At the Pelican Club:
Tom gets them a table and orders a bottle of their best white wine. ~I hope she likes Disney movies also.~ "So how do you like the place?"
Abby looks around. ~It's like a morgue in here.~ "It's nice. Um--quiet. Good for talking, right?"
"Among other things." Tom says. ~Yikes I can't believe I said that she's going to think that I don't respect her.~
Abby notices Tom's faint blush, though he really hasn't said anything to warrant that, nothing like she'd said when she let her tongue get away with her back in his bedroom. ~Whoa, girl. Even if it is fun to have someone who's bright enough to be a sparring partner.~ "Such as?" she asks, leaning slightly towards Tom.
"Well a lot of couples come here to be alone," Tom replies smiling at her.
"Well, as alone as you can get in public," Abby smiles back.
"Well they usually go someplace else afterwards that is a lot more private." Tom tells her.
~Watch out. Losing control of the situation here...~ "Look, Tom," Abby stutters, "Um...I'm still Tommy's tutor. I'm probably violating 17 sections of the Board of Ed rules just being here with you, much less anything else." ~Why couldn't I have met him somewhere besides work?~
"Yeah you're right, but you won't be his tutor forever. Do you want to go out again when you're no longer his tutor?"
Abby rolls her eyes. ~No, I just flirt with every man I get my claws into.~ "Yes, I'd like that very much. And in the meantime, we can be friends." ~Great line. He'll think you're brushing him off instead of begging to be asked out again.~
"Yeah friends." ~Oh no I'm never going to see her again when Tommy recovers. Once they say friends it's over.~
Abby takes a look at his face and realizes she's said the worst possible thing. She reaches out to put a hand on his. "I mean it, Tom. I'd like to be your friend. And then, when Tommy's back in school, well, it makes things much nicer if you're already friends, doesn't it?" ~Please say you understand what I meant instead of what I said. Don't let me have blown this.~
Tom sighs in relief and smiles at her. "Yes it does and I'm very glad to hear you say that."
"How about we make it a date, then. First night after Tommy goes back to school, I'll take you out," Abby suggests.
"You'll take me out?" Tom says in complete surprise. "I've never been taken out by a woman before."
"Times have changed since you were single," Abby laughs. "There are lots of things women are doing that they didn't used to."
"Which is?" Tom asks.
"Ah, now that would be telling. You're just going to have to wait until Tommy's back in school to find out." ~Unless some other woman gets her claws into you before then, which I'll do my best to make sure doesn't happen. Good thing I have an excuse to be around the house every day.~
"Is there any way I can persuade you to tell me now?"
"I don't think your poor conservative heart could handle knowing right now," Abby teases. "Cheer up, Tom. It's only a month. Surely you can last that long, not knowing?"
"Yes I can if I really try." Tom sighs. "But it'll be rough."
"Well, at least you'll have a friend close to hand to help you wait it out."
"That's a consolation." Tom replies.
"I'm glad you think so." After a minute of silence, Abby says, "You know, this is really kind of strange."
"What is? The date, the place, the wine?" Tom inquires. "That elephant in the corner?" he jokes.
"Definitely the elephant in the corner," Abby laughs. "I meant this situation, though. We met less than a week ago, we've gone out once, agreed not to go out, agreed to go out again in a month or so, I've met your whole family already--well, except your sister--and I've been in your bedroom. But, you know, I still don't really know anything about you."
"Well what do you want to know? What I'm going to do to that drunk driver when I get my hands on him? My favorite color? Whether or not I cry at sad scenes in movies?"
"I can pretty much guess what you'd do to that driver if you thought you could get away with it, so we can start with the next question on your list if you like," Abby smiles.
"Ok, my favorite color is blue and yes I do cry at the sad scenes. I sometimes yell at the people I love, and feel bad about it later. I like Disney movies and good company." Tom smiles. "What about you?"
"'I like New York in June, how about you?'..." Abby sings, laughing. "I don't know. I'm just your basic workaholic. Actually, I can't remember the last time I saw a movie other than being dragged along by a date. Between work and school--I'm going for my Ph.D--I don't have much time for anything else. I used to have hobbies, I'm almost sure of it, but I sort of lost them in the shuffle," she admits.
"What's your major?" Tom asks.
"Education, of course. I'm focusing on remedial reading, since that's a large part of what I do at work. In fact, this winter I'm giving a paper at the Remedial Reading Conference. I'd tell you all about it, but the waiters probably wouldn't like you falling asleep at the table."
Tom laughs. "Oh I'm sure it's not that boring. Do you want some more wine?"
"Yes, please," Abby says, passing him her glass. "And unless you're fascinated by the statistics behind educational theory, it is that boring. What's exciting is when you put it into practice and see a kid who had trouble suddenly get it." She shrugs, takes a sip of the wine. "My work's easy--I'm told what the kids need to know and what their problems are, and then it's just a matter of finding a way around the problem to the learning. Now your work--that seems impossible. How do you find something new to write about all the time?"
"I get most of the inspiration from my family. Next week's column will either be about the evils of drunk driving, getting married vs. living together, or the importance of safety while playing sports." He pours them each another glass of wine. "Which reminds me. If we have anymore either one of the waiters will have to drive us home or we'll have to call a cab."
"Or we could stay out late, until we'd sobered up, and worry your kids. I'm sure they've done it often enough to you," Abby says.
"Now that sounds like a better plan." Tom smiles. "No, I would have to call first after what happened earlier today."
Abby nods in agreement and wonders if he would ever do something like that, if so, what they would do, and whether she could trust herself. Instead of asking, she changes the topic. "You know, about your column for next week--it sounds like you lumped your daughter's moving in with her boyfriend and Tommy getting hurt in with the drunk driver."
"Oh no it's going to be either or, not all three in the same column, and if it does wind up in the same column I'll separate the incidents where necessary."
"No, what I meant was..." Abby tries to find the words to explain herself. "It sounded like you gave them all the same--I dunno--moral weight, I suppose. Like Mary's moving out or Tommy getting hurt was wrong, and their fault."
