Part 2:
Meanwhile, Abby goes downstairs for some coffee. As Susan is walking
out the door to school, Abby stops her. "You and I have to talk."
"We do?" Susan asks
"About that party you threw..." Abby reminds her.
"Oh, that party." Susan says "I had almost forgotten"
"But I haven't."
"That's what I was afraid of." replies Susan
"And with reason. So when can we talk?"
~Might as well get it over with.~ Susan says to herself "I guess now's okay."
"You're going to be late to school," Abby points out.
"That's okay." Susan says "I can skip my first class."
"No, you can't."
"Well, when do you want to talk then?" Susan asks
"What time do you get home today?"
"Around 4 pm"
"OK."
"I'll see you at four then." Susan says as she heads out the door. Abby heads back upstairs.
Tom takes the thermometer and shows it to Abby without laughing first.
"Well, she's one sick young lady, isn't she?" Abby says. "Or at least the light bulb is."
Tom chuckles. "I have to get work."
"Do you have a new column planned?"
"No, hopefully I can wing it."
"I have faith in you," Abby says, giving him a kiss.
"I don't know, maybe I should just call in sick today."
"Since it's the first day of my leave I'd take that as a compliment, if I didn't know that it was to avoid your publisher, not to stay with your wife."
"I guess if I didn't let Nancy stay home, I better follow my own lead."
"I guess so. But if you need any inspiration, you know where to find me."
"If I didn't know better, I would say you are trying to tempt me into staying home."
"Me? Encourage you to be derelict in your duty to the readers of the Sacramento Register?"
"Yes you." Tom says and goes to the phone and calls Donna.
"Mr. Bradford's office," Donna answers.
"Donna, I am not going to be in today...I have some research to do." Tom smiles at Abby.
"After the way Mr. Randolph trashed your column yesterday, research would be a good thing, sir."
"See you tomorrow." Tom says and hangs up. "So what would you like to do today?" He asks Abby.
"Aren't you supposed to be doing research?" Abby smiles.
"Oh, I intend to do research." Tom smiles. "Research of the human nature."
"Maybe I could help you with that--you know, collaborate."
"Hmmm...I like that idea."
"What topic will we be working on?"
"Affairs of the Heart?" Tom asks
"As long as I'm the only collaborator you have on that topic."
Tom laughs.
"So how do you usually go about your research? Gather your facts? Test your conclusions? Or just go off half-cocked and write about what you think you know?"
"First thing I do is lock the door. So I can concentrate on my subject."
"I always feel like we're doing something illicit when you lock the door."
"It makes it more exciting."
"And I thought I was excitement enough for you without the air of danger and deceit."
"Oh you are." Tom back peddles.
"Well, I think we just uncovered our first important fact," Abby says.
"Oh?"
"You, my dear, are a coward. One word of opposition and you crumble."
"Is that so?" Tom says
"That's what my research shows."
"Coward, huh?" Tom gets upset and gives her a passionate kiss.
"My favorite kind of coward."
"I better be your only one." he laughs.
"You'd better be?" Abby repeats, challenge in her voice.
"Well, behind closed bedroom doors."
"Between you, me, and your ego, there isn't room behind this bedroom door for anyone else."
"My ego?" Tom asks not too happy.
"Your ego. But it's a nice ego. A lovely ego."
Tom face relaxes. "Thank you."
"You know, you're violating the first rule of good writing."
"I am?"
"Uh huh--'Show, don't tell'."
"Well then, teach me."
"You're supposed to be the man of experience."
"Apparently not experienced enough."
"That can be fixed."
Tom grins
"Go lock the door and we'll see what sort of trouble we can get into."
He happily complies.
"One day all the kids will be out of the house and we won't have to lock the bedroom door..." Abby sighs. "Of course, all the kids are out of the house right now."
"Yes, but they could walk in at anytime."
"Definitely a coward."
"Not a coward, but I don't feel like explaining the facts of life to Nicholas anytime soon."
Abby laughs. "You mean have him explain them to you."
"Oh, that was a low blow." Tom says. "I think we are getting off track here."
"I don't know. You seem to pretty much have a one track mind."
"I can't help it if you made me fall in love with you." He teases.
"So this is all my fault, is it?" Abby teases back.
"Yes," he says.
"Uh huh," Abby says with a gleam in her eye. "I'll show you fault."
