The day Joannie is cleared by Dr. Max, she calls a meeting of her siblings. "We've got to get serious about this party planning before Dad and Abby come home and we lose the chance."
"I agree, Tommy can your band play?" Nancy asks.
"Play? Who's paying?"
"You're going to charge your own family." Mary says.
"You can't expect the others to do it pro bono."
"They'll have a party to go to." Nancy says.
"You mean work at."
Nancy looks at Joannie to see if she has a comeback because Nancy is out of them.
"Maybe we could talk to Grandpa Harry about a budget...."
"Good idea."
"That's what I thought--so now you go to talk to him."
Nancy gives her a your kidding me look, Joannie doesn't back down, so Nancy seeks Harry out.
He's in Tom's study, on the phone.
Nancy knocks lightly on the open door.
Harry motions for her to come in, still talking all the while.
She waits for him to finish his call.
Harry hangs up and leans back in his chair. "What can I do for you, young lady?"
"Grandpa Harry you know about the party right?"
"Right..." he says, cautiously.
"Anyway we were planning it and discovered that we are a little short on cash."
~Ah.~ "How short?"
"One hundred dollars."
"A hundred dollars! What kind of party are you planning, anyway?"
"Well Tommy's band will be playing, they can really use the gig."
"A hundred dollars for the privilege of listening to a garage band making noise?"
"Hmm," Nancy thinks it over. "Eighty dollars?"
"20."
"Seventy?"
"25."
"Sixty Five."
"30."
"Fifty five."
"40, and that's my final offer."
"We'll take it." Nancy says.
"I suppose you want it in cash and right now?"
"If that's ok."
Harry sighs and reaches for his wallet. "Just promise me this party won't be the cause for my acquaintance with the local constabulary."
She smiles. "I promise."
"Do the rest of your siblings promise, too?"
"I'll be right back." She says and goes to ask them. "Well what should I tell him?"
"Tell him we promise to keep it under control." Susan says.
"Will do." Nancy says and then goes back to Harry. "They promise also."
"All right. But Katherine and I will chaperone."
"All right." Nancy says.
"So when will this experiment in pandemonium take place?"
"We're having it Saturday night if that's ok."
"I'll notify the police."
She laughs. "We said we'd be good."
"I've heard that line before."
"How much trouble can we get into if you and Grandma are chaperoning."
"I'd rather not say," Harry says, thinking of the past.
"Please tell me."
"Let's just say I've had some experience as a parent."
"And leave it that? Ok." She gives him a kiss. "Thanks again." She says before leaving the study.
Moments later Katherine enters.
"This is going to be an unmitigated disaster, Katherine."
"It'll be fine." She tells him.
"I've heard that before."
"It will be different this time."
"And that."
"We'll be better prepared. We know more than we knew when Sandra Sue was a teen."
"Not eight times more."
"Seven, David's an adult on his own we don't have to see his wild times."
"He's still a Bradford and easily influenced."
She hugs him. "It'll be all right."
Meanwhile in the living room.
"Grandma Katherine contributed one hundred dollars." Mary tells Nancy when she returns.
"Cool." She smiles.
"This is going to be the best party ever," Joannie says. "And if anything does go wrong, Dad can't blame us--we did have chaperones."
"So it's put the blame on them no matter what happens, is that it?" Nancy asks.
"Or the credit if for once nothing goes wrong."
"Joannie I don't want them to get in trouble."
"They won't. We'll be good. Or try."
She smiles. "Yep trying is good."
"Forget good. For once, trying will be fun."
"You got that right."
"So--what else do we need to organize?"
"Food, guests..."
"OK, who wants to invite whom?" Joannie says, searching for paper and a pen.
"Cassie and Jason." Nancy says.
"Mark Williams." Mary says.
"Susan, you bringing some of your athlete hunks?"
"Yeah, I plan on inviting several of them."
"Good. Bring some extras for me."
"Kenny P." Nicholas says.
Joannie groans.
"What?"
