Nancy goes looking for Joannie.
Abby heads back to the study.
Tom is dozing in his chair.
Abby unfolds the blanket and drapes it over him.
Tom wakes up. "Oh Abby."
"Hi. You should have gone upstairs to bed--better for your back."
"I'm afraid if I had did that, I'd never get up to be
there at three."
Abby looks at her watch. "You have time for a nap. If you don't take one,
you might not last until the show."
Tom takes little convincing. "Ok."
"Besides," Abby fakes a yawn, "I could use a rest, too. You lied
to me."
"I did?"
Abby nods. "This floor is *not* padded."
"Well it was at one time."
"Back in the Dark Ages."
"Funny, so how'd it go with Tommy?"
"He's grounded for two weeks, starting tomorrow."
"Two weeks? That's it?"
"Why? What is standard punishment here for curfew-breaking--and only for
the curfew breaking?"
Tom sighs. "Two weeks."
"Then that's it?"
Tom just grumbles knowing he would have felt better if he
could have yelled at Tommy.
"And he's gone to tell Nancy what he did."
"That's a start."
"The way Tommy was nervous about it, I think he figures it'll be his
end."
"Good."
"Good?"
"Maybe the fear will make him think next time."
"Tom..."
"Look if I can't vent to you, who can I vent to?"
"As long as it stays between us, vent away. Better me than Tommy."
"This time."
"I don't think there will be a next time."
Tom laughs. "My poor wife. You are naïve."
"No, you're the prisoner of your own past is all."
"Well only time will tell."
"You willing to put your money where your mouth is?"
"Sure."
"All right. What are we going to bet?"
"Up to you."
"Oh, no, You still owe me from the last one."
"I do?"
"You do."
"And what exactly do I owe you."
"I have it upstairs. I've been keeping a list."
"Hmmm, I better check it out."
"You think I'm going to show my husband my little black book?"
"I have a feeling I'll need to take out another
mortgage."
"You should know me better than that. I don't ask for things that cost
money."
"No, but sometimes I wonder if it be easier." He
jokes.
"It certainly would be. But not as much fun."
"Oh? How fun?" he smiles.
"Depends on what you want to bet."
"A week wherever you want to go."
Abby smiles. "And what's the time limit on this bet? A month, a year, or
do wait until Tommy is 62?"
"Nicholas when he goes off to college."
"Wait--I thought we were betting on Tommy never doing it again."
"There's still Nicholas."
"Nicholas will make his own mistakes. I'm not willing to bet on him not
being a teenager."
"Ok, we'll compromise; until Tommy graduates high
school."
"You're on."
"Wait a minute, what do I get?"
"What do you want?"
"A week on a golf course."
"Pebble Beach?" Abby smiles.
Tom nods. "Without your father."
"All right. So--if Tommy doesn't leave the door unlocked again before the
end of high school, you take me away for a week, wherever I want to go. And if
he does, I send you off for a week to Pebble Beach, all by yourself."
"I didn't say I wanted to go alone."
"You drive a hard bargain. OK, OK, I'll send you and Max."
"Ha Ha....How about you?"
"Aren't you afraid I'll distract you in mid-swing?"
"No, a lot of husbands and wives golf together."
"We never have."
"Well would you like to learn?"
Abby eyes light up and she smiles. "Learn to golf? You'd teach me? Are you
sure I can still learn?" she says, all but batting her eyelashes.
"You never went out with your father?"
"What do you think?"
"Forget I ask." He says. "How about we go
next Saturday?"
"All right, next Saturday it is." ~And boy are you in for a surprise,
Tom Bradford.~
"Great I'll set up a tee time for the back nine."
"You might want to warn them--we wouldn't want anyone getting hurt."
"I'm a good teacher, don't worry about it."
"I just hope I'm a good student."
"With me teaching? Nothing to worry about. We'll rent
your clubs at the course until we get you a set of your own."
"Gee, that sounds great."
"Unless you want a new set now."
"No, it's silly to spend that kind of money. They're awfully expensive,
aren't they?"
Tom shrugs. "As long as they aren't made out of gold.
Or...." he then stops.
"Or?"
"Never mind, bad idea. We'll get you a new set."
"Maybe we should wait. I mean, what if I'm absolutely awful."
"You awful? I doubt that."
"You'd be surprised. But I'm sure with you teaching me everything I need
to know..."
"And I'll have fun doing it."
"That's what you think," Abby mutters under her breath.
"Did you say something?"
"No, nothing."
"Shall we go take that nap?"
"Good idea." ~I'd better be kind to you this week...~
Tom leads her out of the study and upstairs. "How's
Elizabeth?"
