"I rented us a motorcycle," Abby tells him.

Tom grin widens.  "A what?"

"You said you'd take me for a ride," Abby reminds him. "Don't chicken
out on me now, wild man."

"When do we go to pick up the motorcycle?"

Abby looks at her watch. "About 45 minutes, and it'll take 15 or so to
get there. Why?"

"Because I can't wait to take you for a ride on it."

"Maybe they'll have it ready early," Abby suggests.

"And maybe not."  Tom eyes the bed.

"Tom, we only have half an hour," Abby protests, but not too forcefully.

Tom pleads to her with his eyes.

"I suppose we could always be a few minutes late..."

Tom and Abby test out the new bed, but they are able to restrain
themselves enough not to break it.

Abby then makes Tom get out of the bed, get dressed, and go with her to
the motorcycle rental place. "Come on. Got to keep your wife happy, you
know."

"I know dear."  The arrive at the motorcycle place.

"Now let's see what you're really made of."

Tom pays the man in charge of rentals and then picks out a motorcycle,
puts on his helmet and hands Abby her helmet.

Abby grumbles. "I suppose I must," she says as she puts it on. "Not very
wild, though."

"Neither is brain damage my dear."  Tom says as they get on the bike.
He starts it and revs the engine before taking off.

"Sometimes you are such an old fogey," Abby complains. "Right, but an
old fogey."

"Would an old fogey be taking you for a ride on his Hogg!!"

Abby tightens her arms around him. "I don't know--all he's done so far
is rev his engine."

Tom increases the speed when he gets to the next curve.

Abby holds him tighter and kisses his back.

The front wheel of the bike hits an oil patch causing Tom to lose
control and causing the couple to part company with the motorcycle.

"Tom? Are you OK?" Abby asks when she recovers from the shock.

"Yes are you ok?"  He moves toward her worriedly and then let's out a
yelp.

"What? Where are you hurt?"

"My ankle."  He groans and tries to keep from yelling.

Abby looks at the road, at the bike, and back at where they'd come from.
"We can't walk back there. Think you could teach me how to get this
motorcycle going?" Abby asks.

"I don't know maybe. Are you a fast learner?"

Abby begins to make an innuendo-laden remark, but decides that now is
not the time. "Yes, I am. Come on, let me help you up on the motorcycle
and then you can tell me what I need to know."

Abby helps Tom up onto the bike and he tells her what to do and soon
they're on the road again.

Abby drives the motorcycle, biting her lip all the while and hoping Tom
doesn't notice. "You doing OK?" she asks him, worried.

"I am but my ankle isn't."  He grits his teeth.

"Just hang on. We're almost there, and then I'll take you to a doctor."

Tom hangs on to Abby while she drives them back to the hotel.  When they
get there the hotel doctor takes a look at it and sends them to the
local hospital for x-rays.

"I'm afraid it's broken, Mr. Bradford," the doctor tells him. "You're
lucky it wasn't worse--it was this close to being a complex fracture."

"Broken, no it can't be.  I have things to do tonight."

"Well, you're going to have to do them on crutches."

"I don't think that is possible."

Abby leans over and whispers in Tom's ear, "We can but try..."

Tom smiles and whispers something in her ear.  They both laugh.

The doctor clears his throat.

"Sorry," Abby says, trying to look serious, rubbing at her wrist.

"What's wrong with your wrist?"  Tom asks.

"What? Oh, I'm sure it's nothing. I mean, it's not broken or anything,"
Abby says, looking at it. "You're the one who got hurt."

"Doctor can you please look at her wrist?"

"Tom..." Abby protests, but the doctor's already taken hold of her wrist
and is examining it.

"Well?"  Tom asks him.

"It's not broken," the doctor says. "Looks like a bad sprain, though."

Tom sighs in relief that it's not broken while the doctor wraps her
wrist with an ace bandage.

"Hey, Tom, maybe we run away from home," Abby suggests. "'Cause if we go
home like this, the kids will never let us live it down."

"Good idea." Tom agrees thinking of how the children will react.