"Please do."
"Unlock the door."
Tom sighs. "OK." he goes and unlocks the door. "Now what?"
"Now come here and kiss me."
"I like the way you give me orders." Tom says giving her a kiss.
"You do, do you? Well, then, I'd be happy to oblige you."
Tom smiles.
Abby tells him exactly what she wants him to do.
Which he happily complies to her demands.
Nicholas sees his Dad's car in the driveway and runs into house upstairs and into his Dad's room without knocking. "Ooops." he quickly leaves.
Tom is upset. "I told you we should have locked that door."
"You did," Abby says, more than a little upset herself. "What's he doing home..." she looks at the clock. "I didn't realize how late it had gotten. So which one of us goes talk to him?"
"Not me."
"I insisted on the unlocked door, I deal with the results, huh?"
"Don't you think that's fair?"
Abby nods. "Fair. Ungentlemanly, but fair." She gets out of bed and puts on her robe.
"Sorry, we were having such a good time."
"We were, weren't we? Maybe you should stay right here until I get back."
"I am not going anywhere." Tom says. "Good Luck."
Abby pretends to glare at Tom and then goes to knock on Nicholas's door.
"Come in."
"Hey, Nicholas."
"Hi." he says still in shocked.
"You OK?" Abby asks, a little unnecessarily.
"I think so. Were you and Dad wrestling?"
"Well, um, not exactly." ~Great. I get to give him The Talk. That's a father's job.~
"It looks like you were wrestling."
"In a way..." Abby says, tempted to leave it at that, but then deciding The Truth Must Be Told. "Um, what do you know about boys and girls and how they show they like each other?"
"You mean holding hands and kissing?"
"Basically. I guess sometimes kissing can end up looking sort of like wrestling."
"That's gross." he replies.
"At your age, yeah. But by the time you get to be my age, it's actually kinda nice."
"Yuck." he says. "I am going outside to play."
"Have you done your homework yet?"
Nicholas sighs. "Not yet."
"Homework, then play."
"Yes ma'am." Nicholas says and gets his books.
"I'll check in on you later," Abby says, and then returns to her own bedroom.
Tom is laying there on the bed. "Well, How did it go?"
"You really need to have The Talk with that boy some day. He thought we were wrestling."
Tom sighs. "He is too young."
"I'll bet you some of the kids in his class are already floating rumors."
"Whatever happened to baseball or spit balls for that matter." Tom thinks about when he was his age. "That is what they should worry themselves with."
"Oh, they do. And Doctor, and Post Office..."
Tom looks at Abby in shock. "You are right. I am glad this will be my last time giving 'The Talk'." Tom replies.
"I'm sure you're very good at it. Maybe the kids will ask you to give it to their kids."
"No way." Tom vows. "They can mess up the talk on their own."
Abby laughs. "Whoever gave it to you seems to have done a thorough job."
Tom laughs. "Actually it was Vivian."
"I'll have to thank her."
"Hey...you don't suppose she could....." Tom thinks out loud.
"Do you really want Vivian teaching Nicholas the facts of life?"
Tom rolls his eyes. "Bad idea."
Abby laughs. "Certainly for you--but Nicholas might like it."
"That's what I am afraid of." Tom says.
"Better than him learning it on the street," Abby says, then hesitates, "I think."
"I guess there is no way around it, I am going to have to talk to him someday."
"In the meantime," Abby says, "wanna wrestle?"
"Will you let me win?" Tom asks.
"I always let you win," Abby answers.
Tom laughs.
Later at school in the ladies restroom.
"Don't you two have anything better to do than try to annoy me. You should really grow up." Nancy says.
"Grow up? We aren't the ones who got that childish tattoo."
"It's not childish."
"Oh look at that she's whining now."
Nancy mumbles something and starts to head out the door.
One of them stops her from leaving. "What was that you said?"
~Keep your temper in check. Stay calm. Ignore them, Abby told you. Can't get the modeling job til the eye heals and don't need more injuries.~ "If I wanted you to hear what I said I would've said it out loud." Nancy says.
"I think she was insulting us." The #1 gossip replies.
"So do I." says the second person.
They encircle her so she can't get away.
"I'm not going to fight you." Nancy says. ~I sure wish one of my sisters would walk in.~
At that point one of her sisters does walk in.
"What the heck is going on here?" Mary demands.
