Part 1

Part 2

It's Joannie who answers the phone. "Lee Wong's."

"Joannie? It's your Dad." he says

"Hi, Dad," Joannie says cautiously.

"How are you?" he asks

"OK, I guess. Not used to sleeping on a cot," Joannie tries to joke.

"Hmmmm...." he says. "I remember the army."

"At least in the army you didn't get three meals a day of chop suey."

"No, Just sea rations." ~Oh brother, talking about Army life now.~ "Joannie can you please tell me why you left?"

"You're just going to yell at me. I don't want to be yelled at. All you ever do is yell."

"Joannie, I won't yell." He raises his voice and then calms down. "I won't yell, I am just trying to understand what is going on?"

"You wouldn't understand. You like all the fuss."

"What fuss?" he asks not having a clue what she is talking about.

"Nancy. And Abby. It's just not home anymore, Dad, you know?"

"It isn't home without you either." Tom assures her.

"I'll bet you hardly miss me at all."

"Now how do you know that?" Tom asks.

~Because you're not yelling,~ Joannie thinks, but says nothing.

"Listen young lady, I have had enough of this nonsense. I want you home now." he yells into the phone.

"Why don't you go yell at the people you really love?"

"What are you talking about, I love you." He says loudly.

"Well, maybe," Joannie concedes, "but you never have time for me."

"Is that what this is about?" Tom says. "You never seem to want to spend some time with me."
"Who would want to? You've been avoiding me."

"That's ridiculous, if anyone has been avoiding. It is you." he says.

"Me? You're the one who's always running out of town or locked in your study or your bedroom."

"I have always done that. Why would that bother you now?"

"Oh, come on, Dad. Even you can't be that oblivious."

Tom thinks about it. "Oh....Abby?" he asks.

"In part, yeah."

"What else?"

"Why is it you're always around to tell me what not to do, but never when I need you?"

"You have never told me."

"Who can ever find you?"

"Joanne you are acting like a spoiled child."

"Joannie--that's the whole problem, isn't it, Dad?"

"I don't understand what you are talking about." he replies.

"'Joannie'--ever since you started dating Abby you've avoided me because I remind you of Mom."

"That is the most inane statement I have ever heard you say." he replies

"Everything I say is inane or stupid or---you just don't want to talk about it. That's fine." Joannie says and hangs up.

"Joannie...." he says and hears a click.

Later that day when Tom comes home Nancy meets him at his car. "Dad can I have Joannie's phone number?"

"Yeah, maybe you will have better luck than I did." Tom says.

"Can I have it?" Nancy asks a little impatiently.

"Here." he hands her the number. "How are you feeling?"

"Unfortunately well enough to go to school Monday."

"Well all good things must come to an end." he jokes.

"Yeah." They go inside and Nancy goes to call Joannie. It rings several times before someone finally answers.

"Lee Wong's Chinese Palace. We deliver."

"Joannie?"

"One minute. You another Bradford?" the person on the phone asks.

"Yes."

"Joannie, it's more of your family! Tell them to at least order some moo-goo-gai-pan once in a while if they're going to call!"

A moment later Joannie picks up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey sis, it's me how are you doing?" Nancy asks.

"Pretty good. And you? Get any of my postcards yet?"

"No not yet. What do you want me to tell that boyfriend of yours when he calls or comes by?"

"Boyfriend? What boyfriend?"

"The one I thought you had." Nancy decides not to press the issue. "So when did you decide to stay in New York?"
"Honestly? I was never really sure I was going to go back home in the first place."

"Why?" Nancy asks. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing much. I just needed to get out on my own."
"Clear across the country?"

"New York, LA, what's the difference?"

"Are you ever going to come back?"
"When I win my first Tony."

~What about girls night out? Doesn?t that mean anything to you?~ "Think you'll do that by next Friday"

"No, but there will be other girls' nights out. When I'm a famous actress, I'll bring you all to NY for a vacation, just us sisters."

Nancy smiles. “Cool,” and then says. “So you’re all right?”

"I'd be better if there were like a thousand fewer struggling actresses in this town."

"They don’t stand a chance with Joannie Bradford there."

"They've got agents pushing for them."

“So you’ll find an agent.” She really wants to say come home but she doesn’t want to push.

"In this town, you practically need an agent to get an agent," Joannie complains.

"That bad eh?"

