Mary cringes at the sight of her injured sister and gently kisses her being careful not to touch the bandages.
"She looks pretty bad," Joannie whispers to her sister.
"She's going to be all right." Mary whispers back.
"Let her get one look in the mirror, though..."
"It'll heal Joannie."
"I hope for her sake it doesn't leave scars. She'll hate that."
Mary nods in agreement and the spinal tap results arrive. Greg and the doctors look it over and converse quietly. Soon he returns to the girls.
"There's swelling around the spinal cord it should go down in a couple of days; however, anytime there is swelling there's the chance of paralysis."
Mary goes white as a sheet. "Yeah but sometimes when the swelling goes down the paralysis goes away right?"
He nods.
"So she's paralyzed now," Joannie asks, "or you only think she might be?"
"We won't know for sure till she wakes up and even if she is it might be temporary."
"I better try to reach Dad and Abby again." Mary says.
"Why'd they have to go out to dinner tonight, anyway?"
Mary hugs her and is about to leave for the pay phones when a nurse stops her.
"You can use the phone in here."
"Thank you." Mary dials home and waits for someone to answer. Tommy answers and she talks to him for awhile and then hangsup. "They're still not home."
"That's so typical. Dad's never around anymore when we need him."
"I know." Mary says to angry and worried to try to cover up for him.
The cast finally sets and they get Nancy admitted. Around that time David who is driving home from a date comes across the police trying to clear the accident scene. He panics when he recognises what's left of Nancy's car, pulls over, gets out of his van, and approaches the officers.
"Where's the driver?" He demands.
"Son calm down, now there were two drivers which one are you inquiring about and are you a family member?"
"Yes, I'm David Bradford. My sister Nancy was one of the drivers."
The police woman tells him where they took her and he hightails it there. A little while later he enters her hospital room and sees Mary and Joannie. "Is she all right?" He asks them.
"She may be paralyzed," Joannie says and starts to cry.
David goes over to her and hugs her and trys to calm her down.
Moments later Nancy groans and begins to stir. One of the nurses goes to get Greg and the other doctor.
"Nancy, come on wake up." Mary encourages her.
She manages to get her eyes open and almost screams out in pain.
"Maybe it'd be better if she slept," Joannie says.
"Joannie why are you crying? What's wrong?" Nancy manages.
"Nothing, honey. Go back to sleep."
She's about to say something else but falls back to sleep thanks to the medication. Greg and the other doctor return.
The other doctor sighs. "Darn now we can't check til she wakes again."
"And that's a bad thing how?" David asks a little ticked at the way the other doctor said that. "Let her sleep and escape the pain for as long as she can."
"Will it make a difference?" Joannie asks. "Is there something you could do now that you couldn't do later?"
"Not really."
"Then let her sleep, please." Mary says.
He nods in agreement.
Back in the waiting room Joannie starts to pace. "I feel like checking every restaurant in town. How dare Dad not be home!"
"Joannie these things can't be predicted." David says.
At that moment Brad walks in and Mary socks him in the jaw.
"What did I do?"
"Do the words overworked come to mind?! The only reason I can think for Nancy pulling over is that she might have been as exhausted as she was last night!! How could you let her drive home!!"
Brad cringes in guilt. "Is she all right?"
"No," Joannie says, letting some of her anger out on Nancy's boss.
"She's not dead is she?" He asks.
"No thanks to you, no. But I hope you have lots of insurance on her."
One of the backup photographers is there also and he asks. "Her face isn't messed up is it."
Brad glares at him. "I don't think now is the time." He turns back to the Bradford siblings. "Can I see her?"
"You'd have to ask the doctors. If it were up to me, you'd never see her again," Joannie says.
"Family only." Dr. Maxwell tells Brad.
Noah arrives and is directed to Nancy's room.
"He's not family." Brad protests.
"He is too." Mary counters.
Brad sighs. "Where do I make the billing arrangements."
The nurse takes him to the place wanting to get him and his idiot friend away from the Bradfords.
"Maybe looking for Dad and Abby isn't a bad idea." David says. "But I'm going to do it."
"You'll be too nice to them."
"That's why I'm going to do it."
"Too bad--you've got company," Joannie tells him.
David rolls his eyes and takes Joannie with him.
Meanwhile in Nancy's hospital room. Noah holds back his tears when he sees her lying there so hurt. ~I'm going to kill that sob if it's the last thing I do.~ He thinks about the other driver. He stays as long as the nurses will let him.
