Plots Part 3

Nancy ponders her words while the doorbell rings.

"It's probably the police telling us to bail Dotty out, Abby says as she goes to answer it.

"Is Nancy home?" Noah asks.

"Sure. In the kitchen."

"Thank you." He goes to the kitchen and kisses her. "Good morning."

"Hey good morning yourself." She returns the kiss.

When Dotty gets back. Vivian motions her to the sunroom.

"You know, your nephew is very nice," Dotty says. "Too bad he's taken, or I'd fix him up."

"Thank you, so I take it you two had a very good time."

"Very. But I think I shocked him. Why didn't anyone every teach him that champagne cocktails are a much better breakfast drink than coffee?"

"I haven't been around long enough. So is Tom home?"

"I saw him in the study when I came in. Time to torture him?"

"Oh you got that right."

Tom is typing away on his column.

"Then let's do it," Dotty says to V. "You start and I'll follow your lead. You know him better than I do."

Vivian nods and they go into the study. "Oh Tom we need to talk."

"Can it wait? I am on a deadline."

"Not really."

Tom sighs and stops typing. "OK, what is it."

"You're going out with Dotty and I tonight and I wouldn't say no if I were you."

Tom laughs. "Oh I am. Am I?" he replies and goes back to typing.

"Does a certain lady of the evening bring back memories?"

Tom quickly looks at V. "What?" he then looks at Dotty and back to Vivian "I....I don't know what you are talking about." He stutters out.

"You don't?" Dotty asks sweetly. "I have some friend at the Sacramento Bee. I'm sure with a little research they could refresh your memory. Or maybe I could ask Mr. Mitchell to dig around in the court archives."

"What is this all about." He asks as his face turns red with anger.

"It's about us taking you out tonight. Are you coming with us or not?"

"But why?"

"Because we want to talk to you. In private."

"You could have asked you know; you didn't have to resort to blackmail."

"We did ask and you said no."

"In fact," Dotty says, "you still haven't said yes."

"OK, Yes. Tom says not happily. "Satisfied now?"

"Why, Tom," Dotty bats her eyelashes, "you know *I'm* not the woman you ought to be thinking of satisfying."

Tom blushes

"Tonight, Tom. Dinner. And be in the mood to say 'yes'."

"Wait a second, does Abby know anything about this?"

"What this? Dinner or your youthful misdeeds?"

"Both." He replies.

"We didn't tell her about dinner. About the other thing--of course you don't have any secrets from your wife, do you?"

"I thought you were her friend."

"I am. Her best friend."

"Then why would you want her to know about this? Also thanks V for keeping this between us."

"Oh Tom don't be a stick in the mud."

"Why don't you want her knowing that you dated a girl who turned out to be a hooker and got arrested for it back when she was just a little kid?" Dotty asks. "But don't worry, Tom, I won't tell her. Yet. I'm willing to make a deal."

"And she's not invited." Tom says. "The woman is not blind."
 
"Do I have to do all your thinking for you, Tom? Tonight she's got a class. Why would we invite her?"

"Oh....that's right."

"We'll pick you up at 7."

"Fine, now do you mind? I have work to do."

"Ok but don't forget."

"How could I?" he grumbles.

V smiles and leaves the room.

Just before 7, Dotty puts the finishing touches on her makeup and rounds up her co-conspirator. "Time to bring the Bradfords into this century."

"I'm ready whenever you are."

"Then let's go gather our victim--I mean date."

"Let's." They go and pick up Tom. "Are you ready brother dear?"

"Do I have to be?" he asks while putting on a tie.

"No you don't have to be, but..."

"OK V, I'll go along. So lets get this night over with."

"We could take Abby out tomorrow night instead," Dotty says.

"That won't be necessary."

"Then let's go."

Tom reluctantly follows them.

They take him to a very lively restaurant/ nightclub.

Tom covers his ears.

~This will take time.~ "Enjoying yourself?"

"What, did you say something?" he shouts over the noise.

"Are you enjoying yourself?!"

"Oh yeah, a blast." he lies.

"Good!!" Vivian says. "Let's Dance!!"

"V I can't dance to that music."

"Sure you can."

