Episode 5: You are cordially invited

Joannie consults her clipboard one last time. "OK, I think that's the show about the wedding. Now about the shower--Abby's friend never did get in contact with anyone, so I say we should just make the shower on our own. Who's going to help organize it--Elizabeth?"

"Sure I'll help," Elizabeth says.

"So will I," Nancy answers.

"You'd better save your strength for the dancing, Nancy. Keith says he can get a 10 piece band playing 19 different instruments, and they can do everything from rock to waltz."

"I'll have plenty of strength for both," Nancy says. "And who is Keith again?"

"The caterer--he's wonderful, right Susan?" Joannie looks to her sister for confirmation. "Everything's going to be so gorgeous and glamorous. Just like I'd like my wedding to be."

"Yeah, I think we picked out a good one," replies Susan.

"Go on, tell them about all the stuff he's going to do," Joannie prods. "If I tell them, they'll just say I'm bragging about the guy I found."

"Well, everything is going to be exquisite. Keith suggested a five tier wedding cake and an ice sculpture of the bride and groom," replies Susan.

"And small and dignified, right?" Elizabeth inquires.

"Oh, come on, you know they just said that. Look at the dresses Abby picked out--she wants a nice wedding, not something that looks like it was patched together in three weeks. Even if it was."

"I don't know about that Joannie," Nancy says.

"That's why I was left in charge and not you," Joannie says. "We also have to go pick up the dresses. Elizabeth, you'll have to give me a shopping list for the shower--how much champagne do you think we'll need?"

"I don't know, maybe 10 bottles," Elizabeth says.

"And we're going to need some other stuff, too--and not that junk Dad keeps around. OK, so we've got the shower going, Tommy, you're doing the bachelor party--that under control?"

"Yeah, just waiting to hear from Dr. Max about the location."

"Tommy and Dr. Max planning a bachelor party--you know, maybe I don't want to know more details. This way Dad can't kill me for being part of this," Joannie tells everyone.

Nancy laughs.

"Mary got the photographer, the caterer's handling the band, Dr. Max got us the country club private dining room...David, you got us some limos to ferry people from the church to the country club? I'm not relying on the sedan--that thing's just a jinx."

"Yeah I got them," David says.

"And the flowers are all arranged, too," Nancy tells Joannie.

"Great. That's it, then, I think. Dad told you all that Abby's parents are coming for dinner on Saturday?"

"Yeah he told us," David replies.

"I wonder what they're like," Joannie muses.

"Probably nice like Abby," Nancy says.

"Maybe they'll actually come around once in a while, not like our real grandparents," Joannie grumbles.

Nancy's face clouds over. "Grandparents, what grandparents?" she says bitterly and goes outside.

Joannie runs out after her sister. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was a sore point--well, more than for the rest of us. You'd think we weren't really their grandchildren; they've hardly called since Mom died and they won't come to the wedding."

"It's OK, I'm just not very fond of talking about them these days. One minute they love me and the next... That is if they ever loved us. They only loved Mom," Nancy says. "But it's OK, we have Dad, Abby, Auntie V, and hopefully Abby's parents."

"That's some line up," Joannie agrees. "Poor Dad--two sets of in-laws."

Nancy laughs. "Yeah."

Later on that day the phone rings in Tom's office.

Tom answers the phone. "Tom Bradford's office."

"Mr. Bradford? This is Don-Lee Bridals. We need to get your decision about the color of the cummerbund."

"The color of what?! I already have my tux why would I have to pick colors with you?!" Tom asks in confusion.

"But Keith told us it would be either turquoise or lilac," the woman answers, just as confused.

"Who the heck is Keith?!"

"He's the wedding coordinator you hired," the woman explains, her tone that of someone talking to a not particularly bright child.

"I didn't hire a wedding coordinator!!" Tom shouts through the phone.

"You are the Bradford getting married on the 9th, right? Then you did. It's right here on the order form."

"What's your address? I'm coming over there," Tom says.

"Um, maybe you'd better speak directly to Keith. He's on 14th and Q."

Tom goes to seek Keith out and finds him in his shop. "Keith?" Tom asks.

Keith looks him up and down. "Yes. And you would be?"

"Tom Bradford, and I think there's been a serious misunderstanding."

"Oh, the young ladies' father. Don't tell me--you've come to your senses and have decided you've inflicted enough chaos on the world without getting remarried," Keith says.

Tom glares at him. "Which one of my daughters hired you, because you're fired."

Keith checks his clipboard. "A Miss Joannie and a Miss Susan Bradford hired me, and this has already gone too far to cancel."

"Oh no it hasn't." Tom says and then goes home to find his daughters. "Susan, Joannie!!"

Abby comes into the house carrying some boxes.

