On the morning after Katherine and Harry leave. Abby goes to put something in the trash outside only to find that the garbage can has been knocked over on it's side it's contents strewn on the ground and the drugs peeking out from the empty cereal box.
Abby brings the box and its contents inside, looking for Tom.
"Hi, want some coffee?"
Abby shakes her head. "We need to talk
"Uh oh, now what?"
Abby closes all the doors and checks that there are no kids in ear-shot. "I would have taken care of this on my own, if I knew whose these were..." She shows him the cereal box and what's in it.
Tom eyes goes big, "Where did you find that?"
"The trash in this house doesn't take itself out, you know," Abby tries to distract him a little from his impending tantrum.
"Looks like the party wasn't as innocent as you, your parents and I thought."
"Now wait, Tom. Maybe the boy who spiked Nancy's drink planted these, too."
"In a Cereal Box?"
"All right, then, which of the kids do you think these belong to?"
Tom shakes his head. "Your guess is as good as mine."
"Sam?"
"Cute." He mocks. "There's only one thing to do."
"A family meeting?" Abby says with dread.
Tom nods.
"Are you going to talk to them or just yell?"
"I don't yell."
"OK. Should I wake everyone up?"
Tom sighs. "Might as well."
Abby gives him a kiss. "There will be some logical explanation. You'll see." She goes to wake the kids up and warn them of impending doom.
Meanwhile in the kitchen.
"Did Susan and Mary seem a little nervous this morning in the bathroom line? Or am I imagining things?" Nancy asks Joannie.
"You always imagine things. Susan just had a lousy night's sleep. She was tossing and turning to all hours."
"Yeah but why was she tossing and turning?"
"Boy trouble?"
"Could be, whatever it is they need to talk to someone about it."
"Well, I am her roommate... OK, I'll go see if she's still upstairs."
"Ok, and I'll go talk to Mary." They both go upstairs. Nancy goes to Mary's room and Joannie goes to see if Susan is in their room.
Susan has gone back to bed, and Joannie flops down next to her. "You awake?"
"No" Susan replies pulling the covers over her head.
"Then get that way," Joannie orders, pulling the covers off her sister.
"What do you want?" Susan asks sitting up.
"I want to know what's up."
"What do you mean?" Susan asks.
"You didn't sleep well last night."
"I just had a bad night is all."
"Why?"
"I just have a lot on my mind is all."
"Like what?"
"Just stuff."
"Come on, you can tell me."
"I don't think I should."
"Of course you should."
"You really want to know?"
"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't."
Susan tells her about the drug paraphernalia that was found in Mary's room.
"You're kidding."
"No, I'm not. I put the stuff in an empty cereal box out in the garbage. Hopefully nobody will find it."
"I sure hope not."
"So, what's been going on with you?"
"Nothing much. Waiting for things to really start."
"What things?"
"Plays, stuff like that."
"Sounds like the same old stuff."
Abby rousts the girls for the family meeting.
Tommy, Elizabeth and Nicholas comes down. "Dining room or Kitchen?
Nicholas asks.
"Dining room." Tom replies.
"Can't a girl get any sleep around here?" Joannie pretends to yawn as she comes down the stairs.
"You can sleep later."
"Promises, promises."
Tom ignores her.
"What time did you get in?" Liz whispers to her.
"I'll tell you after he's out of ear-shot," Joannie whispers back.
Elizabeth snickers.
Abby finds Mary already awake.
"Your father wants everyone downstairs for a family conference."
"Why?"
"Better let him tell you."
They go downstairs.
Tom looks at his watch. ~What's taking so long?~
"Now that we are all here, Abby found this hidden in the trash." He shows them the stuff.
"Not mine," Joannie says quickly.
Tommy and Elizabeth say "No way."
"It's not mine is it?" Nancy asks. "I didn't go out and buy drugs when I was on LSD that night did I?" She asks her siblings.
"No you didn't." Mary says.
