Part 4
Later while they're out on the town. Nancy stops at a bench and sits down for a bit. "Never thought a night on the town would make me want to rest. You really know how to show a sister a good time." She says to Joannie.
"Thank you. I'm kind of aspiring to be the Auntie V of my generation."
"Cool." After she's caught her breath. "So where to now?"
"You sure you're up to it?" Joannie teases.
"Of course I am."
Later in a night club. Two men approach Joannie and Nancy's table.
"Hey do you two ladies want to go back to our place it's much quieter there."
"No." Nancy says.
"We like noise," Joannie adds.
"We can show you a very good time."
"What you should show us is yourselves walking away." Nancy says.
Joannie laughs.
They glare at the sisters and then go to find other prospects. Nancy bursts out laughing.
"You are evil," Joannie says.
"Thank you."
"Any time."
Sometime around dawn they wind up eating breakfast at a restaurant.
"Think Dad will be mad that we stayed out all night?"
"I don't think he'll even notice," Joannie says. "In fact, I'll bet he'll wish we stayed out even more."
"Well sorry to disappoint him but after I eat I'll be in serious need of a bed."
"Serious lack of stamina."
"Hey I did good tonight."
"For your first time out."
"Hey I didn't fall asleep while dancing right."
"Right. Too bad we don't have longer here or I'd teach you to stay up all night and the next day, too."
"Uh uh." Nancy shakes her head ready to nod off right there at the table.
"Come on, Sleeping Beauty, let's get you back to your pumpkin."
Nancy chuckles and then they head back to the hotel.
Tom wakes up and sees that Nancy and Joannie aren't back yet. "Abby? wake up."
"Again?" Abby purrs.
Tom shakes his head. "Abby, its morning and the girls aren't back yet."
"You did say you hoped they'd break curfew."
"Breaking curfew is one thing, not showing up at all is another."
"Maybe they called the front desk and left word?" Abby says hopefully.
"Will you check while I get dressed?"
"Sure." Abby calls the front desk, and then reports back to Tom, shaking her head. "They don't have any messages for us at all."
Tom goes to the phone. and starts yelling. "I want to speak with the manager now."
Just then Joannie and Nancy walk in.
"Good thing Dad will have been too busy to notice that we were even gone," Joannie says as she and Nancy walk into the hotel.
"Yeah really." They walk in and see Tom making phone calls and Abby pacing. "Good morning." She says to them.
"Good morning. Boy, it's light out for midnight, isn't it?" Abby says.
"It's past Midnight already?" Nancy tries to play innocent.
"Of yesterday, yes," Abby answers. "You could have at least called."
"We didn't want to wake you and we left a message at the front desk."
"That's funny. We asked, but they didn't remember getting any."
There's a knock at the door. Nancy lets them in after he says who he is.
"Sorry miss, you did have a message after all it got lost in some
papers." He hands it to Nancy.
"Thank you."
He then leaves and Nancy hands it to Abby. "I guess it got misplaced."
"You tell your father. I tried telling him that about half a dozen times."
Nancy approaches Tom, thankful that there's no way he'll ever be able to see the tattoo she got a few hours ago.
"Why is Nancy walking funny?" Abby whispers to Joannie.
"Must have hurt herself dancing," Joannie lies.
Tom finally hangs up the phone and Nancy hands him the message that the clerks at the front desk had misplaced.
"Of all the incompetence of this hotel, this takes the prize." he snaps.
"Dad anyone could have made the same mistake. I'm going to bed now." She heads for her room noticeably walking funny.
"Why is she walking funny?" Tom asks.
"Danced all night," Joannie lies to him, too.
"Oh." Tom says and looks at Abby.
Abby shrugs, not entirely believing the story herself.
Meanwhile in the bedroom. Nancy decides to sleep on her stomach and falls fast asleep after taking some aspirin. ~It'll be worth the pain when I see the look on Noah's face when we finally take things a step further.~ She falls asleep.
"So Joannie, have you decided if you are coming home with us?" Tom asks.
"As long as you remember--if things don't work out, you'll help me get set up here in New York. I suppose I should finish college first, and the Rep is having auditions next month."
"Good idea." Tom says. "Why don't you get some rest too. Our flight doesn't leave until 4 PM.
