House Calls
Part 2
Abby heads off to Nancy and Elizabeth's room.
"Hey." Nancy greets her.
"Hi Abby." Liz says as she takes her earphones off.
"Hi, girls," Abby says, taking a seat. "How are the two of you doing?"
"Ok," Nancy says.
"Bored, but ok." Liz says. "How are you?" she emphasizes the you.
"I'm OK." Abby decides to take a gamble. "Dr. Max is doing some blood work
on me; we'll know more afterwards."
"What does he suspect?" Nancy asks her.
"I'm not quite sure. He doesn't like my color," Abby laughs. "Of course,
I could cure that myself--two weeks in Hawaii should do it."
"Hey not without us." Elizabeth states trying to cover her being worried.
"Well, I'll think about it."
"Think real hard." she jokes.
"Tell you what--I'll tell your dad to think."
She laughs.
Nancy laughs also but then turns serious. "What did he say about your
color?"
"Just what I told you. I guess we'll all know more when the tests come back."
"I hope the tests turn out good."
"You and me both."
Elizabeth takes Abby's hand and squeezes it.
Abby smiles and squeezes back.
"Are you scared?"
"A little, I guess. But I'm sure everything's fine."
"Of course it will be." Nancy tries to assure her.
"So you two are really OK?"
"Bored out of our minds, but other than that."
"Yeah, Dr. Max says my eyes are slowly getting better, but not fast enough
for me."
"Anything I can do to relieve the boredom?"
"Break us out."
"As soon as I get the green light from Dr. Max."
"We don't have to tell him do we?" Nancy jokes.
"You know we do."
"I know." She sighs.
"Pasadena?" Elizabeth asks.
"Sounds like a good idea."
"Cool."
"After we clear it with Dr. Max."
"And you get cleared too."
"Yes, Mom," Abby jokes.
Elizabeth laughs.
Abby gets up. "I'd better go check on the rest of the zoo."
"Be careful."
"I will be." Abby leaves and tries Joannie and Susan's room next.
"Hey Abby." Susan says looking up from her book.
"Hi. How have you been? I hardly see you."
"I'm alright. I've just had a lot of studying to do lately."
"Anything I can help you with?"
"Not unless you know Spanish."
"Not more than I learned at school."
"Actually, right now I'm doing okay with it."
"Good. And your other classes?"
"I'm doing okay in them."
"And out of school?"
"Not so good."
"What's up?"
"Guy trouble."
"Might help to talk about it."
"There's this guy I like but I don't think he knows that I exist."
"So why not make him know you exist?"
"How do I do that?"
"Well....what's he like?"
"Athletic, handsome, smart . . ." Susan says in a dreamy voice "You know
the perfect guy."
"Oh, yeah, I know the type. Couldn't you challenge him to a game?"
"Yeah, but which one though?"
"One where you can give him a run for his money, so he won't forget you."
Susan thinks for a second "I'll just have to challenge him to a game of tennis."
she says with a grin on her face.
"And then a consolation ice cream?"
"Yeah. Thanks for helping me come up with something Abby."
"Any time. Let me know how it goes."
"I will." says Susan.
Tom goes back inside and dials Max's number. ~Sorry buddy.~ he sighs.
Greg answers the phone. "Who this time?"
Tom grimaces. "Mary." He tells him what Abby found.
"She knows better than that, at least I thought she did."
"I know...Abby and I tried to talk to her, but shes not listening."
"Well you know how she gets when she feels like she's been wronged."
"Max, I hate to ask this but could you talk to her?"
"Of course, hey did Nancy ever take Amphetamines when she was going through
her problems?"
"Come to think of it........." Tom starts thinking.
"But only if she's up to it."
"I'll go talk to Nancy."
"I'll be there soon."
"Thanks Max, I owe you big."
"No problem my friend."
Tom smiles and heads upstairs.
"Hi Dad." Elizabeth says.
"Hi honey. Elizabeth do you think you can find your way to my room?
I need to talk to Nancy alone."
"Uh..yeah, I guess." she says. as she gets out of bed.
"Turn on the TV if you want." Tom tells her.
"OK." she says and leaves.
Tom shuts the door.
"I hope it's important otherwise the bed police will come after you for that."
Nancy half jokes.
"You mean Abby?"
"And Tommy, and Joannie...."
Tom halfway laughs. "It is important...very important." he goes serious.
He shows Nancy the bottle.
"Dad their not mine." She says.
"Honey, I know that. They are Mary's."
