Abby comes downstairs and overhears this. "Nancy," she protests.
"It's time I started acting like an adult right?" She says to Abby.
"Maybe when you're in LA. Tonight you're here, and we have a problem to deal with."
She sighs and concedes. "Ok." She nods.
Abby steals a quick glance at Tom. "Come on, let's sit down while your father is on the phone."
"Ok." They go to sit in the kitchen.
"Can I get you something?" Abby offers.
"No I'm ok." She says but then her stomach grumbles. "That thing loves making a liar out of me. I'll get what I need Abby, do you need anything?"
~A quiet, boring life.~ "Coffee would be good."
She gets her some coffee and also herself something to snack on. ~I can't believe they were in the house.~ Nancy thinks instead of saying it out loud. "I know things are getting to you and Dad." She finally says.
"Why would you say that?"
"I overheard you two while Tommy and I were waiting for you to come out of the bedroom. We're stressing both of you."
~I hope they didn't hear anything before that conversation~
Abby blushes,
thinking of what she and Tom were doing before they were interrupted. "No,
Nancy, no more than any parent is stressed by any kid."
"So in other words I shouldn't worry?"
"Not about that." ~But I'm going to start worrying
about just how much can
be heard through the bedroom door.~
She sighs in relief and after awhile
finally voices her fears. "I still can't believe they were able to
get in here."
"The police will be able to tell us if they jimmied the locks."
"I'm hoping it was just one of us forgetting to lock one of the doors."
"Or windows. That'll be easy to take care of."
"Very easy." She also wonders why Sam didn't bark and then remembers that he's spending some time with the oldest Bradford child that night. "I tried to scream out when I saw the mirror but I couldn't, it was pretty odd almost like one of those dreams where you try to yell but can't."
"Or a bad movie, and you're standing there, almost
watching yourself and
wondering why you don't do something."
"Exactly."
"Just remember that in those movies the heroine always comes out the victor."
She smiles at this. "I like the way you think."
"Why, thank you."
"You're welcome."
"In the morning you're going to have to call Brad and tell him about this."
"I know."
"Everything will be fine. The police will catch whoever is doing this."
Nancy nods. "I know the police have other things to do, and I understand, but I wish they could work a little faster to catch whoever it is."
"Me, too."
"I'll be ok though, all of us will be." Nancy says knowing Abby is worried.
"And next week you'll be off in LA, so you can leave
all this behind you for
a while."
"That's true, I just hope the stalker doesn't decide to come back while I'm gone."
"Don't worry about us."
"I can't help it."
"We'll make sure to lock all the doors and windows."
"Then I'll breathe much easier."
"I'll make the rounds each night myself." Abby
hears a sound from a distant
part of the house. "Was that the door? Maybe the cops are here."
"Shall we go and see?"
"I'm right behind you."
They return to the front entranceway.
Abby walks over to Tom and puts an arm around his waist.
He holds her.
Abby smiles at him, trying to reassure him.
He grows another gray hair.
Nancy waits for Tommy to let the police officers in.
Tommy opens the door when there's a knock.
"Hello Tommy, your father called us." Bernstein says.
Tommy opens the door
Bernstein nods and takes out a notepad and pencil.
"First of all did anyone see this person?"
Nancy tells him what she knows.
"We'd like to see the mirror." He says.
"I'll take them." Tommy says.
"Thank you." Nancy says to him not wanting to see the mirror again.
Tommy leads the way.
The police follow him.
Tommy waits for their verdict.
They take pictures for evidence of the threat written on the
mirror.
"It can be cleaned tonight."
"I'll get the cleaner."
They nod.
"Nancy, why don't you rest in your room or the sunporch." Tom says.
"The police might want to speak to Nancy again," Abby points out. "the sunporch would be better."
"Um ok." She goes to the sunporch.
After Nancy leaves. "I don't know how much more she can
take." Tom tells Abby.