"Oh that wasn't my intention at all. It's not Tommy's fault that he got hurt. Greg is the one who fell on him. Not really Greg's fault either. But I will never agree to a man and a woman living together before marriage."
"Never's a long time. And you already have a daughter doing just that," Abby points out.
"I know." Tom's face clouds over. "And I don't know how to handle that. I want to let her know that I'm still behind her 100% but it's not easy doing that when I disagree with what she's doing."
"So then what 100% are you behind her?" Abby asks. "Sounds like you're 90% behind her, but that's fine, too, I guess. I know my parents don't approve of the way I live my life, but that doesn't mean they love me any less."
"That's right, and they'll never stop loving you as I'll never stop loving my children."
"Oh, no..." Abby groans.
"What's wrong?"
Abby shakes her head. "You'd have to have met my father to understand how frightening the prospect is."
"Oh he can't be that bad. He raised you and you turned out fine." Tom says.
"I'm almost tempted to invite you to Pasadena for Thanksgiving, just to watch you eat your words."
"Is that an official invitation?" Tom smiles.
"Funny, you don't strike me as the masochistic type," Abby says. "Besides, I'm sure you have a houseful of people for the holidays."
"Yes I do, but maybe you and your parents can come to our house for Thanksgiving." Tom suggests.
Abby tries to hold back her laughter unsuccessfully. When she can get her breath back, she says, "Tom, that's very sweet, but unless you like pain and punishment..." she dissolves into laughter again.
Tom just sits there wondering what is so funny. ~Ok, she obviously knows her parents well enough to be acting this way, so....~ Tom decides to change the subject. "So what's your favorite color? Favorite food? Have you ever seen a UFO?"
"Several," Abby answers his last question first. "Only they kept claiming they were my dates."
Tom laughs this time. "And you had the task of telling them that they're not your type, right?"
They continue to laugh and talk and go home when Abby's sober enough to drive.
At the doorstep:
"Is this where you kiss me goodnight or do we shake hands?" Tom asks not knowing quite how to act with a woman bringing him home.
Abby thinks it over. "Well, if we're not going to be seeing each other for a month, I guess a handshake. Besides, somehow I don't think either of us is the 'kiss on the first date' type anymore. And I could have sworn I saw your living room curtain move. That's all you need, having your kids catching you necking on the front porch."
Tom laughs. "Are you kidding? I would never hear the end of it." He shakes her hand. "I had a very good time and you were the perfect gentle…er…woman."
"Well, there goes my reputation...I'll see you Monday, then, if you're around when I'm here."
When Tom goes inside, Joannie comes out of the living room and accosts him. "You busted curfew, mister."
"Who me? Naah, it's not that late is it?" Tom replies.
Joannie looks at her watch. "It's that late. What'd they do, throw you out as they closed the place down?"
Tom just grins at her and then finally says, "Joannie my dear I am the parent. I don't have a curfew."
"We'll just have to give you one, then, now that you're dating. Speaking of, how'd it go? You're smiling, but you didn't get a good night kiss, I see."
"That's because we're going to be friends for a month and then we're going out on a date again." He continues smiling. "So how's your sister? Any nightmares? How's Tommy, is his leg hurting?"
"Oh, no, no. Don't change the topic, Dad. What do you mean you're going to be friends for a month? That sounds so--so high school. And Nancy and Tommy are fine, so spill it, mister."
Tom laughs. "Oh I don't know, can I trust you with that information?"
Joannie's almost drooling in anticipation of a good piece of gossip. "Of course you can, Dad. You know me--the soul of discretion."
"The soul of discretion huh? I don't know," he continues to tease his daughter.
"Oh, come on, Dad. You know you want to tell someone."
"Goodnight Joannie," Tom says as heads upstairs.
"DAD!!!!!" Joannie whines.
Tom just laughs and retreats to his room.
When Abby gets home from the date, she checks her machine and takes down her messages. That guy from the music program--Abby doesn't even bother writing down his phone number. Her father. She checks her watch--too late to call now, so instead she goes to sleep.
Since her father won't give her any satisfaction, Joannie goes upstairs to see if anyone's still up. She passes by Mary's door, sad that she can't just go in and talk to her big sister, and walks down the hallway to Nancy and Elizabeth's room. She opens the door and peeks in to see if anyone's awake in there, despite the late hour.
Elizabeth is sound asleep. Nancy looks up from the book she's reading. "Hey Joannie what's up?" she whispers.
"Guess who just waltzed in the door?" Joannie says.
A smile slowly spreads across Nancy's face. "At 2am eh? Should we ground him?"
"I tried to, but he just told me that he's the father, so whatever he does is OK. And then he went up to bed."
Nancy shakes her head and laughs. "So how was the date?"
Tommy hears Joannie's voice and calls out her name. "Joannie."
Joannie motions to Nancy that she'll be right back, and crosses over to the boys' room. "Hey, Tommy, what are you doing up?"
"I think I was up too long tonight, could you get me a pain pill and an extra pillow for my leg?"
"Sure." She gets him the pill, a glass of water, and puts the extra pillow beneath Tommy's leg. "And you're not the only one who stayed up too long tonight," she says, suffering from a case of gossipus interruptus.
"Who?"
"Dad. And he was out with your tutor. I was just telling Nancy--wait, why don't I get her so I don't have to say everything twice?"
"OK...I am not going to get any sleep any time soon anyway."
Joannie goes across the hall to get Nancy, and when the three of them are sitting on Tommy's bed, she spills. "I just happened to look out the window when she dropped him off, and I could have sworn they were going to kiss, but they didn't. And then Dad comes in and tells me they've just decided to be friends for a month before they try going out again."
"Why delay it?" Nancy ponders.
"Oh terrific...my father and tutor, isn't there some law against that?" Tommy asks.
"Tommy," Nancy chides.
"What?" Tommy says. "Look, I'll admit she's attractive and she's nice, but Dad dating her... I just don't get it."