"Kenny P? Oh, well, I guess it's our chaperones' worry..."
"Cool."
Joannie looks at her siblings.
Elizabeth rolls her eyes.
Nancy is cringing remembering what happened last time Kenny P came to one of their parties.
On the ship: "Tom, you do know I love you dearly, right?"
"Yes," He says.
"If we don't see the outside of this cabin, I'm going to start wondering why I packed any clothing."
"Tired of me already." Tom says.
"Can you blame a girl for wanting to show off her catch?"
"Flattery will get you anywhere." Tom says. "Dinner and Dancing?"
"That sounds wonderful. You're such a good husband--you always give me what I want."
"I notice on the boards, that they are showing a Disney flick tomorrow night."
Abby represses a sigh. "Sounds nice."
"Well, I better get dressed."
"Do I get to watch?"
"Won't you be busy getting dressed too?"
"Spoilsport."
Tom laughs.
After they get dressed, Abby smiles appreciatively. "Sometimes I forget how handsome you are."
"Well, Thank you. You will be the prettiest girl on the dance floor."
"You're only saying that because you love me."
"Is there something wrong with that?"
"Not this week there isn't."
"Hopefully not ever." Tom tells her.
"Well, I might someday get to a point where I want to be appreciated for myself and not for what you feel about me."
"I appreciate who you are." Tom tells her.
"Of course you do, dear--your wife."
"You make it sound like that's a curse or something."
"Not a curse, but..." Abby shrugs.
"But?.."
"Sometimes it can be a little--well--stifling."
"I stifle you?"
"No. Maybe. A little bit. You don't mean to."
"Oh." He says not knowing how to respond to that.
"It doesn't matter," Abby shrugs.
"Of course it matters."
"I just have to work harder at making sure there's space for me to be me, I guess."
"Being Mrs. Bradford isn't enough?"
"You've got to be kidding."
"Never mind. You just answered my question." Tom sighs.
"Tom, would you be satisfied only to be my husband?"
~That's different.~ "No."
"But I'm supposed to sit down, shut up, cook your meals and iron your shirts and be happy for the chance?"
"I am not a Neanderthal," Tom states. "I just want to know I am number 1 in your life. Is that so wrong?"
"Depends on what number you think I ought to be in my life."
"Number one of course. Why are we arguing on a gorgeous night like tonight anyway?"
"Sounds like you have a better idea of what to do tonight?"
"If I remember correctly we were going dancing."
"But we are going to have to talk sometime. I'm pretty good at math, but I can't figure out how both you and I can be number one in my life."
"We could share the number one spot."
"Gee--and here I thought you were a journalist, not a politician."
"Let's just go dancing and talk about this later, OK?"
"OK. But we will talk about this later, so don't try to duck out of it."
"I wouldn't dream of giving up chance to fight with you."
"I'll bet you wouldn't. After all, if we don't fight, we can't make up, right?"
"Exactly."
"You're so predictable," Abby smiles.
"So are you." He smiles.
"I am?"
Tom nods.
"Then take me dancing and let me show you how unpredictable I can really be."
"You are on."
"So what are we waiting for?"
Tom escorts her to the ship's dance floor.
Abby sighs contentedly. "This is something we don't get to do often enough."
"If we did, we'd be tripping over the living room furniture."
"There's always the backyard."
"With the neighbors eyeing us?"
"They don't already think all Bradfords are nuts?"
"Yes, but then they would have proof."
"Trust me. They already have proof. Besides, who cares what they think?"
"I don't."
"So you'll romance me in the backyard?"
"If that's what you want."
"Hmmm. I don't know. I know what I don't want, but what I do...Tough question."
Tom laughs.
"I can ask my own tough questions, you know--what is it you want?"
"That's easy. To love and be loved."
"That's one thing you can't run out of in a house as crowded as ours."
"No, that's for sure." Tom says as he dances with her.
"And about what we were discussing earlier..."
"Abby..."
"What?"
"Just be who you need to be, I'll somehow get over my old fashioned ideas."
