Part four

Tommy spots Abby and eyes David.

"What?"

Tommy points to Abby.

Abby sits at a table for two, and after a few minutes of waiting a waiter comes over and says something to her. Abby nods, then sits there for a minute, looking upset, before picking her stuff up and leaving.

"Should we go after her?" Tommy asks David.

David nods.

Nicholas runs ahead of them "Abby."

Abby turns around and quickly wipes her eyes. "Nicholas, what are you doing here?"

"David took Tommy and I out." Nichols takes one look at her. "Are you OK?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's nothing, really."

"You want to eat with us?"

"I should...Do you think it would be all right with David and Tommy?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" Nicholas asks confused.

"It seems to be a 'men only' party."

"Oh, the girls and Tommy and David got in a fight."

"They did? About what?"

Nicholas shrugs. "Some stuff I didn't really understand."

"Are you sure you want me to eat with you? 'Cause if you're not, you and I could go out to eat together, just the two of us, some other night."

"You really want to do that?"

"I'd love to do that."

Before Nicholas can answer Tommy comes out. "Hi Abby."

"Hi, Tommy. I...I was just headed home."

"Have you eaten?" Tommy begins to say then remembers. "Come join us."

"Really, I don't want to be a bother. You seem to be having a boys night out. Besides, I'll bet your father is home waiting for me to get in."

"It's OK. The girls were just ganging upon us."

"So Nicholas said. About what?"

"If you don't mind I am invoking the fifth." Tommy says.

"I see." Abby says. ~So it was either about Tom or about me.~ "Are you sure you want to be seen in public with me?"

Tommy nods.

"OK, but I'm buying. That is, if David agrees, too."

Tommy shakes his head and they go back inside.

"Hi, David," Abby says as she sits down. "Do you mind if I buy three of the most handsome men in Sacramento dinner?"

~A woman paying?~ "It's ok Abby I'll pay, let me buy you dinner."

"No, David, really. I'm the one who's supposed to be feeding those two growing appetites," Abby gestures at Nicholas and Tommy.

Tommy rolls his eyes.

"Really Abby it's ok, I don't mind."

~OK. This from the man who never turns down a dinner at the house.~ "David, neither Tommy nor Nicholas would tell me what the fight back at the house was about."

"It's between us and the girls." David says just as evasive as his brothers.

"I see. And I'll pay for dinner, David. I insist." ~It's definitely something about Tom or about me.~

David backs down and lets her pay.

"Thank you."

He nods.

"Can we just order. please?" Nicholas says.

"Good idea, Nicholas," Abby says. "Why don't you order for me, too? Something small, though--I'm not all that hungry anymore."

Nicholas orders a small pizza.

Abby picks at her food.

Nicholas tries to eat but then blurts out "Are things ever going to be normal again?"

"What do you mean by normal?" Abby asks cautiously.

"Dad working."

"Dad is working, just not at the Register for now. As soon as the strike is settled, he'll go back to the office. Why, is he getting underfoot at home?"

"He didn't even get dressed today."

"He didn't?"

"No." Tommy says.

"Maybe I should go home and see how he's doing..."

"OK, but watch for the girls floating above the ground." Tommy says.

"Huh?"

Tommy finally says it. "The girls are gloating about you having to work and poor dad...."

"Having to work? I happen to enjoy working."

"Never mind." Tommy says. realizing it's a lost cause.

"Did you give your mother this kind of hassle the last time the Register went on strike?"

David kicks him under the table.

Tommy grimaces.

Abby looks from one non-responsive brother to the other. ~OK, so that's how it is.~

"I wouldn't exactly say they were gloating." David says about Tommy's comment. "But they
were being impossible."

"Impossible? What exactly did they say?"

"They wouldn't understand our point of view and then they wouldn't let us eat the dinner they cooked. I mean you understand male pride right and why Dad is upset? That it's different between a man and a woman."

"That what's different?" Abby asks carefully.

~Here we go again.~ Tommy thinks.

"That it's harder on a man when he's out of work because he's the major bread winner."