"What worries me more is how much more you can take."
"I'll be fine, once I know she will be safe."
"As far as this crisis is concerned."
Tom half way chuckles. "Yeah."
"And I don't know how many more crises you can take."
Tom just shrugs.
"Hey did you notice Tommy's attire?"
"You mean that he was fully dressed? I did--I'd hoped you hadn't."
"Great...another thing I have to deal with."
"I'll deal with it for you," Abby volunteers.
"You will?"
Abby nods. "I will. And Tom, we have another problem."
"Oh no, what now?"
"Nothing that can't wait until we finish with this crisis. You go talk to the police, I'll check on Nancy. Later on we'll talk about this, just the two of us."
"Are you sure?"
Abby nods. "I'm sure. I'd rather discuss it in private."
Tom kisses her. "Ok."
He joins the officers "Well?"
Abby heads to the sunporch to check on Nancy.
"Hey, why did Dad send me out of the room?"
"I'm not sure. I think he just wanted you out of the hustle-and-bustle."
"Oh, he's protective like that."
"Very."
"But we love him anyway right."
"We most certainly do."
She smiles and then asks. "Are the police still here?"
"I think so. Tom said he was going to go talk to them."
"I sure hope they find something useful and I wonder why Tommy went to bed in his clothes?" She makes one last ditch effort to save her brother.
"I don't know," Abby says, "but I certainly will find out."
"Maybe he doesn't have any PJ's available?"
"Or maybe he hasn't made it to bed yet."
"Poor guy was probably
studying."
"Maybe. I wonder who it was he was studying?"
Nancy sighs. "I'm not very convincing am I?"
"Isn't it nice to know you've got an honest face?"
She half way smiles. "I'm sorry I guess I'm protective also." She says about Tommy. "Don't want him to get in trouble."
"Don't worry about it. I told your father I would deal with Tommy."
"Ok."
Abby puts an arm around Nancy's shoulders. "Everything will be all right."
"I sure hope so."
"It always has been, pretty much, hasn't it?"
"When you look at the big picture, yes. I mean all of us are still here."
"And we will be when this is finished, too."
"You got that right."
"Bradfords always triumph."
"Thanks Abby."
"That's what I'm here for," Abby smiles.
Nancy gives her a hug.
"Should we go check what they're all up to?"
"Sure."
Abby stands and waits for Nancy.
They go to where the others are.
Abby keeps an arm around Nancy's waist as she steps up to Tom's side.
Bernstein's partner dusts for fingerprints while Bernstein
talks to Tom.
"The entry wasn't forced, someone left the door unlocked."
"Back door or front?" he asks thinking of Tommy.
"The back door."
Tom nods slowly steaming. "Any clues you can use?"
"We got some ink samples that we can check out and if there are fingerprints that don't belong to your family and friends we can use those."
"How long will it take?"
"Not long to gather the evidence, the results will take a day."
"You'll let us know the results?"
"If I don't call you by Sunday, give me a call." Bernstein gives him his number.
Tom nods. "Thanks." he says with his face drained from the worry.
Abby puts her other arm around Tom's waist.
The officers soon leave after gathering evidence.
"Well I guess there is nothing more to do but go to
bed, after I make sure
all the doors and windows are locked." he says looking at Tommy's
direction.
"Anything else can wait until a decent hour of the morning," Abby hints to him.
Tom nods.
"Yeah I guess." Nancy says.
"I'll give you a hand." Tommy says.
"Not tonight Tommuy." he says and goes off on his rounds to the room.
Nancy says goodnight to Abby and Tommy
and then goes up to bed. ~He didn't send me to the study to protect
me, he didn't want me around.~ Nancy thinks after Tom didn't say even one word
to her after the police left so she chose not to say goodnight to him.
She shrugs it off instead of letting it get to her anymore and tries to fall
asleep.
"We'll talk in the morning, Tommy," Abby says.