Tom tells her what's going on and then turns to Joannie. "What's this about an affair by Keith!!"

"You found out," Joannie wails. "Dad, Abby, we were keeping it a surprise. You told us we could plan this wedding, remember?"

"Which was a mistake!!" Tom says. "There'll be no affair by Keith!! What else have you planned that has gone out of control!!"

By now the other kids have started drifting into the room.

"But we already gave him a deposit!" Joannie says.

"You just lost your deposit!!" Tom shouts.

"You can't do that," Joannie says.

"Tom, they meant well..." Abby adds.

"Abby, they heard us when we said small and dignified, this isn't small and it sure isn't dignified."

"But we did leave it in their hands."

"Yeah Dad it's going to be a beautiful wedding," Nancy says.

"Nancy don't try to butter me up!! Now what other outrageous things were planned!!"

"We didn't plan anything outrageous," Joannie protests.

"Tom, they planned it, obvious they aren't going to think it's outrageous or they wouldn't have done it," Abby tries to calm her fiance down.

"They're my children!!" Tom shouts. The children are all arguing by now when Tom also steps further into the doghouse by saying, "There won't be a wedding, we'll just elope!!"

"Maybe we should just call it off altogether," Abby says.

"What?" Tom says in shock. They go off to the study to talk. He shuts and locks all the doors. "Abby are you serious? Look, I didn't mean to lash out at you in there."

"I don't know. I mean, look what was happening back there--we were yelling at each other, the kids are heartbroken...If this is any indication of what the marriage is going to be like, well..." she shrugs.

Tom's about to say something when the telephone rings. "Hold that thought, Abby." He answers the phone and after awhile turns back to her. "It's your father." He hands her the phone.

Abby takes the phone. "Dad?...Um, sure...I'll be right there..." She hangs up. "My parents' flight got in earlier than expected. I've got to go pick them up."

"Here take the sedan, they won't all fit in your car." He hands her the keys.

"You sure no trees are going to fall on it?" Abby jokes. She takes the keys, hesitates, and then gives Tom a quick kiss.

Tom watches her leave and mentally kicks himself for what he said in there.

Joannie and her siblings come charging out of the living room. "Dad? What's up?"

"I think the marriage might be off," Tom says sadly.

"What?" Nancy says. "Oh no."

"No way, Dad," Joannie says. "If you two could make it through all the garbage we've heaped on you, you can make it through a wedding."

"You heard the way I lashed out at her," Tom says.

"But you never said you didn't want to marry her," Joannie points out.

"What I said was just as bad, and hurt just as much," Tom points out.

"Cheer up, Dad. If she was planning on running out on you she wouldn't have borrowed the car, right?"

This gives Tom a flicker of hope. "I hope so."

A while later, Abby hurries up to the terminal. "Hi," she tells her parents and great-aunt. "I have the car outside. This all your stuff?"

"All?" her mother asks after greeting her. "I think your Aunt Fealty made a mistake--I distinctly told her we were coming for a week, not a lifetime."

"That's enough, Katherine," Fealty says.

Abby and her mother smile at each other and Abby begins wheeling the luggage cart toward the parking lot.

"You bought a new car?" Harry asks. "If so, you didn't do well."

"No, it's Tom's car," Abby answers. "And it looks a lot better than it did two weeks ago. But I'd watch out for falling trees if I were you."

Harry looks around, confused, and his daughter laughs.

"I got you rooms at a hotel; my place is a mess and in any case it's not big enough for four people," Abby says. "And Tom's place--I don't know how I'm going to fit my things there, much less extra people."

"It sounds lively," Katherine says.

"You don't know the half of it," Abby answers.

From the back seat, Aunt Fealty finally deigns to speak. "Eight children?"

Abby nods.

"In this day and age?"

Abby laughs, but is spared having to answer as she pulls up in front of the hotel.

The Mitchells check in and, after getting upstairs and tipping the bellboy, Harry takes Fealty off so that Katherine and Sandra Sue can have a mother-daughter talk.

"Mom, you look so good," Abby says, stalling for time.

"But you don't," Katherine forces the issue. "I was expecting a glowing bride."

"It shows?" They sit down and Abby tells her everything that's happened that afternoon, the way Tom yelled at the kids, the fight they had.

"Do you love him?" Katherine asks, as she had when Sandra Sue announced her engagement.

"Oh, Mom..."

After some more talk, Katherine sends her daughter back to Tom: "Make up the quarrel before you get married."

"I thought that was: 'Make up the quarrel before you go to bed'," Abby laughs.

"That, too."

Afterwards, Abby goes back to the Bradfords to return the car.

"Abby, can we talk to you inside?" Tommy asks.