"Well, she isn't going to be your tutor forever, you know," Joannie says. "Just another...month. I'll bet that's it--they're waiting for Tommy here to stop being Mrs. Abbot's student. Maybe there is a law against it."
"Well I don't know Joannie. I could see if it was between a student and a tutor, but why would there be a law between a tutor and a student's parent?"
"If Dad and Mrs. Abbot got serious, you don't think Tommy'd try to take advantage of the situation?" Joannie asks. "You know, if this makes Dad happy I'm happy, but...it feels strange, having Dad dating, doesn't it?"
"Yeah it does. I still keep hoping that all of this is just a bad dream and that I'll wake up and Mom will be here, but then again Dad does deserve to be happy."
"But it's so soon," Joannie says. "I mean, when it looked like he was going to kiss her, I got angry, 'cause it felt like he was going to do something which would hurt Mom. Silly, huh?"
"No it's not silly at all." Nancy yawns and struggles to keep her eyes open. "It's normal for you to feel that way. I'll be back in a minute. I need some coffee." She goes downstairs.
"I miss Mom too, but it has been nice talking to Mrs. Abbott about school etc. Weird huh"? Tommy asks.
When Nancy leaves, Joannie tries to figure out how to talk to Tommy without getting him upset. "Tommy? You're not going to be a pain about this, are you? I mean, I know you loved Mom a whole lot, we all did, but you're the one who spends the most time with Mrs. Abbot. You're not going to hassle her about going out with Dad, are you?"
"No, I am not going to hassle them; if you repeat this to anyone, I will deny this, but she's actually pretty cool," Tommy confesses.
Nancy returns nursing her coffee and sits back down on Tommy's bed. "You know, it's not like they'll get married or anything. They just like each other.
"Well, I can't see Dad exactly being a swinging single; Can you?" Tommy asks.
"No, I can't," Nancy says.
"Oh, come on. Dad, date just for fun? With all his rules, there's nothing much fun he can do, you know. No, Dad's never going to 'just date.' If he's looking, he's looking for serious," Joannie says.
"I wonder if Mrs. Abbot realizes that." Nancy says.
"I don't see how she could talk to Dad five minutes and not figure out he's still living in the last century," Joannie assures her sister.
"Well, from what she has said about her late husband, she isn't exactly a swinging single herself." Tommy says.
"What do you mean?" Joannie asks. "What'd she tell you?" She leans forward, eager to hear more gossip.
"What did she say about him?" Nancy inquires. "Come on spill."
Tommy explains to them about her late husband being a Marine pilot and dying in a POW camp and him being a football hero.
"Sheesh," ~I sure am glad David never got drafted back then.~
"Yeah from what I can tell it nearly destroyed her."
Joannie starts to laugh. "She was married to Mr. All American and now she's going after Dad?"
"And what's wrong with dad? He has a good heart."
"A good heart, sure, but going from Mr. Masculinity to Mr. Teddy Bear. And besides, Mrs. Abbot can't be all that much older than David. What's she see in Dad, I wonder?"
Nancy shrugs. "Well they've both lost a spouse."
"And they are both lonely," Tommy reminds them.
"So," Joannie puts on her 'social activist' cap, "we like Dad. We like Mrs. Abbot. The question is, do we leave them to themselves or try to help them along a little? I mean, a month is a long time to go between dates."
"Joannie maybe we shouldn't meddle." Nancy suggests.
"It's not meddling, it's...constructive interference. I mean, Dad's so naive. Who knows who else could get her claws into him? You like Mrs. Abbot, Tommy's likes her. It can't hurt to just remind them, every once in a while, that they like each other, too."
"At least here they have a reason to talk to each other," Tommy replies.
"You see," Joannie tells Nancy, "even Tommy agrees. The trick will be to make sure Dad's home when she's here. And to invite her to dinner--a lot."
"Good point." She finishes her coffee. "Time for a refill. Do you two want a cup?"
Tommy starts to drift off due to the pain pill and he says groggily "I'll have a cup" before drifting off to sleep.
Nancy smiles at her little brother. "Maybe in the morning, kiddo."
"If you drink any more coffee, you're not going to sleep tonight," Joannie tells Nancy.
"That's the plan." Nancy tells her.
"Nightmares, huh?" Joannie asks sympathetically.
"Yes, I don't even have time to drift off to sleep all I have to do is close my eyes and I relive the accident again. Hey where's Susan? I haven't seen her all day."
The girls leave Tommy's room, leaving him to sleep. "I know she had a hot date today, but I haven't seen her since. In the morning, we'd better attack her for details."
"Sounds good to me." Nancy laughs lightly so she doesn't wake the rest of the family.
The next morning, when Abby wakes, it's again too late to call home. Her father's bound to be on the golf course at this hour. She wonders how Nancy's doing and considers calling to find out, but wonders if that's pushing things. ~I'm just Tommy's tutor. And Tom's--I don't know what that is just yet. But that's not reason to call on the weekend.~ She putters around the apartment for a while, and finally finds herself with one hand on the phone. ~You know you want to. Just dial.~ She goes over to her bag, digs out Tommy's file, and dials the Bradfords' number.
Elizabeth isn't home at the moment so Nancy picks up the phone. "Hello."
Abby thinks she recognizes the voice. ~I just hope they don't all sound alike on the phone.~ "Nancy? This is Mrs. Abbot. I was just calling to find out how you're doing."
"Oh hi, I'm doing ok. I can pick up a glass without my hand shaking again. That's a good feeling. How are you doing?" ~How did it go with my dad last night?~
"I'm glad. I didn't want to say anything yesterday, but you certainly were a scary sight. And have you heard anything yet about the car?" Mrs. Abbot says, avoiding Nancy's implied question. ~They're Tom's kids. Let them drill him.~"No not yet, Dad's going to talk to them, and the insurance company tomorrow. He talked to the police earlier and they found that guy. Turns out he's been busted for the same thing countless times before. I guess some people never learn." ~Oh please tell me. I'm not going to get anything out of dad.~
"Well, at least it should make your father's life easier with the insurance people," Mrs. Abbot says, awkward about having called, now that her curiosity is satisfied--on one count as least. ~I am not going to ask to speak to Tom. We're just friends.~ "Well, I suppose I should let you get your day started then."