"Worse. 'There are eight million stories in the Naked City'--and all of them want the same parts I do."

"You can always find an agent here and then go back there." Nancy suggests hoping that it sounds subtle.

"In Sacramento? You're got to be kidding. Maybe in LA, maybe even in San Francisco, but never in Sacramento."

~Damn.~ "Yeah you have a good point there."

"Yeah," Joannie says, sounding a little sad. "You know, I'm surprised Dad gave you my number."

"Why wouldn't he?"

"I kind of hung up on him earlier."

Nancy goes into protective sibling mode. "Was he mean to you?"

"If he was mean, it would be one thing. I hate it that..." Joannie falls silent.

"You hate what?" Nancy asks.

"When he denies anything is even wrong."

"I hate that too."

"Yeah, well, I'm sure Dad's going to start yelling about what this is costing him."

"Yeah, and you probably have to get back to work."

"Yeah, plenty of chop suey to sling."

"Yeah, hey take care of yourself. I love you."

"Tell everyone I love them and that I miss them."

"I will." Moments later they both hang up and the doorbell rings. She answers it and finds a package delivery man. "Can I help you?"

"You sure can. I have a package here for Nancy Bradford."

"Who is it from?" She asks with suspicion.

"Doesn't say."

"I don't want it." She says.

He looks at her like she's crazy and leaves the package without getting her signature. Nancy shuts the door and leaves the package outside. A little while later her curiosity gets the better of her and she retrieves it and checks for ticking noises before opening it. In it she finds a letter from Robert Connor with a picture of a woman who looks like her, he had really stolen it from Joan years back, he says in the letter that it's his mother. Having never seen the picture that Vivian has Nancy goes into shock, then denial, then anger. She throws the package and it's contents against the wall and leaves.

Elizabeth and Abby walk into the kitchen after grocery shopping and see the mess. "Must have been a fight or something." Elizabeth says.
"Looks like the package bought it," Abby notes.

"Yeah." She goes to clean up the mess and then goes pale. "Oh no."

"What?" Abby asks.

She hands the picture and letter to Abby.

"I do not believe this." Abby looks at the picture. "It looks kind of familiar...Do you know if your aunt is around?"

"She's out on the sun porch. It has to be a fake." Elizabeth says.

"Hmm. Maybe." Abby takes the picture and heads towards the sunporch. She drops the picture in V's lap. "Look familiar?"

"Yes it does, hmm." She examines the back and takes off the cover Robert had affixed on to it. And sees who the woman really is. She shows it and the fake name to Abby. "What's going on here?"

"The past coming back to haunt us. How did he get this? Would she have actually given it to him?" Abby wonders.

Vivian shrugs. "Where did you get it?"

"It's more a case of where Nancy got it. Special delivery from the local jail."

Vivian calls some lawyer friends and Horst. The lawyer friends get started on what they can do about the situation and so does Horst. V goes to tell Abby and then asks. "Is Nancy home?"

"I heard things smashing upstairs, so I'd guess so."
Mary enters. "That was me looking for my biology book. What's going on?"

Meanwhile at the prison.

Robert smiles when he sees that Nancy has come to see him but it soon fades when he sees the anger in his eyes. He sits down.

"What the hell are you trying to pull?" Nancy snaps at him.

"I'm trying to reclaim what little family I have."

"I am not your family. I don't know where you got that picture but it can't be your mother. Even if it is just because she looks like me doesn't mean that I'm your daughter."

"No, but the fact that your mother and I were in love does."

"My mother was in love with my father not you. You never even knew her." Nancy says not wanting to believe what she overheard between Elizabeth, Tom, and Abby.

"Yes, I did know Joan. And I loved her."

"If that is true then you'll do the right thing and stop this ridiculous charade. I am not your daughter."

"Yes, you are. The timing's right, and besides, Joan loved me--she only went back to that--that man because of her babies."

Nancy shakes her head in frustration and then goes over to the guard. "Don't let him call, write, or send me anything in the future." She then shoots one last glare at Robert before leaving.

Connor stares after his daughter and starts plotting.

On the way home, Nancy finally realizes that she left the package and it's contents in the kitchen and panics. ~Oh no what if Nicholas finds it or Tommy.~ She rushes home and into the kitchen. "Oh no." She panics when she sees the package and it's contents are no longer there.

Elizabeth gives her a hug. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." She lies. "Did you see a package in here?"