"Ask Abby, I stepped on her toes." he protests.

"Come on Tom my toes can take it."

"My sanity can't."

Vivian sighs.

Tom takes one look at Vivian face. "Oh....all right, but only one dance."

She smiles and leads him to the dance floor.

Tom dances.

So does V, circles around Tom.

~This is stupid, I just want to go home.~ Tom thinks.

~He looks miserable it's working but I do wish he was having a good time.~

"V, why are you and Dotty doing this?"

"To help you loosen up and have a good time."

"But why?" Tom asks. "If you really want me to have a good time, find a way for Abby and I to take a vacation." he walks off the dance floor.

"But this way is funner."

"For whom? You and Dotty for tormenting me like this?"

"Tom."

"What?" he asks.

"Oh never mind." She returns to the table.

"Fine." Tom says and pays the check. "I'm going home, and if you plan on telling Abby, you will be too late. I plan on telling her myself. thanks you two for a wonderful evening." he walks out.

"Oh great." She goes after him.

"You can't stop me Vivian." Tom says.

~Oh Dotty come out. I need your help.~ "Tom please reconsider."

"Reconsider what?" Tom asks. "Going home or telling Abby about my past and  how my sister and her best friend tried to blackmail me."

"Well." She tries to stall for time.

Dotty joins them. "Blackmail you? Into having dinner and unwinding. Oooh, big scary blackmail. Come on, Tom, what is it you're afraid of under that blustery conservative jacket and tie? Afraid you might actually like having a good time?"

Vivian gives her a thank you look.

"I know how to have a good time."

"Then come back inside."

"If this whole setup was for me to have a good time, come with me." he says as he gets in the car.

"Should we?" V asks Dotty.

"Depends on how scary he is when he's having his kind of fun."

"He's not that bad."

"Gee, that sounds encouraging. Oh, why not--let's let him show us what he's made of."

"Well? Are you two coming or not." Tom waits behind the driver seat.

"Ok." They get in the car.

Tom drives across town and pulls into the parking lot of a bowling alley. He takes off his tie and jacket. "Are you two coming in?" he asks as he gets out of the car.

"Bowling?"

"You want me to have a good time, right?"

"But...bowling?" Dotty says, "Gee, you really are conservative and stodgy."

"I thought this whole idea was for me to have a good time or was it to change me into your idea of a good time."

"Into *everyone's* idea of a good time. It can't be that everyone's out of step but Johnny--or Tom, as the case may be."

"Yeah really."

"I haven't heard any complaints."

"Maybe you haven't been listening," Dotty says.

"I listen."

V gives him a no you don't look.

"Maybe people don't feel comfortable telling you," Dotty suggests.

"That's ridiculous." Tom states. "My family can tell me anything

"Are you sure about that?"

"V if something was said, I want to know."

"Now Tom don't get upset you'll give yourself high blood pressure."

"I'm not upset!!" he shouts. then quietly says "I'm not upset."

"Yes you are."

"Well, if I am its because you two are talking in platitudes."

"Just because we want you to have a good time?"

"Uh huh." he says and walks towards the bowling alley.

"I guess we bowl tonight. Some days you get the bear..." Dotty sighs and follows Tom.

Tom picks out his bowling ball, shoes and gets a beer. "Do you two want a beer?"

"That might be the only thing which makes this night tolerable."

"I'll drink to that." Tom replies.

Dotty returns the salute and takes a long drink straight from the bottle.

Tom follows her lead.

"Maybe this is working," Dotty whispers to Vivian. "Tom Bradford, drinking beer out of a bottle in public. Wonder how many we can get him to down tonight."

Vivian smiles. "Hopefully enough that one of us will be driving home."

Tom orders another one.

"Is that the only alcohol they serve?" V asks.

"Either that or a soda." Tom tells V.

"Beer it is."

Tom orders a beer for Vivian with a glass.

"Thank you."

Dotty drains her beer and orders another, too. "Impolite not to keep up. Hey, Tom, how about a little bet on the outcome of the game?"

"What do you have in mind?" Tom asks.

"You lose, you have to let your kids do one thing they think is fun that you don't. Nothing illegal, mind you, just something you wouldn't normally let them do."

