When You Are Forced to Roam
Part 3
They help Mary with dinner.
"So are you having fun yet?" Mary asks Joannie about moving out.
"Lots of it," Joannie says.
"That's good." Mary says.
David goes to seek Tommy and Nicholas out.
"Is he driving you crazy yet?" Mary says about David.
"No, he's been really good. Big Brothery, but not too bad."
"That's good." Mary says.
"He seems to be taking an interest in all of our lives lately." Nancy says.
"Did he see the light or something?" She asks Joannie while she cuts the
carrots.
"I don't know. But it's kind of spooky."
Mary hums the theme from the twilight zone.
"Maybe Dad spiked David's food."
Nancy feels a tinge of guilt for the way she treated their Dad a few minutes
ago.
Mary laughs. "Dad spiking someones food?"
"Imagine if he could really bottle what it takes to be a worry-wart."
"Like you two never worry." Nancy says but laughs anyway.
"I never worry." Mary fibs.
"Your nose is growing," Joannie tells her.
"You're a mother hen admit it." Nancy says to her.
"Am not."
"You give me my insulin shots like clockwork and you never forget to bring
food. You're a mother hen." Nancy says.
"Nope, just a big sister." Mary says. "I am not a mother hen. Joannie's a
mother hen."
Joannie starts clucking.
"See I told ya."
"Ok, you're both mother hens." Nancy concedes.
"And so are you."
"I know." She admits. "And proud of it."
"So are we."
"As you're younger sister that's good to know."
"Remember that next time you start complaining."
"I'll try."
"Good."
"Hey you two I'll be right back ok." Nancy says and goes to find their Dad
to apologise.
He's in his room.
Nancy knocks on the bedroom door.
"Come in.'
Nancy walks in. "I'm sorry about earlier."
"Earlier?"
"Yeah for making you feel ditched." She says about getting Joannie to the
kitchen when he wanted to talk to her.
"Oh..yeah right." Tom says. "It' ok, how is she anyway?"
"She seems happy."
"Good and you?"
"The truth?"
"Always."
"I want ice cream so bad I can taste it." She says.
"I'm sorry."
"It's ok, it's just something I have to deal with."
"Max didn't say you have to forgo it completely,did he?"
"No, but he said to wait a week."
"You can do it." he assures her.
"How did you do it?" She asks.
"Do what?"
"When Dr. Max said you had to watch what you eat. How did you do it?
I mean I know you backslided I was one of the angry party at the time.
But how did you eventually do it?"
Tom sighs. "I thought of my family."
"And that helped you?"
Tom nods. "I realized I wanted to be around."
"I'm glad you came to that realization." She says.
Tom smiles "Me too. And you?"
"I don't want to scare my family anymore, and Joannie said she'll look out
for me if I my meds stop working and I have a depressive episode again."
~How is she going to do that if she's not here?~ Tom wonders. "That's nice."
"Yeah," ~it would be even nicer if you said the same thing.~ "Well
I'd better get back to helping with dinner."
"OK."
She returns to her sisters.
Some time later the phone rings. Nancy picks it up and answers. "Hello."
They hangup. Nancy shakes her head and goes to watch some tv. Then Nancy
picks up the phone and dials the Mitchell house.
Katherine answers.
"Hi Grandma Katherine." Nancy says to her.
"Hello, Nancy. How are you? Getting better?"
"Yes, getting better every day, how are you?"
"I'm fine. Did you want to speak to Sandra Sue?"
"Yes, I miss her, how is she? Is she getting better?"
"Actually, she's resting right now. I can go check, but last time I looked
she was asleep."
"Oh, well if she's asleep don't wake her, but can you tell her I called?"
"I will. I'm sure she's been worried about you."
"I've been worried about her too." Nancy waits for her Grandma to check.
Instead, a sleepy voiced Abby gets on the line. "Nancy? How are you?"
"Hi Abby, I'm doing ok." She tells her about Mary and Joannie making sure
she gets her insulin. About Susan's exercise plan, but not about her
engagement to Noah. She's going to wait on that. "How are you?"
"Waking up."
"I didn't wake you did I?"
"Well..." Abby hesitates.
"I'm sorry."
"It's OK. When we get off the phone, I'll go back to sleep."