"Abby and Auntie V confiscated it." Elizabeth says. "I'm the only other person who saw it, and I'm not talking."

Nancy sighs in relief and then finds Abby. "I'm sorry I left it in the kitchen."

"I'm not. You OK?"

"No." She sits down.

"Want to talk about it?"

"I suppose you saw the picture and the letter."

"So did your aunt." She hands Nancy the picture with all the fake trappings removed.

Nancy examines it and then says. "This means that he knows it isn't true."

"Guess so. You should probably just ignore him and his lies."

"I will. I've said everything I ever want to say to that man."

"He's not worth thinking about," Abby encourages. "Like some really bad prank caller."

"You're right, there are more important people in my life to think about."

"I hope I am one of them." Tom says coming into the room.

"Of course you are Dad."

 "What are we talking about?"

Nancy gives Abby a should we tell him look. Abby shrugs.

Monday rolls around and Nancy returns to school. Joannie's ex boyfriend glares at her and walks away. She goes after him.

"And what did I do to earn your hostility?" She asks.

"If it wasn't for you we never would have broken up and she never would have left." He accuses.

"Excuse me." Nancy says in confusion.

"You're not the only daughter of your Dad's that needs him you know."

"I think I already know that."

"No you don't. Why don't you stop and think once in awhile and stop doing things that are constantly going to make you the center of attention and give other people room to breathe." He tries to leave again but she stops him.

"Wait a minute. Joannie left because of me?" He doesn't say anything. "Oh come on you went this far you might as well let it all out."

One hour later in the college cafeteria after he's spilled all of the beans.

"I'm one lousy sister." Nancy says.

"No you'd be a lousy sister if you didn't say you were one right now." He says.

She sighs, takes a deep breath, and lets it out. "How do I make it up to her?"

He shrugs. "Maybe you should be asking her."

"This isn't something I should talk out with her over the telephone."

After her classes are over Nancy goes to see her Dad at the register.

"Dad I want to take some of my savings and go to New York for a few days." She says boldly.
"You can say no if you want but I'm telling you I'm going with or without your approval. Now do I take a taxi or will you drive me to the airport when I find out when my flight leaves?"

"Wait a minute, hold on my head is spinning. Now tell me what is going on?" Tom asks.

"I have to talk to Joannie and I can't do it over the phone." Nancy insists.
"Sit down and tell me what this is about?"
"I'm part of the reason she left." Nancy tells him as she sits down.

"Oh." he says. "But I can't just let you go off to NY by yourself."

"Why not Joannie did it?"

"Yeah, and we know how that is turning out don't we?"

"Dad I'll be returning and hopefully Joannie will be too."

"You know may be going to NY isn't such a bad idea after all." Tom thinks aloud

 "So you approve?"

"Yes, only on one condition." he says. "Abby and/or I will go with you."

She nods. "Yes we have a deal."

"If you and/or her give Joannie and I time to talk alone."

"Of course, so do we have a deal?" Tom asks.

She nods. "Yes we have a deal."

"Good, now you go home and get some rest." he says. "and I'll call Abby to see if she wants to go or not."
"Thanks Dad." She goes home and starts packing.

Meanwhile Tom calls Abby.

"So how did things go today?" Abby asks.

"Not well, Nancy wants to go to NY to see Joannie."

"Then I take it your talk with Joannie didn't go well?"

"That's an understatement." he says

"How bad was it? What did she say?"

"Apparently she feels I avoid her because she reminds me of Joan." he says.

"What? That's ridiculous. She's the one who avoids everyone else."

"I know, that's why I think you, me and Nancy should go to NY and see if we can solve this."

"Somehow I think she'd like that." ~Drama queen. Run off and let everyone come running to you.~

"At least this way we can keep Robert from bothering Nancy for a while." He says.

"Unless he can get to her in New York."

"I love your optimism." He states.

"Someone's got to be realistic."

"I suppose, so I will try and get us all on a flight in a morning."

~Great. Time to try to beg some more time off from work.~ "I'll go tell the district. They're going to love that."

"I know. Randolph isn't going to be pleased either." Tom fumes at Joannie for doing this.

"At least you can write in New York--you could write about all this--well, Joannie, not Nancy. Can't teach my students from New York, can I?"

Tom sighs. "I am holding you back aren't I?"

"In what sense?"

"Me and the family, we are holding you back in your career."

