Two days after her conversation with Tom, Nancy starts moving things out of the house and to her new place. With the help of Jason's truck and Noah and Jason's brawn.
In Nancy and Elizabeth's bedroom.
"Hey Elizabeth is this record mine or yours?"
"Mine." She kids
"Are you sure?" Nancy asks oblivious to the kidding.
"Nancy, its yours. It has your name on the jacket." Liz says showing it to her.
"Oh," Nancy finally sees her name there.
Noah and Jason laugh and move the heavier things to the truck.
On the way back up Noah stops to talk to Tom and Abby.
"I promise I'm not moving in with her."
"How did you know I was thinking that?"
"Hey I'm going to have a daughter some day too and I won't want her living with a guy."
"That's very mature." Tom replies
Noah however says nothing about spending the night there sometimes.
When they're all finished Nancy goes to talk to Tom and Abby.
"I'm going now." She says.
"Have everything?" Tom asks.
"Yeah, well I'll see you later." Nancy says a little hesitant. ~Am I doing the right thing here? Am I really ready for this?~
Tom hugs her.
Nancy hugs him back and says. "It's for the best it will give you guys a break." She says and then hugs Abby before leaving with Jason and Noah.
After everything is moved in and Jason has left.
"So are you sure that you are really ready this time?" Noah asks.
"Of course I am, why do you doubt me?"
"Because you used to be so hung up on your family it was unreal." He says.
"Don't get me wrong I still am, but it's time I've started living my own life it's not good to live at home forever."
"Yeah I know, but not all of us can afford to strike out yet."
After awhile he goes home and she falls asleep to the television. She has another nightmare and assumes it's because of the car accident.
The next day at the Bradford's David comes over to fix Gwendolyn who has been a little ill lately. But first he stops in the kitchen to get some coffee.
"What time are your parents getting here?" David asks Abby.
"In about an hour, I hope. Of course, your father is hoping 'never'."
David laughs. "Sounds like him, how's he taking one of his daughters leaving home?"
"Better than I thought he would."
"That's good, and has she started coming over at meal time yet?"
"Not yet. I think she's still testing her independence."
"That's good right?"
"If Tom can survive it."
"Yeah, well let me go check out Gwen." He says.
"Thanks. I can't understand why she's been giving me so much trouble lately..."
"No problem and maybe she's in love with another car?" He jokes.
"Think she'll bring me home a litter of baby MGs?" Abby answers right back.
David laughs. "She just might." And then he goes to work on Gwendolyn.
Meanwhile at Nancy's house she awakens and heads to the bathroom. ~What's
this no line? Hmm imagine that.~ She goes in there and does what she usually
does each morning and then she goes to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee.
Soon the doorbell rings and she lets Joannie and
Elizabeth in.
"Make yourselves at home. You thirsty? Hungry?" She asks them.
"No that's OK." Liz says.
"Want to listen to the stereo? Watch TV?"
"Uh...sure." Liz says and looks at Joannie.
"Yeah, that'd be nice."
"Have at it, so how are you two?"
"Fine," Joannie says.
"That's good."
"And you?"
"Couldn't be better, so what brings you two by?"
Joannie nods her head at Elizabeth. ~Go on, you tell her.~
~Why me?~ Elizabeth gives Joannie that look.
Joannie glares at Elizabeth, having the privilege of seniority.
"You tell her." Elizabeth smiles at Joannie.
"Well, Elizabeth here was worried about you."
"Well don't worry I'm fine."
"Abby's parents are coming to visit." Liz says.
"Really, that's good. When are they going to be here?"
"This weekend," Joannie says. "You got a place for Dad to stay?"
"Abby would never forgive me if I gave him an excuse not to be there." Nancy smiles.
"He'll just have to beg David."
"Yeah he will."
Elizabeth laughs. "You have that right."
Nancy laughs and then says. "So that would be today? Do Dad and Abby want me to come over?"
"You don't need an invitation Nance, you know that." Liz replies.
"I'll be there for dinner then."
A short while later a cab pulls up in front of the Bradfords'.
"I think they're here." Mary says.
Abby comes out of the kitchen, taking off her apron. "I'll help them in."
"Ok."
Abby goes outside and waits for her parents to emerge from the cab.
Katherine comes out first and hugs her daughter. "How are you Sandra Sue?"
"I'm OK. Better now that you're here."
Harry pays the driver.
"Hi, Dad."
"Does everyone in this town drive like a madman, or did we just get lucky? Sandra Sue, you look awful. Doesn't anyone ever let you sleep?"
"No, my professors don't. I had to take an incomplete and now I'm finishing my work."
Harry starts to grumble about this, too.