"I have to go down to the restaurant and quit, I guess," Joannie says reluctantly and yawns.
"Call them from here, we can leave early and pick your things up on our way to the airport."
"I can't quit over the phone."
"Why not?"
"These people took me in when I had no where to go. I can't just say, 'thanks, don't need you right now' by phone."
"All right." Tom concedes. "But get some sleep somewhere today, OK?"
"I can sleep on the plane. This is my last day in NY."
Tom rolls his eyes. "I give up." and goes into the bathroom to shave.
"He gives up easily," Joannie says.
"That's why I love him," Abby answers. "Just make sure you're back by lunchtime or he'll start worrying."
"OK, I'll see you then," Joannie says and leaves.
Tom comes out after shaving. "Did Joannie say when she will be back?"
"Lunchtime."
"Good." Tom says. "Abby, did you buy Joannie and Nancy's excuse about
her limping was due to dancing?"
"I've danced a time or two in my life, and I never walked like that afterwards. Unless she went to one of those slam dancing places, maybe."
"Obviously something is going on." Tom says.
"And you want me to go find out what," Abby guesses.
"Well, aren't you curious?" Tom says. "Something is wrong and I can't see Joannie and Nancy slam dancing."
When Nancy awakens she packs and takes a shower. It still hurts to walk but she tries to walk as normally as possible. She gets something to drink but refuses to sit down.
Abby knocks on Nancy's door. "Can I come in?"
"Sure Abby come on in." Nancy says still refusing to sit down.
"Why are you just standing there?" Abby asks.
"I feel like standing."
"Last night must have been some night."
"Yeah it was a lot of fun. You wouldn't believe how many night clubs there are."
"And where'd you do damage to yourself?"
"At one of the night clubs. A fight broke out and before Joannie could get me out of the way I got knocked down by one of the fighters and my behind collided with the hard floor." Nancy tries to lie but fails miserably. "No that's not it, do you promise not to tell Dad?"
"No, but tell me anyway."
~Will do no good to argue, she'll pry it out of me and it might be better than what she's probably thinking.~ "I got a tatoo." She whispers. "It's a rose."
"A tattoo? Like in a permanent one?" Abby asks.
"Yeah, cool huh?"
"Uh, not really. Where?"
"Somewhere conspicuous."
Abby looks Nancy over and shakes her head.
"It's my body." Nancy says in her defense.
"True, but it's also your ears that are going to bear the brunt of a Tom Bradford lecture."
Her face clouds over.
"You'll live through it--though it may hurt more than the tattoo."
"I don't see what the big deal is. Lots of people get them."
"You know how your father will feel about it. And if it isn't a big deal, why were you hiding the fact that you got one?"
"Because he won't approve."
"And you were willing to fight him on it?"
"I wasn't planning on him finding out."
"Sooner or later he seems to find everything out."
She sighs in frustration.
"He's worried about you," Abby points out. "What do you suggest I tell him?"
"The truth and Joannie tried to talk me out of it." Nancy says not wanting this to cause any friction between Tom and Joannie.
"She did?" Abby asks, surprised.
"Yeah she said I'd be making a big mistake doing something so permanent and it can cause infection now or problems down the road. I'm the one who didn't listen to her. When she finally realized she couldn't talk me out of it she made sure we went to the best and the needles were safe."
"I suppose we'll have to have Dr. Max look at it when we get home."
"Does it have to be Dr. Max?"
"Why? Are you embarrassed about what you did?"
"I will be if the whole world finds out about it."
"You got a tattoo and didn't want anyone to know about it? Then why bother?"
"I was only going to show one person." Nancy says before she can stop herself from making the confession.
"Who?" Abby demands.
"Noah." She says quietly.
"You got a tattoo to show your boyfriend," Abby says. "Do I even want to know where this tattoo is?"
"Probably not."
"Wonderful. You know what? I am definitely not telling your father about this."
"I have to tell him." Nancy says guessing where she's going with that.
"If you come up with another lie, it'll just be worse when he does find out the truth."
Nancy cringes. "I'll tell him. I just hope he's done things like this when he was eighteen."
"Mr. Responsibility? But maybe he'll be in a forgiving mood--he let Joannie off easy."
~I don't think I did anything wrong.~ "Yeah ok I'll tell him." She goes looking for Tom.