"Or my career is holding me back with the family. I've been thinking of taking a leave of absence."

"Really? I never asked you to do that." he tells her.

"I know, but it's pretty obvious I can either be the mother in this family or work, but not both. One has to go, so I guess it's work."

Tom sighs. "Honestly, I'd be thrilled to have you home. But if you change your mind, go back to work."

"Well, I won't be home all the time--I still have my graduate studies and that geometry book I told you about...anyway, why don't you go order those tickets. The sooner we get all this solved, the better."

"OK Honey, I'll talk to you later." He says.

"I'd better go start the paperwork, anyway," Abby says, sounding not entirely thrilled.

"I love you." Tom says sincerely

"I love you, too," Abby answers.

Tom hangs up and calls "Donna?"

Donna walks in. "What do you need Mr. Bradford?"

"Could you please get Abby, myself and Nancy on the first flight to NY in the morning?"
 
 
 

"Mr. Bradford I'm a secretary not a miracle worker." She jokes.

"Just do the best you can. Is Mr. Randolph in?"

"I will, and yes he's in his office." She goes to make the reservations.

Tom goes up to Elliot's office and tells him the situation. He isn't too happy but grants him the time off. He then goes back to his own office. "Any luck Donna?"

"Yes, I got an offer of three seats on the 8am flight. But the price isn't cheap." She makes him sit down before showing him the figure.

"WHAT!?!" he exclaims. "For that price, I could buy my own plane."

"Mr. Bradford it's not even 24 hours notice it's going to take a small miracle to find tickets at reasonable prices."

"I know Donna, charge them to my card."

She nods and makes the reservations and then gives him all the information he'll need to get the tickets.

"Thanks, I am going home. I'll check in when I get to NY." Tom says as he leaves.

"Nancy's already packed." Elizabeth says when he walks in. "Who all is going?"

"Abby and myself." Tom says

"Give Joannie a hug for me."

"Well, hopefully you can give her a hug when we all come home." Tom says. "Is Abby home?"

"Not yet."

"OK, as soon as she come in; Let me know."

"ok."

Tom goes and knocks on Nancy's door.

"Come in!!" Nancy says.
"Packed all ready?" he says. "We leave on the 8 am flight."
"That late?"

"That is the soonest we can go, not to mention how much it is going to cost."

"I'll pay for my ticket."

"No." Tom says. "I am just letting off steam."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Tom says ~hurt by what Joannie said to him.~

"What's wrong?"

"If I ask you a question, will you give me an honest answer?"

"I'll do my best."

"Since Mom died and I married Abby, have I neglected any of you kids." he says not wanting to mention anyone in particular.

"I don't know but I think Joannie feels that way." Nancy saddens a little remembering what Joannie's boyfriend had told her.

"But what about you?" he asks.

"I'm the one who's been getting some of the attention that she should be getting." She says in guilt.

"That isn't your fault." he snaps. "If she can't understand that, well...."  Tom says. "I just can't believe she told me that I ignore her because she  reminds me of her mother."

"Well maybe she's just grasping at straws like I was when she first started avoiding me."

"Yeah, well we will find out soon enough tomorrow." Tom says and leaves.

He goes to his room and gets out the suitcases.

The next day at the place Joannie works. Nancy walks in, gets a table, and reads over the menu waiting for the waitress to come over.

An old Chinese woman comes over. "Can I take your order?"

"Yeah," Nancy orders and then asks. "Is Joannie in?"

"Audition. Hope she gets it--she was very upset after her last one."

"I can imagine, do you know when she'll be back?"

"An hour or so. Is she expecting you?"

"Not really."

"Ah. Well, then, she might be longer--she doesn't start work for hours."
"Ok, let me make sure I got this straight. If she's expecting me she'll be back in an hour but if she's not expecting me you don't know when she'll be back. What if I'm her sister, how long will it take then?"

"And I thought Joannie was the only one..." the woman shakes her head. "If she was expecting you, I assume she'd be right back after her audition. If she isn't, who knows where she might go before she comes back here for work? You're her sister, fine, but unless that means you have some kind of mind-reading link, it won't make your wait any shorter."

Nancy's order comes and she eats, she waits a little while longer and then goes to use the phone to call the hotel room. Abby answers the phone. "She's still not here. I'm going to wait about another hour and then come back"

"Is she expected back?"