"Goodnight." Tommy says.
"Goodnight," Abby says, and then goes off in search of Tom.
Tom is in the kitchen locking the windows.
"Need help making the rounds?" Abby asks, coming up behind him and giving him a hug.
"With you, always."
"You OK?"
"No, but what can I do about it?"
"I'm not sure. Talk, I guess."
"Part of me wants to lock Nancy in her room until this is over and the other part of me wants to throttle Tommy."
"And neither of those parts of you is going to do anything of the sort, " Abby says. "Nancy would never tolerate you locking her up, and Tommy made a stupid mistake--a few stupid mistakes--but I'll bet it's nothing his brother and sisters haven't done. He just got caught by lousy timing."
"I know I wouldn't but I can't help the way I feel."
Abby starts rubbing Tom's back. "I know. Want me to make you some warm milk? It'll help you sleep."
"Thanks but no, now what did you need to tell me?"
"Oh. Um..." Abby goes around, closing the doors to the kitchen, then returns to Tom. "Did you know the kids can hear what goes on in our room?"
"What?"
"It's true. Nancy heard us talking, and we weren't talking that loudly. She was hurt. If she heard that, who knows what else they've heard."
"Terrific, I'll get David to get a solid door."
"Why bother? There aren't any secrets left."
"What do you want to do? Learn sign language?"
"Think you can teach it to the bed, too?"
"Abby, The kids know what is what. So what's the problem?"
"Knowing what's what is one thing. Hearing it is another. And your boys have even seen the pictures to go with the soundtrack."
"So, we take a vow of celibacy?"
"You know, if you're going to start making a joke of this..."
"I'm not making jokes."
"Good, because it wasn't very funny."
"So I'm open to suggestions."
"You know, for a male chauvinist, you're awfully willing to let your wife try to solve everything."
"Well you don't like my ideas."
"I haven't heard any so far."
"The door.." he reminds her
"Are you sure the problem is only the door?"
"We can move the bed away from the wall a bit."
"This doesn't bother you one bit, does it?"
"Abby, I had eight kids with Joan and almost 1 with you. Should it bother me?"
"It doesn't bother you that your kids can hear everything that goes on in our bedroom," Abby repeats, shocked.
"It did when they were younger."
"Oh, well, that explains everything. Excuse my youthful stupidity."
"Abby I didn't mean it like that." Tom then begins to laugh. "Did I ever tell you the time Nancy walked in on Joan and I when we were...well you know."
Abby shakes her head. "I'll bet you made Joan go explain things to Nancy," Abby says, recalling when Nicholas had walked in on them.
"Yeah after Nancy called Dr. Max about what she had seen."
Abby looks at Tom for a minute before bursting out in laughter. "What did she think was going on?"
He tells her.
"Gotta hand it to Nancy--she has a well-developed imagination."
He nods. "They ran away too, after Joan talked to them."
"No wonder Nicholas is the last."
Tom sighs. "Yeah, it was quite a while before Joan and I became comfortable again."
"Don't tell me you used to have an even thinner door."
"No, the same door."
"Same kid, different problem?"
He nods. "Abby I'm sorry, until you reminded me how I felt when it happened to me. I can see why yoiu are uncomfortable. Forgive me?"
"I always do."
Tom kisses her. "Come on lets get the other doors and windows locked and go to bed."
"OK."
Tom checks the sunporch and study. Not before locking the back door, grumbling.
"I said I would talk to him in the morning," Abby reminds him.
"Better you than me." he says.
"I don't know about better, but certainly quieter."
"So I like to yell, better than keeping it bottled up."
"Are you claiming I keep things bottled up?" Abby asks with a smile.
Tom smiles
"A smile is not an answer."
"What was the question?"
Abby leans back against Tom's desk. "Are you claiming I keep things bottled up?"
"No, we just each have our own way to deal with situations."
"Sometimes our ways coincide."
"How so?"