"She was still asleep last time I checked."
"Good, she needs it."
"I know--and so do you."
"Is that an order?"
"I could make it one, if you'd like."
"And what if I disobey?"
"I'm very good at handing out punishments. Just ask Tommy."
"Maybe I'll take the chance." He flirts
"Are you sure you're man enough for my boot camp?" Abby flirts back.
"Uh on second thought."
"Not sure you're up to the job?"
"I was in the Army, remember?"
"I remember--that's why I'm asking."
"Boot camp once in a persons life is enough."
"I think Tommy feels that way, too."
"Maybe."
"But the boot camp I'd put you through would be very different."
"I'm afraid to ask."
"Then I guess you'll never know."
"Will I regret it?"
"I'm not going to say, as far as I'm concerned, unless you bring it up,
the subject of Abby Bradford's Boot Camp is closed."
"I'll go take that nap."
"I've got some studying to do. Maybe I should stay downstairs. I wouldn't
want to disturb you."
"Please lay with me."
"You sure you want that?"
"Of course, why wouldn't I?"
Abby shrugs. "No reason, I guess."
"Abby, did I say something wrong?"
"No. Will you help me move the bed away from the wall first?"
"Yes."
"Thank you."
Joannie is in her room, rehearsing.
Nancy knocks on her door.
"Come in."
Nancy walks in. "Hey is that treat offer still good?"
"Of course. I'm a woman of my word."
"Cool, do you have time for the ice cream place?"
Joannie checks her watch. "Yeah, I guess I do."
"We'll eat fast, but not fast enough for ice cream headaches."
"Good idea. Just let me change."
"Ok, I'll be downstairs." Nancy says before leaving the room.
"Hey Mary can you tell Abby that Elizabeth needs to
talk to her."
"Why don't you lazy girl?" Mary jokes.
"I'm heading out." She says missing the joke completely.
"Nancy I'm kidding, yes I'll tell her."
"Thank you."
Joannie quickly changes and heads
downstairs, too.
"Do you want to drive or should I?"
"You up to driving?"
"No not really."
"They why ask?"
"In case you weren't."
"If I wasn't, we'd be up the creek."
"Naah I would've drove anyway. Wait bad idea."
"Very. Good thing I can drive."
Nancy nods in agreement as they head out.
Mary goes looking for Abby.
Abby and Tom are in their bedroom napping.
Mary realises this and decides to let them be.
Joannie drives Nancy to the ice cream parlor.
Nancy's silent on the way there not being able to think of anything to talk about at that moment.
Joannie concentrates on her driving.
Soon they arrive at the ice cream place. "Tommy already told me what was bothering him." Nancy says before the go in.
"And what did you tell him?"
"That it's not his fault, but I don't think I managed to convince him."
"We'll just keep working on him."
"Untill he begs us to leave him alone."
"Until he believes it."
"Sounds better, shall we go in?"
"No point in just staying out here in the parking lot."
"Ok." ~What's wrong with her?~ Nancy thinks as she goes inside. ~Two sarcastic remarks in less than an hour. She must be nervous about the show.~
Joannie grabs a table. "Know what you want?"
"Yeah a banana split, you ok?"
"Nervous."
"I can tell." She says in a kind tone. "Chocolate is very good for that."
"It wouldn't make me break out before the show, would it?"
"I don't think so, does chocolate still make you break out?"
"Only when I'm nervous."
"Rats, hmm, they're other flavors here that are good for nervousness and won't make you break out."
"Such as?"
"Butter Pecan, Vanilla caramel,
Strawberry, Mint, Macadamia Swirl." She names a few.
"That last one sounds good."
"Yeah very good."
Joannie calls over a waitress.
She comes over. "What will it be?"
Joannie places their orders. "You know what? Make mine a double."
"You got it." The waitress says and then goes to
get their orders.
"This was a good idea," Joannie tells Nancy. "I needed to get
out."
"I think we both did. Too much time in the house
is not a good thing."
"Like spending too much time in the middle of a three ring circus. At
least you're getting out for a week."
"You can come with me if you want."
"I've got classes."
"Oh yeah."
"Otherwise, I'd go with you like a shot."
"I know."
"Next time."
Nancy nods and their order comes.
"Dig in."
"Believe I am." Nancy says and starts eating.
Joannie does, too.
Soon they're finished.
"Thanks. I needed someone to drag me out."
"Anytime, thanks for treating."
"Any time you're cheating."
"Thanks Joannie."
"You're welcome."
"Are you ready to leave yet?"
"Yeah,
let's go."
