Nancy finds Joannie in the living room.
"Joannie can we talk, please?"
"I didn't see your shrink leave."
"We're taking a break."
"A break? It sure isn't like it is on TV."
"No it isn't, are you up to talking?"
"Sure. What's up?"
Nancy sits down not sure where to begin so she just comes right out and asks. "Why did you start avoiding me after New Years Eve?"
"I'm not avoiding you," Joannie says. "I've just been really busy with the new semester."
~Yeah right.~ "The new semester didn't start till a week after that."
"Yeah, but we plan plays before the semester starts so we can start auditions the first day of classes."
"You've mean I've gone through all this worrying and wondering what I might have done wrong for nothing?" Nancy asks not quite believing Joannie. "If that's the case why did you make that crack about the medication?"
"You heard that? It's was just something to say, you know. It didn't mean anything. You always make mountains out of molehills."
"So we're ok? You and me?" Nancy asks.
"As far as I know."
Nancy sighs in relief.
"And I thought I was the actress in the family."
"What do you mean this isn't an act?"
"No, but you're sure dramatic."
"Not as much as I used to be."
"Then the shrink's doing some good. That was a joke, Nancy."
Nancy smiles. "Yes that and the drugs."
"You got it."
"Speaking of the shrink I'd better get back to the session before she thinks I skipped out."
"We could, you know. Go out for a coffee or something," Joannie says, knowing she'll be refused.
"Maybe later, if I do that now a full fledged alert will be called."
"OK. I should be heading out, anyway."
"Ok." After Joannie leaves Nancy returns to the counselor.
"Ok." After Joannie leaves Nancy returns to the counselor.
"So, how'd it go?"
"Pretty good. She said I was worried about nothing all this time."
"Is that what you think?"
"No, but at least I know that she cares enough to lie about it."
The therapist laughs.
Nancy laughs also. "I guess this needs some explaining. When we were kids anytime something bad happened and Joannie thought the truth would be too much for me to handle she always tried to protect me from it."
"And you think she's doing that again."
"Well I haven't been out of the hospital long maybe she thinks it's too soon for me to hear the truth."
"And? How does that make you feel?"
"I'd rather get it all out in the open and let the chips fall where they may. The sooner we put it behind us the better we'll both feel."
"Did you tell her that?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"I didn't think about it at the time."
"And now that you have?"
"She'll just get mad and retreat again."
"So you know that she loves you, but you still don't know what's bothering her."
"I've been trying to find out and I'm getting no where fast."
"So?" Lisa prods.
"I'll try, I just hope she doesn't retreat."
"Good. Well, I think you've really shown some progress today, Nancy."
"But the sessions aren't through yet right?"
"Hey, I need to make a living," Lisa jokes. "No, they're not over. In fact, after you do speak to your sister again, I'd like you to let me know, all right?"
"Ok." Nancy says.
"I'll see you later on this week, then."
Nancy nods.
Lisa gathers her things together and prepares to leave.
Nancy shows her out.
After the counselor leaves. Sam approaches Nancy whining.
"Sam, Abby will be home for lunch in an hour or so can't you wait for her?"
He continues to whine.
"I'm sick Sam."
He still whines and runs for the back door and then back again wagging his tail.
"You're impossible to say no to." She takes him out back and sits on the back steps while he does his business.
When he's done he wants to play.
"No way bringing you out here is quite enough."
He licks her face and then grabs a stick in his mouth and continues to plead with his eyes.
"Oh all right." She plays with him for a little while then starts to tire. She heads back to the house but is stopped by a wave of dizziness and nausea. The world then starts spinning and the last thing Nancy hears is Sam barking before she drops and cracks her head on a rock.
Sam tries licking her face to bring her around by can't so he runs in the house barking and whining searching for anyone who might be home.
He doesn't find anyone so he returns to Nancy and lies down beside her. Some time later he hears a car pull up in the driveway, the engine cut off, and the sound of feet walking. He runs over to Abby whining and barking.
Sam then runs halfway to the back and then back to Abby whining.
