffed and tossed her hair over her shoulder.

"I refuse to wear a dress," Susie said. "Even if I did own one, I wouldn't wear it. It is SO like you people to think wearing a dress is going to make me any different than I really am." She stood up from the table and stomped off toward the staircase and her bedroom. Cosmo looked at Susan with wide green eyes. She sighed and picked up a forkful of green beans.

"This is pitiful," she sighed. "I am way too young to be considered you people, aren't I?" Cosmo laughed and dipped another piece of hot dog into his ketchup.