They leave
the ice cream place and head home.
Later Nicholas sees Nancy's car covered and decides to take a peek. He is
shocked by what he sees.
At that point David pulls up and gets out of his van. "Hey Nicholas." He says not noticing the tarp yet.
"Hi." he says perplexed.
"What's wrong?" He then sees the tarp pulled back. ~Oh no.~ He covers it back up and then kneels by his brother. "We need to talk about this."
"What happened?"
"Well as you saw someone trashed Nancy's car last night. The police are out looking for whoever did it."
"But the words on the car. What do they mean?"
"They're just words that the person is using to try to scare her because they probably think it's cool or funny to do that, but it's not."
He nods
"So that being said, the words don't mean anything." David says hoping he's handling this right. "Are you all right?"
He shrugs. 'i don't know."
"Hmm, is there anything else you want to ask me about this?"
"Is Nancy going to get hurt?"
"Absolutely not, I won't let that happen." David says to him.
"Promise?"
He nods. "Yes I promise."
"OK."
"Anything else?" He asks.
"No."
"In that case I'm going inside to get some ice cream, you want some?"
"Yeah." he states
They go inside to get it.
"Any chocolate?"
David checks. "No but there's chocolate syrup."
"Ok." he concedes.
David fixes them each some ice cream with chocolate syrup. "Hey do we have any bannanas?"
"Over by the sink."
"Do you want half in your ice cream?" He asks as he gets one.
He nods.
David cuts the bannana in half and puts one in his and the other in Nick's.
"Thanks."
"No problem." He says. "Hey are Dad and Abby home?"
"Probably in the study."
"Will you make sure no one snags my ice cream. I'll only be a minute."
"OK."
David heads for the study and knocks on the door.
"Come in."
David walks in. "Hey Dad I need to tell you something."
"Yes son?"
"I talked to him afterwards and he seems ok, but Nicholas got a look at Nancy's car."
"Terrific, we need to get that fixed." he states. "And thanks."
David nods. "I'll fix it after Nicholas and I are through if the police say it's ok."
Tom nods. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." He returns to Nicholas.
Nicholas is finishing his ice cream.
"that was quick." David says.
"It was good."
"I guess so, you have me
beat." He says and finishes his.
"Thanks David."
"Anytime, hey are you busy Sunday?"
"I dunno, why?"
"Do you want to go have some fun that day? Just you and me?"
He nods, "yeah..cool."
"Good, you think about where you want to go and what you want to do and we'll do it."
"Bowling."
"That sounds fun."
"Cool."
"So we're set then? If you want to do more than bowling we can."
"Thanks David."
"No problem." He says.
Nancy walks in. "Is Joannie home yet?"
"I don't know." David says.
"Nicholas have you seen her?" Nancy asks about Joannie.
"No, and I saw your car."
Nancy is stunned for a moment but recovers and sits down beside him. "You weren't meant to, are you ok?"
He nods.
Nancy sighs in relief. "Don't take anything written on that car seriously ok."
''ok''
Nancy kisses his forehead.
"Yuck, girls."
David stifles back a laugh. Nancy hands Nicholas a
napkin.
"For the sister germs." She tells him.
He wipes away the kiss.
"Hey Susan where have you been?" Nancy asks when she walks in.
"Oh all right, how ya been?"
"I'm okay." Susan says "How are things going with you?"
"They're going pretty lousy but I'm all right."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Truth was Nancy didn't feel a need to talk about it but decides to since she doesn't see Susan that much anymore. "Yes."
"So, what's got you so troubled?"
"Everything: school, Noah, the car, Elizabeth being sick."
"Anything I can do to help?"
"Listening is fine."
"Do you want to go into details of anything that's bothering you?"
"Sure," she tries to but can't.
"Are you sure you're ready to talk about all this?"
"Well I want to but I can't."
"Why can't you?"
"I don't know." Nancy says not realising
when it started.
"Have you talked to anyone about this?"
"I don't think I really want to. It's better than the alternative."
At 2:30 Joannie starts knocking on people's doors. "We leave in a half hour. Everyone make sure you've got all your stuff!"
Tom groans. "Where did she learn to shout orders like that?"
"I'll give you one guess," Abby tells him.
Tom sighs knowing who she is referring to. He gets out of
bed.
"At least you know she learned something from you."
"Ha Ha."
"Come on, we'd better get ready. The junior platoon leader out there won't
accept any excuses if we're late."
"Payback is a .." he begins to say.
"Now, Tom, you know you don't approve of language like that."
"I know." He says.
Abby lays a finger against his lips. "Then don't say it."