"Oh my, Dad even when I was doing speed, I stayed far away from this particular
brand, it's the worst you can get. If you take too many it doesn't
mean you get just a little more jittery it means you wind up in the emergency
room and hope the doctors on call can save you. Mary doesn't know what
she's messing with."
"They are that bad? If you know this, why doesn't Mary?" he wonders.
"Or maybe she does." he thinks outloud.
"Dad she's not as experienced in this as I am. She probably doesn't
know."
"Will you try and talk to her?"
"Yes."
"Thanks Honey, Dr. Max is coming over too."
"No problem, I don't want anything bad to happen to her."
Tom kisses her on the cheek and then goes out of the room and calls for Mary.
When Mary comes in the room. Nancy starts. "We need to talk."
"Oh?"
"Dad showed me the pills, Mary do you have any idea how dangerous they are?"
"OH thats just great,why not tell the whole neighborhood."
"I'm not the whole neigborhood, I'm your sister, a sister that's been down
this road before, although not with that particular brand."
"I know what I am doing." she says for the umpteenth time.
"No you don't." Nancy fills her in on how dangerous they are. "Even if you
weren't using this particular brand it's still a bad idea."
"You don't understand what it is like it Med School. I need this to keep
up."
"And what happens when it stops working you move on to more powerful stuff.?"
"As soon as this semester is over, I'll quit."
"What if you can't?"
"I can."
"Mary you are playing with fire and I don't want to see you get burned."
"I won't,just leave me alone." she says and leaves the room.
She sees Tom in the hallway. "Thanks a lot Dad for telling Nancy of
all people."
"Mary, I am not going to apologize ever for interfering in any one of my
family's life when it comes to their physical and mental well-being. Is that
understood?"
"You don't have to tell my siblings every thing that goes on with me, it
wasn't any of her business."
"Like I said, no apologies. I'll move heaven and earth to get you to listen."
She sighs in frustration and then the doorbell rings.
"That'll be for you, its Dr. Max."
"Fine," she goes downstairs and let's him in. "You're wasting your
time."
"Before we talk, lets take a ride, OK?"
"Where are we going?"
"Trust me, please?"
"Ok," they then leave the house.
Before they leave Max tells Tom they'll be back soon.
Max drives and pulls into a nursing home.
"What are we doing here?"
"There's someone I want you to meet." Greg says as he gets out of the car.
Mary gets out of the car also.
Max leads her inside. They walk down a hallway into a patient's room. Their
lies a young man in mid-twenties staring into the ceiling in a vegi-state
coma. "This is Michael and he was at the top of his class in Med school a
couple of years ago."
"What happened? Was he in an accident?"
"No, he took one too many of these." Max pulls out the pills.
Mary is stunned, "are you serious?"
"Dead Serious." Max shows her his chart.
"Oh my, I think I've seen enough."
Max puts the chart back and walks Mary out. "Listen Mary, I am not saying
that could happen to you, But do you really want to take that chance?"
"No, I don't, but what will I do? I can't think of anything else."
"I'll prescribe something less potent." he says, "Mary, nobody said Med School
would be easy. But I am here to help in anyway I can."
"Thank you Dr. Max, and can you take me home I have three family members
to apologise to."
"Sure." he gives her a hug and drives her home.
Tom is pacing upstairs.
After apologising to Nancy she seeks Tom and Abby out.
"I sure hope Max can get through to her." Tom tells Abby from their room.
"He will. He has to."
Mary knocks on the door.
"Which crisis is that?" Abby whispers to Tom.
"Come in." Tom says.
Mary walks in. "I owe you both an apology."
"Mary, thats not what we want. What we want to know is that you are going
to be OK." Tom tells her.
She nods, "yes I will be. Dr. Max is going to work with me to find out what
meds will work, safe meds."
Tom sighs in relief.
"I told you he would," Abby says.
"And I didn't believe you, Abby I'm sorry."
"It's OK, as long as you believed Max."
"I did, you bet I did." She tells them where they went.
"That poor kid." Tom states realizing it could just have easily been one
of his.
Mary nods in agreement.
Abby stops herself from saying "I told you so" again.
"Are we ok again?" She asks her parents.
"I guess we are."
"You guess?" Mary worries.
"If you promise to listen to us next time you've got a problem."
"I promise, even if I don't agree with it."
"Then we're OK."
Mary sighs in relief. "Good."
"Mary we love you, you know that right?" Tom asks her.
"Yes, I love you guys too."