"Good, so how are they treating you?"
"Like parents," Abby yawns.
"Is that good or bad?"
"For my health or for my sanity?"
"I figure it's probably good for your health, now I'm worried about your
sanity."
"How are your father and your siblings treating you?" Abby seems to change
the topic.
"Abby I was joking." Nancy says. "I didn't mean anything by it, they're treating
me ok."
"Not breathing down your neck all the time to make sure you behave?"
"Well not all the time."
"But most of the time, right?"
"I guess, but it could be worse. I could be all alone in this."
"It helps knowing they're there for you, right?"
"Yes, it helps a lot."
"Same here," Abby says.
"In other words, Nancy don't worry."
"Exactly," Abby says around another yawn.
"Ok, I won't worry, but I should let you get back to sleep."
"I don't want to, but I know I should."
"Yeah I know how you feel. Take care of yourself, I love you."
"I love you, too. Take care. Oh, and tell your father to call me later, ok?"
"I will, see ya soon Abby." She says before they hang up. She writes
a note for Tom to call her in case she forgets to tell him.
Abby snuggles back under the covers and is almost asleep when she remembers
that yet again she's forgotten to ask who moved out. ~Well, it's not Nancy...
Must have been Mary.~
When Joannie comes over. Nancy motions her to come upstairs once they're
in her and Liz's bedroom she shows her the ring. "Don't tell Dad yet."
"He's gonna freak."
"I know, that's why I'm waiting to tell him. Maybe it'll be easier for him
to swallow when I tell him the wedding isn't till June."
"June of 2003?"
"No, June of 1979."
"He'll freak. Then again, I thought he'd freak when I moved out, so what
do I know?"
"What about you? What do you think of us getting married?"
"I think it's great. Just..."
"Just what?" Nancy asks.
"Just--aren't you a little young?"
"I'll be 20 by then."
"How are you going to support yourselves?"
"We'll find a way."
"Your landlord will love to hear that."
"Joannie don't worry we'll make it. Love will find a way."
"Love doesn't pay the grocery bills."
"We'll eat here or his parents house a lot."
"Oh, Dad will love that one."
"I can always go back to modeling."
"And what's Noah going to do?"
"He's going fix cars until he gets his big break."
"Nancy...."
"Joannie."
"Promise me you'll think about this."
She sighs. "But.... ok."
"Good."
"But all I'm doing is thinking about it doesn't mean I've changed my mind."
"You might also want to go and check on what it actually costs to live on
your own."
"I'll do that this Saturday."
"I can give you some of those numbers."
"Ok."
Joannie tells her what she's found out so far.
"Whoa that is expensive." Nancy starts to have second thoughts about getting
married so soon. "Maybe we should set an extra place for dinner. Noah and
I will need to talk tonight."
"I'll go take care of it now."
"Thanks sis." Nancy says to her.
Joannie goes downstairs to set another place.
Tom finds the note when he gets home from work and calls Pasadena, hoping
to avoid Harry.
Abby picks up the phone.
"Abby?" Tom can't believe he got thru.
"Boy do you have good timing," Abby tells him. "Dad's at the office and Mom
is outside in the garden."
"I do luck out often, after all I married you."
"You're just trying to get on my good side."
"Is it working?"
"It'd work better if I could actually show you how it's working," Abby sighs.
Tom sighs. "I can only surmise."
"Bring me home and I'll show you."
"Are you serious?"
"I sure am. The doctor my parents sent me to, though, has different ideas."
~Terrific.~ He grumbles. "Are you sure your father isn't paying him off?"
he jokes.
"I'm searching for the evidence even as we speak."
"I am sorry Max gave you a wrong diagnoses."
"The doctor here gave me some of the literature--aren't I lucky, there isn't
that much out there about what I did to myself. I guess Max figured I don't
drink enough to create a problem."
"According to your father, he is incompetent."
"According to my father, so are you."
Tom relaxes."Touch'e"
"Let's just hope my father doesn't find himself with a little extra time
on his hands."
"He wouldn't."
"Wouldn't he?"
"He would, I better warn Max."
"Good idea. And tell him I think my father is wrong."
"I will, but you need to tell your Father as well."
"You ever try telling him something he didn't want to hear?"
