The Birthday -- part 5
Abby is just heading down the stairs. "Good morning."
"Good Morning." he says.
"Good morning," Abby smiles at him.
"How are you feeling?"
Abby yawns. "Like I just woke up. You must have been up early."
"I was trying to do some raking, but the more I rake, the more there was."
he sighs.
"Nice thing about leaves is even if you do nothing about them, they eventually
go away."
Tom nods in agreement. "Want some coffee?"
"I'd love some."
"Me too." he says. "Lets go get some."
Abby takes his arm and they go to the kitchen.
Tom sighs."I wish I could play hooky today."
"I wish you could, too."
Soon the phone rings he answers it. He talks for a few minutes and as soon
as he hangs up he has a big smile on his face.
"We won the lottery," Abby guesses.
"Not quite, but the office has been infested. We can't go in today."
he smiles.
"Sounds like it just breaks your heart."
"Definitely." he says. "Hey I heard of a nice hotel that just opened, how
you feel about a ride in town?"
"Get out of the house? I think that's a great idea."
"Good, lets get the kids off to school..oh no, Elizabeth." Tom remembers.
"Let's ask Max to give me a check up. And on the way back...."
"On the way back what?" tom asks.
"On the way back you and I can..." Abby is interrupted by Nicholas coming
into the kitchen.
"Oh..."
Nicholas walks in "I'm hungry."
Tom points him to the happy zappys and milk.
'I'm tired of cereal."
"What would you like to eat?" Abby asks.
"Waffles?" he says.
"Nicholas there is no time." Tom says.
"How about I plan to make you waffles tomorrow?" Abby offers.
He nods reluctantly and grabs the cereal and milk.
"So, are you going to make that call?" Abby asks Tom.
"Oh right, Dr. Max." he says. he goes to the phone.
Greg answers the phone.
"HI Greg, Abby was wondering if she could drop by so you could check her
out."
"Oh, sure. I can always make time for my best customers."
"About what time?"
"Whatever time is good for you. Just bring her in--don't let her drive yet."
"I won't, I have the day off."
"You lucky dog."
Tom smiles, "Tell me about it."
"So that's why you want me to have a look at Abby, eh?"
"Funny Max,it was her idea."
"Sounds like someone missed you while she was away."
"The feeling is very mutual."
"Bring her in and we'll see what we can do for the two of you."
"Ha ha" tom says before hanging up.
Abby is waiting with Nicholas in the kitchen.
"As soon as we are ready." he tells her.
"As soon as we get everyone off to school, then."
"And what about Elizabeth? She isn't going back til Monday."
"Can we leave her here on her own?"
"She probably would like that, the house to her own."
Abby takes Tom aside. "Are you sure she won't be scared?"
"We can ask her, but she has nothing to be afraid of now."
"Fear isn't always logical. But if she says she wants to be alone, it's fine
with me."
Tom kisses her. "I need to shower."
"But you're just going to get all hot and sweaty again," Abby whispers.
Tom smiles. "But I need to make myself presentable."
Abby smiles back at him. "Oh, OK. Go get yourself spiffy for Max, and I'll
go talk to Elizabeth."
"Done." he kisses her and heads for the shower.
Abby heads upstairs in search of Elizabeth.
"Good morning." liz says as she comes out of the bathroom.
"Good morning."
"You are up early?" she says to Abby."Is there something wrong?"
"Fine. I was just thinking of going to Max and having him give me a check
up."
"Not a bad idea. I can drive you."
"The Register called and told your father not to come in--the place is infested--so
he can drive me. The question is whether you want to come with us or if you'd
like to have the day to yourself, no need to worry about my parents looking
over your shoulder."
"House all to myself? May I use the downstairs stereo?"
"You could use whatever you like."
"Have fun." Liz replies.
"You, too. I'm not sure when we'll be back. It depends on what Max has to
say."
"Call me if you will be long ok?" she sighs. "Sorry,now I'm beginning to
sound like you and Dad.'