"Ok, thanks for calling. Do you want me to tell dad that you called? Or do you want to speak to him?"
"Umm, no need to bother. See, I just called to find out how you're doing."
"Ok, well I'll see you later then," Nancy says. ~Darn, it must not have went well.~
"I'll be there tomorrow afternoon, as usual," Mrs. Abbot says. "Send Tommy my regards."
"I will, bye Mrs. Abbot." They both hang up.
A few minutes after Abby hangs up, her phone rings. ~Nancy must have told him I called~ Abby thinks as she lunges for the phone. "Hi!"
"Well, you sound chipper this morning, Sandra Sue."
"Oh, hi, Mom. I thought you were someone else."
"Some days I feel like someone else. A specific someone else?" she asks her daughter.
"Oh, maybe."
"That lawyer you were going out with?"
"Oh, please, Mom. He was--he was awful. Almost enough to put me off men altogether."
"So this someone you were greeting so enthusiastically isn't a man?" Katherine Mitchell fishes.
"Well, um, yes, as a matter of fact, Tom Bradford is a man." ~Definitely a man.~
"Bradford? Weren't you getting a new student named Bradford? Small world."
"Not that small. It's his father."
"Are you allowed to do that?" Katherine asks.
"There's no rule against it, but I told him I shouldn't see him while I'm teaching his son. We'll go out again afterwards, though."
There's a hesitation on the other end of the line.
"What is it, Mom?"
"This is that place you described as a madhouse, isn't it?"
"Yeah, why?"
"You're dating a widower with a house full of children. Do you know what you're getting into?"
"It's just for fun, Mom. It's not like I'm marrying him."
"Sandra Sue, when a man has that many children, he isn't looking for fun. He's looking for a housekeeper."
"That's not fair. You don't even know him."
"And you do?"
"Touche. But like I said, we're not going to go out again, at least for a month."
"And in the meanwhile you'll be at his house every day."
"That's my job!"
"Just be careful, dear."
"Aren't you the one who usually tells me to be less careful?" Abby teases.
"Usually you're bringing me the temptation of a doctor or a lawyer, not a man who's main occupation seems to be children."
"OK, OK, I got the message. So, how'd Dad's game go this morning?" The two Mitchell women talk about the usual things for a while, catching up on the week. Once they hang up Abby starts biting her thumbnail, thinking about what her mother said.
Mid-morning, Joannie's finally ready to head downstairs, and she bumps into her father at the top of the stairs. "You slept late," she says. "Pleasant dreams?"
"Very pleasant dreams, how 'bout you?" he asks.
~I'll bet I know just whom those dreams were of, too, you sly devil.~ "Fine." They start walking down the stairs. "You know, Dad, it'll be strange not to have Mrs. Abbot over here today, won't it?"
"Yes it will, but tomorrow will come fast enough."
"Well, you could call her up, you know, just to let her know how Nancy is. Or even invite her over to see for herself," Joannie pushes.
"I think I'll do that as soon as I find out how Nancy is." They go downstairs and see that breakfast is already waiting for them.
"Wow that's a lot of pancakes," Tom comments.
"Nancy made them. Can you say too much caffeine?" Elizabeth says to Joannie and Tom.
Joannie laughs. "I told you not to have that second cup. Hey, have you guys seen Susan yet?"
"Yeah she went straight to bed when she got home this morning. Dad did you know she was going to be out all night?"
"Yes I did. She told me. Nancy, how much coffee have you had?" Tom asks.
"I don't know. If that's not enough pancakes I can make more," she tells her dad and sister.
"Did you sleep last night?"
"No."
"Well then I'm cutting you off. No more coffee for you today. You will sleep as soon as the caffeine wears off," he lectures.
"Hey, that's not fair about Susan. You never let me stay out all night, and I'm older than she is," Joannie whines. "I think I'm going to go find out what she was up to all night. Nance, Elizabeth, wanna help gang up on her?"
"You're darn right I do," Elizabeth replies.
"Absolutely, and Dad I'm not going to sleep until.... Oh I'll tell you later. There are more important things to deal with right now."
The three sisters go upstairs while Tom stares after them and shakes his head. He then sits down next to Nicholas.
"Nicholas how come your sister won't go to sleep?"
"I overheard them early this morning, I think it is the accident." Nicholas says scarfing down the pancakes.
This worries Tom. "Is she scared to go to sleep?"
Nicholas shrugs his shoulders "I don't know." And then adds, "Tommy should try these pancakes; they are good."
Tom smiles. "Why don't you bring him a plate? I have to make a phone call."
"OK," Nicholas replies and makes a plate for Tommy and takes it to him.
The girls rush into Joannie and Susan's room and tumble onto Susan's bed, tickling and grabbing and laughing. "Wake up, sleepyhead," Joannie says into Susan's ear. "It's time to report. Rise and shine."
"Suzy wake up." Nancy says.
"Unless you like waking up in ice water." Elizabeth chimes in.
"Alright, alright I'm awake," replies a sleepy Susan.
"Good," Joannie says. "Now tell us all about him."
"Who?" Susan replies trying to play dumb.
Joannie hits Susan with a pillow.
"The guy you spent the whole night with, that's who." Nancy replies. "Come on spill, or you're not getting any pancakes."
"Okay, okay. What do you want to know?" replies Susan
"Let's start with the easy stuff," Joannie says. "Like everything."
"Who he is, why you stayed out all night, and when's the wedding." Nancy says in one breath.
Meanwhile downstairs, Tom dials Abby's number hoping that she'll answer.