"Yes, when we told him I was marrying you."
"And I don't think he believed it really was happening until the wedding."
"Terrific."
"I'll talk to him," Abby promises.
"Thanks, I wish I could see you."
"You couldn't come down for the weekend, could you?"
"Actually, I was thinking about it. But would I be welcomed?"
"Well, you would by me," Abby says, wondering if that would be enough for
him.
"OK, How about I flew down Friday evening?"
"I'll be waiting for you," Abby smiles.
"I can hardly wait."
"Me, too. Uh oh--"
"Uh OH?"
"My mother just came back inside. If she catches me on the phone..."
"Unbelievable." Tom sighs.
"We can talk all weekend."
~Can We?~ Tom thinks."OK, I'll talk to you tomorrow then."
"I'll be right here waiting."
"I love you."
"I love you, too. I'd better hang up and pretend to be sleeping."
"Ok, Dear." Tom hangs up forgetting to tell her about Joannie.
Abby slides under the covers, pretends to be asleep, and starts thinking
about the weekend.
Nancy calls Noah on the phone and invites him for dinner and before it's
time to eat they have a private conversation in the sunroom and go over everything.
"Nancy."
"I know we should wait like we originally planned."
"It's either that or live with your parents or my parents after we get married.
Do you want to do that?"
"Not really."
"Me either." After they're done talking they go inside for dinner.
"Mr. Bradford can I talk to you after dinner?" Noah asks.
"Sure, something wrong?"
"Not at all." ~At least I hope there won't be.~
Later after dinner in the study.
"We're going to wait a few years till Nancy's out of college and I have financial
stability, can I marry your daughter in a few years." He asks Tom.
Tom is floored. "Are you asking me for Nancy's Hand?"
"Yes, I know it's old fashioned, but I want to do it right this time."
Tom shrugs. "What are your plans for the future?" he plays along.
"Nancy's going to finish college and I've been working with my uncle a little
in the music business. I'm going to be a record producer."
"No College?"
"I never had any plans to go to college." He says.
"Don't you think you should think about it? I mean what if this thing
with your Uncle falls through?"
"With all due respect, I don't want to go to college. And it's not
going to fall through even if it does he's not my only contact in the music
industry."
"Oh I see."
~This is not going good.~ Noah waits for his answer.
Tom lets him sweat a little before letting him off the hook."OK."
"Is that a yes?"
Tom nods."It's really up to Nancy." he smiles.
"She already said yes, but I still wanted to check with you."
"She did? She didn't tell me."
"Well we were a little misguided at first." He tells her what their original
plan was before they came to their senses.
Tom eyes goes big. "I should hope so."
Noah smiles, "I guess it's better to hear about it after the fact."
"That's for sure."
"Well I'd better get back to Nancy and let her know what you said."
"Would you mind asking Nancy to come in here please?"
He nods and a few moments later Nancy comes in.
"You get engaged and don't tell me?"
"Dad, Abby isn't here, and Joannie moved out. I didn't think
it was a good time with the plans being what they were at the time."
"I'm still your father, that doesn't change.Does it?"
"No, but there's such thing as consideration." Nancy says about her reasons.
"What kind of daughter would I'd be if I came up to you and said. 'Hey
Dad, sorry Abby isn't here, and that Joannie moved out. Oh and by they
way I'm getting married real soon.' "
Tom sighs. "Thanks but I feel bad you felt you couldn't tell me."
"I'm sorry."
"It's ok, so did you get a ring yet?"
She smiles. "Yep." She shows it to him.
"Nice."
"Thank you."
"Have you told Abby yet?"
"No not yet."
"No not yet."
"Well, theres the phone."
She dials the Mitchell house.
Harry answers.
"Hi Grandpa Harry, how are you?"
"All right. And you?"
"I'm ok, is Abby there?"
"Do you people do anything at all besides call here?" Harry fumes.
~Ok.~ "Um uh, I'll call back later." She hangs up and leaves the room.
Harry hangs up, muttering a few choice words about people who won't let his
baby rest.
Nancy retreats to her and Liz's room. ~Sheesh are all Grandfathers mean?
I hope I never meet Dad's father.~
~That does it.~ Tom redials the Mitchells.
Harry answers again.