"How do you deal with being interrupted?" Abby smiles at him.
"Oh...." he says.
"Oh?" Abby repeats.
"I yell."
Abby shakes her head. "You didn't yell at Nancy and Tommy."
"So one time out of a million."
"Know what I do when I'm interrupted?"
"Count to ten?"
Abby smiles and shakes her head.
"Then what?"
Abby crooks a finger at him, inviting him to join her at the desk.
Tom follows her.
Abby puts her arms around him. "I decide to deal with it in the morning and get back to what I was interrupted at."
"Oh so that's your secret."
Abby nods her head oh-so-seriously. "And you know the last thing I was interrupted at?"
"Remind me."
Abby slips her hands inside Tom's robe. "Beginning to sound familiar?"
"It's slowly coming back to me." He says as he starts kissing her neck.
"What can I do to refresh your memory?" Abby asks, moving her hands.
"Repeat the lesson."
"Lock the door and I will."
Tom locks it tight and draws the curtain.
"Come here."
He does willingly.
"Now, where was I?" Abby asks. "Oh, yes, here," she says, loosening Tom's robe.
Tom smiles.
"Remember yet?" Abby asks and starts kissing Tom.
"Oh yes."
"Only you weren't in your robe," Abby reminds him, tugging at the
offending garment.
"Neither were you."
"Wanna do something about that?"
"With pleasure" Toms says and unbuttons her robe
Abby showers Tom with kisses.
"This is more like it."
"Oh, so you'd settle just for this? A few kisses?"
"It's a start."
"And how do you intend to finish?"
Tom gives her the dip and kisses her.
"If that's how you intend to finish things tonight, you're going to be disappointed," Abby warns.
"Just the beginning my love."
"But we'd already gotten past the beginning."
"The study isn't exactly comfortable."
"At least it's private, since they're all a floor away."
"The floor is padded." He looks down.
"I'll make it worth your while."
"But Will I make it worth your while?"
"I've never had you fail me yet."
Tom smiles at her "I'm game."
"I thought you would be."
Tom leads her to the floor.
"Have I told you how much I like your wild side?"
"No, but not a word to the kids."
"A pact of silence?"
"I do have to uphold authoarative figure for a few more years."
"If those children only knew the truth..." Abby teases.
"We'd be doomed."
"Oh, I don't know. You might be surprised."
"Uh huh."
"Not willing to risk it?"
"Oh I'll risk it."
"You're going to risk letting your kids know what really lurks under that sober father-figure-with-a-gleam-in-his-eye image? This I've got to see."
"Well its only a bad risk if they find out."
"And what you're risking by not taking the chance is worse, huh?"
Tom sighs. "Oh what the heck." He then makes love to his wife.
Afterwards, Abby sighs with contentment. "You sure know how to take a risk."
Tom is happy too, "it was worth it."
"And with the possible exception of some rug burn, no harm done."
"Well we may have one slight problem."
"Which is?"
"I can't move."
"That's a nice compliment," Abby says. "We can just rest here until you've got your strength back."
"Yeah." Tom tries to hide his pain.
Abby kisses him and throws an arm around him, resting half her weight on him.
Tom bites his upper lip not wanting to disappoint her.
Abby feels him stiffen. "Your back again?" she sighs.
Tom groans mumbling a incoherent uh huh.
"Want me to get a hot water bottle?"
He nods with sweat coming from his forehead.
"I'll be right back. And I'll get pillows and blankets. We can camp out, if I can't get you up the stairs."
"Honey, I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Camping out is fun. Just think of it as an adventure."
"OH yes definitely."
"You are such a pessimist," Abby says, getting up and getting into her robe.
"No, I meant that."
Abby smiles at him. "Really?"
"Really."
"Want anything else besides the hot water bottle and bedding?"
"A drink? Something in alcohol form."
"Good idea. It might loosen up your back."
Tom nods.
"I'll be right back," Abby says, and slips out of the room.