"Guess that means there's hope for you yet," Abby smiles.
"Bite your tongue, I still have a couple of years in me to cause you grief."
she jokes.
"But now I know there's light at the end of this particular tunnel, and it's
not an oncoming train."
Elizabeth sighs. "Maybe not a train, but a fender bender?"
"Sounds like I have more faith in you than you do in yourself."
"Talk about pressure."
Abby smiles at her. "I'd better get going or we'll be waiting in Max's office
all day."
"OK."
"We'll see you later," Abby says, and goes to her room, looking for Tom.
"Bye." ~She's way too happy to be going to the Doctors.~
Tom is getting dressed. "Well?"
"I'm all yours, and the downstairs stereo is all hers."
Tom groans. "I'd rather have the stereo." he kids and grins.
"That can be arranged, Tom Bradford," Abby pretends to be angry.
"Don't you dare Mrs. Bradford." he grabs her and kisses her.
Abby quite happily returns the kiss. "Let's see a stereo do that."
"Not any stereo I know of."
"You could get a fortune for it if you could find one."
"Very true."
"Just let me get ready and we can go."
He nods
Abby heads for the shower.
Tom waits for her.
Abby comes out a little while later, dressed and ready.
"You look nice."
"Had to dress up. I've got a hot date."
"Anybody I know?"
"I don't think you've ever been introduced."
"Hmmm, sounds mysterious and exciting."
"Not so mysterious, but very exciting."
Tom smiles and drives her to Dr. Max's office.
Max greets them. "What's the occasion?" he asks, seeing that they're both
dressed better than 'day off' clothes.
"Nothing more than we are in love." Tom tells him.
"You newlyweds are always so sappy," Max pretends to grumble.
"I think he's jealous." he whispers to Abby.
Abby smiles at him and nods.
"Why don't you go wait outside, Tom, while I examine Abby. Then you can get
back to whatever it is you newlyweds do."
"Too long ago to rememer?"
Max gives an exaggerated nod.
Tom laughs.
"Go on, out, out!" Max says.
"Ok, Ok." Tom waits inthe waiting room looking at magazines a year old ~note
to self, order a magazine subscription for Max for Christmas.~ he sighs.
Five minutes later, Max calls Tom back into the examining room.
"How is she?"
"You may have problems with your in-laws, but they do know how to take care
of a sick person. Abby's much better. As long as she makes sure to get some
rest each day, I'd say she can get off of bed rest on Monday."
"Work and school?" Abby says.
"Pick one. Come back at the end of next week and we'll see if it's getting
to be too much or if you can go back to the other, too."
"Thanks Max." he says. "Is it ok if I take her for a drive today?"
"But if she starts tiring, make sure you get her right into bed." Max stops
for a minute, realizing what he said. "Let me rephrase that..."
"I know what you mean Max."
Max nods. "Then I'll see you next week, if not before."
"Thanks Max."
"Thanks, Max," Abby says. "See you next week." She heads out of the office,
leaving Tom behind in case he wants to ask anything without her around.
"Max? How is she really."
"Much better. She still needs to rest--do not let her go back to her full
schedule until she gets my OK--but you can see yourself her color is better
and she's not lethargic anymore."
"Yeah, but that'll be the hard part. To make sure she doesn't over do it."
"You've done harder things. Like swallowing your pride, year after year,
when you lose at football."
Tom laughs. "Not this year old buddy."
"That's what you say every year."
"This year I am right."
"Famous last words."
"Well mark them." He jokes."
"And in the meantime, your wife is waiting for you."
"I know." he says. "See ya later." Tom returns to Abby
"SO?" Abby asks.
"You are doing fine."
"I could have told you that."
"I know, but we were also talking about the upcoming game."
"I assume I'm not supposed to be playing."
"Not unless you want me to have a real heart attack."
"Do I at least get to play cheerleader?"
"Hmm..one of my fantasies, seeing you in a cheerleading uniform."
"I was never one to let a fantasy go unfulfilled."