"Nothing." the gossips say.
They back away from Nancy
~Hmm, they're not so tough when the odds are even are they?~ "Hi sis it's good to see you."
"We were just leaving." they say before leaving
"Don't let the door hit you on the way out." Mary says and then turns to Nancy. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"
"I guess they're still mad from the other day. It'll blow over." Nancy leaves.
Mary finds Joannie and Susan in the cafeteria and sits down. "Hey you two we need to talk."
"So talk," Joannie says.
She tells them what she witnessed in the ladies room and waits for a reply.
"That's awful" Susan says "Sounds like somebody needs to be taught a lesson."
Mary nods in agreement.
"Poor Nancy."
"So will you two help me?" Mary asks.
"Count me in" Susan says
"How?"
"I don't know that's why I came to you two for ideas."
"Punch their lights out?" Joannie suggests.
"I'd love nothing more, but that goes against everything I believe in." Mary says.
"How about believing in sisterhood?"
"And by believing in sisterhood that takes precedence over everything else. I like the way you think." Mary smiles. "But how bout we just scare them and if they still don't back off then we punch their lights out."
"That sounds like a good idea." Susan says
"If we must," Joannie sighs. "Not even a small warning punch?"
"Only if you really really want to."
Meanwhile Nancy decides to skip out early and heads home not knowing that Abby is on leave and that Tom is playing hooky from work. She realizes when she sees the cars in the driveway.
"Oh great." ~I'll just say my last class left out early.~ She goes inside and gets something to eat. ~I can not go back to that place and the sooner I break the news to Dad the better.~ She goes upstairs and knocks on the door.
~Now what~ Tom thinks. "Who is it?"
"Dad, Abby, are you two busy?" Nancy asks.
Tom groans and tells Abby. "Maybe we should say yes."
"You know you can't stand not knowing," Abby reminds him.
"You know me too well." Tom says. "Come in."
Nancy comes in. "We need to talk. I'm not interrupting anything am I?"
Tom looks at Abby. "No, what's up?"
"I don't think I should stay in college."
"What do you mean, you shouldn't stay in college? Of course you should," Abby says.
"Abby that place isn't for me. I'd be better off modeling and if I don't get that modeling job I can work elsewhere."
"At McDonald's? Nancy, an education is the only real basis for--well, for anything."
"David dropped out of college and he has his own apartment."
"And he does construction work," Abby says.
"I've made up my mind and I'm not going back there."
"Why not?"
"I don't like some of the people there and the courses, well I'm not really learning anything. Nothing I'm really going to use anyway."
"So, you're going to earn your living as a model?"
"They make a lot of money."
"And what will you do when you hit thirty?"
Nancy thinks this over. "I didn't think about that."
"And how will you check that your manager and agent isn't taking more than his fair share?"
"I guess I need to think about this more, but if I decide to stay in school can I go to a different one?"
Abby glances over at Tom. "Why don't you get some brochures from schools you'd prefer before you go further on that track?"
Tom just sits there too stunned to join the conversation.
"That's a good idea."
"OK. Then you do your research and we'll do ours."
She gives her a hug. "Thanks Abby." She looks at her Dad. "Dad what do you think?"
"Uh...what?" Tom says finally coming around.
"Dad did you hear a word we said?"
"The last thing I think you said was you wanted to drop out of school."
~And you tuned out after that?~ Nancy recaps what was said.
"Does this have to do with the shiner you got?" Tom points to the eye.
She nods. "I tried ignoring them but they still won't leave me alone. They're really immature."
"Running away from it isn't going to solve the problem."
"Then what is?" Nancy asks not knowing that her older sisters are taking care of the problem as they speak.
"Have you talked to the Dean?"
"Dad that's the worst thing I can do."
"How so?"
"It'll just make them angrier and it will take longer for this to blow over."
"Nancy, if they are terrorizing you, they need to be stop."
"That won't stop them, soon they'll forget all about it and get on with their lives."
"But they shouldn't be doing it in the first place."
"I know."
"So do you want them to run you out of there?"
"No, but what other options do I have?"
"Sticking it out? I think between the three of us we can come up with something." Tom looks at Nancy and Abby.
Nancy sighs in frustration not being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel right now. She leaves the room and then leaves to go get some college brochures.
"She sounds pretty miserable," Abby tells Tom after Nancy leaves.