"Yes but possibly not for several hours."

Abby sighs.

"I'd go look for her but the odds of finding her aren't very encouraging."

"In this city? You're right. Maybe you should come back here and just leave her a message."

"Good idea I'm on my way." She leaves a message for Joannie and heads back to the hotel. She catches the wrong subway so it takes her awhile to get back to the hotel. She knocks first not wanting to interrupt anything between her Dad and Abby.

Tom hurries and answers the door. "Nancy, where have you been, We have been worried sick."
 
"I caught the wrong subway, and I had to wait a bit on the right one. I'm sorry."

"OK, from now on. Take cabs." Tom says to both Nancy and Abby.
 
"But that will get expensive."

"Tom, I am perfectly capable of reading a subway map," Abby protests.

"Yes, I know it will be expensive." Tom says and then turns to Abby. "I know you are capable to read a subway map. But for my own sanity, humor me OK?"

"For your sanity? You still have some left?" Abby asks.

"Very little." he sighs

"Poor Tom," Abby laughs.

"Yeah, poor me." He says. "So what do we do now?"
 
"If she doesn't return my message I'll go back again." Nancy says.

"Correction, we will all go." Tom says

"Dad I think I should go alone." Nancy says.

"Nancy, if she doesn't call you back when she gets the message. What makes you think she will talk to you alone?"

"Dad she's more likely to talk to me right now. I can smooth things over and prepare her to talk to you."

"Fine, I give up." He says as he walks the floor.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Nancy says and then goes to her room.

"That went well," Abby mutters.

"What's with her?' Tom asks Abby.

"You mean besides her father telling her that he doesn't think she can talk her sister into coming home?"

"I was just trying to help." he says

Abby shakes her head.

"Why?" Tom asks.

"If you want Joannie to talk, it probably would be best if the two of you went alone."

"You and Joannie are going to have to talk sooner or later." Tom reminds her.

"Why did we come to NY--to get her to talk to me or to get her to come home?"

"Both." Tom says.

"I can talk to her at home."

"You mean if she comes home." Tom says

"She will."

"I hope you are right."

Later, Nancy has waited and waited for Joannie to call her. She starts pacing and finally goes out of her room and sees her Dad working on his column.

"When's dinner?" She asks.

Tom looks at his watch. "It is about that time isn't it."

"Yep." Nancy says wondering if he's going to bring up earlier.
"Nancy, I am sorry about earlier."

"I am too, I shouldn't have reacted that way."

"We are both worried about Joannie." He says. "So what kind of food to you feel like tonight?"

"Italian, how bout you? And where's Abby?"

"Abby promised Nicholas a souvenir. So she went out for a few minutes.  Italian sounds good." He replies.

"Very." She glances at the phone again willing it to ring.

Soon Abby comes in. "Did you find anything for our youngest?" Tom asks.
"Yes," Abby says, not elaborating.

"What is it?" Tom asks curiously.

"Uh uh uh--that's for Nicholas to tell you if he wants to."

"Hmmm....I have a feeling I am not going to like it, but you are his stepmother so you have the right to give him anything you want." Tom says. "Just promise me one thing OK?"

"What?"

"If *it* every gets out of its cage, warn me so I can make sure it doesn't crawl up my leg." Tom says and rolls his eyes.

"No, don't worry, it's not alive," Abby assures him.

"Oh goodie, a dead animal." he teases

"Well, I thought it would make a nice change. Less cages to clean that way."
Tom laughs.

"Hey Abby, how does Italian sound?" Nancy asks.

"Very nice, depending on who's speaking it. Why?"

Nancy laughs. "No for dinner not for conversation."

"Oh. We're not going where Joannie works?"

"Well I thought we were going to wait for her to make the next move and that I was going alone initially." Nancy says.

Abby glances at Tom to see if that's really the plan.

Tom just shrugs.

"And if she doesn't call? I mean it's been a few hours; she should have gotten your message by now."
 
 "Then I'll stop by there after dinner."
"Only if you take a taxi." Tom points his finger at her.

"OK, but I'm paying with my own money."

"Whatever makes you happy." Tom replies.

Nancy looks at him in shock and feels his forehead. "No fever, but I think we should keep an eye on him." She kids.

"I always do," Abby smirks.

"Don't enjoy it too much, your old man will return." He kids.

"Hey if you two need a night alone I can spend the night touring the city." She offers.