Tom escorts her to the car. "Shall we have lunch?"
"I'd love to. I have some things I need to talk to you about, anyway."
"Sounds serious."
"Not too serious. Just some things that came up while I was in Pasadena that
we never get a chance to talk about at home."
"OK, then we will talk." Tom drives to an outdoor cafe. "I thought
you might enjoy eating outside."
"Wow--sunlight really does exist," Abby says.
Tom nods. "A great fall day."
"Any day is great when I have you all to myself."
"Well I am all yours today." he states.
"Just the way I like it. Tom, are we doing anything this summer?"
"You mean next summer?" he asks. "No, not that I know of. Oh no, don't tell
me Vivian suggested something."
"Worse. My mother. She wants to rent a place at Pebble Beach. She figured
the boys could swim and explore, the girls could shop, and you and my father
could play golf."
Tom goes pale and has the waiter bring him a scotch.
"It'd be a nice change for the kids. And it would mean you get to golf Pebble
Beach..."
"Blackmail." he sighs.
"Of the finest kind."
"Is this what you want?"
"I'd like to spend some more time with my parents. Maybe if you got to know
them better you'd see they're not really so bad."
~And I'll win the lottery~ "OK with me."
"Really?" Abby smiles at him.
Tom nods. "It might be fun."
Abby gets up and hugs him. "Thank you."
"Do you think we'll be able to stay in the same room?" he jokes.
"I can probably get them to agree."
"Cute." he states. "I hope I can spend some time alone with you."
"We'll just have to make plans for that."
"Ironclad plans."
"I like the way you think."
Tom smiles. "Speaking of thinking, how do you think Elizabeth is doing
since the death?"
"It's hard to tell."
"I know, I wish she would be become interested in something again."
"Actually, she might be," Abby says, and tells him about the newspaper article
Elizabeth was reading in Pasadena.
"Dancing?" he says. "That's not much of a career."
"Don't tell that to Barishnikov."
"He's one in a million."
"Elizabeth could be, too. And if she gets a good education, she could always
teach dancing."
Tom sighs. "Do you think she can do it?"
"I think she deserves the chance to try."
"So what is the school anyway?"
"It's a place called Wellington. I don't know much about it, but I could
find out."
Tom nods. "After whats shes been through, she could use a diversion."
he concedes.
Abby nods. "OK. It's not like I don't have plenty of time to kill, anyway."
"You still bummed out about either work or school?"
"Of course I am."
"You don't have to shoot me; Whatever you decide, I'll support you."
"I know." ~Right....~
"Honey, I know you are frustrated. But it's not permanent."
"Things that aren't permanent have a way of becoming permanent real fast."
"Then we will make sure it doesn't." Tom vows.
"We can try."
Tom takes her hand. "It's your day, where to next?"
"Surprise me."
"Hmmm..ok." he says.
Abby waits to be surprised.
Tom pays the bill and takes her for a drive up to Sutter Creek for shopping
and a room at the local inn.
"Are you trying to impress me?" Abby says. "Because if you, I've got to tell
you..."
"You don't like it?" Tom worrys.
Abby shakes her head. "I love it."
Tom smiles and kisses her.
"I could get used to this being married to you."
"Well we are still newlyweds, speaking of which. Someone we know has an anniversary
coming up."
"Oh, yes, the infamous party."
"Yeah."
"Have you spoken yet to the kids about it?"
"No, you?"
"I've been afraid to."
"Why? They'll call affair by Keith?" he jokes.
"Bite your tongue."
Tom hugs her.
"We're doing it again."
"Doing what again?"
"Talking about the kids."
Tom nods. "OK, lets talk about us and what we'll be doing once Nicholas
is off to college."
"You mean he might be the first kid to actually go *off* to college?"
"If I have my way."
"When's the last time you got your way on anything?"
"I got you didn't I?"
"I thought that was me getting my way."
"No no,it was me that got my way."
"One of those rare cases where everyone thinks he was the winner."
