Susan stepped off the sidewalk and looked across the road at the ambulance bay. She frowned a bit. Susie tugged at her hand.
"Are you ready for this?" she asked. Susan looked down at her niece's worried smile and grinned. She slipped her arm across Susie's shoulder and hugged her.
"I think so," she said. "'It's hard going back after the way I left but I am glad you're with me."
"So, this is where I was born?" Susie asked as they crossed the street to the doors of the Emergency Room.
"Oh yeah," Susan said. "One very memorable Mother's Day."
"And you delivered me?" Susan looked at her and flashed a huge grin.
"Yeah..." she said. Susie smiled and slipped her arm around Susan's waist in a hug.
There were just a few patients waiting in chairs to be seen. Susan and Susie made their way to the admit desk. Susan smiled.
"Jerry?" she said softly. The big man turned around and grinned.
"Dr. Lewis!" he exclaimed. He moved around the admit desk and wrapped her in a big hug.
"It's good to see you, Jer," she said as he stepped back. "We're looking for Abby?"
"Susan?" Chuny dropped a chart onto the desk and grinned broadly as Susan smiled. They hugged each other.
"You remember my niece, Susie?" Susan said. Jerry and Chuny stared at the girl standing by the desk.
"Chloe's Susie?" Jerry was aghast. "Has it been that long?" Susie smiled and adjusted the sweater that was wrapped over her shoulders.
"She is gorgeous, Susan," Chuny sighed and reached out to touch Susie's hair. "Hey you...I was there when you were born!" Susie grinned.
"Thank you," she said politely. Chuny laughed and drew her into a warm hug. Susan smiled and then looked up as Abby and Luka came down the hall. He was wearing a baby carrier snuggled against his chest.
"There you are!" Susan said as Abby hugged her. "Are you ready to go?" Abby nodded and turned to Luka and kissed the top of Lauren's head.
"Go..." he said. "We'll be fine. As soon as Pratt gets here, I'm leaving. We'll be going right home." His eyes met Susan's. "And we'll be at Susan's dad's for dinner and birthday cake. We 'll meet you there."
"I know but..." Abby started. Susan put her hands on Abby's shoulders and steered her reluctantly away from Luka. She grabbed Susie's hand.
"Have a good time," Luka waved as the three of them left the ER and headed for the el staircase.
Susie stood with her nose pressed against the window of the el train watching the buildings speed by below.
"So, where are we going shopping?" she asked.
"Let's start on Michigan Avenue," Susan said with a satisfied smile. She nudged Abby.
"The kid is loaded," she said. "She makes money tutoring the neighborhood after school. She has this whole little homework club that meets at our kitchen table every night."
"Very innovative," Abby said as she nodded admiringly. Susie just rolled her eyes. "So, are you planning to be a teacher?" Susie shook her head.
"No," she said. "I wouldn't be very good at it. I'd hate assigning homework."
"Which would make you everyone's favorite!" Abby laughed. The train stopped and they went through the open doors of the train to the platform.
"Wherever we go, I am supposed to have us at the Drake at one o'clock," Susie said. Susan stopped on the platform to look at her.
"The Drake?" Susie nodded.
"It's a birthday present from Uncle Chuck," she said. "We have reservations at the Drake for tea." Susan looked at Abby and they grimaced.
"A little too rich for my blood..." she said.
"Uncle Chuck said you would say that but he made me promise..." Susie scolded. "...and I can't break a promise." Susan rolled her eyes and linked her arms through Susie's and Abby's.
"Come on, " she said. "It's my birthday and there is some serious shopping to be done!"
Later, that evening, Abby leaned on the back deck railing as Susan held Lauren and watched Luka with Susie in the small back yard. Chuck was tossing a little football with Cosmo and eyeing them as well.
"I can't do this," Susie moaned as Luka tossed the soccer ball in her general direction.
"You can," he said. "Just remember to use the inside of your foot like I showed you."
"What possible difference can it make if I use my toe or the side of my foot?" Luka stopped moving and straightened.
"Uh...you could break your toe?" Susie looked at him with her hands on her hips and then frowned a little.
"Oh..." she said. "Good reason." Luka laughed and rolled the soccer ball in front of him with his foot and looked at her.
"Are you ready?" he asked. Susie sighed deeply and nodded. Luka passed the ball to her and she kicked it with the inside of her foot as hard as she could. The ball sailed past Luka and hit the wooden fence behind him. Susie's mouth dropped open and she threw her hands into the air.
"I did it!" she hollered and ran to him. Luka picked her up and swung her around in a hug.
"Come on!" Susie laughed. "Show me something else!" Susan and Abby exchanged smiles as Luka put Susie down and retrieved the ball.
"That is one kid that is definitely taking a village to raise," Susan nodded.
"She's great," Abby said. "She really has her head screwed on straight."
"Yeah...no thanks to Chloe," Susan sighed.
"Maybe it's all thanks to Chloe. I mean, how do you think she would have turned out if her mother had been around?"
"Now you are beginning to sound just like her." Abby grinned.
"If she ever opens up an office, I will be the first in line for an appointment," she said. "That whole philosophy on life thing that she told me about when we were at the hotel...'Use it or lose it''?" Susan laughed and nodded.
"From one of her...'television shrinks'?" she said. Abby shrugged.
"It makes so much sense. 'Use the good things you get from people and lose the rest.' I wonder how it would have helped me when I was her age?" Susan sighed and kissed the top of the sleeping baby's head.
'Yeah...well...you didn't turn out so bad," she said. Abby smiled softly.
"It's been a long, hard road, though," she said as she watched Luka with a soft smile. "I don't think I have reached the end of it quite yet...but I'm getting there." Susan nodded and hugged the baby closer. Abby turned to look at her.
" I hope she's hungry soon," she said. Susan grinned and carefully shifted Lauren into her mother's arms.
"So, what are the Kovacs doing for Thanksgiving?" Susan asked.
"Maggie wants us to come to Minnesota," Abby replied. "We're thinking about it."
"Christmas?" Susan asked.
"She might be coming here," Abby sighed. She looked at Susan and shook her head.
"Yeah...I was hoping we could get together too."
"There's always New Year's..." Susan wheedled.
"New Year's..." Abby mused. "Isn't it amazing what can happen in a year? Last New Year's I was struggling with the whole idea of having a baby."
"And I was settling in a new job with a stay at home dad taking care of one child..." They looked at one another and laughed.
"Look at us now," Abby grinned. Susan looked back as her dad opened the sliding glass door and stepped outside.
"Anyone ready for birthday cake?" he asked. He crossed the small deck and stood next to Susan to watch what was happening in the yard. Susan slipped her arm around his waist and drew him close.
"Look at them, Dad," she said. "Quite a family, huh?" He nodded and smiled as he watched his grandson and granddaughter playing with the soccer ball as Luka and Chuck watched. Abby jostled a still sleeping Lauren.
"I think I need to try and wake her up to nurse for a bit," she said. 'I'll be right back." Susan nodded and watched her go inside. She looked up at the dimming evening sky and sighed happily. She looked at her dad and frowned slightly. There was something about his face.
"Dad?" she asked. He looked at her grimly.
"Susie..." he said slowly. "I've gotten a post card from Chloe."