"I suppose that's true. If a man's got his self-image all caught up in what he does instead of in who he is..."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just what I said. It doesn't matter to your father who brings in the paycheck. What matters is that our family is taken care of."

~Yeah right.~

After the pizza, Abby drags herself home and goes to see if Tom really is as bad off as the boys made him out to be.

Nancy is in the sun room studying, Sam is hanging out with her.

"Hi, Nancy. Do you know where your dad is?"

"He's still up in his room. Are you ok Abby?" Nancy says getting a good look at her.

"Sure, I'm fine. It's your father I'm worried about."

"He does seem depressed. Tommy says it's male pride."

"Pride makes people do strange things. I'll go up and check on him."

"Be careful." Nancy says hoping Tom doesn't act like his sons did earlier.

"I always am. Besides, I came armed," Abby says, pointing to the small pizza she brought back with her.

Nancy smiles. "Very good thinking."

"I'm learning."

"The boys went out for pizza tonight too."

"Let's not talk about the boys, OK? I'm still in a half-way decent mood and I'd like to stay that way."

"Ok."

Tom is sitting in his chair in their room.

After she finishes talking to Nancy, Abby breezes into her room. "Room service," she says when she sees Tom.

Tom looks up. "Pizza?"

"I figured you might want a snack."

"Thanks." He says. "Someone called for you earlier."

"Oh?" Abby sits down and takes off her shoes. "Who?"

He hands her the message. "I thought you had classes tonight."

"The professor called in sick. Some days I have all the luck."

"So you were going to dinner?"

"Well, that didn't work out, either. I'm glad I'm home."

"What didn't work out?" Tom asks trying not to let the green eyed monster to show its head.

"Dinner with Channing. So now I'm going to have to figure out how to meet him during the day. Why do men have to be so inconsiderate sometimes?"

"Channing?"

"The editor I worked with on the book. I told you about him, Tom, remember?"

Tom sighs with relief. "That's right."

Abby gets up and moves over to sit in Tom's lap. "So how did your day go?"

"Awful."

Abby kisses him. "Tell me about it."

"Not much to tell, I called the office, They are digging in their heels for the long haul."

"I asked about you, not about the Register."

Tom looks confused. "I thought they were one and the same."

~There goes that male pride again.~ "And here I thought that I get into bed every night with Tom Bradford, not a Sacramento Register column."

"You do, I just feel lost."

"Why?"

"Well because I feel like I am not pulling my weight."

"Hmm. Did you make sure dinner got on the table? Help Nicholas with his homework? That kind of thing?"

"Yes, but..."

"But what? Some days, those are the hardest jobs in this family."

"But they don't put the food on the table."

"Getting the kids to take care of dinner certainly does get food on the table--unless you let Tommy cook."

"You know what I mean."

"You mean that the things I usually do don't count as 'pulling your weight around here'."

Tom sighs. "I'm being foolish, huh?"

"That's OK. I'll let you make it up to me."

"Oh? How."

Abby kisses him again. "I'm sure you can think of something."

Tom smiles. "Want your feet rubbed?"

"Among other things," Abby grins at him.

"Lock the door."

Abby snaps off a salute. "Isn't it nice to know there are some things in this house that only you can do?" she laughs.

Tom face turns red. "Abby..."

"Yes, Tom?"

"I love you."

"Really?"

"Of course."

"That's good to know."

"Why would you have to even ask?"

~Because I don't want you hanging out in bars.~ "No reason."

"Have you ever doubted it?" Tom asks.

"No..." Abby says, a little hesitantly.

Tom is shocked and gets out of his chair. "You have..."

Abby shrugs. "It's just that everything's too perfect, you know? I'm married to the man I love, I'm back to work full time, the book's coming out next week, we're going to have a baby--that other shoe has to drop some time."

Tom sighs in relief and hugs her. "You scared me."

Now it's Abby's turn to be shocked. "I did?"

"Yes, I thought you doubted me." Tom says.

"Well..."

"What....?"

"Doesn't everyone doubt now and then?"