"Yep."
"Well, almost everyone."
"Almost?"
"I'm not sure all the kids agree."
Tom sighs. "Joannie?"
"And Nancy, pretty often."
"Abby, we are talking about the kids again."
Abby sighs and leans her head against Tom's shoulder.
"Now, what I see in the future is us traveling."
"Yeah?" Abby smiles at him. "I love to travel."
"Where would you want to go?"
"I don't know..." Abby says, and thinks for a moment. "Vienna."
"Mozart birthplace or is that Strauss?"
"Well, actually, neither, but that's not important."
"So much for my music history." he sighs.
"That's OK. I spent a lot of night with history books. Believe me, you're
better in bed."
Tom laughs "Gee I hope so."
"Oh, now don't tell me you need me to stroke your ego."
"Only if I can stroke yours."
"Is that an offer?"
"Yes ma'am."
"OK. You show me yours and I'll show you mine."
Tom laughs. "I feel like I am in first grade." he then kisses her passionately.
"Mmm. You don't learn that in first grade."
"Neither do you." he then kisses her again
"There's a bunch of other stuff I didn't learn in first grade."
Tom locks the door to their room at the inn. "Show me."
Abby does, and then encourages Tom to show her.
Tom does likewise. "I don't want to go home."
"Think they;d even notice if we ran away?"
"I'm afraid so." he sighs. "Besides, I'd miss them." he admits.
"So would I," Abby admits. "They grow on you."
"That they do."
"So I guess it's home," Abby sighs.
He nods.
"But one of these days--Vienna."
"It'll happen, I promise."
"Once Nicholas is grown."
"Maybe even before then."
"Whenever. Vienna will still be there, and so will you and I."
~Yeah I use to think that too.~ "You are right."
Abby gives him a hug.
"We better get back before they send out the P.D. out for us."
Abby looks around. "Same time, same place, in about 15 years?"
Tom nods. "Hopefully in Vienna."
"We'll get there. You'll see."
Tom kisses her and they drive back to Sacramento,
Later on, at the park: "But honey that's three years." Noah says.
"I know, but if a couple are engaged certain rules apply." Nancy tells him.
"It makes the wedding night all the more special."
"But it's three years."
"Noah, if we really love each other we can wait."
"Well you have a point there. I do love you enough to wait."
He says to her and hugs her. ~Three years.~
A little while later at home. ~I sure hope it doesn't drive him crazy and
I'm not asking too much.~ She thinks about Noah and also thinks about starting
dinner. ~It's been too long since I've cooked around here.~
She's in the process of cooking when a family member walks in.
"Hi, i was just going to start dinner." Liz replies as she walks in.
"Oh." There's a pause. "I can use some help with it."
"OK chef, whats my assignment?"
"Can you peel the potatoes please?"
"How many?"
"Enough to make mashed potatoes." She gives her a number.
"Wow." she says and gets the potatoes and sits down and starts peeling.
"Uh Nancy, Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't potatoes starch and starch
turns into sugar?"
"It does?"
"That's what I've heard. But I may be wrong."
Nancy picks up the phone to call her dietician, dials the number, and waits
for her to answer.
"Hello?"
"Hi, it's Nancy Bradford." She tells her what's going on. "Is it ok for me
to eat them?"
The dietician looks at her file. "Yes, but don't overdo it and check your
levels before and after."
"Um, they won't have me checking those at home for another week or two."
"Well then just be careful."
"I will, thank you." Nancy tells her.
"You are welcome, goodnight."
"Goodnight." Nancy hangs up the phone. "She said it's ok as long as I don't
overdo it." She returns to cooking.
"Good."
"Yeah really."
"What else are we having?"
"Baked chicken and peas."
Elizabeth tries not to laugh.
"What?"
"I promised not to tell but if I do you can't say anything to the person
that told me."
"I won't say anything."
"Abby hates baked chicken."
Nancy groans and tries to think of what to do so Abby will have some meat
to it.