"Come on lets get moving private."
"Private?" Abby scoffs as she starts to get dressed.
"We don't want to be doing 50 pushups."
"Might be less stressful than doing this show."
Tom laughs "True."
"Come on, get ready. And maybe later we'll see how good you are at doing
pushups."
Tom tries to appear shock.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you you'd catch flies with your mouth open like
that?"
Tom shuts his mouth and gets his gear.
Abby starts to hum as she finishes getting dressed. "Ready?"
He nods.
"Then let's go."
Nancy and Mary get all of their stuff ready.
Joannie paces downstairs, waiting for everyone.
Nancy and Mary come downstairs. David will be meeting them at the show.
"At least two people know how to be on time," Joannie says.
"Relax Joannie they're coming." Mary says.
"Relax? Relax?"
"You relax Mary." Nancy says in Joannie's defense.
Tommy
and Nicholas go downstairs with their stuff. Elizabeth stands at the top of the
stairs. “Break a leg everybody.”
"As long as you don't," Joannie yells back.
"Funny."
"It's a gift."
Liz rolls her eyes.
"Get some sleep while we're gone and we'll do a whole 'nother show for you when we get home."
Liz is about to protest when Tom and Abby come out.
"Have fun."
Tom just gives her that look. "Fun?"
She nods.
"He'll have fun," Abby assures Elizabeth. ~Even if I have to torture him to have it.~
"Abby I know you are in a hurry, but did you talked to Dr. Max yet?"
"He's suppose to be at the show tonight. I'll find out when you can get out, OK?"
"May I go downstairs?"
"May I go downstairs?"
"Yes. But don't overexert yourself."
"I won't and thanks. I'll go get Nicholas Baseball bat.
"Baseball bat?" Tom asks.
"Yeah, well you know just in case....."
"Just make sure all the doors are locked."
"I will. Don't worry."
But Tom does worry. ~Why didn't anyone think of this~ he wonders.
"She'll be all right," Abby whispers to him.
"How'd you know?"
"Tom. Don't go down that road."
"OK OK, lets get out of here before I change my
mind."
"Good idea."
They make it downstairs.
"About time," Joannie grouses.
"Sorry Sergeant." Tom says
"I learned from you."
~Too well~ he mutters
"Are we all here now?" Mary asks.
"Come on already, let's go."
Tom marches out.
Joannie hurries out and starts organizing people into cars.
Tom just sighs.
Abby puts an arm around him. "Remember, it's for a good cause."
"And only one night too."
"You can survive anything for one night."
Tom smiles at her.
"Would you two get in a car already?" Joannie huffs. "We're
late."
Tommy takes one last breathe of fresh air.
"Joannie will you calm down, this isn't Broadway." Tom says.
"Dad..." Joannie protests.
"OK maestro, lets go."
Joannie sighs and continues loading the cars.
Tom waits until Joannie tells everyone who rides with whom.
Joannie sorts everyone out into cars. "Everyone have everything?"
"Yes Joannie" Tom, Tommy and Nicholas state.
"I got my music," Abby says.
Nancy and Mary say yes
The family heads off towards Charles Street.
Once they're there. Nancy gets out and goes over to David.
"Now will you tell us what you're singing?"
"No." He smiles and goes over to Joannie.
"Hi. You ready?" Joannie asks him.
"Ready as I'll ever be, how bout you?"
"Ha."
"It'll be all right." He tells her.
"I hope so."
"It will be."
Joannie smiles. "You saying that as a critic or as a big brother?"
"Both."
"Thanks."
"Anytime, but will you tell Nancy to leave me
alone."
"About?"
"About what I'm singing tonight. First it was
Mary, now it's her."
"Give her a break. She had a tough night."
He nods remembering what Nancy had told them that morning.
"Besides, in a few hours she'll stop asking."
"That's true, and I'll put up with it until then."
"You're a good brother."
"Thank you."
"Ready to rehearse?"
"Yes."
"Come on everybody," Joannie says loudly. "Let's get this show
on the road."
Nancy and Mary soon join them inside.
Abby leads Tom in, too.
"Tommy, Nicholas, Susan come on!!" Mary bellows.
"They're coming Mary relax." David says.
"Relax? No, don't relax," Joannie says. "the show's always a little better when the performers are a little jittery."
"It is?"
"Trust me. I learned all about it in school."
"So whoever isn't nervous we need to make nervous?"
"You mean there's someone who isn't nervous?"
"There might be." He says.
Nancy looks around to see if she can detect if anyone is calm.
"I don't think so," Joannie says.
"I don't either." Nancy says.
"Good."
"Yeah."