"Hey, boy. What are you doing running around loose out here?" Abby bends
down, picks up a small stick, and throws it towards the house, waiting
for Sam to go fetch.
Sam doesn't fetch he just keeps whining in urgency and goes behind
her and nudges her to go to the back yard.
Abby resists a bit. "When you're full grown you're really going to push us around, aren't you?" she laughs.
Sam again runs around to the back and then back to Abby again. This time he rips off a piece of Nancy's sweater and brings it to Abby.
"What do you have there, boy?" Abby says and bends down to check. "Looks like clothing. Hey, wasn't Nancy...Nancy!" Abby screams, and runs to the back of the house.
Sam goes after her and lies down beside Nancy whining.
Abby reaches to shake Nancy, but then sees the rock and the blood. She runs inside and calls 911.
The paramedics soon arrive and start tending to her.
"Any idea how long she's been unconscious?" One of the paramedics asks Abby.
"No. It couldn't have been that long--I've only been gone three hours, and I know that some of the kids were still going to be home for a while. She'll be all right, won't she?"
"Her breathing is good, but we won't know for sure till a doctor looks at her. We're taking her to Sacramento General. Do you want to ride in the ambulance or follow in your car?"
"I'll ride with you," Abby says. "When she comes to, she shouldn't be alone with people she doesn't know."
"Ok." The paramedic says not wanting to take away Abby's hope that Nancy will come around. He'd witness people bounce back from an injury of this severity but has also seen people die from it.
They put her in the ambulance. A neighbor agrees to keep an eye on Sam til the kids get home.
Dr. Maxwell is already there waiting when they bring Nancy in. He quickly checks her over and gives orders to the medical staff for head xrays, stitches, and an MRI. One of the paramedics decides to wait with Abby so she won't have to wait alone.
"Would you like some coffee?"
"Yes, please. I knew I shouldn't have gone to work today," Abby says.
He gets her some coffee. "You have to know that this wasn't anyone's fault it was an accident."
"Sure, I know that. But if I'd have been home, she wouldn't have been lying there alone for who knows how long."
Meanwhile a nurse is looking over Nancy's charts and sees that she was seen the day before and she cringes when she sees the doctor who had treated her yesterday. She shakes her head. ~Great she's the fifth of his patients that wound up in here again after being treated yesterday.~ One man had been diagnosed with indegestion. Three hours later he had a second heart attack. Another one, a little boy had been diagnosed with a cold and later they found it that it was pneumonia. She checks all through Nancy's chart to see what the doctor who was now up for a review by the medical board might have done wrong. She finally finds something and approaches Abby.
"Mrs. Bradford I know this probably isn't a good time but did the doctor warn you yesterday when Nancy was in here that there would be a chance of fainting spells over the next two days?"
"No. I mean, he did say she should take it easy--was that what he meant?"
"Not according to her charts and it's routine after any electrocution to warn the patient and the patients family. I have a complaint form you can sign and also one for a class action suit."
"Oh, well..." Abby hesitates. "I don't know. The important thing is getting Nancy well, isn't it?"
One hour later in the examining room. Nancy could hear Dr. Maxwell calling out to her for awhile now but couldn't get her eyes open. She didn't want to open them her head hurt too much. She finally does open then and says. "Stop talking you're too loud." She says in a barely audible tone."
Greg smiles. "It's good to hear from you kid. Do you know who you are?"
"Yeah."
"Ok what's your name?"
"Dr. Max you know my name." She groans.
Greg laughs. "Keep her quiet and still." He tells the nurse and then goes to find Abby in the waiting room.
Abby gets up when she sees Max approaching. "How is she?"
"Cranky and in a lot of pain. If she had a concussion it's gone now. And the xrays and mri didn't show any fracture or hemorrhaging. But I want her in bed for the next couple of days. She's only allowed to go to the ladies room."
"OK. I can keep her in bed--I hope. Greg--the doctor yesterday--he didn't warn me this could happen, and the nurse says he should have."
Greg's face clouds over. "Yeah I've heard about the doctor who treated
her yesterday and if I ever get a hold of him." He says angrily and tries
to calm down for Abby's sake. "And she's right he
should have warned you. Abby you should sue him."
