Happy March everyone! Spring will finally be here soon and I can't wait! The UK is currently in the middle of a deep freeze and it's actually snowing and setting. My hours at work will start to increase soon so I'm working on getting as far ahead on updates as I can. Big thanks to Sweetkid45, JaneAndMaurao5, Sally Rally, Vbbneighbor and Printemps for their reviews.

Lots of love,

LM xxxxxx

A New Family, a New Future-Part 9:

It was the night before Louisa was due to start high school and the girl was nervous. She had spent the day with Cailin getting advice on how to cope but now she was back at Beacon Hill and choosing her outfit for the next day. She sighed before lifting Jo Friday onto her bed.

Her room had finally been redesigned and she was extremely happy with it and wasn't planning on changing it for a while. She watched as Jo Friday looked at her.

"I have to figure out what I'm wearing tomorrow Jo and that is hard. It's a new chapter for me and I want to show people that Louisa Vance isn't to be messed with while at the same time not revealing who I am," Louisa said talking to the dog unaware that Jane had just walked by on her way to the kitchen.

"We have a teenager with a wardrobe crisis," Jane said as she walked into the kitchen.

"High school also known as the fashion catwalk," Maura said, "I am worried about her. She doesn't want people knowing who she is but I think they'll know by the end of the day and then I fear the problems will start. If she can make a friend then that should help her…"

"Otherwise she'll be on her own when everyone realises who she is," Jane sighed, "are we making the right choice with putting her into public school?"

"We will only know tomorrow sadly. Even if we have made the wrong choice we still have the places at the private school just in case," Maura said.

"And I thought everything was going to be easy now she's dropped those girls of hers. This could be the new start that she wants," Jane said, "but all she's worried about is what she's going to wear tomorrow."

"Which I will be checking before tomorrow morning. I hate the fact we can't drop her off and she's taking the bus," Maura aid, "I'd feel more confident if we were dropping her off but that is not the cool thing to do. Now who's cooking tonight?"

Louisa sighed as she looked at her clothes and then Jo Friday.

"Want to see the boots I'm wearing tomorrow?" she quizzed before being met with a yap. Louisa had devised a way of communicating with the dog and a yap meant yes and a growl meant no. Louisa smiled before getting her tan coloured boots that, of course, were appropriate for her to wear, "I'm thinking white tights. You know those special ones that keep me hot or cold depending on the weather." Jo Friday yapped again before Louisa went and got her three skirts she'd narrowed it down to.

She showed the dog a light brown skirt that matched her boots, a pastel pink skirt that she'd just brought and then a black one that she'd had for a while.

Maura watched as Louisa spoke to Jo Friday and watched as the dog somehow told Louisa to lay the skirts down on the bed and watched as Jo Friday looked at the boots and then put his front paws on the pale pink one.

"Right so that's boots, tights and skirt done. Want to see the tops?" Louisa asked the dog who yapped.

Maura had sensed Jane behind her and signalled for her to be quiet and watch as Louisa got the three tops out and placed the skirt, tights and boots and lined them up before placing the shirt down and leaving it before moving onto the next one.

"So which one do you think Jo?" Louisa asked before the dog selected the top and Louisa smiled, "now shall we do the whole week now as well?" Again the dog yapped and Jane pulled Maura away before Louisa realised they were there.

"Since when did we have a fashionista dog?" Jane questioned.

"Since Jo Friday and Starfish learnt a communication system," Maura said, "oh yes Jane. She's taught Jo Friday to communicate. Yap means yes and growl means no and paws on the item means that Jo likes that item. How long until dinner?"

Eventually Louisa had sorted out her whole week's worth of clothes and then headed out of her room.

"Smells good. Hope Jane hasn't burnt it," Louisa said smirking before running and squealing as Jane began to chase her around.

"You cheeky girl!" Jane laughed before grabbing Louisa and tickling her until the oven pinged and Jane went to check on the food.

Dinner was soon served and it was unburnt and yummy.

"Sorted your outfit for tomorrow out?" Maura asked.

"Yes I have. I had a little help from Jo Friday but I've managed to sort out the whole week as well so at least that's all done."

"How are you feeling?" Jane asked.

"Nervous if I'm honest," Louisa said, "I just want to get through the first day and then go from there. I'm just waiting for people to realise who I am."

"If they do they do. Maybe you need to tell them first and make the first move," Maura said, "yes I know it goes against what I'd normally say but I think it would really help you if you tried to make friends by saying who you are. At least you're being honest with them then."

"That is true. Being honest may seem like the hardest option but it may just be the best one to do in this instant," Jane said, "you'll be OK Lou."

Louisa nodded and turned her attention to her food and began to eat it. Of course Jane and Maura knew Louisa was worried about starting high school. Some Seniors could be nice to the freshmen and others could make it a living misery. Jane and Maura had no way of knowing how Louisa's first day would go. All they could really do was hope for the best and that everything they had said and Cailin's pep talk would somehow help Louisa as she entered a new phase in her life.