"Harry." Katherine hisses.
"Yes, dear?" he answers innocently
"Behave." She whispers in his ear.
"I am behaving," he whispers back.
Katherine shakes her head. "The first thing you're going to do today my dear is take a nap."
"I'd love to, Mom, but I've got to study and make dinner...Tom's due home any minute."
"We're taking you out for dinner."
"You don't have to do that. You're probably tired from the trip."
"Sandra Sue, don't argue with your mother," Harry says.
"We want to, now no arguments," Katherine says.
Tom walks up. "Sorry, I'm late."
"Late?" Harry checks his watch. "What sort of hours do you work that this is late?"
Tom smiles behind his anger. "Harry, its good to see you, Katherine, you look well." as he kisses her on the cheek.
"So do you Tom."
Harry picks up his suitcase and heads towards the house.
Abby takes Tom's arm. "Are your kisses reserved for mothers-in-law only? Because if they are, we're going to have to get one of the kids married off pretty quickly."
"I think I can spare a kiss or two." Tom says as he kisses her.
"That's generous of you."
"Sandra Sue!" Harry calls from the doorway.
Abby groans. "I thought he was through breaking up huddles once I moved out..."
Tom sighs and mutters "I swear....."
"Be nice, Tom."
"I am nice." Tom states.
"Well, to me you are."
"I'm sorry, he just seems to push my buttons."
"You don't seem to do well with fathers-in-law."
"No, but I do very well with their daughters."
"That you do."
Tom kisses her again.
Later that evening Nancy arrives at the main house and rings the doorbell.
When no one opens she goes to ring it again but then has a change of heart and heads back to her car to leave.
Joannie comes running out in her robe. "Sorry, I was in the shower. Everyone else went out--I'm supposed to meet them. Want to come with me? And since when do you ring the bell in your own home, huh?"
"I don't live here anymore it wouldn't be right to just barge on in. Yeah I'll come with you where are going? I'm not underdressed am I?"
"You're still part of this family. David never rings the bell. And you're fine; I'm the one who's underdressed."
"Then let's go back inside I'll play with Sam while you get dressed."
"He's missed you."
"The feeling is mutual." She says as they head inside.
"I'd better get dressed."
"Ok." She goes to play with Sam while Joannie gets dressed. After she's dressed they leave for the restaurant. When they get there Katherine hugs Nancy.
"I was wondering when we'd see you. How are you honey?"
"I'm fine, how are you Grandma Katherine."
"I'm good, hi Grandpa Harry."
"Hello, Nancy. I hear you've won the war of independence."
"Yep that I did." She sits down.
"Glad you could make it Nancy." Tom tells her.
"Thanks Dad.".
"Your father hasn't stopped fuming yet," Harry says.
"What? Abby is that true?"
"I'm not fuming." Tom pouts.
"Dad!" Abby protests.
"But it's true," Harry defends herself.
"You're exaggerating. He mentioned it to you, I don't think that counts as fuming."
"A technicality."
"Harry really." Katherine chides.
"It's difficult for a father when his daughter leaves home."
"He's still got four more at home." Nancy says.
"For now."
"So how's the adoption coming along?"
"I have the papers all signed; on Monday, before we leave, I'll drop them off at the courthouse. I still don't understand why they're doing this," he confides to Nancy, "but there's a lot about Sandra Sue I've never understood."
"She's looking out for the younger kids. They're very important to her."
"She already was their legal guardian. The only difference between than and adoptive parent is in case of the birth parent's...How is your father doing, dear?" Harry smiles broadly to cover up his true intent.
"He's doing just fine."
Katherine intervenes. "And how are you since the accident?" ~She asks suspecting that's something's not quite right.~
"I'm fine, no big deal, I got hurt, got over it."
"Nancy, never say that while there's still a lawsuit pending," Harry advises.
"Maybe we should just drop the lawsuit that way you can concentrate on the adoption."
"Nothing left to concentrate on. It's very straightforward, no contested rights. The only thing left to do is actually file the papers; if I weren't in town, I would have sent Sandra Sue to do it."
"Ok."
"Sandra Sue can I talk to you for a minute alone?" Katherine asks.
"Of course. excuse us, please," she says to the rest of the family, "We'll be right back."
"Did she suffer brain damage in the accident?" Katherine asks.
"Not that we were told. Why?"
"I can't put my finger on it but something is wrong she's not acting right."
"She hasn't been acting right for a long time, Mom. They change her medicine, but it doesn't seem to help much."
"Unless she's stopped taking it." Katherine adds, neither woman realizing that they're both off the mark.
"I think her doctor is monitoring her pretty closely. Besides, she wouldn't hurt herself like that. Maybe this is just the way she is. David doesn't seem worried."