"Mary, how do you know she didn't?"
"Because we kept her home the whole time and she was watched."
"Well it just didn't walk in the trash can itself?"
"I know, but better there than underneath my bed where Susan found it last night. I do not know who put it there Dad but I have a good idea." Mary states.
Susan looks in Mary's direction and thinks to herself ~oh great.~
Tom eyes goes wide. "Who?"
"The same guy who drugged Nancy."
"But why didn't you tell us, instead of trying to hide it."
"I told you now didn't I?"
"Yes, After Abby and I aged 10 years, wondering which one of you was taking this stuff."
"But age makes you look so distinguished, Dad," Joannie tries to joke her sisters out of trouble.
"Cute." he responds.
Joannie smiles. "I thought so."
"Sheesh what's the point in coming clean about it if you're going to find something I did wrong anyway."
"Not wrong....."
"Then what?"
Tom looks to Abby to explain.
"We appreciate your being honest now, but just throwing it out..." Abby says, "...what if it hadn't been me who'd found it?"
"We didn't want to worry you two."
"That doesn't answer the question."
Mary sighs in frustration. "We're sorry ok."
Abby looks at Tom to see if he thinks it's OK.
Nicholas is bored with the conversation and has fallen back to sleep in one of the chairs.
"Ok, but next time please tell us."
"Ok."
Tom rolls his eyes. "Abby do you want to say something before I dismissed them."
Abby shakes her head. "But I would appreciate a volunteer to help Nicholas back to bed."
"I'll give you a hand." Tommy says
After the kids disperse Abby asks Tom, "So what do we do now?"
"Flush it."
"You're not going to try to go after that boy?"
"He's already in Jail."
"This would keep him there longer."
"I guess we can try it."
"Question is whether they'll believe us. You know what we really should do, don't you?"
"Call your father?" Tom sighs.
Abby nods.
"Sure, why not let the Lone Ranger ride in and save the day." he sighs.
"Tom, it's what he does best. Let him deal with the police and you deal with the kids."
"Fine."
"Besides, all this happened when he was trying to do your job--let him clean up the mess. And you can always remember that it wouldn't have happened if you'd been here instead of him."
"Abby, what are you trying to do? Butter me up?"
"Any reason why I shouldn't?"
"It makes it harder to pout."
"I wouldn't want to interfere with your pouting. You look so cute when you do."
"Funny, I better get showered."
"Do I get to watch?"
"No, I have to work today."
"Egotist. I didn't say anything beyond watching."
"But you are such a big distraction." Tom tries to turn it around
"Oh, come on, you can shower with distractions, can't you?"
Tom blushes. "Well......OK."
Abby takes his arm. "And then you can spend the day thinking about how distracting I can really be," she whispers as she nuzzles his ear.
"When do you expect me to write my column?"
"I'm sure you'll find time. You'd better get into practice, because soon I won't let you work on it at home any more."
"Huh? Why not?"
"Because you have a promise to fulfill, remember?"
"Oh, yeah right, the book."
"Right. You give me chapters, I'll give you distractions."
"Abby, do me a favor."
"Hmm?"
"Don't say anything to the kids about this so-called book, ok?"
"Then how will I keep them--never mind, I'll think of something. Now, weren't you heading to the shower?"
"If I didn't know you better, I'd say you're showing a definite reluctance to go back to work."
"It shows?"
"Like a neon sign."
"Back to work Blues, I guess."
"If you go back to work, I can try to meet you for lunch," Abby tries bribing him.
"Now that's a date I can't pass up."
"You're so easy."
"Only with you." he smiles. "Speaking of dates, did you notice how late or early as it may be; that Joannie came in?"
"Yes. Are you planning to talk to her about it?"
"You think I should? I'd hate for her to run off to New York again." Tom states.
"Do you realize she's got us both afraid to talk to her?"
"I know, and that is not good."