"Well, one of the things I need to be is the person who loves you. It's just that's not the only thing."
"I understand."
"But see, we've got a problem. I need to be the kind of person I've become, and you--well, what if you need to stay the old-fashioned kind of man you are?"
"There is such a thing as compromise you know."
"I know. But I've spent months trying to come up with a workable compromises and--nothing yet. You have any brilliant ideas?"
"No, why don't we just take one project at a time."
"We can try that. So what's the first project?"
"Your book tour." He reminds her.
"And then you working on your fiction."
Tom nods. "Deal?"
"Deal," Abby agrees and kisses him.
"Hmmm." He says. "Compromising definitely has its rewards."
"Well, I thought you might appreciate a kiss a little better than shaking on it."
"Good thinking." He says. "Would you like a drink?"
"Yes, please."
They go sit down, order and soon the drinks arrive.
"We really have to make time for things like this at home."
"I agree, but how?"
Abby chews on her thumbnail for a moment, thinking. "What are you doing Wednesday nights at 10?"
"Nothing that I know of, why?"
"Interested in a date?"
"I don't know if my wife will allow it." he kids.
"Then she doesn't have to know."
"But then we have a problem. I don't keep things from her."
"You don't?" Abby asks, thinking of things he has--Max's health warnings, his ambition to write fiction.
Tom laughs. "OK, maybe a few things."
"Well, if you don't tell your wife about us, I won't have to tell my husband. He's awfully old-fashioned; I don't think he'd understand."
"He sounds awful."
"Not at all. But it's a quiet kind of charm he has."
Tom smiles. "Wednesdays at 10 you say?"
"If you can get away from your harridan of a wife."
"Now she isn't that bad."
"What? That's not what I've heard. A fire-breathing feminist who can't even bake a decent cake."
"But she's smart, easy to talk to, plus she's pretty. If I wanted cake, I would have gone to a bakery."
Abby laughs. "Then Wednesdays at 10 it is."
They clink glasses.
"There's only one problem," Abby says after they drink some.
"The kids?"
Abby nods. "The kids."
"We'll put a 'Do not disturb sign or die' on the door."
"On the front door?"
"On our bedroom door, we can't kick Nicholas out of the house after his bed time."
"Oh, so that's all you want from a date with me."
"You underestimate me."
"Why? What do you have in mind?"
"That's my secret."
"Tease."
"Yep."
"I can have secrets of my own," Abby warns.
"You always do." He smiles
"And what do you plan to do to find them out?"
"Wine and dine you."
"You think I'm that easy?"
"Hmmmm..." He kids.
Abby kicks him under the table.
"Ow," He says. "No, you aren't that easy."
"That's better," Abby smiles at him.
Tom rubs his leg.
"I didn't kick you that hard."
"No, but you kicked me with the pointed thing on your shoe."
"'Pointed thing'? Now I know why you're not the fashion columnist..."
Tom glares.
"Poor Tom. Does it really hurt?"
He nods and then winks at her.
"Well, I did inflict it. Maybe I should kiss it and make it better."
Tom laughs.
"First you imply I'm easy, then you laugh at me. I'm not so sure I ought to be making dates with you."
"I'm sorry, I think it's the champagne."
"Goes to your head?"
Tom nods.
"Sort of the way being with you goes to mine."
"Are you sure it isn't the champagne?"
"Very sure."
Tom leans over and kisses her.
"Mmmm. If this is what champagne does to you, I'm going to have to serve it to you more often."
"I don't know, when I am alone with you is intoxicating enough."
"Maybe when we're alone, but at home you seem sober enough."
"I have to be."
Abby sighs. "I know. But sometimes I wish..."
"That I didn't have kids."
"No! You know I don't mean that--I love your kids. It's just--I wish that sometimes, even at home, we could act like the kids were more grown up than they are."
"I agree."
"If you do, then we can make that happen."
"I'm listening."
"To me? I don't know how to make the kids respect our privacy. If I did, they'd already be doing it, wouldn't they?"