Tom is packing his suitcase "You pack yet?" Tom asks her.
"Yes and Dad we need to talk."
"No, you can't buy more dresses." He tells her.
"Can I get a tattoo?"
Tom laughs. "You are joking right?"
"I kind of already got one."
"You what????" he raises his voice.
"It's a Rose."
Tom fumes. "Where?"
"Somewhere where you'll never have to look at it."
Tom sits down and calmly asks. "Why?"
"Are you sure you want to know?"
"No, but tell me anyway."
"Some place very private."
"Nancy, I am not going to play guessing games."
She whispers it in his ear.
Tom can't believe his ears. "WHERE?"
"Please don't make me say it out loud."
"Of all the stupid stunts you kids have pulled." Tom says.
"Stupid stunt?"
"Yes." Tom tells her.
"You were eighteen once."
"So, I never got a tattoo."
"So, I'm the first in the family to ever get one, isn't that something?"
Tom ignores her.
Nancy retreats to her bedroom.
Tom goes to Abby. "Did you see it?"
"No," Abby says. ~Like I'm going to ask Nancy to start showing me her body.
Tom goes to the phone and calls Dr. Max. "Max? I need your help."
Abby waits for Tom to get off the phone.
"Thanks Max, Yeah we will see you tonight." Tom hangs up. "Max is going to make sure Nancy's art work isn't infected."
"I already told her she'd have to see a doctor, but I think she'd prefer someone other than Max."
"That's too bad." Tom says. "After all he has seen her backside more than I have."
"Tom..." Abby shakes her head. "Besides, with all those diaper changes I'm not sure that's true."
"Look, I trust Max OK?"
Abby shrugs.
"What?" Tom asks.
"Coming down hard on her isn't going to make the tattoo disappear."
"I know, I just wished they would think sometimes." Tom says. "After all, how do we know the needle they used was sterile?"
Abby is tempted "no more than you knew that woman you slept with didn't have some disease," but decides to drop it.
When Tom sees Abby face. "OK, out with it."
"When people make mistakes, they don't usually think of the consequences."
"So you are referring to my tryst?'
Abby shushes him, all too aware of Nancy in the next room. "Don't tell me you had her medical history checked out first."
"So because of my mistake, I am supposed to tell the kids, It's all right for them to do what they want?"
"No, but you might be a little more understated in your disapproval instead of having a tantrum."
"But a tattoo." Tom whines. "In my day, only sailors or bikers got tattoos."
"In your day the glaciers still covered most of the Earth," Abby mutters.
"I heard that, I may be old but I am not deaf."
"I meant you to hear it," Abby counters.
"What am I going to do about Nancy."
"You can't undo the tattoo," Abby reminds him. "Your best bet is to hope that Noah hates it," she says before thinking.
"Noah?" Tom says. "Not my daughter."
"You know, the Stone Age official ended a few years ago."
"Thanks Abby, I thought you were on my side." Tom says getting up resuming packing.
"I have never pretended not to see your kids' side of things, even if, bottom line, I usually agree with you."
"I know." Tom replies.
"Besides--if I always agreed with you, life would be boring."
Tom laughs. "You do it to me every time."
"I certainly hope so."
Tom gives her a kiss.
"Is it safe to come out!!" Nancy asks.
"Yes, it is safe to come out." Tom sighs.
"Is Joannie here yet?"
"No, but I still have a few words to say to you......but I will drop my lecture if you will do something I ask."
"Yeah what?"
"You have Dr. Max to check you over when we get home."
"Can't we get a different doctor?"
"Either that or a Tom Bradford lecture." Tom says standing firm.
"Fine."
"Good, now that is settled. How sore are you?"
"It's not that bad." She says quietly.
''Uh huh." Tom responds. "Did you think about the 6 hour flight home today which you will be sitting the entire time?"
"Consider it my punishment." She says and leaves the room to get something from the vending machines.
"Now what did I say wrong?" Tom asks Abby.
"Oh, just about everything."
"I was just stating the obvious."
"If it was so obvious, it didn't need stating, did it?"
"No, I guess not."
Abby shakes her head. "One daughter you make up with and the next starts."
"I have to fight with someone or my life would be dull." he jokes.
"I thought you were supposed to save all the excitement in your life for me."