"We should make something else for Abby." Nancy says to Elizabeth. "Can you
think of anything?"
"No, she never said."
~I can't ask Abby if I can't tell her that I know.~ Nancy decides to
relax and not worry about it.
"She'll get by."
"Yeah."
"Yeah," she puts the chicken in the oven after prepping it to cook it.
"How are the potatoes coming along?"
"Almost done."
"Cool," she gets a good look at her. "You ok?"
"Honestly? No. I must have had too much junk food today."
~Must be nice.~ "Stomach ache?"
She nods. "I was trying not to eat it when you are around."
"I can handle it." Nancy says. "Why don't you go lie down you'll feel better
afterwards."
She nods.
Soon dinner is finished and on the table.
"Finally." Mary says and sits down after dinner is called.
"Hey good things take time." Nancy says to her as they wait for the rest
of the family to come to the table.
Nicholas, Tommy and Elizabeth soon are there.
"Are David and Joannie coming over?" Mary asks.
"I don't know." Nancy says.
Tom comes down. "Hi."
"Hi." Mary says.
"Hi Dad." Nancy says.
"Dinner looks good."
"Thank you." Nancy says.
"Are Abby and Susan going to eat?" Mary asks.
Tom shrugs.
Nancy starts eating, wondering if she should go through with telling them
all what she was going to tell them.
"Nancy, you are quiet tonight.' Tom says.
~No, it's still too soon.~ She changes her mind about telling her parents
about Cassie having her baby. "I'm eating Dad." She jokes.
"Oh...."
"Dad can I have the sedan tonight?" Mary asks.
"Yeah, goingn to the libray?"
"Yeah the library." Mary says. ~At least close enough to the library.~
""OK"
Nancy finishes eating and then goes upstairs to catch up on her studying.
Elizabeth takes Dinner up to Abby. She knocks on her door."
"Come in."
"Room service."
"I could get used to this. Thank you."
"However its chicken."
"That's OK. I've gotten used to it."
Elizabeth sets the bed table up. "Anything else?"
"Some company?"
"OK, I'll go get Tommy." she jokes
"It's not like I'm avoiding him."
"I was joking, I'll keep you company."
"Thank you."
"So what did Dr. Max say?"
"I'm doing much better. My father will be proud of you."
"I tried."
"I know. And I appreciate it."
"It was only fair after what you did for me this year."
"Me? I didn't do anything."
"You were there."
"And I always will be."
"Don't make promises you may not be able to keep."
"Why wouldn't I be able to?"
"Things happen, you know as well as I do."
"You can't live your life waiting for them to happen, though."
"I know." she says. "There's ice cream if you want any."
"Thanks."
"You OK?" Liz asks
"Are you?"
"Yes." she states
"Because you've been awfully quiet today."
"It hard to turn the emotions on and off."
"It might help to talk about them."
"I was so scared for so long and now its over. I don't know what I'm supposed
to feel."
"Numb?" Abby suggests.
She nods.
"Then why not just go with numb for a while?"
Elizabeth thinks about it for a moment. "I guess you are right."
"Happens once a decade or so," Abby smiles at her.
"More than once a decade."
"OK, maybe twice."
Elizabeth laughs. "So have you decided whether you are going back to work
or school?"
Abby shakes her head. "How do you make a decision like that?"
Elizabeth shrugs. "School will be waiting for you but will your job?"
"Probably not. But I'd hate to stop going to school."
~Weird.~ she thinks."It's not permanent."
"It would be. I'd get involved in other things, put it off another semester
until I'm all better, then another semester for some other reason, then another..."
"Then go to school and not work."
"Your father would love that..."
"I'm not helping am I." Elizabeth states.
"I don't think there's anything that can be helped. I just have to make a
decision, I guess."
"Good luck."
"Thanks. I'll need it."
Elizabeth sees she is thru with diiner. "Anything else?"
"No, I'm fine, thanks. You take good care of me."
Elizabeth smiles."My pleasure."
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