"So please, the next time you feel overwhelmed or anything. Come talk to
us."
"I will." She promises.
Tom hugs her.
Mary hugs him back and soon leaves the room.
"That went well," Abby says.
"Thanks to Max." he says as he plops on the bed next to her.
"We're very lucky he's our friend."
Tom nods. "I know."
"Then again, he's pretty lucky you're his."
Tom laughs."I am not the one who comes over here on a moments notice."
"But I'll bet you'd run if he ever needed a columnist."
"Oh absolutely."
"So I wouldn't worry about it if I were you."
"Who's worrying?"
"No one, I guess."
Tom sighs. "Ok, I do worry."
"I know," Abby smiles at him.
"You know me too well." he smiles
"Oh, no, I can never know you well enough."
"Or I you." he states.
"Easy for you to say."
"Huh?"
"We'll see what happens when you can do more than just talk."
"You are on the one on probation so to speak." he reminds her.
"I know, I know," Abby groans. "Getting that whole issue cleared up is the
only reason it'll be worth going to Hilda tomorrow."
Tom cuddles with her."You know, this does have its advantages."
"Name three," Abby pouts.
"OK...for starters, we know our love is real instead of base on pure physical
attraction." Tom says. "Don't get me wrong, its taking every ounce of strength
I have not to attack you."
"That's good to know."
"Besides don't they say Patience is a virtue?"
"No one's ever accused me of being virtuous."
Tom chuckles.
"By the way, that was only one."
"Let me think of two more,I'll be right back." he says as he heads for the
bathroom.
At David’s. Nicholas is pouting while watching TV.
David brings him a chocolate milkshake and popcorn. "What do you want
to watch?"
He shrugs.
"You haven't said much since you got here, what's on your mind?"
"Dad and Abby haven't called, they probably dont even know I am gone."
"Maybe they called while we were at the store, if they don't call again why
don't you call them."
"No..." he says and lays on the couch. He closes his eyes and soon is asleep
David calls the house.
Tom is in the bathroom when the phone rings. "Abby can you get that?"
"Sure." Abby answers the phone.
"Hi, he's wondering why you and Dad haven't called yet."
"I thought we weren't supposed to know he was there."
"You're not but now he's all upset because he thinks you don't know he's
gone."
"Is he around?"
"Yes, he's just waking up."
"Then I'll call right back. Let him answer it."
"Ok." David says and soon hangs up.
Abby counts to 20 and dials David's number.
"Nicholas will you get that please." David pretends to be busy with something.
Nicholas sighs and gets the phone. "Hello?"
Meanwhile Tom comes out. "Who was that?"
Abby puts a finger to her lips. "Nicholas, is that you? Oh, I'm so glad you're
OK. We've been so worried."
Tom is confused after hearing her side of the conversation.
"You have?" Nicholas asks surprised.
"Yes. We were looking everywhere--your playhouse, your friends. I'm glad
you're with David. Are you OK?"
"I'm ok."
"That's good. When can Dad and I come get you, then? You must be kind of
tired. You've been out a long time."
"You really want to come get me?" he asks.
Tom is baffled by the whole conversation.
"Of course we do, Nicholas. As soon as you're ready for us." Abby tries to
motion to Tom that she'll explain everything later.
"Now?"
"You got it. We'll be there in a few minutes."
"Thanks Abby."
"You're welcome. I love you, Nicholas."
"I love you too,bye."
Abby hangs up and turns to Tom. "Want to take a ride with me?"
"Sure, but what was that all about?"
"You have a very good son. David called and said Nicholas was feeling like
we didn't love him enough to come looking for him, so I called. He wants
to come home now."
Tom shakes his head, "But I thought that was the whole idea?"
"No one checked this all out with Nicholas. He had other ideas, looks like.
So--you coming with me?"
Tom nods.
"Maybe we should take him somewhere on the way home," Abby says as she gathers
her purse.
"Ok, but don't you think he needs a good talking to about running off like
that?" Tom states.
"Yes, but not right now, or he'll just take off again."
"You have a point." he says."So whats your pleasure....Hamburgers or Pizza."
"Neither, really, but what's important is what Nicholas would like."
Tom kisses her. "I hope he realizes how lucky he is to have you, because
I sure do."
"The same goes for you, you know."
"I guess we are both pretty awesome people." he jokes.
"That's why we deserve each other."
Tom laughs. "Well shall be go bring our prodigal son home?"
"Let's."
Tom tells the others where they will be but not before he gets requests from
the others for take out food.