"Oh sure like V sneaked off with Susan and took her Sky Diving." he smirks. "And if I win?"

"Make me an offer."

"You and V have to go to any movie I pick and announce to the family that you loved it."

V groans.

"But we don't actually have to love it, just endure it and lie, right?"

"Right." Tom says and downs another beer. "Shall we?"

"I'm ready whenever you two are."

"Ladies first." Tom says.

"Dotty why don't you go first?"

"OK." Dotty bowls a spare. "Wait until I warm up," she tells the Bradford siblings.

Tom gets up and bowls a strike. "Oh did I mention I won at the Register bowling tournament?"

"No."

"Darn, I guess I forgot."

"And that should worry us because?"

Tom laughs. "You'll see. You are next."

Vivian bowls a strike also.

"Nice shot."

"You'd better confess to anything else I should know about you, or I'll have to have a nice long talk with my friend when she gets home tonight. I have ways of making her talk," Dotty pretends to threaten.

Tom laughs. "I bet my ways are better than your ways."

"More fun I'll bet. Especially since most of the ways we used to use to get each other to talk are probably forbidden in your house."

"Do I want to know this?"

"Maybe some day, when you need ammunition from the past," Dotty smiles.

Tom smiles. "You are up."

"You look like a man who needs the smile wiped off your face," Dotty says, and bowls a strike. "Told you I just needed to warm up."

Tom bowls a one pin spare

Halfway through the game V whispers to Dotty. "I think we're in
trouble."
 
"I can not sit through a movie he'd like. We have to win."

"Definitely, I can not handle Disney."

"Disney. Is the man 40 something or 4?"
 
"Hey, I heard that." Tom says.

"I meant you to," Dotty answers.

Tom pouts and bowls another strike. "I can taste that popcorn all ready."

"Don't count on it yet." V says but winds up bowling a gutter ball.

"Nice." Tom smirks.

"Oh hush Tommy Belly Button." V says.

"Dotty, your turn." Tom says.

Dotty imagines the pins as the seven dwarves and Tom Bradford and knocks
them all down in a strike.
 
"Very Nice."

Despite all their efforts Dotty and Vivian lose and Tom wins.

Tom smiles. "Thanks for a lovely night ladies. I can't wait for tomorrow night."

"I'm sure you can't."

"How about another game double or nothing."

"No." Tom says.

"Just shoot me now...." Dotty moans.

"Vivian, you have to do something. I can not sit through a Disney movie."

"Oh come on, I am sure you had worse nights." Tom kids with her.

"Sure, but I usually didn't realize it until the guy left in the morning."

"I'll tell you what, I'll make a deal with you." Tom offers.

"I don't do windows."

"Cute." Tom says. "I am willing to forgo the bet on a couple of conditions."

"Such as?"

"You and V stop interfering in my and my family's life. Now this doesn't mean you aren't welcome here, it just means when you come to visit stop putting ideas in their heads."

"That's not fair."

"Fine, we go to Disney and then you can tell everyone how much you loved it."

"Fine, I'll stop putting ideas into their heads," V says.

"I didn't put any ideas in their heads. If I did anything, it's tell you some things they're too intimidated to say out loud," Dotty defends herself.

"Then what was all this talk about Nancy wanting to climb Mount Everest?"

"It was an April Fools Joke Tom."

"She started it."

Tom rolls his eyes. "So do we have a deal?"

"I guess."

"Now the second condition...." he says.

"I don't think we're going to like this," Dotty whispers.

"We're waiting."

"Take me home, before I get sick." he says as he drops his 6th beer bottle.

Dotty tries to prop Tom up. 'I've heard about Tom when he's drunk. We'd better get him how before he propositions us or throws up on us."

They get him home and into bed.

Tom is moaning when Abby comes in.

"Tom? What's wrong?"

"Don't ever go out with my sister and your friend at the same time."

Abby sits down on his side of the bed. "What did they do to you?"

"They wanted me to loosen up."

"You do look pretty loose, all right."

"I think I am going to lose my dinner" he says as he runs to the bathroom.

Abby shakes her head. "Some men just can't hold their liquor...."

Tom comes out and collapses on the bed.