"Harry, its Tom. I can tolerate you being rude to me, but I will not tolerate
you being rude to my children."
"If you and that friend of yours hadn't made such a mess of things, Sandra
Sue wouldn't be here to get away from all of you. But since she is..."
"She didn't run away to you, I sent her. Remember?"
"Yes, you did. And for good reason. I'm just trying to make certain you and
your family don't sabotage your own good sense."
"Nancy just wanted to tell Abby her good news." Tom says. "You know how Paul
treats my kids, are you going to act the same way?"
"Of course not. But do you think you could limit your family's call to once
or twice a day?"
"Abby told them to call her anytime, are you telling her she can't talk to
them?"
"I thought the whole reason you sent her here was to get away from their
demands on her time and attention."
"Is my 'Wife.' awake?" Tom emphasizes the word wife.
"My daughter," he emphasizes the word, "is sitting outside with her mother."
"I'd like a minute to talk with her."
"I thought you wanted what was best for her. I see I was wrong. I'll go tell
her to come inside."
Tom grumbles and waits.
Nancy quietly puts the receiver back in it's cradle and leaves the master
bedroom hoping she did it quietly enough hoping they didn't hear a click.
She was going to call Noah but after realizing Tom was on the phone with
Harry the words they were saying to each other kept her on the phone.
She finds Joannie in the hallway. "You know that place we go to so
we can scream?"
"Of course. Why do you need to scream?"
She nods.
"Any particular reason?"
"Grandfathers." She says.
Joannie leads her out to the car. "What happened now?"
They had told Mary to let Tom know they were going out. Nancy tells
Joannie what happened. "And that was only the second time I've called."
"You know how over protective Abby's father is. Like Dad, only worse."
"I know, it's just brought back bad memories."
"Grandpa Wells?"
She nods. "That would be the bad memories."
"Old Harry's not that bad. He's mean and grumpy, but he's just trying to
look out for Abby, I guess."
"I know, but it still hurts."
"Did you tell him that?"
"No, he scared me so much all I said was." She tells her what
she said. "And then I hung up."
"Nancy, you have to start standing up for yourself."
"I would have but I didn't want to start a fight."
"So you ran away instead?"
"I didn't run away, I went upstairs."
"You ran away from the phone and talking to him."
"I was upset."
"What could he do to you if you told him off? He's in Pasadena!"
Nancy looks at her and starts laughing but soon calms down. "It wouldn't
go over very well if I had told off Abby's father."
"Why not? He doesn't have a problem telling your father off."
"That doesn't mean I have to sink to his level."
"He'd think of it as rising."
Nancy considers this but then shakes her head. "Naah, let's just go back
inside."
"You OK?" Joannie checks.
She nods.
Joannie lets Nancy go back inside.
Nancy gives Joannie a hug before going in.
A few minutes later Abby comes on the line. "Is something wrong?" she asks.
"My father looks very upset."
"Yeah at me." He explains what happened.
"That's it. When you come here this weekend, I'm going home with you."
"Abby, I'd like that, but are you sure?"
~No.~ "Look, it's obvious that this isn't working. You need me back at home."
"Of course this isn't working, because your father insists on playing phone
police." he says. "I want you well, but could you please tell him to ease
up on the sarcasm especially with the kids?"
"He's not playing 'phone police'. We decided I should come here alone so
I could concentrate on getting better. He's just trying to make sure I do."
"Fine, I don't want to argue. Just call Nancy when you feel like you can.
OK?"
Abby sighs. "Tom...Just put her on the phone, OK?"
Tom calls for Nancy.
"She and Joannie went out." Mary tells him.
Tom sighs,
"Abby, Nancy took off with JOANNIE."
"Oh, no."
"It'll be Ok, I'm sure she'll be back soon."
"With Joannie filling her head?"
Tom hears the door. "Nancy's back."
"She is?" Abby says, shocked.
"Harry what happened?" Katherine inquires.
"They're calling here again. Thomas had me drag Sandra Sue inside so he could
talk to her. He just talked to her a few hours ago."
"Who was calling her again?"
"Thomas. Well, Nancy, too. The whole point of Sandra Sue coming home was
so she could rest without distractions. I think one phone call a day is enough."
"You're right but did you ask Nancy why she was calling?"