"I could talk to Tom about it," Abby says. "I don't want this to become some big news story is all. His boss is down on him enough as is."
Greg nods. "Hey do you two have a ride home?"
"As a matter of fact, no. But I can call a cab."
"Are you sure I can give you a ride."
"No, I'm sure you have better things to do, patients to see."
Nancy's a little more alert now and less cranky. "Hi Abby."
"Hi, there. How are you feeling?"
"Not too good, any idea what happened? The last thing I remember is taking Sam outside."
"Apparently you fainted. But I can take you home now, as long as you promise to stay in bed."
"I promise."
"And I'll want someone home with you all the time. We'll work out a schedule."
They get a cab and head home.
"How did my sweater get torn?"
"Give Same the credit for that one," Abby says. "I thought he wanted to play, and since I don't speak Dog, he had to get my attention somehow."
"That's one good dog." Nancy says.
"I'm really glad your father didn't make us get rid of him."
"Me too." They make it home. Abby pays the cab driver and gets Nancy inside and to bed. Some of the kids are home by now. Sam jumps up on the bed and Nancy hugs him and gives him a pet.
"What happened?" Mary asks.
"Her doctor forgot to tell us a few things yesterday, and Nancy paid the price. She'll be OK, though, as long as she gets rest," Abby says.
Nancy soon falls asleep. Sam sleeps with her. Mary and Abby go into the hallway. "What exactly did the doctor forget?"
"To tell me that Nancy might well faint the first day or two. If I had known that I never would have left her alone today."
"That idiot." Mary says. "I can stay with her after my classes let out and Joannie doesn't have classes til 10am. Susan gets out at 1pm. Wait no good that leaves a three hour stretch."
"I'll be more than glad to stay home and look after her for the next two days." Tommy says not minding at all about missing school.
"Nice try, Tommy. I'll arrange my schedule so that I start at 1:30," Abby says.
"Well I tried." He says and goes to his room.
Meanwhile downstairs Elizabeth comes home being very noisy, slams her books on the table near the phone and goes in the kitchen to make something to eat clanging dishes as she does this.
"Hey Elizabeth keep it down I'm trying to watch cartoons!!"
"Shut up I have a headache!!" Nancy shouts from her bedroom and then falls asleep again.
Abby hurries towards Elizabeth, hushing her. "Nancy fainted today; she's on strict bedrest."
"Sorry, is she going to be all right?" Elizabeth asks and tells Nicholas not to yell anymore.
"Sure, she'll be fine." ~Unless there's something else the doctor hasn't told me.~ "I wish your father would call; I tried him, but he wasn't in his room, and I don't want to tell him about this in a message."
~Oh no then he'll come home early.~ "Maybe we should wait till he gets home then."
The telephone rings.
Abby watches Elizabeth race for the phone.
"Hello, hi Dad. Yeah she's right here." She hands Abby the phone and hopes she doesn't tell him.
"Hi, Tom," Abby says. "How's the conference going?" ~I'll decide whether to tell him based on his answer.~
"It's going pretty good, but I miss you. How are things at home?"
~I can't not tell him, he'd be furious. But I can always try to distract him.~ "OK. Nancy's was working on something at Noah's house and got a little shock, so Max wants her to rest for a little, but other than that things are quiet. And I miss you, too. Amazing how quickly I got used to not sleeping alone."
"So Max said she'll be all right, that's a relief. And you can always catch the next plane here."
"Don't I wish. But the second my back is turned this place would turn into party central. Besides, there's my work--we have already had this discussion."
"I know but it's so fun trying." Tom says.
"Well, if it's fun you want..." Abby begins, but then remembers that Elizabeth is in the room.
Elizabeth giggles and leaves the room.
Abby laughs. "You've got good kids, Tom Bradford," she says into the phone. "This is actually turning out into much less of a nightmare than I anticipated."
"What did they do make you breakfast in bed, clean the whole house?" He smiles.
"Now that's an idea. But we're just hanging out, you know, talking. With you gone, it feels like a dorm here."
"Don't have too much of a good time without me."