The doctor gives Tom a prescription and a pair of crutches, gives them
both an order to see their own doctor when they get home, and releases
them.

Later back at the hotel.

"Maybe we should just go back home."  Tom grumbles.

"What do you mean by that?" Abby says, annoyed at his tone of voice.
"I'm not the one who was driving, you know."

"No your just the one who teased me about how tame I was driving."

"Oh, so now this is my fault?"

"It's both our fault."

"You were the one who wasn't looking where you were going," Abby
answers. "It's not like it's the first time, either."

"Oh yeah, well, uh um." Tom stammers not being able to come up with an
argument.

"Poor Tom. What am I going to do with you?"

"Lend me some good arguments maybe?"

Abby laughs. "No way. A girl's got to keep her advantages."

"Darn."  He pouts.

"Oh, OK," Abby relents. "I'll give you one good, unbeatable argument."

"Thank you, now what is it?"

"This," Abby says and kisses him.

"Oh I like that argument."  He returns the kiss.

"So, what is it you had to do today?" Abby asks.

"What do you think?"

"Get a head start on Christmas shopping?"

Tom laughs. "Not even close."  He starts kissing her.

"Oh, that. You thought something as small as a broken ankle would ruin
your plans?"

"Yes, are you here to prove me wrong?"

"Maybe you should tell me why you thought it would stop you," Abby
teases.

"Maybe you can let me get away with not telling you?"  He pleads.

"You're so cute when you're squirming," Abby says. "And the answer is
no."

"I thought it would stop me because I wasn't thinking clearly at the
time."

"You are such a liar. Cute, but a liar," Abby challenges.

"It's true I just left out a tiny detail.  I had forgotten about
different positions because I wasn't thinking clearly."  He finally
confesses.

Abby stares at him. "You know, I'm glad we got to go away on a
honeymoon. You're certainly different than you are at home, with kids
banging up and down the steps and knocking on the bedroom door."

"I'm glad we did too."

"I thought I was marrying this sweet, gentle, someone stodgy man, and
instead I get you."

"Are you disappointed?"

"I'll have to think about that for a while," Abby teases.

"How long is a while?"

"I've had over a month of Tom the father figure. How long do I get to
try out Tom the wild man?"

"For the duration of the honeymoon and when the kids aren't home."

"You mean for the next few days and sometime around the year 2000."

"Actually I think it would be nice if the kids got a little vacation of
their own away from home."

"You trust them, going off on their own? Are you nuts?"

"The older kids can keep the younger ones in line."

Abby starts to laugh. "I think it'd be safer if we put Nicholas in
charge."

Tom laughs also.  "I believe you're right."

"Good. What else do you believe about me?"

Tom grins.  "I believe you're the most beautiful woman in the world both
inside and out."

"...since you're so well acquainted with both those sides of me."

"That I am."

"You sure about that? Maybe you need to renew that acquaintance a
little..."

"Gladly." He says as they get back in bed.

"Watch out for your ankle," Abby teases him.

"Oh I will, watch out for your wrist."

"Why do I feel like this is going to turn into a comedy of errors?" Abby
asks.

"Abby don't worry we'll do fine."

"Or at least have fun trying," Abby says.

He smiles.  "You got that right."

"I'm game if you are," Abby smiles. "Good thing we got the bed
replaced--I'd hate to have to use other furniture under the
circumstances."

"Abby,"  Tom says.  "We both talk too much."  He proceeds to show her
just how wild he can be.

And Abby shows just how quiet she can be.

They have a wild and silent night.

Meanwhile at the Bradford's.

Vivian looks around the Bradford house. "You call this a party?" she
grouses.

"Auntie V." Elizabeth complains.  "We're too tired to keep partying."

"Too tired? The week's just begun!"

"Yeah really."  Nancy agrees.  "Come on guys wake up let's have some
fun."

"Not enough people here," V says. "Too little food, the music's too
quiet. And there are all together too many clothes. I know--let's throw
a Hawaiian luau!"

"Ok."  Elizabeth says waking up a little.

"Tommy, get more of your friends over here. Nancy, you turn up the
heat--and break out the bikinis."