"Over lunch we can talk about what to do. But if you don't quit delaying, you won't get to the Register until lunch time."
"Yes ma'am." he says and goes and showers.
Abby watches for a while and then starts to get ready for work.
Tom hurries and gets dressed. "I'll see you later."
"I'll pick you up about noon?"
Tom nods and kisses her goodbye.
Abby finishes getting ready for work, preoccupied with worry about Joannie.
Nancy finds out that Mary was just nervous about the whole drug fiasco. She seeks Joannie out to tell her but sees that she's still talking to Susan so she goes downstairs to wait. A family member walks in.
"Hi." Nicholas says.
"Hi." Nancy says.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm all right. Hey Nicholas if I said or did anything scary the other night I apologize."
"You were weird."
"That's what drugs do they make people act weird."
"Yeah."
"Hey I never did take you and Kenny for ice cream. Do you think he's free today."
"No, but I am." he smiles.
"Then let's get out of here." She smiles also.
"OK."
They go to the ice cream shop. "Which do you want?"
"Double Chocolate."
She gets two of them and then they go to sit down and enjoy their ice cream.
At the Register: "Donna?" Tom yells for when he sees his desk.
"You bellowed, boss?" she says as she walks in, carrying Toms calendar.
"Why is my desk cleared off?"
"You know, it's really not healthy to work in a cluttered environment."
"But I knew where everything was."
"Down to the last leftover cheese danish."
"Funny." he says. "Where are my papers?"
"Filed. Things you're still working on are under P for pending."
"Would you get them for me please and some coffee?"
"No replacement cheese danish? I had your old one bronzed."
"Good, you can hang it on your desk."
"A Secretary of the Year award?"
"Donna, the coffee?"
"Yes, sir." She goes to the coffee machine and pours him a cup. "Someone came home grumpy. Things didn't go so well?"
"No, the trip went very well."
"But coming home didn't?" Donna guesses.
Tom sighs.
"That bad?"
Tom tells her what went on while they were gone.
"Doesn't sound like your in-laws did too good a job keeping control," Donna sympathizes.
"I know, but don't tell that to Abby."
"Uh-oh, a little friction there?"
"No, just normal In-Law Stuff."
"In other words, a *lot* of friction." Donna goes to the file cabinet and pulls out the pending files.
"So what's on the calendar?"
"Nothing much. I figured you'd want a light day your first day back."
"Buttering me up for a raise?" He jokes.
"I never try to fight hopeless battles."
"Smart."
"Of course." Donna finishes organizing the things on Tom's desk. "Anything else?"
"Yes, Tell me when Abby arrives for lunch."
"Abby's meeting you for lunch? Didn't the two of you just come back from a vacation?"
"Yes, So?"
"Must have been some vacation," Donna smiles.
"Don't you have work to do?"
"Of course. I have to go run some papers up to Accounting."
~That figures.~ he thinks. "Tell Thelma Hello."
"Oh, I will," Donna smiles.
Tom sighs knowing full aware he will be the topic of conversation of the day. He starts typing his column.
Throughout the morning people stop by Tom's office, stick their heads in, smile, and wave.
Tom rolls his eyes and shuts the shades and door.
Soon there is a knock at the door.
"What?!?" he says loudly.
"Bad morning?" Abby asks as she walks in.
"Oh, Abby." he says. "Bad Morning is right."
Abby starts rubbing his shoulders. "What happened?"
He tells her about the gossip.
"And you think they're saying anything better about us at home?"
Tom shrugs.
"Let's go out to lunch, and I promise to only say nice things about you."
Tom smiles. "Where should we go?" he says as he gets his jacket on.
"Anywhere but the Grease Pit."
"But that's my favorite spot."
"Right before the emergency room?"
"Aren't you over-exaggerating?"
"Maybe, but only because I worry about you."
Tom can't argue over that. "Fine, but no health food joint."
"So then where do you want to go?"
"Chinese?" he suggests.