"I don't know....." Tom says and looks to Abby.

"You're going to let Nancy out alone in NY, at night?" Abby says, slightly shocked.

"I don't want to be accused of being a fuddy-duddy." Tom says. "But I agree with Abby, you shouldn't go out at night alone."

"All right."

"How about you keep an eye on me later?" he whispers to Abby.

"Only an eye?" Abby whispers back.

"It's a start." Tom replies softly.

Abby remembers that Nancy is still in the room, so just gives her husband an "I'll definitely start with you" look.

"So shall we go eat and then take a small tour of the city?" Tom asks.

~As long as you two don't keep talking like I'm not there.~ "Sure."
"How lucky can one man get? Taking two beautiful women out to dinner?" Tom says trying to make Nancy feel better.

"Sounds good," Abby says. She notices Nancy's reaction--~We're not going to have trouble with her, are we? Even before we straighten things out with Joannie?~

Nancy smiles.

They go eat and then take a tour of the city.

At Lee Wong's, Joannie has gotten Nancy's message. ~She's in NY? Don't tell me she ran away, too. If she did, Dad will kill me.~ She crumples the piece of paper and throws it in the trash before starting her shift.
They go back to the hotel and check for messages.

"Are there any from Joannie?" Nancy asks.

Tom wonders the same thing and waits for Abby to respond.

Abby looks at the papers a second time. "No."

Nancy sighs and then says. "I'll be back as soon as I can." She goes outside and hails a cab and asks the driver to take her to Lee Wong's

"Do you think she will be all right?" Tom asks Abby

"Which she do you mean?"

"Nancy, if Joannie didn't call her back; how is Joannie going to treat her in person?"

"Maybe Joannie didn't get the message," Abby says hopefully.

"Maybe, but somehow I doubt it." Tom says. "Why don't you get some sleep and I'll wait up for Nancy."

"And wear a hole in the hotel's carpet with your pacing? I'll wait up with you."

Tom chuckles. "I was hoping you would say that?"

"I knew that. You're so predictable."

"Predictable? Just what a man likes to hear." Tom sighs.

"Predictable isn't always a bad thing," Abby consoles him.

"No?" he asks. "I wanted to keep you guessing." he jokes.

"Oh, I guess," Abby says. "I just always guess right."

Tom laughs

A little while later at the restaurant. Nancy walks in and sees that Joannie is busy so she takes a table and waits for her to get to her table.

Joannie sees her and asks another waitress to take Nancy's table.

The same woman who had waited on her that afternoon walks over to Nancy. "You really like our food, don't you?"
 
"Yes it's wonderful." She goes over to Joannie. "We need to talk."

"What are you doing in NY?" Joannie hisses. "Go back home before you give Dad a heart attack."

"He knows I'm here, he's in New York also so is Abby. Listen that ex-boyfriend of yours told me a few things that you and I need to iron out."

"I'm working now. I can't just take a break."

"Yes you can," the Chinese woman says. "I'll take over for you."

"Looks like you've been granted a break." Nancy smiles at the woman.

"Great," Joannie mutters.
"Is there anywhere we can talk alone?"

"My bedroom," Joannie says, and leads Nancy to the storage room. "Have a seat," she says, pointing at the cot.
 
"Thank you." Nancy sits down. "I'm sorry I've been a rotten sister."

"No you haven't."

"Yes I have." Nancy repeats everything that Joannie's ex had told her.

"He's a jerk. Why do you think he's my *ex* boyfriend?"

"I know he is but why would he say all that stuff to me."

"Because that's what jerks do," Joannie says. ~Break confidences.~

"So everything is ok with us because I don't want you to resent me."

"Sure, sure, everything's fine," Joannie says. ~As fine as matters, with me here and you in Sacramento.~
Nancy doesn't believe her but also realizes that pushing the issue won't help any if Joannie continues to say that everything is fine. "Good." She says out loud. "Hey there's someone else who really wants to see you."

"Nicholas?"

"Yes, but he didn't come along. Dad wants to see you, so does Abby."

"Right," Joannie scoffs.

"They came clear across the country didn't they? Please give them a chance." Nancy says wanting to get out of there and back to the hotel as soon as possible. Tired of being lied to.

"He just wants to yell at me. I don't want to be yelled at," Joannie says, letting her bravado slip a little.

"If he starts to yell tell him to quit."