Tom lets out a groan. ~A risk.~
Abby heads upstairs, praying she doesn't meet anyone on the way.
Nicholas comes out of his room, still half asleep "Abby?"
"Hi, Nicholas. What are you doing out of bed?"
"I think I was dreaming, I heard sirens."
"Must have been some dream," Abby says, not wanting to tell Nicholas that he really did hear them.
"What time is it?"
"Late. Go back to bed."
"Ok."
Abby gives the top of his head and kiss and escorts him back to his room.
"Goodnight."
"See you in the morning." Abby tucks him in and starts back to her own room.
Abby gathers the hot water bottle, the bedding, some clothes for herself and for Tom, and then heads back downstairs. She considers getting Tom his drink at the same time, but when she drops a few things, she realizes what an impossibility that would be. She kicks open the study door.
"Need an extra hand?"
"If you could give me one, I wouldn't be lugging all this gear down here," Abby reminds him.
Tom sighs. "Sorry."
"It's OK. Just let me put all this down and I'll make you your drink."
"Will you join me?"
"I'm not sure I should."
"Why not?"
"I never did ask Max if I'm allowed to drink again."
"Oh.." he says. "Then I guess you shouldn't."
"Tell you what. You have your drink, and I'll join you, with a glass of juice."
"Sounds good."
Abby lays out the bedding. "Here, you lie down and let me put the hot water bottle on your back. Then I'll go make our drinks."
Tom does this.
Abby puts the hot water bottle and a few kisses on Tom's back before standing. "Now, don't go anywhere."
"Like where?"
"You're a man of mystery--how should I know?"
Tom moans.
"I'll be right back. A drink will fix you up."
"Make it a double."
"I'll bring back the bottle," Abby says, and hurries out.
Tom nods.
Soon Abby is back with a glass of juice for herself, a glass and ice for Tom, and the bottle of Scotch. "Room service."
"Your tip is in my wallet."
"I'll make sure to raid it later. Need some help sitting up?"
He nods.
Abby kneels down next to him. "OK, take it nice and easy."
Tom holds his breath and gets up.
"OK so far?"
"Uh huh."
"Here. Lean up against the desk," Abby suggests.
"Yes."
Abby hands him his drink. "This should help."
"Thanks." He says as he gulps it down.
Abby refills his glass.
"You read my mind."
"Just call me Florence Nightingale."
"More like a miracle worker."
"Your back is feeling a little better?"
"Yes."
"Good. Want me to rub it?"
"Would you?"
"Gladly. I love rubbing your back."
"I love getting them."
"Then it works out perfectly," Abby says, and starts on the job.
"You are a natural at this."
"The whole secret is in reading your responses."
Tom sighs happily.
Abby kisses his neck.
"I wish there was something I could do for you."
"There is."
"What."
"Love me. It's just about the only thing I can't do for myself."
"You already have that."
"Then that's all I need."
Tom turns his head to kiss her.
"Careful--you don't want to hurt anything else."
"I'll be careful."
"Good. I have better plans for tonight than switching your hot water
bottle every 20 minutes."
Tom kisses her gently.
"Now I remember why I married you."
"You mean it wasn't for my Greek God like body?"
"Oh, come on. You weren't looking for someone to marry you just for your
looks, were you?"
"No."
"So why would you have wanted me to marry you just for your body?"
"I was joking Abby."
"Oh. Well, I wasn't. I didn't marry you *just* for your body."
"My kids?" he says almost in a drunken state.
"Nope. And not because you can hold your liquor, either."
"Then what?"
"Tell you what. I'll tell you when you're sober enough to remember."
"I'm sooober." He says starting to slur his words.
"Let me prove it to you, give me another drink."
"Oh, no. Not with your back hurting--there's no way I'd get you upstairs
in time."
"I thought we were camping out."
"Not if you drink so much you get sick. Then it's either the bathroom
upstairs or outside on the front lawn."