Since speaking to her mother, Abby's been pottering around her apartment, trying to figure out what she wants from life, telling herself she's jumping the gun, convincing herself her mother is wrong, then convincing herself that Mom's right and she's in deeper than she can handle. When the phone rings she grabs for it, happy for the distraction. "Hello?"
"Hello, Abby." Tom smiles.
~I thought we were just going to be friends. So why's he calling me on a Sunday? Maybe Mom's right. Question is, do I care if she is?~ "Hi, Tom," she says cautiously.
"I thought you might be wondering how Nancy is after yesterday. Maybe I shouldn't be calling on a Sunday, but I thought you might be wondering."
"Well, actually, I was. But I called and spoke to her about an hour ago," Abby admits. "She didn't tell you?"
"No she didn't. Did she happen to tell you why she won't sleep? Because she hasn't told me yet. Says she'll tell me later," Tom worries.
"I suppose it's just from the accident, afraid of nightmares, you know. Didn't you go through that when your wife died, knowing that the dreams were worse than the sleep deprivation?"
"Yes I did, but I'm not my daughter. I don't want her knocking herself out trying to avoid sleep."
"Well, you stopped at some point, didn't you? She will, too. I'll bet that once the car is back in the driveway she'll be fine, though it may be difficult to get her back behind the wheel."
"I sure hope so, and as soon as she does get some sleep I'm going to try to get her to drive the station wagon," Tom says not wanting to wait til the sedan's home to get Nancy to go to sleep.
"Does she know to drive a manual?" Abby asks. ~Wait. What are you offering? Are you out of your mind?~
"She drove one once, but I don't know how much she remembers, why do you ask?"
"Well, I was going to offer to let her drive my car--I know she likes it, and maybe that would be temptation enough to get her behind the wheel. But if she's only driven a stick once, Gwendolyn isn't the way to get her back on the road," Abby explains.
"That's very kind of you Abby, but I can't ask that of you. That car is your baby."
"Tell you what. If she balks at driving, I'll offer to teach her how to drive my car, after she's gotten her sea legs back," Abby says, glad that Nancy won't be driving her car, but still wanting to help.
"Thank you," Tom says. ~Hmm, I wonder if she'd like to come over for some pancakes. No, don't do that you're only supposed to be friends right now don't put pressure on her.~
"It's no problem. I'm happy to help," Abby says. ~Yeah, and why are you so happy to help? Hey, he's just a friend. You don't need to examine your motives--at least not until you take him out next month. Plenty of time until then to worry.~
They talk a little while longer and then they both hang up. Tom goes to devise a plan to get Nancy to go to sleep, but other thoughts keep entering his mind instead. ~Why didn't you just ask her? I'm sure she would've have loved to come over and eat pancakes.~
Abby goes back to her puttering, spends a little time studying, some time working on her notes for the reading conference meeting, but her mind keeps drifting, wondering what's going on at the Bradfords'. ~What are you, addicted? One day away and you can't think straight. You didn't even know them this time last week. And besides, Mom's probably right--you want to start with a man who's looking for a wife to run herd over that zoo?~ That does it--she sits there, thinking about Tom and their date instead of studying.
"This is ridiculous," she says aloud, needing to hear the sound of someone's voice, if only her own. "I'm going to go crazy if I just sit here." She picks up her bag and her keys and gets in her car, not quite sure where she'll drive, but needing to get out.
Later Tom goes into town to run some errands and runs into Abby. "Hi, do you come here often?"
Abby moves the grocery bag from one arm to the other. "Only when I want to eat. Fancy meeting you here--small town." ~Got any other cliches you can dig up,~ she chides herself.
"Yeah a very small town," Tom replies. ~Ask her, ask her out to lunch.~
They stand there, awkwardly, for a few minutes, Abby shifting her grocery bag from arm to arm, before she has had enough and says, "This is ridiculous."
"It certainly is. You know just because we're friends doesn't mean that we can't spend time together. Do you want to have lunch with me?" Tom asks.
"I thought you'd never ask," Abby says. "I just need to take these groceries home, though."
"Ok, do you want me to follow you in my car or do you want to meet somewhere?" Tom asks.
Abby thinks this over. "You know, if you promise not to get the wrong idea, I'll make us lunch. I left soup simmering when I went out, anyway."
"I promise not to get the wrong idea." Tom says. "So what are we having?"
"Well, I wasn't expecting company, see. So you'll have to make do with pasta and pesto, garlic bread, and soup. I'll even break out a bottle of wine, in honor of the occasion," Abby smiles.
"Sounds very good to me," Tom replies. He follows her to her apartment and helps her with her groceries.
"So, did you get Nancy to go to sleep?" Abby asks as she puts the water on to boil.
"No, I didn't." Tom's face clouds over. "And you were right. I talked to her before I left and it is the nightmares. She doesn't even have to fall asleep. She closes her eyes and she relives the whole accident again."
"Can't the doctor prescribe something? Or send her to someone to talk it over?" Abby asks. She hands Tom a bottle of wine and a corkscrew. "Would you, please?" She goes back to the stove to finish the cooking. "I can understand why she's like that. It was pretty bad, but not sleeping just makes everything worse, doesn't it?" she says, knowing that he, too, remembers the nights when you can't sleep, afraid of the dreams, afraid of going on, afraid of your own history.
Tom opens the wine and pours them each a glass. "If she isn't asleep by the time I get home I'll call Max and ask him to prescribe something. And yes, not sleeping does make it much worse." Tom's face clouds over at the memory.
Abby lowers the fires and sits down next to Tom. "Want to talk about it?"
"We didn't even know she was going to die it happened so suddenly. She was away for awhile and was on her way back home. When I got the call saying she was in the hospital after an accident...." His voice trails off.
Abby puts a hand on Tom's arm, trying to comfort him. "Did you at least get a chance to say goodbye?"
He shakes his head. "No, she never regained consciousness," Tom says as his eyes well with tears.
Abby has to fight to stop herself from taking him in her arms and offering what comfort she can. "That's the worst, isn't it? There's so much unfinished, and somehow you feel like it's your fault that you didn't get to say everything you meant to."