Tom shrugs. "I guess I need to be more forceful."
Abby smiles. "Oh, I just love it when you get all forceful..."
"You have a one track mind." He jokes.
"Look who's talking."
"Would you like to dance some more?"
"With you? You don't think my husband will catch us, do you?"
"Nah, he isn't very observant."
"You are so wrong about that. But let's take a chance, anyway."
Tom takes her hand.
They start to dance. "You know, they say you can learn a lot about a man by the way he dances."
"Oh? So what does my dancing tell you?"
"If I tell you, you'll say I still have a one track mind."
Tom chuckles. "I promise, I won't."
"Well, then, I can tell that I'm lucky I'm the one who gets to go to bed with you at night."
"You are wrong." Tom says. "I am the lucky one."
"No, I'm right and I can prove it."
"How?"
"I still maintain I'm lucky, your snores and all. That proves I am the lucky one."
"OK, you win. But I maintain I am lucky too."
"Of course you are, dear."
They continue dancing until the wee hours of the morning.
Finally, the band stops playing.
Tom looks at his watch. "We broke curfew, what will your parents say?"
"That it's all your fault."
Tom rolls his eyes. "Even if I make an honest woman out of you?"
"I think they'd have a hard time putting you, me, and 'honest woman' in the same sentence."
"Why do my in-laws hate me?"
"Does it matter?"
"No."
"Well, if it's any consolation, I like you, Tom Bradford."
"I am glad."
"I should hope so."
"Are you game for a walk on deck?"
"I'm game for anything you're game for."
Tom escorts her outside.
"It's beautiful out."
"Yes, it is." Tom says staring at his wife.
Abby gives him a quick kiss. "This is the nicest night I've had in--oh, just about ever. Thank you."
"No need to thank me."
"Why not? I think people ought to thank you more often."
Tom scoffs. "I think the champagne has gotten to you."
"Maybe just the company."
Tom shakes his head. "Anything else you want to do?"
"Run away from home with you? Not for long--just 10 or 20 years or so."
Tom laughs. "Sounds good, But they will find us."
"Yeah. You didn't raise a bunch of kids, you raised a pack of bloodhounds."
Tom smiles. "And as much as they drive me crazy at times. I would miss them."
"I'd miss them, too. After all, they're a lot like you."
"Heaven forbid."
"They are. That's part of why I love them."
Tom kisses her. "Speaking of the kids...what do you say if we call them, not to check up or anything just to hear their voices."
"Isn't it a little early in the day to call them now?"
"I mean in the morning."
"I think that would be nice."
"Good, then we will do it."
"But there's still hours and hours until daylight," Abby reminds him.
"I'm sure we can find something to occupy ourselves until then."
"Really? You have anything in mind?"
"You, Me, Cabin." Tom says in his Tarzan voice.
"Is this the part where I'm supposed to melt into your arms?" Abby laughs.
"It always works in the movies."
"Well, I think I'd better not--if I melted into your arms you'd have to carry me and then you'd throw your back out again."
"That is a problem."
Abby makes a show of looking around her. "I don't see any of the movie police. We could just pretend we've done that melting thing."
Tom laughs. "You are good."
"If that's what you think now, give me about half an hour and I'll show you how good I really can be."
"I am ready."
"I'll bet you are."
"If I did my Tarzan yell, you'd throw me over board. So I'll go quietly."
"Well, maybe in the cabin you can show me what your yell is all about."
"OK."
Abby kisses him and leads him back to the cabin.
Two days later Nancy finds Joannie in the kitchen.
"Sis if you were my boyfriend I would have dumped you by now." She says.
"Me? What did I do?"
"It's ok, can we go today?"
"Sure. Guess that means you've decided not to dump me."
"Cool, and of course not I was just joking around."
"Then don't scare me like that. A girl needs all the allies she can get."
"I'm sorry, I'll never desert you I promise."
"Aw, you're too good to me."
"That's what sisters are for, are you ready to go yet?"
"Just let me wash my dish."
"Ok."