"Yeah." Katherine says her worries not eased.
"I'm worried about her too, but what else can I do?"
"I don't know, have you tried talking to her?"
"Who ever sees her? She moved out, she's like a stranger. Tonight's the first time I've seen her in a long time."
"I thought she moved out yesterday, or did I hear wrong?"
"Seems like much longer--she wasn't home much after she could move around. It's like she's been avoiding everyone. Maybe she'd talk to you."
Harry watches his son-in-law for a few minutes. "Thomas, why are you eating rabbit food?"
Tom puts his fork down. "My new diet."
"You could stand to lose a few pounds, but isn't that," he points to Tom's plate, "a little extreme?"
"Well you know, have to follow doctors orders." ~not to mention Abby.~
"Your doctor put you on a diet?" ~And Sandra Sue is adopting the children.~ "Is there something you haven't told us about your health, Thomas?"
"No everything is fine." Tom says. "It wasn't a heart attack."
"It wasn't a *what*?" Harry says, nearly choking on his dinner.
"I thought you knew, I had a scare a few weeks ago. But everything is fine."
"No, I didn't know. I think I need to have a long talk with my daughter."
~I wonder why Abby never told them.~ Tom thinks. "She probably didn't want to worry you."
"Oh, I'm not worried. It's nothing more than I'd expected."
"Excuse me?" Tom asks.
"Well, men our age do have to worry about that sort of thing. My own doctor's been making noises about my diet, but not enough to make me change yet."
~Someone's got to stand up to him.~ "You might not care Grandpa Harry but we do." Nancy says.
"Young lady, of course I care," Harry says. "After all, he is my son-in-law. But you have to realize that he is getting older."
"Suddenly I lost my appetite." Tom says. "I'll be back in a few minutes." Tom says as goes outside.
"I don't feel so good, I think I'll go home." Nancy leaves.
"Don't go." Liz runs after her.
"Elizabeth I can't stay in there and listen to him treat Dad like that or be reminded about Dad getting older."
"You know how he is." Elizabeth says. "If you don't want to go back in there. Lets you and I do something."
"Elizabeth it's ok go back inside before they miss you."
"Nancy...."
She gives Liz a hug, catches a cab to the main house, and leaves in her car.
Abby notices Tom walking out of the restaurant. "I'll be right back, Mom." She tries to catch up to her husband.
Tom just paces.
Katherine returns to the table. "Where did Nancy go?"
"She wasn't feeling well." Tommy says.
"Oh, and Elizabeth?"
"She ran after Nancy."
"What's wrong?" Abby says when she reaches Tom.
Tom tells her the conversation he had with Harry
"Why did you tell him about your scare? I told you he'd react this way."
"I forgot OK? I can't keep straight what you told them or not."
"I told you I hadn't told them and that I wouldn't. I didn't need my father reminding me you're closer to his age than mine."
"He didn't; He reminded me." Tom sighs.
"I don't get why it's got you so down. He's not wrong, you know."
"I guess I don't like being reminded of it."
"It's just a number, as long as you take care of yourself."
"I'm trying, but it isn't easy eating a salad while watching your father have a steak."
"I'll have to talk to my mom. I'll bet he should be watching himself, too."
"Oh your father is going to love that."
"Well, he is getting to that age...."
Tom laughs. "Yes he is, isn't he."
Abby narrows her eyes. "Well, you'd know, wouldn't you?"
"This just isn't my night."
"If you didn't walk around with that big chip on your shoulder..."
"What chip?"
"The one that appears whenever you have to deal with my parents. I just don't get what you have against them."
"You might ask Harry the same question."
"Oh, come on--what he has against you is what you have against most of the boys who come around after your daughters."
"I am not like your father." Tom grumbles.
"Sure you are. He loves me, you love me..."
Tom's face relaxes. "You got that right."
"So don't take what he says to heart. He means well."
"OK, OK." Tom says. "Lets go back in, my salad is getting wilted."
"So's your mood."
Katherine finds Elizabeth still outside. "Come on let's go back in."
"OK." Elizabeth sighs and goes back inside.
Once back at the table. Katherine glares at Harry.
"What did I do?" he whispers to her, puzzled.
"Why is Tom outside? Why is Nancy suddenly not feeling well? What did you say while Sandra Sue and I were talking?"
"This is something I think we ought to discuss alone."
They go somewhere alone. "Ok talk."
"Did our daughter tell you that Thomas had a heart attack scare?"
"No she didn't, is he all right?"
"Apparently so. I told Tom that men our age have to watch ourselves."
"Nice going Harry." She chides.
"What?"