"Exactly, if I could just have five more minutes, another day with her. I'm sure you've thought the same about your late husband."
"The whole time after I'd heard he'd been captured I was sure he'd come home and I'd be able to make everything all right for him," Abby shrugs. "Until the night the chaplain showed up and told me there was nothing left to hope for."
"Does it get easier to deal with?" Tom asks her.
~He looks like Tommy did when we talked about this.~ "I don't know about 'easier.' You get busy and don't have as much time to think about him. And then there is so much that you didn't share, and you realize that while you weren't looking you moved on. Which does wonders for the guilt factor--how could you have moved on, right? How could you have forgotten?"
Tom nods. "I go through that every day. Each day I wake up there's something I've forgotten about her. Her laugh, the way she looked when she pouted..."
"His voice, his smell, the feel of his hands..." Abby turns away, blushing.
Tom wants to wrap his arms around her and just hold her and comfort her. ~What if she takes it the wrong way?~
Abby wipes at her eyes and goes to busy herself at the stove. When she's composed herself, she brings back the food and sets it on the table. "Could that be what's got Nancy so upset? That she lost her mother to an accident, and nearly got killed herself in one?"
"I didn't even think of that." Tom says as more guilt sets in. "Maybe I should try more understanding and less lecturing with her about having to go to sleep. Let her go to sleep when she's ready."
"Well, maybe less lecturing," Abby agrees, "but don't stop trying to get her to sleep. I don't know about you, but staying up all night staring out the window never did me any good."
"It never really helped me either. And I'm not going to watch her go through it. I just need to figure out what to do."
"You can't solve everything for her, Tom," Abby reasons. "Sometimes you just have to kind of stand back and let her face it on her own, you know? You want to make everything better, but some things--well, they just can't ever be made better."
"She's only eighteen. That's a rough age."
"It's also the age they have to learn to stand on their own. What were you doing at 18?" Abby asks.
"I was writing for the military paper in Korea," Tom answers.
Abby plays with her food for a minute, not having expected such a serious answer. ~But why not? He seems like a serious kind of person.~ "Then you must have been through a lot at that age, and you pulled through. Nancy will, too."
"I know she will, but it hurts more seeing your child go through a terrible experience," he replies.
Abby shrugs; she may have taught hundreds of kids, but she knows that's given her no inkling of what it is to have a child of one's own. She pours them each some more wine. "But it won't help Nancy if you get so caught up in your own emotions that you can't hear what she's saying."
"What do you mean? I'm not doing that," Tom denies.
"Sure you are, a little, at least," Abby tells him. "You've told me--I don't even remember how many times you've told me how hard it is to watch your child go through it. I don't know what's harder, having gone through it or watching the aftermath of someone you love having gone through it, but Nancy doesn't seem the type--if she thinks you're having a hard time dealing with the fact that she's scared, she may not come to you to talk about it, and besides you, what adult does she have to talk to?"
Tom ponders her words. "Good point." He eats some more pasta.
~Oh, great, now he's angry with you,~ Abby chides herself. ~Giving him advice about his kids from your vast stores of parenting experience and long acquaintance with Nancy. What do you know, anyway, Sandra Sue Abbot?~
"This stuff is good, real good." Tom says trying to break the sudden silence.
"Thanks. I don't know why I had this sudden urge to cook. Usually it's just Chef Boyardee straight from the can or something, even if my parents never miss the chance to send me nice table things to remind me that this is not the way I was raised," Abby rolls her eyes, thinking of what her parents would consider proper mealtime behavior.
Tom smiles remembering how his mom was when he left home for the first time. How she would always send care packages no matter how much he protested it. "Well you know how parents can be."
"I certainly do. It's not all bad, though. I figure that if I ever lose my job I can take all the stuff they've sent me the past few years and open up a china shop."
"As long as I can be your first customer," Tom says.
"Oh, I'd never make a profit on what I'd sell you."
Tom is taken back by Abby's statement and nearly chokes on his pasta.
Abby reaches out to pat his back, then realizes what she's said and why he's choking on his food and buries her head in her hands for a moment, shaking her head at herself.
Tom soon recovers and smiles at Abby. He's about to ask what's for dessert, but thinks better of it. "Do you want some more wine?" he asks.
She pushes her wineglass towards him for a refill. "But maybe you'd better not have more," she cautions Tom. "I'm not the one who's got to drive, not today, and if you have much more you'll have to stay here until you're steady on your feet again."
Tom fills her glass. "Don't worry I know when to quit," Tom assures her.
"Are you so sure about that?" Abby asks, meaning, perhaps, more than just the wine.
"Well, no actually, but I try," Tom tells her with a gleam in his eye.
"I've always thought it was more fun not to try," Abby teases back.
~Hmm. Does she want to skip the friends thing and throw caution to the wind? Naah, she's only messing with me.~ Tom laughs at her comment.
Abby joins in his laughter, but inside, she's yelling at herself. ~This isn't some frat boy you're flirting with. Keep putting your foot in your mouth like that for the next month and you're bound to get into trouble. Well, maybe that's what I want. No, you want him to take you seriously, not treat you like some tease. I do? I dunno. Maybe. Maybe I'd better figure out what I want and try to figure out what he wants and not just say the first thing that pops into my head in the meantime.~
All through lunch she watches him warily, trying to figure out what he's thinking, not just hear what he's saying.
"Is everything ok?" Tom finally asks.
"Sure, everything's fine," Abby lies. ~"Tom I think we should have a talk about our relationship. I know we've only known each other for a week and we've gone out once, but where do you see this going?" Yeah, right. I don't think so.~
They finish lunch and talk a little longer and then Tom leaves for home.
Tom arrives home to find Nancy still awake, staring at a cup of coffee. She hears her dad enter the kitchen and glances up at him.
"Dad, if one more drop of coffee hits my taste buds I'm going to be sick. Is there anything else that can keep me awake?"