"I know." Tom sighs. "Maybe I should go talk to the Dean or something."
"You can't go behind Nancy's back like that."
"Then what do you suggest?"
Abby shrugs.
Tommy and Elizabeth knock on their. "We are home."
"Fric and Frac," Abby mutters.
Tom snickers.
Abby lightly slaps his arm.
Tommy and Elizabeth just stand there. "We will be in our rooms if you need us."
"What I need from you two is for you to keep your word," Abby says.
"We will." Elizabeth says. "Come on Tommy, lets go."
After Tommy and Elizabeth leave Tom asks Abby. "Did you get a chance to talk to Mary and Susan about their part in the party?"
"No. Oddly enough, after I talked to Tommy and Elizabeth, Mary and Susan have been making themselves scarce."
"Hmmm...I wonder why?" Tom teases. ~I'd make myself scarce to, if I was them.~
"They can run, but they can't hide forever. And I think hiding is very unfair to Tommy and Elizabeth--they shouldn't bear the whole brunt of the punishment."
"I agree there." Tom says. "In a way they are older and should have known better."
"Certainly about having a party like that with Nicholas around. What were they thinking?"
"I wish I knew." Tom says
"I'll tell you. They weren't thinking."
"Yeah."
"Did they always do this kind of thing?"
Tom laughs. "Do you really want to know?"
"That bad?"
"Let's just say we didn't have to replace the carpet this time."
"Ouch. Maybe they're growing up."
Tom laughs.
"Think they're home now?"
"They are probably downstairs."
"Want to watch them leave the house?"
"Huh?" Tom asks not understanding what she just asked.
"If I go down there, they'll take off like they're in training for the Olympics," Abby explains.
"They can't avoid you forever."
"Doesn't mean they won't try."
Meanwhile somewhere in town.
"Why does she have to have sisters?" One of the gossips grumbles.
"Yeah really, looks like our fun is over." The other one grumbles.
"We can find someone else to torment."
"Are you nuts? You heard what the oldest one said. That if we bother her or anyone at all.... Well you know what."
"What are we supposed to do with our time now?"
They ponder this while they go shopping.
Nancy takes a break from looking at college brochures and goes window shopping she bumps into the gossips and they back away real quick and make themselves scarce.
"What the..." Nancy is confused by their sudden change in behavior when Mary approaches her.
"Should have known we'd find you here. Come on let's go home. Joannie and Susan are waiting in the car."
"Er um ok." Nancy follows her still confused. She explains it to Mary.
"Hmm, imagine that." Mary says pretending not to know anything about it.
They make it to the station wagon.
"Wait why were all of you looking for me?"
"What are you talking about?" Susan says trying to avoid the question
Nancy looks at all of them and tries to gauge from their expressions what's going on. "Why are they gossips suddenly avoiding me? It's kind of odd after what's been going on the past few days."
When the sisters arrive home. Mary goes upstairs and knocks on Tom and Abby's door. ~Might as well get this over with.~
"Forget about locking the bedroom door," Abby sighs. "We ought to try locking the front door."
"Come In." Tom says
Mary walks in. "Abby you wanted to talk to me?"
Tom replies. "I'll be in my study."
"Coward," Abby whispers
"Ta Ta." Tom waves at her.
"About that party you threw..."
"It was very stupid I know, and it won't happen again."
"It shouldn't have happened once, especially not with Nicholas in the house."
Mary cringes in guilt. "I know that was uncalled for. I wasn't thinking."
"You're supposed to think. Mary. You're the oldest one living at home."
"I know that but I'm also human."
"Not when you're the acting adult."
"I'm really sorry Abby." Is all Mary can say.
"Tommy and Elizabeth are underage. Whatever possessed you to have a party with alcohol with three kids in the house?"
"There wasn't supposed to be alcohol, it got out of hand."
"And you lost control."
Mary nods.
"Again," Abby says, referring to the party that was held while she and Tom were on their honeymoon.
"Yep," Mary says guilt clearly evident in her tone. "Again."
"So what are we going to do about it?" Abby asks.
"I don't know. I'm used to receiving punishments not giving them."
"Maybe that's why you lose control when you're in charge," Abby points out.
"Well I don't like being in charge. Sometimes I wish someone could be."
"Joannie? Susan?" Abby says.
