It was hardly fair, thought Ann to herself. Here it was, only the second day they were living in their new home, and Larry had invited his new boss and his wife to a house warming party. Things just weren't ready for something like this, she told herself. She was hardly used to the house and already she had been asked to make dinner for six and the addition of Larry's young niece didn't help matters any. There was something about the girl Ann didn't understand, though she couldn't quite put her finger on it. The girl was definitely pushy, and the way she looked at her son was almost lewd, to say the least.

And speaking of David, where was he? There was something about his attitude that didn't ring true either. It must be because he had been so quickly removed from his old friends and placed in a new environment. She knew that he didn't like his new step-father, Larry, very much, but that was something he would just have to grow out of.

As she stood near the kitchen sink, preparing potatoes for the dinner later that night, her thoughts were interrupted as David bounded into the kitchen.

"Hey, Mom," he said, his face betraying the hidden joy he was feeling, "whatcha doin?"

"Good morning, David," answered Ann. "I'm making supper for tonight. We're having company. Larry's new boss and his wife."

"He shouldn't make you do that right after we moved in," said David, his voice changing to a deep, sullen mood.

"Now, honey," soothed Ann. "He wants to make a good impression on his new boss. After all, we are the new people here, and we must make allowances for them. Besides," she continued, holding her son by the sides of his head as she smoothed his hair, "you and Karen will be there, and I don't want you to do anything that might make things go badly for him."