Joannie washes her dish and dries her hands. "I'm all yours."
They leave to look for car brochures and also look at a couple of them.
"I know what he'd say about this one." Nancy says eyeing a Porsche.
"Yeah--he'd say you're bananas."
Nancy laughs. "That he would, or he'd say to keep on dreaming."
"Oh, no, he'd say he couldn't even afford to dream about a car like this."
"That too, what about this one?"
"That? I think I've fallen asleep just looking at it."
"But it's economical."
"Oh, sure, *Dad* will love it. I'd rather ride the bus."
"You're not the only one, have you seen any that you like and that he would like too?"
"No, but I haven't given up hope yet."
"Good, neither have I."
"Maybe David can help us."
"Is he home or working right now?"
Joannie checks her watch. "I think he's at home. Worse that can happen is he doesn't answer."
"True." They go to call him.
"Hello." David answers.
"David, we need your help," Joannie says.
"No, I'm not financing the alcohol for the party."
"David, we wouldn't ask you to do that." ~Why didn't I think of that?~
"Then what's up?" He asks.
"Nancy and I are car shopping and we need some advice."
"Do you want me to meet you there or do you want to come over there?"
"Meet us here," Joannie says and tells him where here is.
"Ok, I'll be there soon." He says and soon hangs up.
"What did he say?" Nancy asks her sister.
"He's on his way."
"Good."
Soon David arrives.
"David, we're desperate. Show us which car Dad will like and we'll agree to be seen in."
He does a lot of looking and finally finds the perfect car. "How bout this one?"
"Does it come in red?"
"And blue, black, white, gray, and yellow."
"Dad will want the most boring color, but I think we can talk him out
of it. What do you say, Nancy?"
"I like it and I think we can talk him out of the most boring color also."
"Cool. Then let's start planning."
"Let's." Nancy says.
"Why are we doing this anyway?" David asks.
"We're sick of the jinx."
He smiles. "Ahh I see."
"Think Dad will?"
"If you put it to him in that sense you know how protective he is of his daughters and the economical argument helps a lot too."
"And he'll be in a good mood when he gets home, if we can keep Kenny P. from wrecking the joint."
"Yeah really." Nancy says.
"Good luck with that one." David says.
"Aren't you going to help us?" Joannie asks.
"I don't know If I'm brave enough." He jokes.
"Oh, come on, a big strong guy like you?"
"Please David."
"Well all right."
"You're such a good brother."
"Thank you and I'll remind you of that the next time you get mad at me." He teases.
"I never get mad at you--well, not unless you deserve it."
"Sure you do, doesn't she Nancy?"
"I'm pleading the don't betray my gender and sisterhood amendment." She replies.
Joannie sticks her tongue out at David.
"There's no such amendment."
"Oh yes there is, isn't there Joannie?" Nancy asks.
"Of course there is. It's written down right below Bradford's Law."
They continue to tease him and he takes it in good fun but soon has to go so Nancy and Joannie go out to lunch like they had planned.
Later at the restaurant.
"Maybe we shouldn't have tormented him so badly." Nancy says about David.
"He's used to it. He likes it."
"You're right he wouldn't be David if he didn't."
"See? We really did him a favor."
"We are such good sisters."
"You'll hurt your arm, patting yourself on the back like that."
"Ha ha." Nancy says but laughs anyway.
"Maybe we should try being good to some other family members, too."
"Which ones do you have in mind?"
"I picked David--your turn to pick."
"Hmmm," she thinks it over. "Mary?"
"Good choice. She needs someone to knock the stuffing out of her once in a while."
"I hope she sees it that way and doesn't get revenge on us."
"She'll probably try. But she won't succeed."
"That's right." Their food arrives.
"Eat your lunch."
~Yikes.~ "Ok." Nancy starts eating.
"Mary wouldn't hurt us. Not much, anyway."
"That's good."
When they get home they find Katherine in the kitchen planning dinner.
"Did you two have a good time?"
"Yes we did, is Mary home?"