"Can I get something spicy? You don't have to have any of it."
"I like spicy."
"But I thought it didn't like you?"
Tom sighs. "It doesn't but I still like it."
"You still have to come back to work afterwards. I think Donna has enough to deal with without your heartburn."
"Whatever, lets go. I'm hungry."
"Can't have that, now can we?" Abby asks as she leads him out.
As they eat their lunch. Tom approaches the subject. "What are we going to do about Joannie?"
Abby shrugs. "I wish I knew what the problem really is."
"Yeah, I know the feeling." Tom says as he picks at his food.
"Can't you find out from her?"
"I will, tonight." Tom says. "At least try."
"Good luck."
"I'm going to need it."
"Forget luck, you're going to need a minor miracle."
"Miracles can happen, after all we met."
"Romantic," Abby smiles at him.
Tom smiles too. He looks at his watch. "I better get back."
Abby nods. "I have a stack of paperwork waiting for me..."
"I'll see you home later?"
"If I don't drown in the paperwork first."
Tom kisses her. "I know what you mean, the worse part after a vacation."
"No, that would be Joannie."
"Touch'e."
"I'll see you tonight."
Tom goes back to work. He leaves early so he can catch Joannie at home.
"Joannie?" he says as he enters the house.
"I'm in here," Joannie calls from the living room.
"Hi, I need to talk you." he says.
"Sure. What's up?"
"Let's go in my study, we can have some privacy."
"You in trouble, Dad?" Joannie jokes.
"Funny." he says.
"I thought so."
"Shall we?" he says pointing to the study.
Joannie follows him and sits down near the window.
"I couldn't help but notice you came in awfully late this morning."
"You're not going to give me that curfew speech again, are you?"
"I wouldn't be a father if I didn't." he says.
"OK, I'm listening," Joannie sighs.
"But, no I'll spare you." Tom replies. "Just remember though what you do affects the whole family."
"Yes, Dad."
"Are you OK Joannie?"
"Sure, Dad. How about you?"
"Fine." he says. "The Mikado is in town again, would you like to go?"
"I don't know," Joannie says doubtfully.
"Why not? We always go."
"You want to?"
"Why wouldn't I? It's our tradition." Tom states.
"Just because something's always been done doesn't mean you have to keep doing it."
"I want to go." he says. "Just the two of us."
"Why?"
"Because I love you Joannie."
"Well, if you really want to go...can we get veal Oscar, too?"
Tom smiles. "Sure, I'll pick you up at 6 on Saturday."
"Pick me Up? From where?"
"Here, of course."
"Dad, I don't date married men."
"That didn't stop us when you were younger."
"I'm not younger any more."
"Joannie what is wrong?" he asks frustratedly.
"With what?" Joannie asks innocently.
"With you? You don't talk to me anymore. You use to tell me things. We use to be close."
"Nothing's wrong."
"Right." he says. He pulls the tickets out of the drawer and hands them to her. "Unless you tell me differently, I'll be ready at 6 on Saturday."
"So will I. And thanks for remembering."
"How could I forget?" Tom says hurt.
"You might have been busy. I would have understood."
"Too busy for my kids?" Tom shakes his head. "Why do you say that?"
"You've got a life of your own, too."
"Nothing is more important to me than my family."
"You're part of your family, too."
"I don't understand."
"You should be important to you, too."
~Since when has that concerned any of you.~ Tom thinks. "Oh, well....thanks."
"So, I'll see you Saturday?"
Tom nods.
Joannie gets up and gives her father a kiss before leaving the study.
Tom sits there thinking about what has come over Joannie.
Joannie goes to sit out on the back steps.
Elizabeth comes around the back. "What are you doing?"
"Just sitting. Want to join me?"
"OK." she sits there with her.
"So what's up?"
"Not much...I saw you going into Dad's study. He give you the curfew speech?"
"Pretty much. I was kind of late."
"Was it worth it?" Liz smiles.