Tom sits down beside her. "Why do you want to stay awake? What are you afraid of? Honey I know reliving the whole thing must be pretty scary for you, but this isn't the answer. Trust me I've been there. I've had the sleepless nights and they didn't do any good. They didn't make everything ok again. It's going to take time."
"How much time?" Nancy asks.
"I can't answer that. It's different for everyone. There is no time limit on these things. Now you can barely keep your eyes open. Why don't you give up the struggle and go get some sleep. You've already been through a traumatic ordeal why add to the trauma?"
She ponders his words and finally gives in and goes upstairs to bed. This time she can close her eyes without reliving the accident. She wakes up a few times from nightmares; however, Elizabeth and Tom calm her down and she's soon asleep again.
After almost four weeks Tommy has finally gotten the hang of having Mrs. Abbott showing up every afternoon to tutor him.
"Come in."
"Hey, Tommy," Mrs. Abbot says. "How're you doing? And please, please tell me you have that essay finished. I know you've said you hate English, but I hate feeling like I'm torturing a small animal every time I remind you about it."
"Yeah, I knew you would be on my case about it." Tommy replies and hands it to her. "I finished it a half hour ago."
Abby looks at the paper just long enough to make sure that it really is the essay that's due. "A cooperative student--I think I'm in love."
"You are talking to the wrong Tom," Tommy jokes.
~He can't think...What does he know? Even I'm not sure...~ What do you mean by that, Tommy?" she asks in her most stern 'tutorial' voice.
"Oh come on; everyone in this house knows you and Dad like each other." Tommy laughs and sees her face going red. "How's the essay?"
Abby takes the opportunity to look away from Tommy and at the essay. After a few minutes she mutters, "It's certainly better than your sense of tact..." and when she finishes reading, after praising the good points and pointing out some error in grammar and logic, she ask, "What do you mean 'everyone in this house knows' that your father and I like each other? Of course we like each other--your father's a good man, and we've gotten a few chances to talk while I've been here teaching you, but that's all."
"Boy you changed the subject fast," Tommy replies and sees she is waiting for an answer. "Look it is no secret in this house that my Dad likes you; I mean really likes you. We can see it every time you two are together and its OK."
"You mean you kids have discussed this?" Abby says, a little shocked at being the topic of gossip.
"Well yeah...now don't get angry but to be honest with you. Since my dad has met you; we have all notice that he has seemed a lot less sad."
Abby's quiet for a moment, trying to sort out what she feels. Should she yell at Tommy for the gossip? Ignore the conversation and get back to the reason she's paid to be here? Or be honest with him? In the end, she decides on the last--there's a lot more to teaching than math and science. "I'm glad your father's been less sad lately, though I'm not sure I can take any credit for that. But remember what I always tell you--don't go jumping to conclusions. Soon you're going to be out of that cast and back in school and I won't be around here all the time. I'd like to stay friends with your father, and with you all, too, but if you all start trying to make this into something more than it is, that'll make things difficult, OK?"
"OK, we will butt out of it. Speaking of casts; Dr. Max seems to think I will be able to get it off next week."
"That soon?" Abby asks, a little dismayed. "I mean," she covers, "I'm sure you're looking forward to that. Getting out of this room, back to school, or at least back to the girls in school."
Tommy smiles knowing what she is covering and then says, "Well I will at least be glad to get out of this room." To make sure she still comes around often he decides to ask, "If I still have trouble is it OK if I call you?"
"Of course. Even if you just want to talk." Abby hesitates a minute and then returns to their earlier conversation, "You guys don't have any problems with your father making friends? I mean, your mother didn't die all that long ago."
Tommy hesitates answering that question but then responds. "Remember when you first came here and I was depressed about going on?" Abby nods. "You told me my mom wouldn't have wanted me to stop living so I guess the same principle applies to my dad."
"That's really very mature," Abby says. "Have you told your dad that?"
Tommy laughs. "I don't think I need to, from what Joannie told me she already told him none of us mind, although I don't think she asked Nicholas," Tommy jokes.
"She did?" Abby says, focusing on what's most important to her own life. "He didn't say...How'd he react?"
"I thought you didn't like gossip?" Tommy laughs.
"I never actually said that," Abby says, somewhat self-righteously. "I just warned you against jumping to conclusions. I'm all for the honest reporting of facts."
"Let's just say he was pleased when Joannie told him."
"That's good," Mrs. Abbot says. "It's important for him to know that you understand that he's more than just your father." ~I wonder why he didn't say anything to me. Maybe he will when I take him out, once Tommy's back in school. Unless he's reconsidering the whole idea?~
"Earth to Mrs. Abbott. Are you still here?" Tommy asks. "As much as I hate school work, could you give me a hand with this science problem? There's this certain tutor who might be a bit upset with me tomorrow if I don't get it done."
"She must be a real tyrant," Mrs. Abbot laughs, and then settles down to work, only drifting off a few times during the course of the afternoon.
The next week in Dr. Maxwell's office:
Tommy waits with David in Dr. Max's examination room. Dr. Max comes in with the X-rays in his hand. "What's the verdict?" Tommy asks.
Dr. Maxwell smiles at him. "Do you feel like getting a cast removed today?" he asks the boy.
"Are you serious?" Tommy asks. "That would be great."
"Well then let's get that piece of plaster off." Greg gets the correct equipment and starts working on the cast. Moments later it's off. "Ok, now let's see how you walking without that thing weighing you down."
"Wow," Tommy says and replies, "It feels weird."
"I guess so." David says. "Now take it easy for the first few steps. You're not ready to run races yet," he jokes.
Tommy laughs and then asks Dr. Max. "When can I go back to school?"
"This coming up Monday," Greg answers.
"Dad and Mrs. Abbott will be glad to hear that," Tommy laughs.
"Why's that?" David asks.
"They have been doing everything they can to run into each other at home. You should see those two when they are in the same room, they both light up like Christmas trees. What makes it so funny they think the rest of us aren't aware how much they like each other."
"So now they can finally do something about it now that she won't be tutoring you anymore."