"Did it ever occur to you that Tom might still be shook by that? Is that why Nancy really left? I'm surprised all of the children didn't walk out."
"I didn't bring it up. And there's no pretending he's some young man, anywhere near Sandra Sue's age. And the kids can't be pretending their father is middle aged."
She shakes her head and returns to the table.
Tom kisses Abby. "What did you say about my mood?"
"I think it's improving. Let's go inside."
They both go back inside. Tom notices one of his brood is missing. "Where is Nancy?"
"She wasn't feeling well she said so she went home." Mary says.
Tom kisses her. "What did you say about my mood?"
"I think it's improving. Let's go inside."
They both go back inside. Tom notices one of his brood is missing. "Where is Nancy?"
"She wasn't feeling well she said so she went home." Mary says.
The next day at Nancy's place. Katherine is about to knock on the door when she hears a blood curling scream. She pounds even harder thinking that the young woman is in some kind of trouble. It's not till Nancy finally answers that she discovers it was a nightmare. She tries to get her to talk about it but gets no where. When Nancy leaves for work Katherine heads back to the main house.
"I didn't get anywhere with her either." Katherine tells Abby, she also tells her about the nightmare. "Of all the nightmares you had when you were growing up I don't think I've ever heard a scream like that because of them."
"I never had nightmares, not since I was a kid," Abby protests automatically. "I knew she was having some nightmares while Tom was ill, but why is she still having them?"
"I don't know, all I can get out of her is that she doesn't remember what they're about and the new words in her vocabulary that she likes to use a lot, *it's not important*, she says."
"Oh, yes, that's her new favorite phrase," Abby sighs. "Maybe I should try talking to her again."
"Good luck, do you want me to go with you?"
"I don't want her to think this is a conspiracy. But if I don't get anywhere with her, we'll gang up on her."
"OK--if I need backup, I'll let you know."
"Ok, so how are your father and husband getting along? Do I need to lecture my husband again?"
"I guess they're getting along OK," Abby shrugs. "It's just hard on Tom, being reminded of his age."
"I know, and it's time Harry put a lid on it."
"Well, maybe be more diplomatic about it. I suppose men Tom's age do have to watch themselves, but then again, so should Dad. He's eating fat like it's going out of style."
"Your father had a checkup the day before we left and he's in perfect health."
"For a man of his age."
"What do you mean by that honey?"
"Oh, just what Dad told Tom--men of his age have to watch themselves or things might just sneak up on them."
"Oh he's absolutely right. Men their age should watch themselves and should both be on special diets." Katherine says with a gleam in her eye, plotting.
"Lots of salads. Egg whites. No cake."
"No special sauces with their food."
"And no drinks before dinner."
"No drinks period."
"Well, water he can have."
"With each and every meal."
"At least eight glasses a day. An exercise--not golf, real exercise."
"This is sounding better every minute."
"And while they're being all healthy, we'll go out for tea and cream cake."
"We sure will."
Nicholas walks in. "Hi."
"Well hello there young man." Katherine smiles.
"Hi Grandma." Nicholas says.
"Do you have any hugs to spare today?" She asks.
Nicholas hugs her.
"Oh now that's the best hug I've had in a long time. What are you up to today?"
"I came to get some food for my hamster."
"Oh ok."
Nicholas looks in the fridge. "Boy since Dad went on this diet, lettuce sure does disappear."
Sam comes over and looks in there along with Nicholas.
"Not much in there boy, is there." Nicholas states
Sam whines.
"My feelings exactly."
Sam licks his hand.
"Sorry, boys," Abby says. 'If you want, go into my purse and get some money, then go to the store and get more lettuce and a treat for Sam."
"Thanks. Can I go for tea with the two of you?" Nicholas says after closing the fridge door.
Abby glances over at her mom to check.
"Of course." She says.
"So when do we spring this on Dad?"
"Spring what on Dad?" Tom asks.
"Oh, um, nothing," Abby stammers. "Mom and I are going to take Nicholas out tomorrow, that's all."
"Oh....that's nice." Tom says not quite believing her answer
"Yes, it is, isn't it?"
"Hmm, where is your father?"
"Sitting outside last I checked. You just stay away from him, though. No need for another dust-up."
Tom smiles and leaves.
The next day Nancy is finishing touching up the place a bit when the phone rings. She answers. "hello."
"Hey, Nancy," Abby says. "You know, we haven't had a chance to really talk for days. You interested in going out for lunch with me?"
She's about to say no, that she's busy but figures she has to accept now and then or they'll start wondering. "Sure, I'd love to."
"OK. Some of my classes are canceled for a school rally, so I'll pick you up at 1?"
"All right, I'll be ready."
"I'll see you then."