"You think he'd listen to you?"

"Would it hurt to try? You're an adult now they can't force you to come home."

"We do have the same father, don't we?"

"Yes of course we do."

"And you think he won't try to force me to come home?"

"Joannie, does it matter if he does or not? He won't be able to force you to do anything."

"He'll guilt me into it. Or he'll say it's what Mom would have wanted."

Nancy tries to think of something to say to that but finally has had enough. "Sounds to me that you don't even want to give him a chance. He's beat before he even comes to see you."

"He hasn't been giving me much of a chance lately, has he? He has a new life? Well, so do I."

"So what do you want me to tell him?"

"I don't. Don't you get it, Nancy? I just want to be left alone!" Joannie stands up and storms out of the room.

~I get it all right.~ She heads back to the hotel and finds Tom and Abby waiting up for her.

Tom and Abby are playing cards when Nancy comes in. "Well,?" Tom asks.

"Well?" Abby asks.

"She wants to be left alone."

Tom just sighs. "Are you OK Nancy?"

"Yeah she wasn't mean or anything and she told me that her ex lied about everything."

"But she wants to be left alone?" Tom asks hurt.

"Yep." Nancy says trying to hide the fact that she's hurt also.
"Well, I hate to disappoint her, but I have a few things to say." Tom replies as he gets his coat to go out."

"Tom, maybe you should give her some time to calm down," Abby suggests, envisioning a confrontation between an angry Tom and an angry Joannie.

"Why are we all worried about Joannie's feelings? How about she worries about Nancy, you and me?" he says.

Abby shrugs.

"OK, I'll wait until tomorrow." Tom says.

"I'm going to bed." Nancy says ignoring the topic. "I'll see you two in the morning."

"Goodnight Nancy." Tom says as he gives her a hug. "Don't worry, everything will work out one way or another." Tom winks at her.

Nancy returns the hug. "With all due respect Dad I don't care anymore." She retreats to her bedroom.

Abby sighs. "Great. How are you going to make this mess turn out right?" she asks Tom.

Tom sighs. "If Joannie wants attention, believe me tomorrow she is going to get it." Tom says to Abby.

"Oh, wonderful--maybe I should warn the police about World War III which will break out tomorrow in Chinatown."

"OK...How would you handle it?" Tom asks her frustrated.
"I don't know," Abby admits. "I thought things were going fine until they weren't. I'm sorry I ever talked you into letting her come here with V."

"So am I, but this isn't your fault. This problem has been brewing a long time." Tom says. "I hate to admit it Abby, but I may have lost one of my daughters for good." Tom says with teary eyes.

"She'll come around," Abby says. "She has to."

Tom chuckles "How can you be so confident?"

"I can't," Abby says, "but it made you laugh instead of cry."
"I am glad you are on my side." Tom replies.

Early the next morning. Tom leaves the hotel room without disturbing Abby and Nancy. He wrote the following note:

Dear Abby,

I couldn't sleep so I decided it wait for Joannie until she will talk to me. I don't know how long I'll be. You and Nancy do some sight seeing or maybe catch a matinee. I will call in from time to time. I love you.

Tom.

Tom leans against a post near the restaurant and sees Joannie come out.

"Hello Joannie." Tom says quietly.
 
"Dad." ~I knew I should have snuck out the back door.~
 
"I was in the neighborhood and I was wondering if you knew a good place for a cup of coffee and some breakfast."

"Sorry, you're kind of in a tea neighborhood."

"Tea is fine, as long as you have some with me." Tom replies.

Joannie sighs. "Come on inside."

Meanwhile back at the hotel. Nancy awakens and finds the note. ~He's wasting his time.~

A little while later Abby awakens and finds bagels, doughnuts, coffee, and orange juice. "I found a great bagel shop and a bakery around the corner." Nancy tells her.

"Where's your father?" Abby asks.

Nancy hands her the note he left.

"Oh, no."

"Hopefully it won't go badly."

"Hopefully they'll both survive."

"I hope she doesn't hurt him." Nancy says.
 
"Hasn't she already?"

"Yeah." Nancy continues to pretend not to care hoping that if she practices enough she won't have to pretend anymore.

"Here, have a bagel."
 
"Thank you." She takes the bagel. "So what do you want to do today?"

"Pace and wait for your father to come back?" Abby suggests.
 
Nancy nods.

Part 3