"Whatever it is can wait until tomorrow."
"Did you tell her that or did you jump down her throat?"
"Katherine..."
"You jumped down her throat." She sighs and wraps her arms around him.
"Harry I know you're worried about Sandra Sue, I am too, but we both have
to remember that those kids are our grandchildren now."
"What will they be if Sandra Sue doesn't get better? Or if that quack Tom
takes her to makes another mistake?"
"They would be devastated, but that is not going to happen. I won't
let it." She says not knowing how to reply about Max.
"I won't either, and if that means making sure she rests and isn't disturbed,
then that's what I'll do, even if it means disconnecting our phones."
"Disconnecting the phones will only make matters worse. If you do that
they'll storm the house."
"You're right," Harry sighs. "But I'm not going to let them call here all
hours of the day and night."
"I know, and I agree but we need to handle it more tactfully. Do you
remember when Sandra Sue told us about their Grandpa Wells?"
"They know I'm only doing this for Sandra Sue. Don't they?"
"I'm sure they do, I mean I think they know. It's hard to tell if the
question isn't asked."
"I'll ask Thomas to have a word with them," Harry sighs.
"That's one way to approach it, or you could talk to them yourself. Either
way should be fine."
"Let him have the headache of trying to get that whole troop in the same
place at one time."
"When will you talk to Tom about it?"
"I'll call him tonight. After Sandra Sue has gone to sleep."
"Good."
Tom hands the phone to Nancy.
"Hi Abby." Nancy says.
"Hi. Sorry about my father."
"It's all right, how are you feeling?"
"Better. And you? Taking your medicine?"
"Yes I'm taking it, starting to less each time, haven't really felt right
since taking the insulin but it's not like before we found out and Dr. Max
said it's just my body getting used to the insulin. But I did call
for a different reason."
"What? What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, I just have a ring to show you when I get home. Now
it's going to be a very long engagement, a few years."
"A ring? You and Noah got engaged?"
"Yeah, it's official this time."
"That's great. Does your father know?"
"Yes, I was going to wait till tomorrow and call you but he said to go ahead
and do it tonight."
"He's happy about this?"
"Yes, especially that we're going to wait a few years and not rush it."
~The famous Bradford 'we'll go slow' speech. We'll see how long it lasts.~
"Good. And congratulations."
"Thanks Abby, did you want to talk to Dad again?"
"Might as well--looks like my parents are giving me phone privileges."
"Ok I'll get him. I love you Abby." She says before getting Tom.
Abby waits for Tom to get on the line.
"Long engagement." he sighs.
"You think they'll actually live up to it?"
"Not really. but its their decision."
"You sound awfully calm about this."
"The kids think my name is Harry Mitchell, jr."
"*I* can joke about him...."
"Huh?"
"Do you want your sons- and daughters-in-law making Tom Bradford jokes with
their children?"
"No."
"Well, then..."
"I'll let you go back to whatever you were doing."
"Fine," Abby snaps.
"Well, I don't want to get you in trouble."
"Tom, I'm a grown woman."
"And how I know." he flirts.
"Behave and I'll remind you of that this weekend."
"I'm counting the hours."
"So am I."
"Then you better rest up."
"I will."
"I love you." he says before hanging up.
Later that night, after Sandra Sue has gone to sleep, Harry calls Sacramento.
Tom is just finishing his pie ala mode when he answers. "Hello?"
"Thomas," Harry says. "I'm glad you answered. We need to talk."
"Now what did I do wrong besides marrying your daughter?"
"I haven't heard such an unhelpful attitude since the 1952 gubernatorial
primaries," Harry splutters.
"Sorry Harry, its just you have me on the defensive all the time."
~Which is exactly where you belong.~ "I called to speak to you," he repeats.
"Yes." he sighs.
"I need you to tell your children something," he begins.
"They are in bed, at least most of them are."
"Well, then, tomorrow at breakfast."
"What? You are going to speak to each one individually? We don't have
a speaker phone. Besides David and Joan....." Tom doesn't want Harry to know
before he tells Abby. "David doesn't live here."
"I was hoping you could pass along the message."
"Yes?"