Some time later David and Joannie find Tom and Abby in a restuarant.
"Be nice." David tells Joannie."
"I will," Joannie says and holds out her hands. "See? No knives or anything."
David laughs and then approaches Tom and Abby. "We've been trying to reach you two."
"Why?" Abby says, worried about what would be important enough for David and Joannie to seek them out.
"Nancy's been in an accident. She was rear ended by a drunk driver." He says.
"Is she hurt? Of course she's hurt if you came to get us," Abby answers her own question. "Where is she?"
David takes a deep breath before answering. "There's no concussion but they're still keeping an eye on her head injury. Her left arm is broken and there's spinal cord swelling. She's at General"
"Damn." Tom says.
David glances over at Joannie hoping that she doesn't start yelling.
"We've been trying to find you for hours," Joannie says.
"We Left a note on the hallway table." Tom states.
"It didn't say where you'd be."
"Look, we can argue about this later if you want to, right now Nancy needs us." Tom says as he gets the money from his wallet to pay the bill.
"He's telling us?" Joannie whispers to David. "We were the ones dealing with everything while he played middle-aged Romeo."
Tom ignores Joannie's comment and makes a mental note to talk to Joannie later. "Abby, honey? You ready?"
"Of course. I was just leaving the tip. Let's go."
They head for the hospital.
"Joannie." David tries to quiet her.
"Don't 'Joannie' me."
Currently back at the hospital.
"What did the doctors say?" Noah asks Mary.
She tells him everything.
He boils over with anger. "I'm going to kill him."
"Noah I know how you feel right now. I'm very angry at the other driver too. But he'll be punished for this. And right now he probably feels like hell anyway with two of his friends dead and with what he did to Nancy. If you kill him then you won't be able to be there for her when she needs you."
He sighs in frustration and considers her words.
Dr. Maxwell approaches them and motions Mary aside. "Are your father and Abby here yet?"
"No, why?"
"We've run into complications."
"What do you mean?"
He hesistates.
"You already told us everything anyway? What's one more thing?"
"We didn't catch it before because it's so small."
"What is?"
"Her skull is slightly fractured."
"What do you mean by slightly?" She asks. "Is it bad?"
"Nothing that we can't treat." He tells her what they need to do adding that they won't need to shave her head due to the location of the small fracture.
"Can it wait for Dad's approval?"
"No it can't."
"Then go ahead."
She signs the consent form and surgery begins.
After awhile Noah goes home telling Mary that he'll return in the morning. Mary stays and waits for the outcome and also for her siblings to return.
When they get to the hospital. Mary fills them in on the latest turn of events.
Tom is stunned. "Where is Max?"
"He'll be out soon to provide an update."
Tom collapses in a nearby chair.
Abby puts a hand on Tom's arm. "She'll be OK. You'll see."
"Yeah." Tom says trying to convince himself and others.
One hour later Dr. Max comes to update the family. "Good you two are here." He says.
Tom stands up. "Max? How is she?"
"We were able to insert a small plate over the fracture. They're closing right now and she'll be in recovery afterwards. Have David, Joannie, and Mary filled you in on the rest?"
"About the *possible* paralysis? Yeah they have." Tom sighs.
"Keep in mind possible, once the swelling is gone we'll know either way. Right now we haven't had the chance to test her yet, and she doesn't know yet."
"Are you planning to tell her, or wait until you know for certain?" Abby asks.
"Well she'll have to be awake when we test her and if she doesn't feel anything she's going to want to know why."
"May Abby and I see her?"
"You'll have to wait til she's out of recovery."
"How long will that be?"
"As soon as she comes out of the anesthesia." He observes both of them. "Or I'll see if I can call in a favor and get you two in recovery to see her."
"Hey, we want to see her, too," Joannie says.
"I'll see what I can do honey." Greg promises.
"You can Joannie just as soon as we see her." Tom states
"Sure, waltz right in and take over...."
"Joannie, I am the parent.." Tom begins to lecture.
"Sure didn't act it."
"Why? Because I had dinner with my wife?" Tom asks.
"Might want to think about your kids now and then."
"Joannie, I am not going to dignify that response with an answer."
Soon Greg returns. "They'll only allow three."
"You three go ahead." Mary says. David nods in agreement.
"Good, lets go." Tom says to Abby and Joannie.
Abby stands and Joannie follows suit somewhat less enthusiastically.
Greg leads them to the recovery room where Nancy is still out from the anesthesia.