"Definitely."
Elizabeth laughs.
"What have you been up to lately?"
"Just trying to get back in the groove of things."
"Any success?"
"Not really." she says. She gets up. "It's my turn to start dinner."
"Oh, joy. Where's Abby?"
"Dad said she might be late tonight."
"So what else is new?"
"She's not always late." Elizabeth says.
"Often enough. Poor Dad."
"He seems happy enough." Elizabeth says.
"Yeah, he *seems* that way."
Elizabeth shrugs and goes in the kitchen.
Joannie continues to sit, kicking at small stones.
Tom hears the door shut.
A moment later Abby is standing in the study doorway.
"You are back earlier than I thought."
"That was my plan. How'd it go tonight?"
"I'm not sure." He tells her what was said.
"Doesn't sound like you learned much new."
"No." Tom says. "I don't know how else I can reach her."
"I told you--maybe we should just drop the whole thing."
"I can't drop it."
"Then you'll have to find a way to get her to talk."
"Maybe I'll have better luck Saturday."
"What's Saturday?"
"Mikado, Joannie and I go every year."
"Are you sure she'll want to go this year?"
"She said she would."
"I'm glad."
"Well, we will see, I asked Elizabeth to begin dinner." Tom says.
"Thank you. After dinner, you want me to keep the kids away from you?"
"You are not going to let up on this are you?"
"Nope," Abby smiles.
"Then I might as well get started on it after dinner."
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"I always did want to be married to a famous novelist."
"Just what I need, more pressure."
"Well, you'll always be famous to me."
"I guess that is something." he jokes.
"Only 'something'?"
Tom smiles, "It's everything."
Abby kisses him. "Good."
"If you keep kissing me like that, I'll never get started."
"You want me to save the inspiration for a reward?"
Tom laughs. "Go, the sooner I get started."
Abby salutes and leaves the room.
Tom sits in front of the typewriter puts in a sheet of paper in the typewriter and tries to start typing but then a cold sweat comes over him. Meanwhile Nicholas knocks on the door. ~Now what Tom think.~ "Go away."
Abby rushes to intercept Nicholas. "Dad's working now. Maybe you can tell me what you wanted to tell him."
"I wanted to ask him if I could go to the movies with Kenny P."
"When?"
"In a half hour."
"What time does it let out?"
"8:30."
"You have everything ready for tomorrow?"
Nicholas nods.
"You'll be home awfully close to bedtime..." Abby hesitates.
"Come on Abby please? One last summer night."
"You'll come home right after the movie?"
"Yes."
"OK. Come upstairs and I'll give you some money."
"Thanks Abby."
"Just don't get me in trouble with your dad by missing curfew, OK?"
"OK."
Abby gives Nicholas money for the movie and junk food. "And here--this is to call me in case of emergency."
"Thanks Abby." he says as he runs out of the room before she changes her mind.
Abby makes a quick wish she won't regret letting Nicholas go and heads back downstairs.
Later that night Nancy finally touches base with Joannie. "How did it go with Susan?"
"OK. It's just stuff," Joannie says, not wanting to give away any secrets.
"So she's all right?"
"Yeah, she's fine."
"Good, so is Mary. Hey I was going to make a sandwich do you want one?"
"What kind?"
"Any kind you want. If we don't have it here that's a good excuse to take a ride in the car to get the fixings for it."
"OK. I want an ice cream sandwich."
"You want to come with me? We're out of those."
"I thought you'd never ask."
Nancy smiles and gets her car keys and soon they leave for the open 24/7 store. Two guys who can't keep their eyes off of Nancy and Joannie are working the counter that night.
"Our shift ends at 6am." One of them flirts.
"Sorry, our pass runs out at 5."
"Yeah," Nancy answers. "And if we're late we lose all privileges and have to remain on locked ward."
"I just hate the locked wards, and those straitjackets..." Joannie complains.
"They're the worst." Nancy nods in agreement.