"That's what we are hoping for," Tommy says. "At least it will put them out of their misery one way or the other."
Later, at the cast-removal party:
The party is in full swing and everyone is having a good time. When Mary arrives she asks her dad to talk in his office. She tells him that she and Doug are going to not live together anymore. Sort of a trial separation. Tom comforts his daughter and they soon return to the party.
Throughout the party Abby's been staying to the background, almost never in the same room as Tom, but watching him through the doorways whenever she catches a glimpse of him.
Tom notices that Abby has been watching him because he's been watching her, too. He finally approaches her. "So now that you're no longer my son's tutor, what are you doing Friday night?"
"Well, I was supposed to be asking this very nice man out for a date, but I've been trying to work up my nerve to," Abby tells him.
"Who is he? Do I know him?" Tom teases.
Abby shakes her head. "I don't think you've ever been introduced. You know, if I only knew some way to be sure he didn't want to be just friends. Who can tell what a man is thinking, right?"
"Why don't you just come straight out and ask him?"
Abby takes a deep breath. "So, Tom, now that Tommy's not going to be my student anymore--what are you doing Friday night?"
"Going out with you, I hope," Tom smiles.
Abby smiles, glad she hadn't misread Tom's interest. "I vaguely remember telling you that you should pick the place--so where am I taking you?"
"But I picked last time. We should go where you want to go," Tom says.
~Oh, I know where I'd like to go, but it's way too soon for that.~ "Well, there's the movies, but you can't talk then. Um...how about dancing?" ~You can tell a lot about a man by the way he dances, right? Maybe it'll be almost as good...~
"Dancing sounds fun," Tom says as he gazes at her. ~I hope we don't go anywhere loud.~
"Great. Then I'll pick you up at--say, 8?" ~Wonder what kind of dancing he likes. I'll bet the kids know. Nah, that'd be too strange, asking a man's children where to take him on a date.~
"I'll be ready," Tom tells her.
Nancy overhears the conversation. ~Oh no you won't be. You're the one being picked up you will not be ready when she arrives. You will be fashionably late.~ Nancy starts plotting.
"All right. I'll see you then," Abby says. "In the meantime, I guess I should go and hassle Tommy, pay him back for the past five weeks while I can."
"Go easy on the boy. He doesn't mean to give tutors a rough time," Tom says.
"Oh, I won't work him over too badly. Just enough to make sure he never forgets me," Abby laughs.
Tom watches as she walks over to Tommy and keeps an eye on the situation.
Mrs. Abbot waits until there's a break in the circle around Tommy and then steps close to him. "Congratulations. I hear you're getting rid of that cranky old bat of a tutor."
"I thought you were the one that told me not to jump to conclusions?"
"What do you mean by that?" she asks. "You are going back to school on Monday, aren't you?" ~You'd better be, because I don't plan to cancel my date with your father.~
"Yes, I am going back on Monday. And as much as it kills me to say this to a teacher, you aren't a cranky old bat. A tough bat, but not cranky," Tommy kids.
Abby laughs. "You know, keep up the compliments and I may have to break your other leg, just so I can keep teaching you."
"Well, all kidding aside; I learned a lot from you and I don't mean academics, either. Thanks for giving me that extra push out of my shell."
"I'm glad you let me," Abby says. "You've got way too much to offer to lock yourself away, you know."
"So you keep telling me," Tommy replies. "Speaking of locking away, are you and Dad going out now that I am not in the way?"
"Tommy, you weren't 'in the way',' Abby protests, not really answering his question.
"Well, are you?"
"In the way? I don't think so."
"Do I have to spell it out for you? Are you and Dad going out on a date?" Tommy asks curiously.
"You know, Tommy, maybe that's something you should be asking your father, not me. By the way, who're you going to ask out first when you get back to school?"
"OK...I get the picture; mind my own business."
"Well, not entirely. Feel free to mind your father's business; I'm sure he asks you about who you're seeing, when, where, and when you'll be home."
Tommy laughs. "You got that right."
"So go torture your father a little." Abby looks towards Tom. "I'd say he looks a little lonely right now."
~Probably lonely for you~ Tommy thinks and goes over his Dad. "Hey Dad, how's
it going?"
"It's going great, Tommy. I bet it feels great not having that plaster on your leg anymore. How is your leg?"
"Better....so are you and Mrs. Abbottgoing out?"
Tom glances over at Abby and smiles. "Yes we are, this Friday." He then turns back to his son. "Why do you ask?"
"No particular reason," Tommy says. "Do I need to give you 'The Talk?' I mean it has been awhile since you have been in the dating scene," Tommy says, trying to keep a straight face.
"No you don't need to give me the talk!!" Tom says. "Don't worry, son, I have it all under control," Tom says and goes into the kitchen.
Tommy follows him into the kitchen "Dad you OK, you know I was joking earlier don't you?"
"I know you were Tommy. Everything is ok," Tom assures him.
"Thinking about Mom?" Tommy asks.
Tom is taken back by this question. No he wasn't thinking about Joan. In fact he hadn't thought about her all day. ~Is that what they call moving on?~ "Tommy why don't you go back and enjoy your party." ~Before more guilt sets in. I'd rather be alone when that happens.~
"Sorry Dad, didn't mean to hit a nerve," Tommy says and walks away.
Nancy goes after Tommy she had overheard the tail end of the conversation. "What was that all about?" she asks him.
"Don't have a clue; I was kidding him about his date with Mrs. Abbot and I guess I did a stupid thing about mentioning Mom. What I was going to say to him was it was OK to date again but didn't get the chance."
"Maybe you should tell him that before he breaks out the pie ala mode and chocolate sauce," Nancy suggests.
"I'll give it another try," Tommy says.
He goes back into the kitchen. "Dad, let me just say this and I will leave you alone. I know you don't need any of our permissions but it is OK if you start dating again."
"Thank you Tommy," Tom smiles at him. "It's nice to hear that."
Tommy nods and goes back to enjoy the party.