Tom and Abby are whispering in a corner. "Pure Torture." Tom says.
"It's just a few hours," Abby reminds him, "and it's for a good cause. And you'll love watching the kids perform."
He smiles. "Yes and you too."
"You're right, I will enjoy watching them," Abby says, deliberately misunderstanding.
"No I mean I'll be looking forward to seeing you perform."
"Thank you."
He kisses her for luck.
"Break a leg," Abby says.
"Why, so you can tutor me?" he jokes.
"You could do worse."
"I couldn't do better."
"I should hope not."
Tom laughs.
"Would you two stop talking and start rehearsing?" Joannie interrupts.
"Now she's sounding like a school marm." Tom states.
"I thought I was your only school marm," Abby teases.
"You are." He whispers.
"Good."
"OK, everyone--we ready to rehearse?" Joannie asks.
Tommy, Nicholas and Tom nod.
As do Nancy and David.
"OK. First up, Dad and Nicholas."
Tom and Nicholas do their comedy routine.
"Much better," Joannie says. "Dad, I think you've almost got it."
"Thanks, I think."
"You're welcome."
Tom and Nicholas leave the stage.
"OK, next up--Tommy and Nancy."
Tommy goes on the stage.
So does Nancy
They
do the act.
When they finish, Joannie claps. "Mary, who's next?"
"Tommy and Abby."
"OK, guys, on stage."
Tommy goes up.
As does Abby. "Ready when you are," she whispers to him.
He nods and starts strumming the chords.
Abby joins in, praying she doesn't forget the lyrics again.
Tom gazes at her.
"Maybe you could ask Abby to sing for our desserts instead of trying to
bake them," Joannie whispers to her father.
Tom chides her. "She's getting better at her cooking;
you just got the broke in model with your mother." He whispers back.
"Dad, not everyone has a talent for cooking. You sure don't."
"So you are going to hold that against her?"
"No, but I think she ought to stick with what her talents are. Mom was a
good cook. You're not, Abby's not. For that matter, David's not, either."
"So what are we supposed to do, starve?"
"We could hire a cook."
Tom laughs. "With 5 girls in the family? I
think not."
"Cooking isn't specifically women's work, you know."
"Let's not get in the woman's lib thing here, ok?"
"OK, Dad." Joannie gets up and wanders over towards her sisters.
"What's wrong?" Nancy asks.
"Dad's being sexist again."
"What's he being sexist about this time?"
"He thinks that girls have some natural ability to cook just because we're
female."
Nancy laughs at this. "Remember what I said the
first time mom made learning to cook one of my chores?"
"I don't think you ever told me."
"I said, 'you want me to what? I can't do that, I
won't be able to hang out with my friends and I'll break a nail or two' ,
so that blows dad's theory out of the water."
"You know Dad's theory is a lame duck. I know it, too. But how do we make
Dad know it?"
Nancy shrugs. "I don't think I'm the one who should
attempt it."
"Why not? You two have a fight?"
"Not really, I'm not completely sure what's up."
"With you or with Dad?"
"With dad."
"What do you mean?" Joannie applauds as Tommy and Abby finish their
act and tells Susan she's next up.
"I think I'm getting on his nerves."
"I think life is getting on his nerves."
"What do you mean?"
"There's Tommy, and Elizabeth being sick, for two things."
"True."
"And who knows what's going on with work, and his ulcer...I'd say you were
maybe one of a dozen problems he's got."
"Poor Dad."
"Maybe, but he's still a sexist."
"You are absolutely right, so when is Mary going to
talk to him?"
"Mary? Why Mary?"
"Why not Mary?"
"You're right. Oh, Mary...."
"No way." Mary says having heard the conversation.
"Why not?"
"I have to tell David he's up. David your
turn."
"Ok!!" He performs his act using the practice song not the real one.
Joannie is waiting for Mary when David's done. "We're not letting you off so easy."
"Why can't Abby do it?" Mary says.
"As far as I can tell, she's been doing it for about a year. She obviously
needs back-up."
Mary sighs. "Ok what do you want me to say to
him?"
"We can't tell you exactly what to say."
"Ok, but I'm not doing it tonight, not with the show
and everything."
"Then when?"
"I'll work on him tomorrow."
"OK."
"How long do we have before the show starts?"
Nancy asks.
Joannie checks her watch. "A little over an hour."
"Is rehearsal over?" Is her next question.
"Sure. I think we should all grab something to eat."
"Good idea, but I want to call home and check on
Elizabeth first." Nancy says.
"Even better idea."
"I'll be right back." She goes over to one of the phones and dials the house.