Abby lowers her voice a notch or two. "Oh, now how could I do that, all alone in a big empty bed?"
"Keep that up and I'm on the next plane home."
"You're not on thin enough ice with Elliot Randolph? Finish your conference, and maybe I'll be able to convince the kids to spend the night with friends when you come home."
"Sounds good to me." He says. "Give the kids my love and tell Nancy that taking it easy doesn't mean taking Sam for strolls or going out on dates with Noah. I love you Abby."
"I will. I love you, too."
They both hang up. Soon Liz comes back in.
"You know Abby if you start work at 1:30pm the next couple of days then that means you'll get home later. I'm volunteering to stay home from school and watch Nancy." She says.
"Nice try. Too bad Tommy tried it first. See, the advantage of being a tutor is that I can change my hours; I'll just work in the evenings after everyone's home."
"Well I'd be a disappointment to my peers if I didn't try."
"Well, your peers can rest assured. You tried. Not a good try, mind you, but a try."
Elizabeth smiles. "What should we make for dinner?"
"Reservations?"
"Sounds good to me but who will watch Nancy?"
"You're right," Abby sighs. "Meatloaf."
"How about ordering out for pizza?"
"Again?"
"Chinese?"
"Italian?"
"Yeah."
"Well, then, go take orders, please."
"Will do." She goes upstairs to take orders. She sees that Nancy is still sleeping but knows she'll want lasagna so writes that down then she goes to Susan and Joannie's room. "It's Italian tonight what do you two want?"
"Veal parmesan."
"Ok," she writes it down. "Susan?"
"Lasagna" replies Susan.
"Ok."
Elizabeth then gets the other orders and takes the orders down to Abby. "Nancy was asleep but lasagna is a given with her."
"OK, thanks." Abby calls the takeaway and places the order. "They'll be here within a half hour."
"Cool."
Dinner arrives and they eat. A couple hours later Nancy and Sam awaken. She goes to the ladies room and he goes downstairs looking for someone to let him out. After she's finished she returns to bed.
"You hungry?" Elizabeth asks.
Nancy nods, not awake enough to talk.
Elizabeth goes downstairs and heats up the lasagna then brings it back up to her.
After dinner Abby goes over to her student's house and meets his father on the way in. "I'm glad to see you. I thought that after Jamie and I do some work I could sit down with you and discuss his progress."
"I'd like that he's upstairs waiting for you." His Dad says.
Abby goes upstairs, works with her student, and two hours later is back downstairs looking for Mr. Easton.
She finds him in the kitchen sitting in the dark.
"You always sit in the dark?" Abby asks with an odd sense of deja-vu.
He smiles sadly. "No not always. I had a lot to think about."
"I'm a pretty good listener," Abby offers.
"It's just been pretty difficult with Jamie's mother gone."
"Umm," Abby agrees. "Raising him on your own, no adult waiting at home for you at the end of the day..."
"Exactly, and wanting to give up sometimes but knowing I can't because of Jamie, I need to be there for him."
"You've got to find some reason to be there for yourself, too, or it'll be awfully lonely."
"I know."
"And?" Abby prods.
"I've tried throwing myself into my work but it's not enough."
"No," Abby smiles from experience, "it really isn't. You can take work home with you, but unless you're hallucinatory, it isn't a very good conversationalist."
He manages a real smile this time.
"Really, you need to get out and find someone to talk to once in a while. Jamie's a good kid, but still..."
"I don't know if I'm ready to do that yet."
"Not ready to talk?" Abby laughs. "I didn't necessarily mean romance, you know. Friendship is good, too."
"Oh yeah friendship I remember that."
"It's one of the pleasures we allow to children but deny ourselves," Abby says.
Meanwhile, at the Bradford's, the phone rings.
Elizabeth answers. "Hello."
"Hello, Elizabeth," Tom says. "I was just calling to check up on things."
"Things are fine Dad, how are you doing?"
"Lonely. You wouldn't believe how quiet it is here--there are only about 700 people at the convention; and aside from me, no Bradfords."
"Don't worry you'll be home before you know it."