"No matter what the crises, our kids will never miss a meal," Abby jokes.
Tom laughs too. "That's the truth."
"Let's go get son #3 and get the food for this starving horde."
Tom drives over to David.
Abby fidgets, wanting to be there already.
Tom notices this. "What's got you so anxious?"
"Oh, I don't know. Nothing, I guess. Probably just worried about Nicholas."
"Welcome to the world of parenting, you never stop worrying."
Abby nods. "It's not like there's ever any reason to stop."
"Even when they are happy and doing well, you still worry. Heck I still worry
about David." Tom admits.
"Does it ever end?" Abby asks, then answers her own question. "I guess not--my
parents still worry about me, at least about the things they know about."
"What don't they know about?"
"Oh, probably about as many thing as we don't know about David."
Tom starts to fidgets. "Now you got me worried." he says as he pulls behinds
David's Van. "I sure wish he get rid of that junkard."
"And get a temperamental British car?" Abby teases.
Tom rolls his eyes. He opens the car doors.
"Maybe you could get Nicholas to tell you all David's secrets."
"What, and have a heart attack? Some things are better left alone."
"Smart man," Abby says as she climbs the stairs.
Tom knocks on the door.
Abby takes his hand while they wait for someone to answer.
David opens the door. "Come on in."
"Hi. Nicholas around?"
"Sure is." He let's them in.
"Thanks for taking care of him," Abby whispers as they pass.
"Anytime." He whispers back.
Abby gives his hand a quick squeeze while waiting for Nicholas.
Nicholas comes out of the back room.
"Hi Abby, Hi dad."
"Hi yourself." Tom says.
"Hi Dad."
"Hi, Nicholas," Abby says, rushing to hug him.
"I'm ready whenever you are." Nicholas says.
"Are you OK?" Tom asks him
He nods.
"Hi David." Tom says.
"Hi, Dad."
"Thanks Son, I owe you one."
"You're welcome."
Tom pulls out a $20 from his pocket.
David refuses the money. "Dad he's my brother."
"David, I am not giving you the money for watching Nicholas, I just noticed
an oil spill under your car."
"An oil spill?"
"I think you have a oil leak Son."
"Oh no, thanks for telling me."
Tom leaves the twenty on the counter.
"You ready to go champ?"
Nicholas nods.
"Why don't we stop off somewhere and grab some dinner, just the three of
us," Abby suggests to Nicholas.
"OK." he says.
"Bye David and Thanks." he waves to him on his way out the door.
After he's sure they're gone David goes to check and doesn't find an oil
leak. He laughs and shakes his head.
"I wish you'd have told us you wanted to stay out longer instead of going
off," Abby tells Nicholas as they walk to the car. "You had us all very worried."
"I did, but Dad said I couldn't."
"I'll bet Dr. Max told him you shouldn't, but if we'd have known how badly
you wanted to stay out--or was there another reason you came to David's?"
He shrugs "I thought no one would even notice."
Tom rolls his eyes.
"Why would you think that?" Abby asks.
"You guys seemed busy with other things."
"We're always busy with something, but not too busy to be busy with you,
too."
"Really?" he asks.
"Really." Tom states.
"Absolutely," Abby echoes. "I thought you knew that, but I guess I was wrong."
"I'm sorry."
"Will you promise to come to us next time?"
He nods. "Ok."
"Thanks. So what do you want for dinner--pizza or burgers?"
"May I get a milkshake?"
Abby looks at Tom. "I don't see why not."
"Hamburgers." he says.
"May I get one too?" Tom acts in his childlike voice.
"Only if you promise to behave," Abby tells him sternly.
"Oh thank you." Tom says excitedly.
"How do you put up with this guy?" Abby asks Nicholas.
Nicholas laughs. "Someone has too."
"And I guess that someone is us," Abby sighs. "Oh, well."
Tom smiles and gets in the car. He drives to the Hamburger Joint.
When they get there, Abby sticks close to Nicholas.
"Ok, what do you two want?" Tom asks.
"Hamburger, French Fries and Chocolate Shake." Nicholas responds.
"I should have known." Tom says. "Abby?"
"I'm not all that hungry. A shake is fine."
Tom understands and goes stand in line to order.
"Did you have fun at David's?" Abby keeps the conversation going while Tom's
away.
"Uh huh..we had popcorn and watch TV."
"That does sound like fun. Tomorrow it's just you and me--and the girls,
but they'll be upstairs. What do you want to do?"
"Bake Cookies?"