Nancy turns up the heat and goes to change into her bikini and brings
some bikinis for the others.

Vivian calls for appropriate take-out.

Elizabeth puts the Hawaiian music on.

Vivian does a head count. "Someone call more men!" she yells over the
noise. "And has anyone seen Nicholas?"

"Him and Kenny are outside playing with Sam!!"  Nancy yells and goes to
call more men over.

Vivian makes her way to the phone to call her nephew. "David, you really
are missing some party. What are you doing, turning into your father?"

"No, I have better things going on here if you know what I mean."  He
answers.

"That's what your father always said when I invited him to my parties.
And nine months later, another Bradford baby was born."

"Don't worry we're being very careful."

"That's what your parents said, too," Vivian teases.

David laughs.  "Ok we'll be there soon."

"Smart choice. I always said you had your father's brains--which
explains why he no longer has any"

David laughs again.  Soon he and his latest girlfriend are at the party
also.

"So, what do you think of Auntie V's party?" Joannie asks when she
dances by with Sean.

"She throws a great party that's for sure."  David says.

"Hey little brother what are you doing here?"  David's girlfriend asks
Sean.

Sean gestures toward Joannie, who's in line for food. "And you?"

"This is David, Joannie's older brother.  David this is my little
brother Sean."

"Hey how's it going man?"  David says.

Sean keeps looking at Joannie in her bikini. "Real good. And maybe even
better."

"Hey just don't break her heart ok and you'll be safe from me."

"David!!"  Sean's sister scolds.

"It's not her heart...Um, don't worry, I'll be cool," Sean says and
begins to edge away from Overprotective! David.

David glares at him.

"Oh, look, I think Joannie's looking for me. Later!" Sean says and
breaks out into a run.

"Hey don't worry big brother he's harmless."  She calms David down.

Joannie sees Sean and gives him a big kiss, then smirks in David's
direction.

David continues to glare so his girlfriend takes him to the sun porch to
give him a reason not to glare anymore.  Nancy approaches Joannie and
Sean.

"What's David's problem?"

"Maybe his girlfriend's not giving him..." Joannie stops when she sees
the glare on Sean's face. "Maybe he just doesn't want to be here."

~He's not the only one I feel like sulking over some ice cream sodas.~
"I can't imagine why this party is fun."

"You still down over Ray and Jason?" Joannie asks.

"Of course not I'm fine."  Nancy lies and puts on a fake smile.

"Maybe, but you're a lousy liar."

"Joannie I'll be fine.  I'll get over it eventually."

"But in the meantime you're missing a great party. And cute guys."

Nancy pretends to return to the party, but instead slips upstairs and
puts some clothes on, takes the keys to the station wagon.  Leaves a
note and heads to the ice cream shop.

The manager is there.

"Sheesh kid you're here again.  Sit down.  Now what's his name?  And you
want I should do something about it. I can be discreet."

Nancy laughs.  "Naah he's half way to Mexico by now, and make it a
double."

"Ok, but he's not worth it."

"I can't believe we ran out of punch fixings," Auntie V complains. "I'll
go get them. You kids party." She goes outside and comes right back in.
"OK, Bradford’s! Line up for a head count--we're one car short."

Elizabeth does a head count.  "Ok where did Nancy go?"

"She was here a minute ago," Joannie says. "I talked to her. She was
upset over--hey, chocolate ice cream sodas, you think?"

Elizabeth nods.  "Yes, and pretty soon we'll be getting a call from Mr.
Ripley saying that she's overdoing it again."  The phone rings.

"Is my son over there?" Mr. Landers asks when the phone is picked up.

"Yeah he's playing with Nicholas, why?"  Elizabeth asks.

"Because I haven't seen him in three days. You tell him to get back
home, or else!"

Elizabeth goes to get Kenny and drags him home to his parents.

"But I don't want to go!" Kenny screams the whole time. "Help! Police!
Someone!"

His mom drags him in the house and then Elizabeth goes home to her
house.

"Hey, errand girl," Joannie says when she gets back. "Think you can talk
Nancy out of the ice cream shop? Mr. Ripley called, and he's run out of
chocolate already."