"It's a ruse to keep the kids off-track." he explains.
"Ah," Abby says.
Meanwhile Nancy sits on a pillow in the hotel lobby and waits for Joannie to return.
Joannie soon comes in, shlepping her suitcase. "They throw you out or something?"
"They weren't that mad do you need help?"
"Are you sure you can move?"
"Yep, just going to take a little extra time." She slowly gets up.
"OK. Take this."
Nancy grabs the suitcase. "See no problem, yeow!!" She puts the suitcase down. "I'll open doors for you ok."
"Good call."
"Thank you." They make it up to the hotel room.
"So, does Dad know yet?"
"Yes."
"And you're still alive?"
"Amazingly yes."
"Is he sick?"
"No, and he did yell, but not as much as usual."
"What's the catch?"
"His guilt trips."
"Oy. I think I'd prefer the temper tantrums."
"So would I."
"So why are you letting him guilt you?"
"I don't want to cause anymore trouble."
"I think maybe we should overwhelm Dad with trouble and make him realize how much he loves us."
Nancy laughs. "I already did my part in that."
"So did I."
They reach the door to the hotel room. And Nancy opens the door for her.
"A real gentleman, huh?"
"Where?" Nancy looks around.
"You. Holding the door. Just like Dad."
"Just helping out." Nancy tells her.
"About time you two are here, we are going to be late." Tom replies.
"Sorry Dad." Nancy says.
"Tell that to me later when the plane takes off without us. he growls.
She holds back the tears that well in her eyes and goes to get her luggage ready.
Tom gets angry at himself and knocks on Nancy's door.
"Come in." She wipes the tears from her eyes.
"Nancy? I am sorry."
"It's ok."
"No it isn't OK." Tom replies. "I shouldn't take my frustration out on you."
"I'm the one that did something you disapprove of."
"That's just it. I may disapprove of it adamantly. But it seems my opinion doesn't matter."
"It does matter, but I'm not always going to do things that you approve of."
"I know that Nancy, but to me you are still my little girl." Tom confesses. "When you turned 18, it didn't mean my fatherly protectiveness was turned off."
"I know, that's something that is never turned off right?"
"No." Tom says. "So bear with me. I might rant and rave, but I wouldn't do it if I didn't love you."
"I love you too Dad."
Tom hugs her.
Nancy hugs him back.
"What do you say we go home?"
She smiles. "Ok."
They go back in the Living room. "So are you two ready?"
"Yes," Abby answers for both of them.
"Let's go" Tom replies
"Why don't we stay an extra day?" Nancy teases them.
"No." Tom says. "You may decide to have something pierced next."
"Never." Nancy says and heads to the door.
"It was a joke Nancy." Tom clarifies.
"I know but we'd better get going or we're going to miss our plane." ~I sure hope they get the house clean from the party I'm sure they had before we get home.~
"You OK?" Abby whispers.
"I'll just be glad to get in our own bed tonight." Tom says.
Abby starts to say something but decides to save it until they're in their own bed.
They grab a taxi for the airport.
Meanwhile back at home. The kids are rushing trying to get the house clean in time for Tom and Abby's return.
"That party was even better than our other one." Elizabeth says to Susan.
"Yeah, that was a pretty great party." Susan replies
"Did that guy you were with ever go home?" Mary asks Susan.
"I think so." Susan replies
Tommy laughs. "Let's just hope Abby doesn't find out."
"If she finds out we are so dead." Elizabeth says.
"No kidding." Tommy says as he cleans from under the couch but misses a beer can.
"I wonder if they were able to talk Joannie into coming home." David ponders while helping them clean.
"If they didn't, we better stay out of Dad's way." Tommy warns.
"That will only make him feel worse. We should let him know we're there for him and also give him his space." Mary says.
"You can let him know we are there for him, I'll stay out of his way." Tommy vows.
Mary laughs.
"Don't worry baby brother we'll protect you." Elizabeth says.
"Thanks Elizabeth, but if they find out about the party. No one will be able to protect us."
"They won't find out."
Tommy sighs.
While Tom, Abby, Nancy and Joannie are getting to their seats on the plane Nancy grabs a pillow and puts it on her seat before sitting down.
Tom quietly snickers.