"Keep it quiet." The nurse tells them.
"We will." Tom says. Tom goes over to Nancy's bed and leans down and whispers in her ear. "Nancy? It's dad. You are going to be just fine."
Nancy begins to awaken and soon starts shivering.
Abby goes off in search of a nurse or a blanket and soon returns with both. The nurse puts an extra blanket over Nancy.
"What happened?" Nancy asks in complete confusion.
Both Abby and Joannie wait for Tom to explain everything.
"You were in a car accident honey." Tom replies.
"Was anyone with me?" She asks in a panicked tone.
"No." Tom assures her.
She sighs in relief.
A little while later they put her in a regular hospital room where one of the nurses administers pain medication she then turns to Tom and Abby.
"In a few minutes she's not going to make much sense and might be a little giddy. Don't take anything she says personally. She'll be asleep in twenty minutes at the most."
Tom points to the couch and recliner. "Which one do you want?" he asks Abby.
"Doesn't matter to me."
Tom takes the recliner.
Abby settles down on the couch.
Nancy moves her good hand in front of her face and starts laughing. "Whoa this is cool." She says as the meds start taking effect.
"Wish I had some of that stuff." Tom jokes.
"Call my nurse I'll ask her to give you some." Nancy replies.
Tom chuckles. "Thanks Nancy, but I am OK."
"Ok, but if you two need anything come to me I have this place wired."
"Sorry, only the ill and children of the sixties get that kind of feeling."
Nancy laughs.
"Born too late." he jokes.
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Right."
Nancy hums the lyrics to the "Born too Late for you." song and then drifts off to sleep.
<insert anything else that happens that night>
Morning comes with Nancy out of surgery but still out from the medication and the drunk driver being bailed out of jail. Wracked with guilt he comes to visit Nancy in the hospital hoping that her family doesn't find him especially one member of the family. ~I hope Joannie doesn't know it was me she'll shoot me and ask questions later.~ He enters her room and is almost floored when he sees how injured she is. "Oh no." He says and fresh tears of guilt well in his eyes. He's so involved in his own guilt that he doesn't notice the door opening or anyone entering the room.
Joannie walks in but stops at the doorway. "What are you doing here?" she asks her ex-boyfriend.
"Just visiting." He lies.
"Why are you visiting my sister?"
It takes him awhile to answer. "I'm the other driver."
"What other driver?" Joannie asks before it hits her. "You mean?" She throws herself at him, ready to tear him limb from limb.
He somehow gets free from her. "Joannie I'm sorry."
"You sure are," she says, and tries to get at him again.
"If I would've known I never would've gotten behind the wheel."
"You killed two people, and you could have killed Nancy!"
"Don't you think I know that. Is she going to be all right?"
"No," Joannie says, hoping to make the boy feel even worse.
Dr. Max walks in. "Son I think you'd better get out of here." He says not bothering to hide the anger in his voice.
"Joannie I'm sorry." He says before making a fast exit.
"Why'd you make him leave, Dr. Max? I could have killed him and made the world a safer place."
"Because you're not a killer." He tries to calm her down.
"I'm willing to make an exception."
"What good will it do it won't change what happened last night.
"Who do you have to know to get a coke around here?" Nancy asks waking up with dry mouth.
"Just ask," Joannie says. "I can get her one, right, Dr. Max?"
"Sure." When Joannie goes to get the coke he examines Nancy.
"What happened?" She asks. "All I remember was being very tired and then pulling over to avoid an accident."
"An accident found you anyway. Any pain in your legs?" He asks.
"No, but everything else hurts. I'm old enough to hear about the accident you know."
Joannie comes back with the coke, but hears Nancy and Dr. Max talking, so she waits outside.
Greg tells her what happened and checks her feet and legs by poking and prodding hoping Nancy will feel something.
"Why can't I feel it?" Nancy asks becoming frightened.
"Honey, there's some swelling on your spinal cord. As soon as that goes down you should start getting feeling back in your legs."
"And if I don't?"
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
"That's just the worst case scenario, as soon as the swelling goes down everything will be fine right?"
"It should be, yes," Greg says, wanting to keep Nancy calm.
She sighs in relief.
Greg notices Joannie in the doorway. "Hey I have to make my rounds. If you need anything have a nurse page me ok."
"Ok."
Joannie walks in. "Here's you coke. Hold on a sec and I'll crank your bed up."
"Thanks." She takes it with her good arm and drinks it. "How's the other driver?"
