The community theater play opening was a huge event for their family. Abby and Luka surprised Susie by driving in from Chicago for her opening nightperformance. Susan's Dad had flown in earlier to spend the entire weekend. Their house was crowded and noisy and delightfully homelike. Susie basked in the attention of all the people she loved...and that loved her. She convinced Cosmo that HE was Lauren's babysitter and needed to stay home to make sure Grandpa fed her correctly. Luka followed suit with a promise to pay him some real money if he did the job well. It was all too soon that Susie was off to the Opera House with Heather's family and Susan was holding her breath in anticipation.
The Opera House was packed and Susan sat on pins and needles through the first few scenes after the curtain rose. She held Chuck's hand tightly waiting for Susie's first appearance on the stage. There was the whistle, the slamming doors and then seven white sailor suits in a row...the third of which belonged to her niece. Susan grinned when she saw her and let her breath out slowly. Chuck squeezed her hand and she looked at him. They smiled at one another and then relaxed a bit to watch the show.
The lobby was crowded after the play was over and Susan, Chuck, Luka and Abby found a safe corner where they could wait for Susie.
"Dr. Lewis," Susan turned as she was approached by a man leading a woman toward her.
"Brad!" she exclaimed an hugged a friend from the hospital. "You know my husband, Chuck. And these are our friends from Chicago, Drs. Abby and Luka Kovac. Brad Jennings, head of vascular surgery at the hospital."
"Susie looked great up there on stage," he said with a smile and nodded toward them. Susan grinned.
"Yeah...and didn't miss a note either...I think," she laughed. He stepped back a bit to introduce his companion.
"This is the Honorable Judge Rebecca Morgan," he said formally. "She is a friend of mine and was inquiring about Susie. I think she'd like to meet her." At that moment Susie burst into the middle of the little circle and threw herself at Susan. She was still wearing her costume from the last scene and was covered with stage make up.
"Did you like it?" she asked as she looked up at her. Susan hugged her tight and grinned.
"You were wonderful!" she laughed. Susie smiled happily and hugged Chuck and then Abby. Luka handed her the bouquet of flowers he'd been holding and then picked her up in a huge hug.
"Thank you!" Susie said excitedly. "It was so much fun!" She buried her nose in the bouquet for a second and then handed it to Chuck to hold.
"Uh, Susie," Susan said as Heather approached them. "This is Judge Morgan. Judge Morgan, my niece, Susie Lewis." Susie smiled politely and held out her hand.
"I am so pleased to finally meet you, Susie," Judge Morgan said as she took her hand. "I have heard a lot about you from my friends at St. Alyosis. You were wonderful tonight." Susie smiled politely.
"Thank you," she said. Heather tugged on her shoulder and Susie looked at Susan.
"I have to go backstage and change. They need to put our costumes in order for tomorrow," she said. Susan nodded.
"We'll wait for you by the front door," she said as the girls raced off. "She's a little wired, I think." Judge Morgan watched her go and smiled at Susan.
"My daughters will be so pleased that I have actually met her. That child has reached folk lore status in our household, you know," she laughed. Susan frowned in confusion.
"How so?" she asked.
"My husband is on the Board of Directors at the school," she explained. "He has been sharing the letters and emails he and the other board members have been receiving from her regarding the required team sport policy." Susan's face blanched. Abby stepped back and bit her lips trying to hold back a laugh as she watched Susan's face. Luka looked away and rubbed his chin as he glanced over the crowd in the lobby. Chuck's eyes danced as he carefully reached over and took Susan's hand in his.
"Oh, don't worry, Dr. Lewis," Judge Morgan said with a smile. "My daughters are in college now but they had the very same issues at St. Alyosis. I am sorry to say that they didn't have Susie's spunk about doing something about it, though. Believe me, we are all rooting for her. It was very nice meeting you." She patted Susan's shoulder and stepped away to talk to someone else. Abby leaned in and laughed softly. Chuck touched Susan's head with his own and sighed. Luka turned around and grinned broadly.
"Oh, my god..." Susan murmured. "Would someone PLEASE show me how to dump the hard drive on her computer so I can find out what that child has been up to?"
The next morning Susie opened her lap top and looked around at the five adults gathered in the kitchen.
"What's going on?" she asked. Susan shrugged.
"Nothing," she said. "I just want to see what has been transpiring between you and the school's Board of Directors."
"It's my project for my government class," Susie said as she adjusted her glasses and ran her fingers through her curly hair. "I told you I had to do one."
"What happened to getting the stop sign on Wendall street?"
"Jessica's group is doing that and Eva and Robin's group are petitioning for a peanut free cafeteria. I forget what the other groups are working on." Susie's fingers flashed over the keyboard and the screen filled with files.
"Groups? Who is in your group?" Susie grimaced.
"Well...my group kind of fizzled when they saw all the work I had planned with surveys and stuff. So I went to Sister Mike and she said I could do it on my own."
"You have a Sister Mike?" Abby asked.
"It's actually Sister Michaela but she prefers Sister Mike. She is so cool," Susie said as she turned to her. "She's kind of like that nun in that way old movie with Rosalind Russell."
"I love that movie!" Abby chuckled. "The one where they take all the girls in to town to buy bras..."
"Binders," Susie corrected her with a grin. Abby laughed and then stopped when Susan frowned at her. Susie clicked the computer and opened a file.
"Here are all the letters that I have sent, the surveys I created and passed out, the calculations of the results...and a copy of the email telling me that I am on the agenda of the March school board meeting."
"What?" Susan exclaimed.
"The March school board meeting," Susie repeated. "It's right here...the date and the time. I was going to tell you about it...after the play was over." She looked up at the clock and then at Luka.
"I went on that soccer web site you sent me," she said. "Wanna see what I learned how to do?" Luka suppressed a grin and nodded. Susie looked at Susan.
"Are we finished here?" she asked. "I know they want to leave for Chicago and I have to be at the theater for the matinee soon." She looked across the table at her grandfather.
"You're coming to that one, right? With Aunt Susan and Cosmo?"
"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he said with a wink. Susie looked at Susan who just nodded.
"I'll get my soccer ball!" she said as she raced off.
"She's so cute..." Luka said.
"Damn cute..." Chuck echoed. Abby snickered and Susan's dad laughed.
"You know...you guys are not helping me one little bit," Susan moaned. "Am I the only one that is terrified for her?"
"She's not afraid of anything," Abby shrugged. "Just enjoy it."
"Oh yeah...just wait till your little one starts down this road," Susan said sarcastically. "I'll be so sympathetic." Abby laughed.
"Ah...I'm afraid they broke the mold with Susie," she said. Susan shook her head and buried her face in her hands.