"You're enjoying this," Abby whispers to him.
"I'll admit it, yes." Tom replies
Abby shakes her head but smiles at him. "If you're enjoying it so much, maybe I ought to get a tattoo."
"Oh yeah, what would you get?" he whispers in her ear
"Something small and discrete, where only one other person would ever see it," Abby teases.
Tom laughs. "Who, your Dr.?" he jokes
"If that's the game you want to play...."
Tom kisses her.
"Hold that thought, at least until we get home."
"It's going to be a long flight."
They get the house ready in time and hours later Tom, Abby, Joannie, and Nancy arrive.
Mary hugs Joannie. "I'm glad you decided to come back."
"Hey everyone Joannie's home!!" Elizabeth shouts and then hugs Joannie.
"It's not like I went to the moon," Joannie says, trying to get away from the drama.
"Still it's good to see you." David hugs her and helps her with her luggage.
"Susan didn't redecorate our room, did she?"
"Not that I know of." He says.
David puts the luggage in Joannie and Susan's room. "So why is Nancy walking funny?"
"You'd better ask her," Joannie answers.
"I'll do that later. So your ok?" He inquires.
"Sure. Just perfect."
"Good."
"Good," Joannie repeats.
"Dinner will be ready in an hour, and don't worry Mary cooked."
"Whew. Wouldn't want my first meal home to be my last."
David laughs.
Nancy approaches Tommy. "Can you help me with my luggage please? I'll even pay you."
"Hmmm.....2 bucks a bag?"
"Sure."
Tom overhears their conversation. "Tommy, you don't charge your sister. Just do it." he scolds
"Yes sir." Tommy says as he grabs Nancy's luggage.
When they're upstairs. Nancy slips Tommy the money and is glad that he doesn't notice that she's walking funny. "So how was the party?" She whispers.
"How did you know?"
"I'm a Bradford Child."
"Well don't tell the Bradford parents."
"That I'm a Bradford child, I think they already know that. Don't worry they won't hear about any parties from me."
"Thanks."
"Anytime thanks for carrying my luggage up here."
"Thanks for the money."
"No problem, just don't tell Dad and you'll get to keep it."
Abby approaches Nicholas. "When you get a chance, meet me upstairs. I promised I'd bring something back for you, remember?"
"Cool." Nicholas says.
Later Nicholas knocks on Abby's door.
"Come in," Abby says as she unpacks.
"Hi." Nicholas says.
"Hey, there," Abby says. "Bet you came for this." She hands him a large gift wrapped box.
Nicholas unwraps the gift and sees it is a miniature subway train set. "Wow." He replies.
"I thought you'd like it. I always wanted one when I was your age, but my mother said they weren't for girls."
"Want to help me set it up?"
"I thought you'd never ask," Abby grins. "Only...."
"Only?" he asks
"Your father seems to think it's another pet. It would be a shame to disabuse him of that notion."
Nicholas laughs.
They all have a welcome home dinner and party for Joannie. During the party Dr. Max comes over and goes to check out Nancy in private.
"Does your wife know about this." Nancy teases him trying to get over the embarrassment of it all.
"Yes she knows and I'll be in the doghouse tonight." He says while checking her over. "It's pretty."
"Thank you."
When he's done.
"No infection you can go back to the party."
"Thank you." She returns to the party and observes Joannie hoping that she's having a good time. She finally decides to approach her. "Enjoying the party?"
"Yeah, I am," Joannie says, a little surprised at herself.
"Good, how bout I take the left half of the room and you take the right." Nancy says referring to the guys.
"I heard that." Noah says.
Nancy just grins.
"Pity to waste that tattoo on just one guy, huh?" Joannie says, loud enough for Noah to hear.
"What tattoo?"
"Joannie." Nancy says mortified.
"I'll see the two of you later," Joannie smirks. "Much later."
"So where's the tattoo?" Noah asks after Joannie walks away.
"It was supposed to be a surprise for when we had our first time together." Nancy tells him.
~I can't stand tattoos.~ "Can't wait to see it."
"Yeah well you'll have to wait."
Meanwhile Tom sees Max. "Well?"
"She'll be fine Tom and it's a very nice Tattoo. Very small but pretty."
Tom rolls his eyes. "Thanks a lot Max."
Max winks and leaves.