The guy rings up their order quickly and soon they're outside and back in the car where Nancy finally lets herself laugh. "Did you see their faces?"
"I almost asked them if they were relatives."
Nancy laughs again and starts the car, well attempts to anyway. The engine doesn't even try to catch as she trys to start it. She turns the lights on and then off again. "Definitely not the battery. I sure hope David is still awake."
"If he isn't, the phone does wonders to wake people."
"Good point," they go to the pay phone to call him. "That car isn't even a year old yet I can not believe this." She says while waiting for David to answer. "Sorry about this Joannie."
"Hey, it's not your fault. We'll just have to eat this while we wait."
David finally answers, Nancy talks to him for a bit and then hangs up. "He's on his way and according to him we're to wait in the car, lock the doors, and not talk to strangers."
"You're kidding."
"I kid you not. Those were his exact words. Typical Bradford Male."
"When he gets here we ought to be sitting out on the hood."
"I like the way you think." They sit on the car hood eating their ice cream sandwiches.
"Are you two nuts?" He asks when he gets there.
Joannie looks at Nancy, then looks herself up and down. "No, don't think so."
"It is after midnight and this is a convenience store. Do you have any idea the danger of this situation." He lectures.
"Hmm, looks like David, sounds like Dad."
"A star graduate of the Tom Bradford school of worry."
David shakes his head. "You're not invincible."
"No, but we try."
He shakes his head again and checks the car after they get off the hood.
"What's the verdict?"
"You need a new starter, is this under warranty?"
"Yes."
"Good, we'll get it towed home and then to the dealership in the morning."
"Thanks for coming to help us," Joannie tells him.
"Yes, thank you." Nancy says.
"Not a problem." He says. They have the car towed to the house and after dropping his sisters off David heads back home.
"There's going to be a worry-wart convention tomorrow," Joannie predicts.
"I know, I hope there's not one now." Nancy says as they go inside.
"If it is now, at least it's by phone."
"What do you mean?"
"David drove off, so he can't be inside worrying in person."
"Ahh," when they shut the front door they come face to face with Abby.
"Hmm. Still a while before curfew..."
"My car wouldn't start." Nancy says.
"You didn't walk home, did you?"
"No, David gave us a ride home."
"Good. Your dad's working. You two want a late-night snack?"
"Sure," Nancy says still a little hungry.
"We have anything interesting?" Joannie asks.
"We can check," Abby tells her.
"I'm all for that." Nancy says.
"Check if there's any ice cream still hidden," Joannie tells her.
Nancy checks and brings out the ice cream.
"Let's hope your father doesn't smell this and want a share," Abby says.
"We'll just lead him to his vanilla."
"I don't think he'll bite."
"I thought it was his favorite."
"Not if everyone else is eating something else."
"Maybe he won't smell it."
"He won't if we stop talking and start eating," Joannie grumbles.
"Grump." Nancy says and starts eating.
"Hey, I'm tired, OK?"
"I'm sorry." She says and gives her a hug.
Joannie feeds her sister some ice cream in order to shut Nancy up so she doesn't tip off their father to the ice cream.
Abby shushes the girls when they start to giggle.
They then hear someone coming towards the kitchen.
"The jig is up." Nancy whispers.
"It might not be him," Abby whispers back.
"Let's hope not." She whispers.
Sam enters wagging his tail wanting some ice cream.
"Right gender, wrong species," Abby says.
Nancy laughs. "Chocolate isn't good for dogs Sam."
Sam whines.
"Ok but just this once." She gives him what's left of hers, only a little bit.
Sam eats his ice cream and then licks Nancy's face.
She laughs, pets him, and also gives him a hug.
"You're going to spoil him," Joannie says.
"I know, but they have such short lives compared to us, so why not."
"Hmm. I don't know. Why not?"
Nancy smiles and goes to wash her bowl. ~I should take some of the money from the lawsuit and buy us a dishwasher.~