"Not that I know of."
"Do you need help with dinner?"
"No, but are you kids finished planning the party? It is in two days."
"Almost, at least I think we are, Joannie?"
When Joannie doesn't answer Nancy shrugs and goes upstairs.
"She's plotting something," Joannie whispers to Katherine.
"Oh really, and what is she plotting?" Katherine whispers back.
Joannie shrugs. "I'm not certain."
"Well as long as it's legal."
"I hope it is."
"Why wouldn't it be?" Katherine worries.
Joannie shrugs again.
Katherine goes upstairs and into Nancy and Elizabeth's room.
"Young lady what are you planning?"
"Um nothing." Nancy says.
"You'd better not be, and if you are it better be legal." Katherine says and leaves the room.
"What did I do?" Nancy wonders.
She goes after Katherine and overhears her talking with Harry about what Joannie had told her.
~Oh well you can plan the party by yourself sister dear.~ Nancy thinks to herself angry at the moment. She grabs her car keys and leaves the house.
Moments later at Cassie and Jason's house.
"Do you two mind if I stay here till Monday?" Nancy asks.
"Not at all." Cassie says, knowing Nancy will respect their privacy.
"Is everything all right?" Jason asks. "What happened to the party?"
"Who cares." She says. "Feel free to still go if you two want to but I'm not going."
She calls Katherine to let her know where she'll be til Monday.
Katherine hangs up the phone with a puzzled expression. "That was odd." She says to her husband.
"In this house that's a given," Harry answers. "Who was that?"
"It was Nancy, she's going to be staying at a friends house til Monday. She wouldn't tell me why."
"And miss that party she was bothering us so about?"
She nods. "Apparently something upset her and she's not talking. I hope it wasn't me." She tells him about her confronting Nancy earlier.
"I'm sure it wasn't you. Sandra Sue says the kids usually come around and apologize in a day or so."
"Yeah but why didn't she just stay home and slam doors." She ponders as Joannie walks in.
"Why didn't who slam doors?" Joannie asks.
"Nancy, she went to stay with Cassie until Monday." Katherine says.
"But she'll miss the party!"
"She knows that, she sounded upset about something but wouldn't talk to me."
"I'll go get her," Joannie sighs.
"Thank you dear." Katherine says.
Joannie drives over to Cassie's.
Cassie and Jason are headed to the store as she pulls up.
"She's in the apartment, maybe she'll talk to you because she certainly won't tell us what's going on."
"That's OK, I know exactly what's going on."
"Tell Nancy we'll see her at the party if she goes home with you" they say before leaving.
"I will." Joannie goes into the apartment and calls out Nancy's name.
Nancy turns down the stereo and goes out to the living room. "What brings you by?"
"Dense little sisters," Joannie answers.
"Hey you're the one who..." She starts to say but Joannie interrupts her.
"Is working on our Mary plot while you fly off the handle."
"Grandma Katherine got the impression that I was plotting something illegal."
Joannie nods. "And then I ask Mary to talk to you about it, and then..."
Nancy cringes and groans. "You're right your little sister is dense."
"I'm always right. So you coming home?"
She nods. "I'm sorry about misunderstanding."
"Next time ask, OK?"
"Ok, so the plot is still on right?"
"Do I ever back away from a plot?"
"Joannie Bradford? Never," Nancy says as she writes a note for Jason and Cassie before they leave.
"Oh, they said they'd see you at the party," Joannie tells her
"Oh all right." She and Joannie leave.
A little while later at home. Mary goes into the kitchen to get something to drink and observes Joannie's expression. "What's wrong?"
"I'm worried about Nancy. First she plotted something, I'm sure of it, and she wouldn't talk to me or Grandma Katherine, then she ran off to Cassie's. She was planning to miss the party!"
"That's not like her." Mary worries. "How long has she been acting this way?"
"A few days. I'm getting really worried. Usually she snaps out of bad moods, but this one..."
"Oh my, I'll go talk to her, where is she?"
"I think she's upstairs."