"And if she doesn't come home for me?"

"Make her. Drag her. Or tell her I'll tell you what I found in her
dresser."

"Ok, hey wait what did you find?  Oh never mind you can tell me later."
She heads for the ice cream shop and finds Nancy there.  "He's not worth
it sis.  Do you really want to spend the rest of your life with zits and
stomach aches."

"Elizabeth go home."

"No, not without you.  You're missing a great party."

"Well I'm sorry but I don't feel much like partying and pretending
everything is ok when it's not."

Elizabeth hugs her.  "I know but come home for Joannie so she can enjoy
Sean without having to worry about you."

"Ok."  She pays Mr. Ripley and then she and Elizabeth get in the station
wagon.

Elizabeth considers asking her what Joannie found but decides against
it.  ~Naah now isn't the right time.~

They arrive home and go inside.

Joannie is waiting for them. "OK, sister, you've pulled some stunts
before, but this time I'm angry with you," she tells Nancy.

"I left a note." Nancy defends herself.

"Where?" Joannie asks, looking over all the surfaces, all of which are
covered with food, drink, and people.

Elizabeth finds a piece of paper covered with soda.  "Well sis looks
like your note was destroyed."

"Great even when I'm responsible enough to leave a note it backfires."
Nancy goes to the kitchen.

"Oh, great, now she's going to sulk," Joannie moans.

Elizabeth glares at her.  "Well what do you expect Joannie?  When your
heart gets broken you can't just turn that off and pretend like
everything is fine when it's not.  She's going to need time."

"Best way to fight heartache is to find a new toy to play with. Maybe
someone who'll make that Jason jealous..."

They both look towards Sean to go call a friend of his or something.

"OK, OK, I can take a hint," Sean says and picks up the phone.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you." Elizabeth says to Joannie.

"If you can't yell at me..."

Sean hangs up. "I've got five guys coming over to audition."

"Who can I yell at."  Elizabeth finishes Joannie's sentence.  "Thanks
Sean."

"First see who she picks, then thank me."

Sean’s five friends come over.

"Hey Sean where's the prospect?"  One of them says.

"Nancy! Hey, Nancy, where are you?" Sean yells.

She comes out of the kitchen.  "What do you.."  She stops in midsentence
when she sees the five new guys and smiles.  "Hi I'm Nancy."

The five guys reply in unison, "Hi, Nancy" and then fall all over each
other in their rush to introduce themselves to her.

~Hmm, the day is looking much better.~  She converses with the five and
finally picks one and leads him to the dance floor.

Joannie thanks Sean and starts dancing with him and V takes one of
Nancy's rejects onto the dance floor.

Elizabeth tries to take another reject but David stops her telling her
to find a guy who's under 18.  She pouts until she finds such a guy and
then takes him onto the dance floor.

Another of the guys tries introducing himself to Mary.

The next day,  Tom and Abby are worn out from the honeymoon and their
injuries so they decide to catch an early flight home.  At the
Sacramento airport.

"Are you sure you want to take a cab?  Maybe we should just call one of
the kids to pick us up."  Tom says.

"I think I'd like a few extra minutes before they start making comments
on how we look," Abby says, gesturing towards Tom's cast and her wrapped
wrist.

"Yeah good idea."  They get a cab and arrive home about 20 or 30 minutes
later.  "What are all these cars doing here?"  Tom comments and heads to
the front door."

"Oh, yeah, you don't mind that they're having a party," Abby mutters.
"At least as long as you don't see it, huh?"

"Abby that was before when I could still bask in the bliss of
ignorance.  This is now where reality has set in."  He goes inside.
"What's going on in here!!"

Nancy turns around and sees the look on his face.  "Dad, Abby, you're
home early.  How was your trip?"

"Almost as much fun as staying home, it looks like," Abby says.

Joannie comes into the room at the head of a conga line and stops in her
tracks. "Dad, you're not here!"

"I most certainly am here."  He says in an angry tone.  "Everyone that
isn't a Bradford, out now!!"