"I don't know," Joannie lies, not wanting to say who it was.
She looks at her more closely. "You look exhausted have you slept yet?"
"Not much."
"There's a free bed in here or if you like building endurance there's an uncomfortable sofa."
"I think the nurses will kick me out if I start snoring in here."
"Well if you go home to sleep. Please get a ride from someone."
"I think I'll stay here a while if that's OK with you."
"Yeah it's ok." She finishes the coke and puts it on the hospital tray.
"Maybe I'll just lie down on that bed for a few minutes."
"Good idea." Nancy says before dozing off.
Within minutes, Joannie, too, is asleep.
Meanwhile Greg approaches Tom and Abby in the waiting room. "I need to talk to you two."
"Has there been some change?" Abby asks.
He nods. "Just remember the swelling hasn't gone down yet and we'll know more in a couple days whether it's permanent or not. She doesn't have feeling in her legs." He tells them.
"So she's paralyzed, though it may not be forever."
"Exactly."
"How long should it take for the swelling to go down so we know?"
"It should go down the day after tomorrow."
"So we just wait and hope?"
He nods and then says. "I managed to calm her down some but I think she's pretty scared."
"Is she awake?" Abby asks.
"The last time I checked, but with the medication she might be asleep again."
"Tom, should we go now?"
Tom nods.
They go to see Nancy and see that Joannie is asleep in the next bed. "Hi," Abby whispers, hoping she doesn't wake the sleeping girl.
"Hi." She manages a smile and then winces in pain as quietly as she can.
"Should I ask a nurse to get you something?"
"The past 24 hours back would be nice. Besides it's not time for more meds for another hour."
"I could check. Maybe they'd give you something now."
"Ok."
Abby goes to the nurse's station to ask if Nancy can be given something for the pain.
"I'm sorry Mrs.Bradford but it wouldn't be safe."
"So she just suffers?"
"It'll just be another hour I assure you."
"An hour that will seem like forever."
"I'll check with her doctor and see if we can give it to her early."
"Thank you."
The nurse calls him up and he agrees to it so the nurse gives Nancy the paid meds early.
Meanwhile back at home. Mary enters the kitchen and gets something to drink and then sits at the table pondering the events of last night. Wishing she could erase them. When her younger siblings start to wander in.
Elizabeth comes in. "Hi."
"Hi, did anyone talk to you all yet?"
"About what?" Liz says.
"She's not in any danger, but Nancy was in a car accident last night."
"What? I knew she didn't sleep in the bed last night, I jus assumed she had a late shoot or something." Liz face goes pale.
"Unfortunately that wasn't the case." Mary replies.
"She will be all right. Right?"
"Her broken arm will heal and so will the head injury, but" her eyes well with tears. "There's a chance that she might be paralysed." She's unable to keep the tears from flowing and inwardly berates herself because she doesn't want to scare the kids.
Elizabeth tears start to flow. Tommy and Nicholas walk in.
"Hey, why are you crying?" Nicholas asks and then adds. "Dad and Abby, are they ok?"
Mary hugs her and tells Nicholas. "Dad and Abby are fine."
"Then what's wrong?" Tommy asks.
Mary tells them about the accident.
"OH man." Tommy says.
A few moments pass. "You know I think Nancy will be wanting to wear real nightgowns while she's in the hospital and I know she'll want the latest book she's been reading. Want to help me get a care package together?" She asks Elizabeth.
"Yeah, I am going with you." Liz says.
"Me too." Nicholas says.
Mary smiles and they go upstairs. David enters and sees the look on Tommy's face.
"I take it Mary told you."
Tommy nods.
"What are you thinking?" David asks becoming alarmed at Tommy's expression.
"What is to become of Nancy if she is paralyzed."
"That is not going to happen. We'll get her to specialists who will be able to work with her."
"But what if nothing helps?"
David sighs and sinks into one of the kitchen chairs. "I don't know Tommy."
Tommy chuckles. "First time we both don't know."
"Yeah." David also chuckles but soon his mood is sober again.
"Well, sitting here isn't going to solve anything."
"What do you want to do?"
"Go bug Nancy?" Tommy asks.
"Sure."
Later that day Joannie comes almost literally tiptoeing into the house, hoping to avoid her father and the promised "talk" about her behavior in the restaurant.
Tom turns the corner. "Joannie, why are you tip toeing? You didn't break curfew did you?"
"Not recently. Nice talking to you Dad. Love to chat, but I've got studying to do. Bye!" Joannie tries to make a break for the stairs.