Tom sighs thinking about his feelings either and ashamed to admit it. "Honestly?" Tom nods.

"I sort of figured. You would never be jealous if you didn't doubt me, and you get jealous way too often."

"Remember what you said earlier about things being perfect?"

"Of course. What's that got to do with it?"

"Well sometimes I get scared too."

"About me?" Abby ask, surprised. "I've never given you any reason."

"I know, but I look at you sometimes and wonder how I ever got so lucky."

"You call this lucky?"

Tom nods.

"We'll see if you still feel so lucky the next time I speak to my parents and tell them the news."

"You don't think they will be happy?"

"I think they're still hoping I'll grow up and come back home."

"Oh......"

"And besides, I think it'll make them feel old. I mean, being parents to a grown woman--that's one thing. We know that--we've got a few grown kids around here ourselves. But grandparents?"

"Old?" Tom asks.

"Well, when you're old enough to be a grandparent..."

"Like me."

"I'm not talking about us," Abby insists. "Do you realize that if we have any luck I could be a grandmother a few times over before I'm 35?"

"Bite your tongue."

"What? I'll bet you can't wait until some of them get married and start bring home babies for us to baby sit."

"I am not ready for that."

"Sounds like something you and my parents have in common."

Tom sighs. "I see your point."

"I thought you would."

"So what are you going to do? Keep it from them until the kid's 18?"

"Do you think we could?"

"I think they might get suspicious."

"Especially when they come to visit. I guess we can't try to tell them we borrowed the kid for the weekend, huh?"

"No." Tom smiles

"So when do we tell them?"

"No time like the present."

"You're a braver man than I, Tom Bradford."

"Not brave, just don't want to postpone the inevitable."

Abby sighs and hands him the phone.

"Why me?"

"Hey, you're the one who wanted to call them now."

"OK, then when did you want to tell them?"

"All right, all right," Abby sighs and starts to dial. "I'll tell them myself."

Tom sighs with relief.

"And then you can try to track down your sister and tell her," Abby says. She turns her attention to the phone. "Hi, Dad." She thinks for a moment ~Do I really want to tell him myself? No.~ "Yes, Dad, everything's fine here. Is Mom around?...Thanks." She waits for her mother to get on the line.

"Hi honey, is everything all right?" Katherine asks.

"Yes, everything is fine. Better than all right," Abby says.

"That's wonderful, so what's the good news?"

"What makes you think it's good news?" Abby teases.

"Oh don't give me that I know it's good news."

"Well, I certainly hope so. You sitting down, Mom?"

"Yes."

"You're going to be a grandmother."

A big smile forms on Katherine's face. "Say that again please."

"You're going to be a grandma. I'm about six weeks pregnant."

"Hold on honey." She covers the receiver but Abby still hears the scream of pure joy in the background. Soon Katherine returns. "Oh honey that's wonderful."

"I was afraid you wouldn't think so," Abby admits.

"Oh honey never think that, I couldn't be happier."

"I'm glad. And I know Tom will be, too."

"Have you told your father yet?"

"I was afraid to. You know how he feels about Tom."

Tom gulps.

Abby pats his knee reassuringly.

"Sandra Sue, he'll be very happy."

"Think you could tell him?" Abby begs.

Katherine smiles again. "Yes I'll tell him for you."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Anytime dear."

"I hope I'll be half as good a mom as you've been."

Katherine for a moment is at a loss for words. "Thank you, and you'll be a great mother."

"Only because I have a great role model."

"Now you're going to make me cry." Katherine teases.

"Isn't that what daughters are supposed to do?"

"I love you." She says while her tears of joy fall.

"I love you too, Mom."

After they've hung up Katherine approaches Harry. "Kiss me Grandpa."

"Grandpa?"

She smiles. "Sandra Sue is pregnant."

"That's wonderful!" he says and kisses his wife. After a minute he adds, "Just too bad Thomas has to be the father."

"Be nice to him Harry."

"I suppose I'll have to be if I ever want to see my grandson."