A bunch of people make a fast exit including a female puppy from down
the street.  Sam starts whining.

Sean starts heading for the door and Joannie grabs his arm. "Dad, you
can't do this."

"I most certainly can this is my house."  He looks at Sean.  "You can
call her later."

"Dad, it's our house too, and you're not supposed to be back yet!"

"Yeah well I am home and I want this house spotless!!  Where's Mary?!"

"Hey Mary had nothing to do with this!!  She tried to stop us but we
outnumbered her!!"  Nancy shouts.

"Tom, you should sit down," Abby fusses over him. "You can yell at them
just as easily from the couch."

Nancy notices the injuries and simmers down.  "What happened?  Are you
two ok?"

"We're fine," Abby answers. "We didn't have the sedan with us," she
says, leaving Tom the job of actually explaining.

"We had a little accident." Tom says.

"What kind of accident?"  Nancy asks.

"Motorcycle accident."  Tom says quietly.

"Ahh I see."  Nancy stifles back a laugh.  "So while we were living it
up, so were you."

"That is the point of a honeymoon," Abby said quietly.

"It sure is."  Tom kisses Abby and then turns back to Nancy.  "Now help
your brothers and sisters clean."

"Ok already."  Nancy goes to help them.

Vivian comes down the stairs. "What happened to the--oh, Tom. You're not
supposed to be here."

Tom takes one look at Vivian and groans.

Vivian takes a closer look at Tom. "A broken ankle?" Then she looks at
Abby. "And what did you do to your wrist? Do I have to send the kids out
before you tell me, I hope?"

"Motorcycle accident, now are you responsible for the party?"

"It was already in full swing when I got here," Vivian maintains. "What
were you doing on a motorcycle?"

"Having fun."

"No wonder you got into an accident."

"I can have fun without getting into an accident." Tom claims.

"Um, Tom..." Abby contradicts him, recalling the broken bed, the flooded
bathroom, the motorcycle and the whole problem of her forgotten pills.

"Well sometimes." He admits.

Vivian stands.” Well, now that you're home I'll just pack my things and
be on my way," she says, hoping to avoid a Tom Bradford (TM) lecture.

"Don't leave yet I haven't had a chance to talk to you alone yet."  Tom
says in a I'm going to lecture you tone.

"That's exactly why I'm leaving, little brother."

"At least stay for dinner."

"Are you serving it with a side dish of 'How could you let them do
this'?"  Vivian asks.

"Would I be your brother if I didn't?"

"Good point."

Abby stands. "I'm going to go upstairs and put our bags away," she tells
Tom. "And don't even think of offering to help. I can carry with one
hand, but you shouldn't climb the steps more than you have to."

Tom gives Vivian the why didn't you stop them lecture.

"Oh, come on, Tom. They're young. They deserve a little fun."

"I'm well aware of that but there is such thing as too much fun and they
also need to learn responsibility."

"You're talking like they all got arrested or trashed the house. All
they
did was have a party, Tom!" Vivian says.

>From upstairs, Abby lets out a scream.

Tom rushes as fast as he can upstairs so do some of the children.  "Abby
what's wrong?"

Abby turns on the children. "You had to party, even though your father
trusted you not to get wild? All right, I can buy that--you're young
still.  But. Not. In. Here!!"

Elizabeth whispers to Nancy.  "I thought their room was spic and span
this morning."

"It was, you don't think Nicholas had another friend over do you?"  She
whispers back.

"Is anyone planning to say anything?" Abby asks.

"I didn't party in here,"Joannie defends herself.

"We didn't either."  Nancy says of her and Elizabeth.  "However we did
make sure it was clean last night.  It's not supposed to be messed up
again."

"What do you mean, you 'made sure it was clean'?" Abby asks. None of you
were supposed to be in here in the first place."

"We saw it was messed up and decided it should be clean before you got
home.  Was that wrong?"  Nancy asks.

"Don't get cute."  Tom glares at her.

"I wasn't."

"We didn't leave a messy room," Abby insists. "So who messed it up, and
why is it you even were in here to notice?"