"Not so fast Joannie, In my study. Shall we?"
"Do we have to?" She takes a look at her father's face. "I guess we have to." She follows Tom to his study.
Tom shuts the door. "OK, lets put all our cards on the table. What was with your rude behavior yesterday?"
"What's with you not being there when Nancy needed you?" Joannie fights back.
"I went to dinner." Tom states. "Since when does that constitute not being there when any of you need me?"
"Since last night. What if Mary hadn't been here when they needed the insurance information?"
Tom pulls out his top drawer. "I told you kids before, this is where I put the insurance information."
"And what if you were the one who had to sign the forms? You are her father, you know."
"Uh huh, if you notice on the forms. In case Abby and I are unavailable. The hospital have our power of attorney to treat you kids. "But this isn't about insurance forms, is it Joannie."
"I don't know what you mean Dad. Of course it isn't, it's about Nancy."
"Tell me something Joannie, would we be having this same conversation if I had been having dinner with your Mom instead of Abby?"
"You and Mom didn't go out all that much," Joannie sidesteps the question.
"You didn't answer my question, would you still be this upset?" Tom asks staying the course.
"Who knows? I'm not going to start thinking about things that'll never happen."
"Sure, in the meantime you take it out on me."
"Take what out on you? That we needed you and you were pretending to be 20 again?"
"If you are looking for an apology from me you aren't going to get one. Like it or not fathers have lives too." Tom says. "and I bet you are the only one in this family who thinks I have negectled you kids."
"Don't be so sure about that."
"Who?" Tom asks.
"Maybe you ought to ask around yourself. You are the father, after all."
"OK. You have a deal." Tom goes out of the study and yells upstairs. "If any of you are home, come downstairs for a family chat."
Tommy and Nicholas go downstairs. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing that I know of." Tom says. "I just need to ask the family a question.
Tom waits for the rest of the family.
David and Mary aren't home at the moment they went to go visit Nancy.
Elizabeth comes from the dining room. "You called."
Tom asks them point blank. "Have I neglected any of you for whatever reason?" Tom asks.
Nicholas nods no.
Tommy and Elizabeth just look at each other. "No not really," they contour. "You act like you always have."
"Thank you." Tom says. He looks at Joannie.
Joannie stares back at her father for a minute and then runs upstairs.
Mary comes home and hears about what happened and corners her father in the study. "Dad how could you do that to Joannie?"
"What about the things she said to me Mary?"
Mary sighs and sits down. "Dad she was upset, I think we all are upset and we're letting it get the best of us."
"I know she is upset, but everytime something goes wrong. She blames me and say I am neglecting you all since I got married. Is that true?" Tom asks.
"Well." Mary hesitates.
"Well what?"
"I'm not saying that you mean to, but sometimes it does feel like you're neglecting us."
"Like how?" Tom asks.
"I don't know if there's a *how* in the equation it's just a feeling. Maybe I'm wrong." She shrugs.
"It seems Joannie gets upset anytime I spend time with Abby." Tom states.
Mary sighs. "Then approach her gently and by the way Nancy was wondering when you're going to come and see her again."
"I was leaving in a half hour to let Abby come home."
"Ok, I'm going to check on Joannie."
"Thanks Mary."
"You're welcome." She kisses him on the cheek, and then goes upstairs and knocks on Susan and Joannie's bedroom door. Sam is there wagging his tail wanting to go in too.
"Come in," Joannie sighs. When Mary walks in, she says, "I don't guess you're willing to help me memorize lines, either, are you?"
Sam hops on the bed and lies down in Joannie's lap.
"Of course I will, and I think we have an audience too." She smiles and then sits down beside her. "Are you ok?"
"Sure," Joannie says, handing Mary the script, "just stressed out from this play. You?"
"I heard about what Dad did." Mary says.
"You knew yesterday what he did--again."
"No today about the little family meeting he had."
"Oh, that. And did you also hear that no one has the guts to tell him that yes, he has been neglecting us?"
"Maybe they don't feel neglected."
"Oh, come on, don't tell me you haven't noticed it."
"Well he does spend an awful lot of time with Abby."
"Exactly. He's as self-involved as Tommy is with girls."
"That he is." She's about to say something but changes her mind, then she's about to say it but decides not to. ~She'll find out soon enough anyway.~
"What?" Joannie asks, seeing that her sister was about to say something but didn't.