Abby finishes undressing him and then covers him up.

Once Tom is snoring peacefully away, Abby goes looking for Dotty and Vivian.

She finds them in the kitchen.

"What did you do to my husband?" Abby asks, "and couldn't you have brought him home in enough time that he'd get a chance to proposition me before he got sick and passed out?"

"Nothing compared to what he's done to us." Vivian grouses.

"V, he's your brother!" Abby says, shocked.

"Not that, sheesh, Tom and I have never been into that incest thing. Dotty and I are going to have to sit through Disney."

"I think I'd prefer the incest."

"Think Max would a write a note for us to get us out of it?"

"Disney or the incest?" Dotty asks, a little tipsy herself.

Vivian laughs. "Both."

"Tom I could handle. It's the seven dwarves who make me sick. Or maybe it's the beer."

"Tough call."

"Dotty, you stay away from my husband and if you're going to be sick, the bathroom's upstairs," Abby warns. "But given the state Tom's in, can't you just convince him he didn't win and he just thinks he did because he got so drunk?"

"He'll remember."

"I don't know; he's forgotten some pretty important things when drunk," Abby says, remembering the night of his stag party and her shower.

"Hmm it's worth a shot."

"If anyone can pull it off..."

"Dotty and I can."

"But maybe I can help a little," Abby says.

"That would be greatly appreciated."

"I'll see what I can do," Abby says.

"Thank you."

Abby goes to the freezer, puts some ice cream in a bowl, grabs a spoon. "Well, good night," she says, heading towards the door with her ice cream.

"You're not going to..." Dotty starts.

"All for the cause, my dear, all for the cause." Abby leaves the room.

"Poor Tom," Dotty laughs.

"What's she going to do?"

Abby goes upstairs and tries to wake Tom up.
"Nothing I could tell the victim's sister about. But he'll enjoy every minute of it, and if by morning he remembers his own name, I'd be surprised."

Vivian laughs.

"What?" Tom says quietly.

Abby kisses him and lets him know she means it.

"Wow...what was that for?"

"Last time you were in a state like this you promised me a night I'd never forget, but you passed out before you could. I'm cashing in that raincheck."

Tom laughs and happily complies.

Afterwards, Abby says, "I hear you had some night tonight."

"I did?" he asks

"Heard you came within one spare of winning."

"Wait a second, I won."

"You were so drunk when you came home--are you sure you won? Last time you got like this, at your stag party, next day you were sure I joined you in bed instead of just cleaning you up and sending you to sleep it off. You know how your mind plays tricks on you, Tom."

"I guess you are right."

Abby gives him another kiss. "Well, at least that means you get to enjoy the consolation prize."

"You mean the grand prize." Tom replies.

"No, that what I've got."

Tom laughs.

Later that night a very exhausted Nancy pulls into the driveway and accidentally hits the car in front of her.

"Oh great." She groans and pulls back a little and then gets out to survey the damage. "Hmm it's not too bad." There's not a scratch on her car but there's a slight dent in the Sedan's fender.

Having heard the noise Tom comes out.

"Dad don't worry I'll get it fixed." Nancy says while struggling to keep her eyes open.

"Nancy, do you know what time it is?"

"Two or three last time I checked. The shoot ran longer than expected."

"And you have school in the morning, I am going to have to have a little chat with Brad."

"Dad I'll make it to school on time don't worry."

"Have you even studied?"

"I'll go study now."

"No you won't." Tom tells her. "Get some sleep, we will talk about this later."

"But Dad."

"Nancy, can you honestly say you can do some serious studying as exhausted as you are?"

"No, sorry about the fender and I will pay for it." She kisses him and goes inside.

Tom looks at the fender. ~Why me?~ and goes inside to bed.

"Well, Nancy's home." he says to Abby.

"What time is it?" Abby asks sleepily.

"3:15." he says and yawns.

"What's she doing coming home so late?"

"She says the shoot ran over." Tom says. "She also manage to dent the sedan's fender."

"What was the sedan doing at the shoot?"

"I mean in the driveway."

"Oh," Abby answers, still only half awake. "You'll have to talk to her."

"I did. She says she has it under control"

"And you believe her?"