"There's the garbage can." He points to it.
"There's not getting drunk enough to need it," Abby counters.
"Ok, you're the boss." He sighs.
"I can offer you a different pain killer."
"How different?"
Abby lays down and opens her arms. "Come here and I'll show you."
Tom slowly lays down
Abby holds him gently.
Between the liquor, backrub and hot water bottle. Tom is
soon asleep.
Abby tries to get comfortable on the floor and drifts off to sleep, too.
Morning comes all too soon for Tom.
Abby wakes to the sunlight streaming into the room and stretches. "Good
morning."
"Good morning." He says holding his head.
"And you wanted even more last night," Abby mutters. "Just let
me get dressed and I'll start the coffee coming."
"Thanks Abby."
"You're welcome." Abby quickly dresses. "Anything you want with
your coffee?
Aspirin? Food?"
"Toast."
"You got it. Want me to bring it all in here?"
"Please, we need to talk."
~Talk?~ Abby thinks, suddenly nervous. "I'll be right back," she
says, and doesn't kiss Tom before stepping out of the room.
Tom gets up and gets dressed.
Soon Abby is back with a tray.
Tom goes for the coffee.
Abby hands him a couple of aspirin to go along with it.
"Definitely a mind reader."
"Just experienced," Abby says, and waits nervously for whatever
pronouncement Tom has to make.
"What are we going to do about Tommy."
"I'll talk to him. We'll work something out."
"Like whata?"
"I don't know. I have to talk to him first. I don't have a ready made
black book of punishments stashed in my dresser drawer."
"No boot camp?"
"Boot camp is for those with no remorse. I have to talk to him
first."
"Fine, just don't be too easy on him."
"Have I ever been?"
Tom stammers. "No."
"Which one of us was it who was going to let him get away without learning
plane geometry?" Abby reminds Tom.
"OK, I stand guilty at charge."
"Trust me, OK?"
"You know when I say that, you cringe."
"And with reason."
"So why is it that it is different with you?"
"Because I'm trustworthy."
"And I'm not?"
Abby just laughs.
"Thanks."
"Any time."
Tom finishes his coffee.
Mary wakes up and gets the bathroom before anyone else does and after she's done she goes downstairs to see if anyone else in the family is awake yet.
"Good morning," Joannie yawns.
"Good morning, is there any coffee made yet?"
Joannie just grunts.
"Somehow I knew that's what you'd say." Mary says as she starts the coffee.
Joannie begins to perk up as the smell of coffee fills the kitchen.
Soon she has a cup in front of her. And Mary waits for her to awaken fully.
"Coffee..." Joannie sighs and downs the cup. "More."
Mary pours her some more. "Would you like some eggs?"
"Shh. Don't disturb the dead."
Mary nods in understanding and continues to wait. David comes in with Sam.
Joannie grunts a greeting in their general direction.
David waves in understanding and gets some coffee while Mary feeds Sam. Soon Nancy wanders in hoping to soon be able to pry her eyes open.
Joannie is finally awake enough to get up and get herself another cup of coffee.
Mary puts a cup in front of Nancy who gratefully drinks it
and then says.
"We're all insane for being up this early."
"I've got to get ready for tonight," Joannie says. "What's your excuse."
"I smelled coffee brewing."
"What's left of it."
"It's David's turn to make some more." Mary says.
"Yeah, David. Be a man. Make some coffee."
"You trust me with coffee?"
"You're a single guy, yes we trust you with coffee." Nancy says.
"Well all right." David starts another pot.
"Besides, how bad could it be? We drink Dad's coffee," Joannie points out.
"Mine is better than Dad's." David brags.
"Five day old reheated coffee is better than Dad's."
"Ha ha." he says.
"Just make the coffee."
He finishes making it.
"Now hand it over and no one gets hurt."
Nancy manages a laugh while David pours the coffee as he's groaning.