Nancy remains silent not wanting to rat Nicholas out.  "I don't know who
did it and don't worry next time I won't answer the phone in your room.
Excuse me."  She goes downstairs.

Abby sighs. "Tom, you deal with them," she waves at the other kids, "
and I'll go find out what's with her."

"Ok,"  Tom says.  After Abby leaves.  "Who messed up our room?"

"I bet it was some of the people from the party." Susan says.

Elizabeth agrees.  Tom just glares at them.  "And why were they let up
here?"

"Who knows.  Maybe they invited themselves up here." replies Susan.

"Regardless, I want this room clean."  He tells his children.

Abby leaves the room and goes downstairs in search of Nancy.

She finds her cleaning in the kitchen.

Abby grabs a handful of dishes and puts them in the sink. "I wasn't
singling you out, you know."

"It felt like it."  Nancy says. "But it's ok, I know you didn't mean
it.  I just had to get away from the situation.  Did you two have a good
time?"

Abby avoids the question. "I wasn't even looking at you when I asked
who'd been in my room--you weren't even the person I thought was, so why
did you feel singled out?"

Nancy reminds Abby of what she had said to her up in the bedroom.

Abby reminds Nancy that she was the one who first said she'd been in Tom
and Abby's room. "After hearing that, I don't think 'why' is an invalid
question."

"You're right.  I guess I took it the wrong way.  I've been doing that a
lot lately. In fact I think I'm getting on my brothers and sisters
nerves."

"So what's really wrong?"

"Ray, Jason, and Cassie.  I had a date last night and he said he'd call
me again but it still hurts you know.  Joannie, Auntie V, and the others
have done everything they can to help me get over it and the minute I
think it's working I start feeling sad and angry again."

"Hey, it takes a while to get over a guy, much less two," Abby points
out.

"I know, Ray really had me fooled.  But I guess he had a lot of people
fooled.  He's a real piece of work."

"It doesn't help, but you know, you're better off without him."

"I know."  She observes Abby cleaning.  "Hey Abby you're hurt take
advantage of that. Don't clean, just rest."

"Tell you what. I'll clean, but you can do the dishes."

"Ok, but only if it won't hurt your wrist."  Nancy starts on the dishes.

Nicholas comes in the back door and says "Hi, you are back."

"Yep, at least I think so. Have a good time while we were gone?" Abby
asks.

"Yeah, Kenny P and I spent a lot of time together." he says "Hey what
happened to your Hand?"

"We sort of fell off a motorcycle," Abby admits. "Good thing we were
wearing helmets or we'd really have been in bad shape. And I heard Kenny
P. Landers was here--your sisters are blaming the mess upstairs on him."

"I tried to stop him, sorry." he says

"I don't get why you two are friends, even," Abby says. "He seems to be
nothing but trouble."

"Because he has no other friends." Nicholas explains.

Nancy's face clouds over.  "Hey Nicholas, talk to Kenny about a good
time this week and I'll take you both out for ice cream."

"Cool." he replies

"You mean you get into all that trouble with him just to be nice?" Abby
asks.

"Sort of." he says

The Bradford's continue to clean house until the house is back to what
it was before Tom and Abby went on their honeymoon.

Mary comes home and sees the house and wonders why everything is so
quiet.

Tom calls her into the living room where he has his leg propped up.

"Dad, what happened to you?" She asks.

"I had a little accident."  Tom says.  "I hear you got overthrown while
we were gone.  It's not as easy as it looks trying to keep order in a
big family is it?"

"I tried Dad, but nobody would listen to me. I am sorry I let you down
but I am so glad you are back." Mary says.

"Honey you didn't let me down.  In fact I feel like I've let you down
leaving you in charge of all of them all by yourself.  I'm sorry.  I
should have made Joannie or David help you."

"That’s OK." Mary says, "Now what type of accident did you have?"

"Motorcycle accident."  He says quietly.

"You are kidding." she says shocked.

"Nope not kidding, and Abby sprained her wrist."

"Wow." she says not sure how to react.

"Yeah but it was fun before we wrecked."

Mary laughs "I bet."

Tom laughs also.
  Home