"Could you tell them that we know they're worried about Sandra Sue and appreciate
that. It's really wonderful to hear how concerned they are. But in the interest
of letting her rest as much as possible, it might be best if you picked once
or twice a day to call, and all spoke to her then."
"i'll do one better, I'll forbid them to call and let Abby to call them ok?"
"Do you think they could handle that?"
"I can only try Harry."
"I don't want them to think I'm cutting off their access."
"But you didn't mind that earlier, what do you expect them to think?"
"That I'm trying to protect my daughter."
"From her family?"
"From any distractions."
~Wait until this weekend.~ "OK, i'll talk to them."
"Thank you."
"Goodnight." Tom says
"Good night, Tom."
~Tom? not Thomas?~ he thinks after hanging up.
~If anyone can make them understand, it's he,~ Harry thinks as he hangs up.
~The world's most overprotective father.~
The following morning Vivian decides to call her brother so she dials the
Bradford house.
"Hello?" Tom answers hoping its Abby.
"Hi Tommy." V says.
"Oh Hi, V." Tom replies.
"Hi, listen I'm sorry I had to cut out of there so quickly, but Horst is
doing better now. How are you, Abby, and the kids?" She asks.
Tom gives her the lowdown about the family.
"Tom, I think mom's mother had diabetes. Nancy must have gotten it
that way. And don't you worry about Joannie, she's going to be all
right she just needs to spread her wings. Abby's going to be all right
also, she'll get better and come home."
Tom smiles."Why do I feel better after talking to you?"
"Because I'm your big sister and that's my job."
"Even if you don't really know its all going to be OK."
"Especially then." She tells him.
"Thanks anyway V, How are you and Horst?"
"We're ok, hey when do the kids have their next school vacation?"
Tom shrugs. "Not until Christmas."
"Hmm, do you mind if I kidnap them the day after Christmas I'll bring them
back in time for school."
"Just where to?"
"The Bahamas."
"You are joking."
"I am not joking, there's plenty to do there for people of all ages."
"I'm sure."
"Come on Tom, they'll have fun. And if you'd like I'll kidnap you and
Abby and bring you two along with us."
Tom laughs. "Before I give in, like I always do; Let me talk with Abby
ok?"
"Ok." She says.
"V, are you busy this weekend?"
"No I'm not, why?"
"Could you come and stay while I make a quick trip to Pasadena?"
"Of course."
"Thanks V." Tom says. "See you Friday."
"You're welcome, and see you then Tommy."
Tom sighs in relief and goes downstairs to talk to the family about not calling
and going away. "Good morning." he says as he goes in the kitchen.
"Good morning." Nancy says.
"What's so good about it?" Mary jokes.
"Well for one, V is coming this weekend while I make a little trip to Pasadena."
"What?!?" Liz asks. "What about me?"
"Sorry not this weekend, maybe next or Abby will be home by then."
Liz sighs.
"Is there any coffee left?"
"How's Uncle Horst?" Nancy then glances over at Elizabeth. "Yes I think there
is."
Mary gets it for him.
"Thanks." Tom says to Mary. "Horst is doing fine."
"You're welcome." Mary says.
"Good." Nancy says. "Do you need to talk?" She mouths to Elizabeth.
"Thanks, but I'm Ok." she whispers back.
"No problem." Nancy says but is still concerned.
"One more thing kids." Tom says.
"I can hardly wait to hear this." Tommy remarks.
Mary laughs.
"Harry called last night." He tells them of their discussion. "So please,
no calls OK?"
"Ok, for Abby's sake, and her sake only." Nancy says still upset with Harry.
"No calls at all?" Nicholas asks.
"Don't worry Nicholas, I am sure she'll call." Tom hopes.
"Uh Dad, you'll be back for my birthday?" Tommy asks.
"Don't worry son, I'll be back Sunday night."
Tommy nods.
"Tommy what do you want for your birthday?" Nancy asks.
"A car." he jokes.
"Let's have this discussion after you get your license Tommy." Tom says.
"Anything's fine Nancy." Tommy says.
~Hmm either an album, or money and a card.~ She decides. "Ok Tommy."
"I'm going to be late for work." Tom says.
"Dad you have to eat something." Mary says.
"Thanks, I'll grab something at the office." Tom says. "See you guys tonight."
"See ya Dad." Nancy says.
"Drive carefully." Mary says.