"No." Tom says.

"So what are you going to do about her?"

"I'll call Brad tomorrow."

"Nancy's going to hate that."

"He promised us that her school work would come first, its obvious he forgot  that."

"But this is so important to Nancy."

"So is college." Tom says.

"To us. I guess not to Nancy."

"It is going to be." Tom vows.

"Tom, you can't make her want what we want her for, no matter how much we know it's the right thing."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"I don't know," Abby answers. "That we don't try to solve The Problem Of Nancy at 3:30 in the morning."

"I like that suggestion."

"Good night, then. We'll talk about it in the morning."

"Goodnight." he says.

The next morning the alarm goes off in Nancy and Elizabeth's bedroom. Which doesn't wake Nancy in the least bit

Elizabeth hears the alarm but pulls the covers over her head.

Nancy reaches her hand out and hits the alarm, silencing it, and then she falls back to sleep.

A little while later in the line to use the bathroom.

"Nancy hurry up!!" Mary bangs on the door assuming it's her in there since she's usually the one hogging the bathroom in the morning.

Nicholas walks out of the bathroom. "I just got in here."

"Oh sorry champ." Mary says. "Go ahead with what you were doing."

"Boy, you get up early and you still cant have any privacy." he says as he  shuts the bathroom door.

Tommy laughs at Mary's expression.

"And what are you laughing at." Mary asks pretending to be angry but about to laugh herself.

"Oh nothing." he smirks.

Mary starts laughing also.

Nicholas comes out a few minutes later

Then Mary goes in.

Elizabeth wakes up and notices it is 11 am and Nancy is still asleep.

"NANCY, wake up. You are late."

Nancy gets up with a start and looks at the clock. "Oh no!!" She rushes to the bathroom to get ready. By the time she's finished she's too late to make it to classes in time.

She gets her books together and takes the time to study and spend time with Elizabeth before heading off to work.

"Do you want to come to the photo shoot with me?" Nancy asks trying to get her out of the house.

"Thanks, but I need to catch up on some homework." she lies.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." she cracks open a book. "Maybe next time."

"Ok, and hey do Dad and Abby know that I overslept?"

"Dad went to work, but Abby probably knows."

She groans. "How am I going to explain this after last night."

"Explain what?" Elizabeth doesn't know about Nancy accident or late night.

"The shoot ran late last night and I was exhausted by the time it was over. I accidentally dented the Sedan."

"Nancy, you OK?" Liz asks.

"Yes it was very very minor."

"Well if I were you, I would try to sneak out while you can."

"Good idea. See ya later." Nancy leaves and tries to sneak out. However she accidentally drops her keys and they fall on the floor and make a loud sound.

She looks around to see if anyone heard it but no one comes to see about the noise so she leave for work.

"Brad, I missed my classes this morning." Nancy tells him.

"What? How did that happen?"

"I slept through my alarm."

"I don't understand, are you not feeling well?" Brad asks.

"The shoot ended very late last night or should I say early this morning, remember?" She says.

"What? I told them to stop shooting at 7." he replies. "I'll talk to Jeff about this."

"Thank you, I can't be missing classes when I'm healthy enough to go."

"Did your parents say anything?"

"I haven't talked to Abby yet but my Dad was upset."

"I bet." Brad says. "Want me to call them?"

She nods.

Brad calls the Register and finds that Tom is out. He then calls the house.

Abby puts her books down and answers the phone.

"Hi, this is Brad."

"Oh. Good morning. Did you just get out of bed, too, like Nancy?"

"I called to say I'm sorry and it won't happen again. I wasn't aware what was going on."

"Wasn't aware? It's your business to be aware. The whole reason we allowed Nancy to start working for you is that you promised us you'd be aware. Maybe, instead of talking to me, you ought to be finding out what else it is you're 'not aware' of."

"You are right." Brad confesses. "I dropped the ball, but I assure you it won't happen again."

"You've already assured us it wouldn't happen once," Abby reminds him.

"I know I did, I have no excuse." Brad says.

"I'll have to talk to my husband about this. And to Nancy, of course."

"Of course. I have also reprimanded the photographer."