"Or at least before I get too used to this. So how are things at home? Are you kids giving Abby any problems?"
"No, not us Dad."
"Right," Tom says, disbelieving. "How's Nancy doing?"
"I don't know she ate and then went back to sleep. Sam's being very protective. He went and did his business then he returned to her and is keeping guard on her bed."
"Why? It was just a little shock. Everyone gets them sooner or later."
"I guess she's really tired."
"Oh, OK. Let me speak to Abby, then."
"Abby's not home yet. She's still working."
"At this time of night?" Tom says. "I didn't realize they kept the district offices open this late."
"Uh um. Dad Mary wants to talk to you." She hands the phone to Mary. "Dad wants to talk to you."
Mary takes the phone. "Hi Dad what's up?"
"What is going on there?" Tom demands.
"Dad what do you mean? Elizabeth said you needed to talk to me."
"I didn't say that. I just said I was surprised Abby's at the district offices this late."
"She had to change her hours for the next couple of days so she could be home with Nancy till Susan and I get home in the afternoon." Mary says thinking he already knows everything since he called earlier.
"What do you mean? Why does someone need to be home with Nancy?"
"Dad she'll be fine. Dr. Max just thought it would be best if she wasn't alone over the next couple of days."
"Max isn't the cautious type. Now tell me what happened, Mary."
"Dad calm down. Nancy is going to be fine and Abby's only working at night so she can be here in the morning. And she's not at some other mans house. She's tutoring a sick child."
"What do you mean, 'don't worry'? My daughter was electrocuted and my wife is over at some other man's house until all hours and I'm not supposed to worry?!?"
"Abby's not at some other mans house. She's tutoring a sick child."
"That's what she says."
"Dad." Mary chides.
"I'm coming home. I knew I shouldn't have gone off."
"No you're not. You're going to stay at the conference and trust your wife."
"You're my daughter, not my mother."
"Dad please she probably didn't tell you everything about Nancy because she didn't want you to panic and I'm sure she'll tell you about having to change her schedule when she gets the chance to. If you come home she'll think that you don't have any faith in her."
"Mary, don't lecture me."
"I'm not I'm trying to prevent disaster."
"You just leave that to me, all right?"
"Dad, please at least talk to her first before you come rushing home."
"Well, then, tell her to give me a call when she comes home tonight--if she comes home tonight, that is."
"She'll be home and I'll tell her."
"You do that. And tell Nancy to be more careful in the future."
"Ok."
A little while later Mary meets Abby at the door.
"Abby I have to talk to you." She says urgently.
"What's the matter?" Abby says, worried. "Is it Nancy?"
"No she's fine, Dad called and I thought you had told him everything. If you don't call him tonight he's coming home very early. He's um jealous."
"I did tell him everything," Abby defends herself. "Nancy was hurt, and she'll be OK. But what's he jealous of--that I don't have to eat convention food?"
"Well uh from the way he reacted he didn't know all the details. And he's jealous because you went to tutor. I told him he was being silly but he wouldn't listen to me."
"Oh, well, details--I guess I didn't tell him all the details. And don't take it to heart--your father doesn't listen to anyone."
"Yeah I know."
"I guess I'd better call him then. If he came home early he'd never let me live it down."
"Good luck."
"Thanks." Abby goes upstairs and calls Tom's hotel.
Tom quickly picks up the phone. "Hello."
"I'm flattered," Abby says before saying hello.
"Not funny." He says. "First of all why didn't you tell me the full story about Nancy. Second, why didn't you tell me you'd be tutoring tonight."
"I didn't want you to worry about Nancy. She's fine now. Time enough to tell you everything when you get home, since your rushing home now wouldn't do anything to help Nancy. And as for my working tonight--I don't see what the problem is. I'd think you'd be happy I could rearrange my schedule to make sure someone's always home with Nancy."
"I'm am happy that you can do that and I see why you didn't tell me but can't I have my fun and be a jealous husband for at least five seconds longer."
"Sort of a waste, being jealous when you're all the way on the other end of the country and I can't really convince you you have no reason to be jealous," Abby teases.
"Well in that case I promise to be jealous when I come home." He teases back.