"It's a deal. And the batter bowl is all yours."
"Cool." he says excitedly
Tom gets at the front of the line and realizes he gave David his last twenty.
He hurrys over to Abby. "Please tell me you have some money."
"Of course. Need me to float you a loan?"
"At what interest?" he jokes while waiting for her to give him the money.
"We'll discuss that later," Abby says and hands him her wallet.
"Thanks." he says and goes pay the cashier.
"He's going to pay for that," Abby whispers to Nicholas.
"With money?"
"That, too."
Nicholas is oblivious to the statement.
Abby almost says something more, but notices Tom on his way back.
Back at home, Nancy glances over at Sam who has remained at either the foot
of her bed or the foot of Elizabeth's since Nicholas has gotten better.
She reaches over to pet him and is able to without pain this time.
At that point Joannie walks in.
"Doing calisthenics?" she asks.
"Nope, some doggie needs some lovings sthenics."
Joannie sits down on Nancy's bed and starts scratching Sam.
Sam lays his head on Joannie's lap.
"So do you still have that clown gig?"
"For as long as I want it. The kids really love it, and I do, too."
She smiles, "that's great."
"When you're better, maybe you could come down and watch."
"I'll do that, Dr. Max said one week in bed, and one week more of no strenous
activity."
"Well, with these kids it might get strenuous."
"Hmm, then two weeks from yesterday?"
"Works for me."
"Thanks Joannie."
"Any time."
Sam stretches and yawns.
Joannie scratches his tummy.
Nancy laughs, "now he'll be your friend for life."
"I could do worse."
"That's for sure."
Joannie laughs.
Sam looks at both the laughing sisters wondering what's going on.
Joannie gives him another pat.
As does Nancy.
"You doing OK?" Joannie asks her.
"If you want the truth no, I'm tired of being in pain."
"You will get better."
"Yeah but when?"
"You got me there."
"That's a first."
"Maybe that means we're growing up."
"What is the fact that we don't know it all anymore?"
"Nah, that you've got me to admit I don't know everything."
Nancy laughs but then gets serious, "even so it doesn't change anything between
us."
"You mean you still won't listen to me?" Joannie asks in mock-horror.
"What do you mean, I listen." Nancy protests. "Most of the time."
"Yeah, right."
Nancy smiles. "I try to."
"And I love you for that."
"I love you too."
Joannie takes a quick glance at her watch.
"Do you have to be somewhere?"
"Charles Street."
"Don't let me keep you then."
"Maybe I'll come do my routine for you when I get back."
"That will be great." Nancy says.
"Then you can count on it."
"Cool."
Joannie leans over and gives her sister a kiss. "I'll see you later then."
"See you later." Nancy kisses her back.
Joannie heads off for Charles Street.
At the burger joint: "OK, here we are. One hamburger, Two orders of fries
and 3 milkshakes."
Abby starts distributing the food. "Thanks."
"Eat up." he says
Nicholas starts eating.
Abby sips at her shake.
"Would you like a fry?" Tom offers her.
Abby looks at the greasy fry. "No thanks."
"Sorry." he says."Can I get you anything else."
"No, I'm fine."
Tom worries anyway. "OK."
Abby takes a couple of Tylenol from her purse and uses the shake to wash
them down.
"Nicholas are you almost done?" Tom asks seeing Abby is in pain.
"Yeah." he says.
"Ok, let me go pick up the kids orders and we can go."
Abby smiles at Tom gratefully.
Tom grabs the kids orders and escorts Abby and Nicholas to the car.
Abby climbs into the car slowly.
Nicholas climbs in back and sees Abby is not her usual self. "Abby,
are you OK?"
"Just a little tired," she assures Nicholas.
"So am I." Tom says trying to get Nicholas not to worry.
"Kenny P's Grandparents always takes naps." Nicholas remarks.
Tom mouth drops open about to say something.
"I'll bet his parents do, too," Abby says. ~Or at least pretend to to get
away from him.~
Tom grumbles. He drives them home.
Abby pats Tom's leg in reassurance, too tired to do anything more.
Abby starts to follow him inside and makes it as far as the front steps before
she has to sit down and rest.
"Mary can you help Abby upstairs while I distribute the food?"
"Sure," she goes to help Abby.
"I'll just go sit in your father's study for a little," Abby tells her.
"Are you sure?" Mary asks.
Abby nods. "It's always so nice and quiet in there."
"Yeah I guess so." She goes to eat her dinner.
Part 3