Mary takes out an article from the afternoon paper and hands it to Joannie. "Because the police were careless last night. He's going to to walk." She says about the other driver.
"I don't believe this. I do not believe it." Joannie picks up a cup from her nightstand and throws it against the wall. "Well, they may not be able to make him pay, but I can."
"And what do you plan to do?" Mary uses her big sister tone.
"Don't worry about me."
"Is whatever you have planned going to change anything?"
"Yes. It'll make me feel better."
"Just because you used to go out with him it doesn't mean that your responsible for making sure he pays for it."
"But as a person who can get to him it is."
"Need any help?"
"Not from you."
"And why don't you want me to help?" Mary asks hoping that Joannie doesn't know where she's going with this.
"I'll get all the help I need. No reason for more than one Bradford to be implicated."
"So it's ok for you to get in trouble but not for anyone you love to get in trouble?"
"Go right ahead and get into trouble, but not on my account."
~Ok that backfired.~ "Joannie I don't want you going after him."
"Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything illegal."
"Do you promise?"
"Absolutely. Illegal is so tacky."
"Good, still want me to help you with those lines?"
"Yes, please," Joannie says. "You're Medvendeko. I'm Masha."
"Ok." Mary helps Joannie.
Currently at the hospital in Nancy's room.
"So how's my car?" She asks Abby.
"Not as good as you."
"That bad eh?" A nurse had let her use a mirror earlier.
"You were hit pretty hard. Got off easy, considering."
"Yeah, and it kind of ticks me off. I pull over to avoid an accident and I got in one anyway."
"Irony."
"Yeah," ~Geez, what if I never walk again. Modeling sure isn't worth this.~ She tries to quelsh the thought she didn't want to think about the paralysis. ~Most likely isn't permanent anyway.~
"Well, when you're up and around and the insurance comes through you'll get a new car."
"Abby can we talk? I mean a serious talk?"
"Of course. You don't even have to ask."
"Good." She takes a deep breath and lets it out. "I know there's a chance that this is only temporary and I keep telling myself that but what if it isn't temporary?"
"It's temporary. there's no reason why it shouldn't be. you'll be back to work in no time, you'll see."
"And if it isn't?" Nancy asks.
"If it isn't--we find out who can help you. Sacramento General isn't the biggest hospital around, and as much as I like Dr. Max, he's not a specialist in paralysis."
"No he isn't and I bet he can help too by looking for specialists also." Nancy says glad that someone is thinking past the paralysis possibility and thinking of solutions just in case.
"I'll talk to him later. And I'll also talk to Brad."
"Thanks Abby."
"But remember, that's probably not going to be necessary. The swelling will go down and you'll be fine."
Nancy smiles and then says. "And one more important thing, will you sign my cast?"
"Well, I've never been asked for my autograph before," Abby vamps. "Where's the marker?"
"David's girlfriend came in today before starting her shift she left one on the nightstand."
Abby gets the marker and writes something on Nancy's cast.
"Thanks Abby." She smiles.
The medication soon puts Nancy to sleep again and Noah walks in with flowers. "How's she doing?" He whispers to Abby.
"Really well, considering. I think she's scared, but she's doing her best to hide it."
He puts the flowers in a water filled vase. "That's not like her." He decides that now isn't the time to tell Abby who the other driver is and that he got off on a technicality. The police forgot to read him the miranda due to the chaos of the night before.
"Not like her to be scared, or to hide it?"
"To hide it."
"Well, paralysis is a pretty terrifying thought."
"Yeah." He gazes worriedly at his sleeping girlfriend.
"She'll be all right. Can you stay with her for a while? I have some phone calls I promised her I would make."
"Sure."
"Thanks." Abby kisses Nancy's forehead, adjusts the covers around her, and then goes out to the pay phone, where she dials Brad's office.
His receptionist answers. "Brad Jackson Modeling."
"Hi, this is Abby Bradford. May I please speak to Mr. Jackson?"
"Sure." She goes to get him and he soon comes to the phone.
"I just wanted to give you an update on Nancy's condition, Abby says after they've greeted each other, "and to ask you a question."
"OK." Brad says.
"What happens to her 'career' if she is paralyzed?"
"Honestly? As much as I hate to say this the reality of the business is we wouldn't be able to use her." Brad says.
"Aren't there things she could pose for sitting? Not as much work, but some?"
"Hmmm, I never thought about it." Brad states. "But let me see what I can come up with."
"Thank you."
"No, thank you." Brad says. "I'll get in touch with you soon."