When Abby hangs up, she's smiling. "I think you're my mother's favorite person in the world right now."

"Your Mom yes, Your father? I better wear a bullet proof vest." Tom responds.

"Tom, my father's not that bad. Besides, I think you're just trying to put off the inevitable."

"What are you talking about?"

Abby hands him the phone. "Deal was I call my folks and you call your sister. Can you imagine the plans she'll start making for this baby?"

"You mean besides the gold plated bassinet?"

"Maybe we could talk her into giving us a bathroom instead...."

"I can pay for it...eventually." He sighs.

"What's this 'I' business? I thought we were partners here."

"We are, I didn't mean it like that."

"I know. And I know you're avoiding making that call."

Tom grumbles and dials the number.

"Hello." V answers. "Is this my Horst?"

"Hi V, its your brother."

"Tommy Belly Button, how are you?"

Tom rolls his eyes. ~I hate that name.~ "Fine, and you V?"

"Perfect, how are Abby and the kids?"

"Doing well. In fact we have some news."

"What kind of news?"

"You are going to be an aunt again."

She smiles. "You're kidding right?"

"No."

"Oh Tom you son of a gun."

"I take that as congratulations."

"That's right, let me talk to Abby."

"Hi, V."

"I hear that you're making me an Aunt again, how are you feeling?"

"I'm all right. A little nervous. Very tired."

"Nervous, why?"

"I'm just learning how to deal with older kids. A baby--well, that's a whole 'nother thing, you know?"

"You'll be a wonderful mother don't you worry."

"Well, at least I'll be learning parenting from the best," Abby says and smiles at Tom.

Tom rolls his eyes and smiles back.

"You hiring a tutor?" V jokes.

"After what happened to the last tutor who worked here? No way."

Tom laughs.

V laughs and after she settles down. "I want to be one of the first people that you call when the baby is born."

"I'll make you a deal," Abby offers.

"What kind of deal?"

"I'll let you be one of the first to know about the baby if you'll let me be one of the first to know when you make plans about him or her."

"Deal."

"Good. I'm sure Tom will be relieved to hear it."

"You're not going to tell him are you?"

"Are you suggesting I keep secrets from my husband?" Abby asks in mock horror.

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting we have to keep him on his toes."

"On his toes isn't always where I like to keep a man, V," Abby jokes.

V laughs. "A woman after my own heart."

"See, I knew you and your brother have something in common."

V laughs again.

"So when are you coming to visit?"

"Anytime you and Tom want me to."

"We always want you to."

"I can be there by morning."

~Oh, no.~ "Great."

"Are you sure it's ok with Tom?"

"Of course it is," Abby says without checking.

Tom is about to say something but is too late.

V checks her agenda. "Can we make it the day after tomorrow."

"Sure. We're flexible."

"Good, well I have to be going now, thanks for calling me."

"We'll see you when you get here," Abby says, and when she hangs up, she looks at Tom apologetically. "I couldn't tell your sister not to come, could I?"

The next day on the way home from school Nancy's car decides it's in need of another part so it decides to break down on the way home. First she curses, then she gets out of the car and pops the hood. She can't figure out what it is this time so she walks to a pay phone and puts in her last dime. She dials David's number and waits for him to answer. When he does answer she explains her predicament to him and he laughs.

"What's so funny?" She asks him.

He stops laughing long enough to say. "Since you think women can do anything that men can do you fix the car."

"David you have to be kidding me this is no time for......" Her voice trails off as he hangs up the phone. She stares at the receiver for awhile and then slams it back in it's cradle. "I should have called Dad." She mutters and tries to look for another dime but doesn't find one so she gets her books and purse out of the car and locks it up before beginning the long walk home. "I will get him for this, I will so get him for this."

A couple of hours later at home. David stops by to do his laundry and Mary stops him.

"Only if you'll be doing the clothes yourself."

"Whatever." He then smirks. "So did Nancy make it home?"

"No, she's late. Why do you ask?" Mary asks him.