"Now that sounds promising. Tom, have you been doing any of that thinking the therapist ask you to, I mean, as long as you're away from home, alone?"
"Yes I have."
"And?"
"I've come to the conclusion that you and the kids mean more to me than anything else in this world."
"That's good." ~You had to go away to figure that out?~
"I've always known that but being here intensifies it."
"As long as coming home doesn't make you forget it. A woman likes to be appreciated now and then."
"I know and I won't forget. I love you too much."
"I love you, too. You over the jealousy bit now?"
"Yes I am."
"Good. It's nice to know you think I'm so irresistible, but really--you'd think I'd given you cause or something."
"Abby can we discuss this when I get home?"
"Of course. But I will remember to discuss this," Abby warns.
"Yes dear."
"Ah, my two favorite words."
Tom smiles on the other end they talk a little while longer and then they both hang up.
The next morning Nancy awakens remembering the promise she made to Lisa to talk to Joannie but her head still hurts and decides to put it off after going to the bathroom she gets back in bed hoping to fall back to sleep but fails. She picks up a book and tries reading but that hurts her head too much then her stomach starts rumbling.
Joannie opens the door to Nancy's room. "I'm heading down to breakfast. You want something?"
"Very much."
Joannie takes a pretend pencil from behind her ear and poises it over a pretend pad in her hand. "OK, sweetheart, what'll it be?" she says, cracking her pretend gum.
Nancy smiles. "Whatever the rest of you are having."
"Nicholas is helping Abby cook this morning. You sure you want to risk it?"
"I'll have scrambled eggs and bacon as long as Nicholas doesn't come anywhere near cooking it. I love him but he can't cook."
"He's not going to like that. All Bradford men think they really know how to cook."
"Then don't tell him."
~Or don't tell you who cooked.~ "Good idea."
"Thanks Joannie."
Joannie goes downstairs. "Our patient would like some scrambled eggs and bacon."
"One order coming up," Abby answers. "Nicholas, crack some more eggs."
"Ok," he cracks some more eggs. "Do we still have to stay quiet around her?"
"Well, you don't have to whisper, but I wouldn't go trying out how loud you can shout, either," Abby says.
"I won't."
Abby gets some bacon out and hands it to Nicholas. "OK, now be careful putting this into the pan," she warns.
He carefully puts it into the frying pan.
Abby smiles. "We'll teach you yet. You'll be the first Bradford man who can cook."
"Ha ha." Tommy says.
"We all know your talent lies in the eating," Joannie tells her brother.
Tommy glares at her and then winds up laughing.
"Men are so easy to please."
Elizabeth laughs.
Tommy motions to Elizabeth..."We need to talk." he whispers to her.
They go to the sunporch. "What's up?"
"The party is set for 8 on Friday, but we have to bring our own beer."
"How the heck are we going to accomplish that?"
"My thoughts exactly; maybe we could ask David?" Tommy says stupidly.
"That sounds as silly as asking Nancy."
A light goes off in Tommy's head. "How much money do you have?"
"Five dollars how bout you?"
"I have about $50.00 in my savings account, don't you have anymore?" Tommy asks.
"Yes but I'm not going to spend that much on beer or getting someone to buy it for us you shouldn't spend that much either."
"Fine, I'll do it myself." Tommy says.
"Tommy why do you want to spend all your savings?"
"Because this party will be worth it, are you with me or not?"
"Why so much for beer?"
"It's not for the beer, its for a fake ID to get the beer." Tommy explains.
"I have fifty saved up also."
"Cool, big sister. Let's get the money together and I will go get the ID."
"Cool, right after breakfast. I'm hungry."
"OK." they go in and see how breakfast is going.
Joannie takes Nancy's eggs and bacon, places them on a tray with a glass of milk, and goes upstairs.
"Room service."
"Cool." Nancy says and manages to sit up so she can eat.
"Just yell when you want the dishes cleared."
"Will do, thanks sis."
Joannie pats her sister's hair and leaves the room.
Nancy smiles and eats her breakfast. ~Maybe we don't need to talk about it after all.~