"Actually Nicholas, he'd probably be the most effective at preventing wild parties."
Abby laughs.
"Hey I'm serious." Mary smiles.
"You're probably right, but would Tommy take orders from him?"
"I don't think so."
"Well, then, looks like you're stuck with the job."
Mary groans.
"And we still need to figure out how to keep these parties from happening again, short of chain me and your father to the house until you're all moved out."
"We should get everyone's feedback."
"I thought family meetings at this house were a recipe for disaster."
Mary shrugs.
At four o'clock Abby starts pacing the living room, preparing the lecture she plans to give Susan.
Susan quietly opens the front door and tries to sneak upstairs before anyone sees her
At the sound of the door opening, Abby hurries out to the entryway. "Susan--come on into the kitchen."
Susan doesn't say anything and follows Abby into the kitchen
"You wanted to talk?"
"I've heard everyone else's version of the debacle. What's yours?"
Susan explains what happened at the party which coincides with her siblings versions. "I'm sorry Abby" Susan says "Things got a little out of hand."
"None of you seem to realize that the very decision to have a party is what constituted 'things getting out of hand'."
"You're right Abby." Susan says "It won't happen again."
"You're absolutely right it won't, because I won't leave any of you in charge again until you've shown you can handle that responsibility."
"Okay Abby" Susan says "Whatever you say."
"Don't use that tone with me," Abby warns.
"Sorry" Susan says
"Sometimes I don't know why I bother..."
Nancy enters the kitchen and sees something that makes her fear for her life and stomach. Her father is cooking. She pulls Susan aside and whispers.
"I thought Abby was going to punish you and Mary, not Dad."
"Hey, I heard that." Tom replies.
Nancy smiles innocently at him.
"Don't worry, Abby will get around to punishing Mary and I." Susan says "I believe Abby's talking to Mary right now."
"It'll be over before you know it." Nancy says trying to be sympathetic.
"Thanks" replies Susan
"No, thank you for helping Mary and Joannie today."
"That's what sisters are for." replies Susan
Nancy hugs her.
"I thought you like my quick chili?" Tom says to Nancy.
"Actually Dad I have a date to eat somewhere else tonight."
"But I made some just for you."
Nancy's about to answer when the phone rings. "Hi honey...what? You have what? And just exactly how did that happen? You definitely didn't get it from me...she relaxes a little. "Oh ok, well stop sharing drinks with your friends ok.... I hope you feel better, I love you too." She hangs up the phone. "Don't anyone drink out of my glass."
"Why?" Tom asks concerned "and who was that?"
"It was Noah. He has Mono."
Susan spits out the water from the glass that she is drinking from as she realizes that Nancy had just used that same glass a few minutes ago.
"Uh oh." Nancy says.
"Uh oh's right" Susan says "What if I get mono?"
"If it's any consolation I might get it also."
Susan just shakes her head
"It's not my fault I didn't know."
Tom nearly has a heart attack. "Mono?!?"
"Dad it's not fatal or anything."
Tom is stunned. "I better call Max."
Max answers the phone. "Hello."
"Greg, its Tom." He explains the problem to him.
"Bring her in tomorrow and anyone else who might have been exposed."
"Thanks Max."
"Not a problem my friend."
Nancy retreats to her bedroom. There's a knock on the door. "Go away if you want to stay healthy!!" She exaggerates the level of contiguousness.
"Hi." Nicholas says
"Hi Nicholas, what's up?"
"Have you seen Sam?"
"Yep he's right here."
Sam looks up from where he's lying down.
"Cool."
"Hey Nick, will you tell Dad that I'll be home later." She says wanting to eat somewhere else.
"OK." Nicholas replies and goes and tells his dad what Nancy said.
Tom hurries and finds Nancy before she leaves the house. "Where do you think you are going?"
"Dad I'm not in the mood for chili I'll have some later." She says.
"Fine, order pizza or Chinese. But you are not leaving the house until Dr. Max sees you tomorrow."
"But Dad it's only spread through kissing and sharing eating utensils, food, or drink."
"Please don't argue with me." Tom says.
She rubs her throat. "Ok, but it's fun you know." She kids.
"Why are you rubbing your throat?"
"It's starting to get sore."
"Terrific." Tom says and calls Dr. Max. "Go back to bed." He tells Nancy as he waits for Max to answer.
Nancy goes upstairs to bed.