~She should have been home by now even if she was walking.~ David thinks as guilt sets in. He quashes the thought. ~Naah she'll be home any minute.~ "No reason."

A family member walks in. "Is there anything ready to eat?" Abby asks Mary, ignoring David. "I have less than a half hour until I have to leave for class. Why did I even bother to come home?"

"Not yet, Nancy was supposed to start dinner I stopped waiting for her an hour ago and started on it."

"Nancy isn't home yet? Did she call and say she'd be late?"

"No she didn't." Mary says and glances at David thinking he knows something.

"I'm sure she'll be home any minute now." He says.

"David I have a feeling that you know what's keeping her."

"Look it's not my fault she didn't call home after calling my place and it's not my fault her car broke down. And she can fix it herself." He says and goes to do his laundry.

Abby glares after David for a moment and then asks Mary, "Your father's out looking for her?"

"Yes," Mary says also glaring after David.

~At least that will make him feel useful.~ "Do you think I ought to stay home and help?" Abby frets.

"Help me beat up David? Help with the search? Or help with the dinner?" Mary asks.

"The search. I'd enjoy beating David up way too much and dinner--well, dinner can wait."

Mary is about to answer when the music from the radio is interrupted by a special report about two men escaping from the Sacramento Jail. David walks in also having heard it. His face has gone pale.

"OK, class can wait," Abby decides. "Nancy is a magnet for trouble."

"I second that." Mary says and turns to David. "Are you happy now?"

"Mary you can yell at me later. I'm going to look for Nancy." He says.

"Wait a minute," Abby says. "Before you go running off like a typical male, shouldn't we coordinate so we don't go off half-cocked?"

"Since me being the typical male might cost me a sister then yes we should coordinate." David says feeling awful about the way he's been acting.

The three plan where they're going to search.

Mary turns off the oven and the stove and then they leave to search.

Nancy gets tired from walking and finds a place to sit down when her  father pulls up. "A ride, yes, a ride."

"Honey, are you alright?"

"My feet hurt." She says.

"Get in, I'll take you home."

She gets in and on the way home they repeat the news of the escape over the radio. Nancy shivers and then sighs in relief thankful that it was her father who found her and not those guys. She gives him a kiss on the cheek. "It's really good to see you Dad."

"You too Nancy, why didn't you call me?"

"I made the mistake of calling David first." She tells him about her car breaking down and of running out of money.

~I'll have to have a chat with my eldest when I get home.~ Tom thinks. "I wish I could help you fix the car..."

"It'll be all right Dad." She assures him.

"No it's not all right, A father is supposed to help with things like that."

"So help me talk to a mechanic so he doesn't try to rip me off." She says as he pulls in the driveway.

"I'll give you the number of my mechanic."

"Thanks Dad."

David pulls in behind him. He hugs Nancy when she gets out of the car. "I'm so sorry, are you all right?"

She pushes him away and goes inside. Mary glares at David and goes after her.

"David, you and I need to have a talk." Tom says.

David cringes. "Dad I already know I'm an idiot and I'm sorry."

"What got into you anyway?"

"Male pride, it blinded me to the danger I could've put her in."

"I know that feeling."

"How? You never would have done what I did. You would have been on your way to get her as soon as she called."

"Yes, but sometimes male pride can get in the way with what's really important."

David sees Abby approaching. "I'd better go and see if Nancy will talk to me now."

"Ok."

David goes inside.

"Tom, I've looked everywhere I could for her..." Abby starts, not knowing Nancy is home.

"Abby, she's fine. She's inside."

Abby breathes a sigh of relief. "I'll just go say hello to her and then I'll head to class. If I'm lucky I'll catch the last half."

"You really have to go?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Abby asks, puzzled.

"Since you already missed half the class...." Tom begins to say.

"I'll have to work twice as hard to catch up."

"Never mind then."

"I really am sorry." David tells her.

"We know you are." Mary insults him.

"Mary can you give us some privacy please." David asks.

She leaves them alone. After a moment of silence Nancy finally speaks as soon as she can without yelling.