Tom leaves for work. Tommy takess Nicholas to school. Elizabeth goes
and watches TV instead of studying.
"I'll be home at lunch to give you your shot. You don't know how to
do it yourself yet so if you start feeling funny have a piece of candy."
Mary says.
"Ok," after Mary leaves. Nancy goes to watch tv also. "Is there
anything good on?" She asks Elizabeth.
"Soap Operas."
"Oh."
Elizabeth keeps flipping the channels.
"Cut it out." Nancy pleads.
"What?"
"Flipping the channels."
Elizabeth hands her the remote. "I'm going back to bed."
"Are you feeling ok?"
"I'm fine." she lies.
"Elizabeth this is me you're talking to, I can tell when you're upset."
"Aren't you upset? That Dad gets to visit Abby and we can't call?"
"There's six of us in the house now and only one of Dad. That's six
calls a day when Abby needs to be resting." She says but then saddens
a little. "Yes I'm a little upset."
"I don't mean to be upset, I can't help it."
"Believe me I know the feeling, I've been there."
"So what do I do?"
"None of the things that I've done to get through it." She advises.
Elizabeth laughs.
"Hey I'm serious, don't do them."
"I won't." she says.
"Good, hey at least we get Auntie V."
"That's true." she smiles.
"I'd knew I'd get a smile out of you."
"OH you did, did you?" she throws a small pillow at her.
Nancy catches it and laughs.
"I'm still going upstairs to lie down, want to come?"
She nods and goes upstairs with her.
Elizabeth falls asleep.
Nancy sits up and reads for awhile.
Tom goes to the office picks up the phone then puts its down. Tom picks up
the phone again and makes flight arrangements for Friday evening
On Friday the family hears the sound of a horn honking.
"Auntie V's here." Nicholas says as he runs out of the house.
Nancy's soon behind him. V hugs them both. "It is so good to see you
two."
"It's good to see you too Auntie V." Nancy says.
Nancy's soon behind him. V hugs them both. "It is so good to see you two."
"It's good to see you too Auntie V." Nancy says.
Tommy and Elizabeth soon follow.
She hugs them also and Mary when she comes out. Once they're inside she
distributes gifts.
"Sugar free candy?" Nancy asks not knowing it existed.
"Yes, I got it from a shop in Calgary." V says.
"Thanks Auntie V." Nancy hugs her.
"Thanks Auntie V." Mary says about her gift.
"Cool." Nicholas says.
"You can play with that outdoors and indoors." V tells him.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome." She says. "Now when are David and Joannie getting here?
And where's my brother?"
"Dad's upstairs packing." Elizabeth says.
"Thank you dear." She goes and knocks on his door.
"Come in."
V walks in
"V, is it that late?." he says as he hugs her.
"Late nonsense it's early." She says as she hugs him.
"Thanks for coming."
"No problem." She says.
"I'd love to chat but my plane is waiting."
"I thought you weren't leaving till Saturday."
"No, tonight." he says.
"Do you have a ride?"
"David, I hope."
David and Joannie soon show up.
"Hi you two." Tom says.
"Hi, Dad."
"Hi Dad, Hi Auntie V." David hugs her.
She hugs him back.
"You can talk to V later after you drop me off." Tom tells David.
"Dad calm down I was just hugging her." He stifles back a laugh.
"I am calm." his voice raises a bit.
"Yeah Dad."
"Well you'd be on edge too, if you had to see your wife at her parents house."
David decides to ignore his father's comment and takes his bags to his van.
V hugs Joannie. "I got something for you. I'll give it to you after
you see your father off."
"A secret?" Joannie whispers.
"No not really." She whispers back. "Just wanted to give you time with your
Dad."
"That's OK. I see him all the time. Free feed."
V laughs.
Tom takes a moment and asks Joannie."How are you doing?"
"Oh, I'm fine," Joannie lies.
"Good." he says.
"You'd better get going, Dad."
Tom gives her a hug and kiss. "Bye everyone." Tom says as he hugs his family
They hug him back.
After Tom has left she give Joannie her present.
"Auntie V, you shouldn't have!"
"Of course I should have, nothing's too good for my Niece."
"Thanks, Auntie V."
"You're welcome honey."
Part 4