"Good. I'll let you know what we decide," Abby promises.

"I am sending Nancy home to get some rest and to catch up on her studies." he tells her.

"Thank you."

Brad hangs up and goes finds Nancy.

"How did it go?" She asks him.

"Rough, but nothing I didn't deserve." He tells her. "and you have the rest of the day off."

"I'm sorry." She smiles in sympathy. "And are you serious? Thank you."

"Of course I am serious, I have to keep my top model rested."

She gives him a hug and then leaves for home. When she gets there she checks all her syllabus's to see what went on in classes today and gets started on that. ~Hopefully I'll be able to get notes from someone.~ She hears someone enter the kitchen.~ "Hi Abby, how's your day going?"

"I'm heading off to school," Abby says. "At least some of us should do that kind of thing now and then."

"Abby I overslept it won't happen again."

"It had better not. And no more late night shoots."

~Sheesh, make one mistake.~ "There won't be."

"We'll talk about it when I get back. I have a meeting at the high school and I'm going to be late."

"Ok."

"And your father will have a thing or two to say, I'll bet."

"I'm sure he will."

After Abby finishes talking to Nancy she goes upstairs to Elizabeth. "I'm heading over to the high school to settle a few things about my subbing. You want to come along? You could give your teachers the work you've been doing while you've been out."

"Couldn't you give it to them?"

"Elizabeth, you can't hide here at home forever."

"Why Not?" Elizabeth asks and then sees the look on Abby's face. "OK, I'll come along."

"I'll wait until you're ready, just don't take too long."

Elizabeth sighs and changes into jeans and a top.

When Elizabeth gets downstairs Abby tries to cheer her up. "Afterwards, maybe we'll go out for a late lunch, just the two of us."

"Thanks Abby, but its not necessary."

"Well, just keep it in mind, or anything else you might want to do. As long as you're out, after all..."

"OK."

"OK, well, here goes nothing. Let's get going."

They get in the car.

They drive a short distance and Abby parks in front of the high school. "You OK with this?" she asks Elizabeth.

"Do I have choice." Elizabeth says as she takes a deep breath.

"Yes, of course you have a choice."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes. I have to go in, but you can wait here for me."

"Thanks, here is my school work." Liz says.

"I wish you'd reconsider, though," Abby says. "If you're worried about seeing people from school, you're as likely to see them out here as in there."

~She's right.~ Liz thinks. "OK, I'll go in."

"Thanks. I'll be right there with you, don't forget."

Elizabeth nods.

They get about three steps into the building when one of Liz's classmates walks up to them.

The classmate laughs at her and walks away.

Abby moves a little closer to Elizabeth.

"It looks like I have been the topic of discussion." she sighs.

"You knew that would be the case. You've just got to show them you're back and you're here to stay."

"I suppose."

"Look, Elizabeth. You either run all your life or you fight back, starting now."

"Abby, you just don't understand. It wasn't you that was attacked." she says
and bursts into tears and runs back to the car.

Abby tries to decide whether to go after Elizabeth or not, but the teacher
she is due to replace spots her and drags her off to a meeting over Abby's
protests.

Meanwhile, a girl walks over to the car. "You're Elizabeth Bradford, aren't
you?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I've heard the gossip. Peter's a jerk."

"Really?" she asks, wiping away her tears.

"My sister dated him once. She said she wouldn't be in the same room with
him again if he were the last guy in school."

"Yeah, I know that feeling." she says. "What's your name?"

"Ellen. Is it true, what they say he did to you?"

Elizabeth nods her head yes.

"I'm glad my sister got away from him in time. I'm sorry that you didn't.
Are you coming inside?"

"I don't know." she says. "How do the others feel about Peter."

"The ones who wish they'd gone out with him believe him. The ones who know
someone who went out with him don't."

"So not everybody believes him."

"No way. A lot of the guys do, but that's just because they're envious of how easy he makes it look to be a scumbucket. But the girls..."

Elizabeth nods in understanding.

"Well, I've got to get inside to class or Miss Ryder will have my head."

"OK, I'll probably see you Monday then." Elizabeth replies.

"OK, I'll see you then," Ellen says, and goes inside the building.

Part 4