"David, being stranded after a car breakdown isn't a joke and it was no time for the battle of the sexes."

"I know, I was an idiot and again I'm sorry."

She sighs and smiles. "It's ok." They make up.

Abby kisses him. She goes into the house, overhears Nancy and David talking and decides not to disturb them. When she comes back out, Tom is still standing outside and she tells him why she hadn't said anything to Nancy. "At least David's mending his fences with someone. It's a start."

"Yeah." Tom says as he opens the car door for her.

"Thanks. I'll see you later--I may be late."

~What else is new.~ Tom thinks. "Be Careful."

"Tom..." Abby chides.

"What? A Husband can't tell his wife to be careful now?"

Abby starts the engine. "We've been through this before. Often."

Tom shakes his head

Abby does the same as she pulls out of the driveway. "Men..."

"Women." Tom mutters as he goes into the house.

Due to having to walk home. Nancy is up late studying but that's not the only reason. She wanted to make sure that Joannie and Abby got home ok. Since the police haven't found the escaped prisoners yet. Joannie had made it home a half hour ago but Abby wasn't home yet. She tries to
concentrate on her studies but her mind is on other things. She lets out a sigh of relief when she hears a car pull up in the driveway.

Abby walks in the house and drags herself into the kitchen. "Nancy, what are you doing up so late?"

"I had to study." She says.

"At this time of night? You won't remember anything," Abby yawns.

"Well I also wanted to make sure you and Joannie got home all right."

"Did Joannie?"

"Yes, but she's convinced I'm a worry wart."

"You are," Abby smiles at her.

Nancy smiles back. "I just want to make sure that my family is safe."

"That we are--safe but exhausted," Abby says, searching in the fridge for something to eat.

"We saved you some dinner."

"That's where I came in in the first place--Mary was worried because you didn't get back to start dinner. Did you and David make up?"

"Yes we did, he was scared that the escaped convicts got me."

"He ought to have been. It's not like you've never had a run in with trouble. Of all the stupid ways to fight..."

"Abby he really is sorry and was still feeling like an idiot when he left here."

"Is he sorry that he abandoned you, or sorry for that whole male chauvinist kick he's on?"

Nancy thinks this over. "Hey you're right he never apologized for the chauvinism only for leaving me stranded."

"Nancy, don't start fighting with him again," Abby says, regretting that she reminded Nancy.

"Yeah but....." She thinks it over. "Ok, I won't I promise."

"Thank you. There's enough going on in this house without an all out war between the Bradfords."

"Not a problem, to tell you the truth I don't even like fighting."

"Neither do I. Besides, what's the point. David's wrong, and if he weren't so puffed up with male pride, he'd know it. And he's only echoing what he's been taught."

"Has Dad been giving you trouble?"

"Nothing I can't handle--yet."

"Good, well not good that he's giving you trouble."

"Don't worry, we'll work it out. We always do."

"I know, and he does come through when it really counts."

"And he'll be calmer when he can go back to work," Abby says, making excuses for Tom.

"Abby why do men act that way when they're out of work?"

"The male ego is a very fragile thing."

"I know, but why can't they realize that we hurt too when things like that happen to us."

"I think they're too busy hurting themselves to see what they're doing to anyone else. It's hard to look at the people you love when you think you're letting them down."

"I know what you mean."

"I just wish there was some way to remind men that their paycheck isn't what we see in them," Abby sighs.

"We can throw him a party."

"I don't think he'd like that. I think he just needs to be reminded how much he means to us here, in the family."

"I think we all need that from time to time." Nancy says thinking about her own insecurities. "You can count on me."

"I was hoping I could. And could you do me another favor?"

"Sure."

"Talk to your sisters and explain things to them, too? I'd do it myself, but I'm hardly ever home, and it's just going to get crazier next week."

"I will." ~I hope they don't try to fight me on it.~

"Thanks. Now that everyone's safe at home, why don't you go get some sleep?"

"Good idea." She gathers her books and heads upstairs. "Goodnight Abby."

"Good night, Nancy."

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