One day, Dawn and I were looking through my father's high school yearbook. We had tons of fun laughing at all of the strange hairdos and funny outfits that they wore twenty years ago. Then we saw a message he had written to S.E.P. under his picture. S.E.P. were Dawn's mother's initials before she got married! We flipped toSharon's picture. It said "Dearest Richie" with a really gushy message signed "Always and forever,Sharon."

Richie was my dad. He and Sharon had been high school sweethearts. Isn't that incredible? Dawn and I decided that instant that we had

a mission — to get Sharon and Richie back together.

We reintroduced them to each other, and love did the rest. Before we knew it they were dating, and after awhile, they married. Did we all live happily ever after? Of course!

Well, it wasn't quite that simple. You see, Dad and I moved in with Sharon and Dawn. (My ten-year-old stepbrother Jeff had already gone back toCalifornia. He had had a tough time adjusting to his new school here in Stoneybrook, plus he really missed his dad and friends back on the West Coast.)

To be honest, we all had some trouble adjusting to each other at first. You see, Dawn and Sharon are extremely casual people. They don't worry if the house gets a little messy. Or even a lot messy. Sharon is pretty absent-minded, too, which adds to the clutter. She'll put her shoes in the refrigerator and the orange juice in the hall closet. After she's cooked dinner (which is usually some form of vegetarian cuisine), the kitchen can officially be de-dared a disaster area. Every pan and utensil is on the counter, drawers are left open, and the sink is piled high with dishes. That doesn't bother Sharon or Dawn.