"Look, I just came to return Tom's car..."

"Please...." Tommy asks.

Abby shrugs and lets Tommy lead her into the house.

Joannie sees the boys greeting Abby and goes running to the study, ignoring the shreds of paper littering Tom's desk. ~He's really upset. Maybe I do have to give up on this Keith idea.~ "Dad, could you come into the living room? We've got some things we want to tell you."

"Sure." He goes into the living room and the kids have him sit down. Soon Abby, Tommy, and Nicholas come in.

"First of all," David begins, "we are very sorry for making this big when you wanted it small, and the last thing we want is for you two to call the whole thing off. If you want to elope that's fine, we'll still be happy for you and we won't complain." He glances at Joannie. "Right Joannie?"

"Of course, we'd like a wedding..." Mary elbows her, "but we'll give it up."

"Yeah. I mean what we really want is for you two to be happy," Nancy says. Elizabeth nods in agreement.

Abby looks at Tom--he was the one who was upset, and, as he pointed out, they're *his* kids...

"I need to talk to Abby privately for a bit," he tells them.

Tom leads Abby out to the entry way and closes all the doors. The kids park themselves close against the living room doors, trying to listen in.

"Abby, what I said wasn't right, and I still want to marry you if you'll have me," Tom says.

"You want to elope, though?" Abby asks.

"Well the kids don't mind if we do. What do you want to do?" he asks.

"I just think it would be so nice for the kids to be at their father's wedding," Abby says, "and maybe...well, maybe it would help them accept me more."

Tom smiles. "OK, but no affair by Keith."

"Just a simple affair, small and dignified."

"Sounds good to me," Tom says as he kisses her.

"I'd guess you'd better tell *your* kids before they break all your glasses trying to listen in through the doors," Abby says.

The doors come crashing down, followed by various Bradford kids.

Tom tries to be upset but winds up laughing instead. "David, I thought we had those fixed."

"So did I, Dad."

"Well, I guess you don't need to tell them anything," Abby says to Tom. "Look, I have to get back to my family; I just came to return your car. I'll come by tomorrow afternoon and do the cooking here, OK?"

"OK," Tom smiles and kisses her.

Nancy hugs both of them. "I'm glad you're not calling it off."

"I'm glad, too," Abby says.

Saturday afternoon, Abby drives up to the house with a load of groceries.

Nancy and Elizabeth come out to help her get the groceries in. "What are you making and do you need any help?" they ask her.

"I could use all the help I can get," Abby says and hands them grocery bags. "I'm afraid I'll either cook enough to feed us through next year or too little--I'm not used to cooking for a mob."

"We can help you there," Nancy says as she takes a bag and heads inside with it.

"Thanks," Abby says, and follows with the rest of the groceries. Once they dump the grocery bags on the table Abby continues, "I probably bought stuff you've already got, but I didn't think to check yesterday; things were a little too confused, weren't they? How's Joannie taking having everything scaled back? Has she braved calling Keith yet?"

"Yeah they were." Elizabeth says.

"Joannie will be all right, and yes she called him earlier. How are your parents? Are they excited?" Nancy asks.

"I think they're a little stunned," Abby responds. "After all, I'm becoming part of this family next week and they've yet to meet any of you."

"Don't worry Abby, we'll go easy on them," Nancy promises.

"That's no fun," Elizabeth jokes. "Shouldn't they get to know us the way we really are?"

"Yes, but gradually," Nancy retorts.

"Really," Abby says, hoping she doesn't sound like she's lecturing. "You guys can be a little overwhelming when you're all together. First day I walked in here, I almost walked right out without even getting upstairs to Tommy."

Nancy laughs. "That bad eh?" She starts emptying bags. "So what kept you from walking out that day?"

"My paycheck." Abby laughs at the look on Nancy's face. "Well, I didn't know your father was waiting just beyond the study doors, did I?" She unloads a bag of potatoes and one of carrots. "The peeler's in that drawer, right?" she points.

"Yeah," Elizabeth replies.

"The things we'll brave for money," Nancy teases. "Anyway I'm glad you decided to stick it out and I'm sure Dad is too."

"So'm I," Abby admits. "Speaking of whom, is your father around, or did he disappear before he had to meet the dreaded in-laws?"

"He's around here somewhere. Want me to get him for you?" Elizabeth asks.

"No, I suppose I'll have to get used to him not running when I show up," Abby pretends to pout. "Let's get this food cooking; I'm sure the smell will get him to come check things out. One of you want to start peeling?" Abby goes to the drawers and gets a cutting board and then starts chopping vegetables.

"Yes, I'll do it," Nancy says. She starts peeling.

"Thanks." The three women chop and peel and wrap and simmer, and after a while the kitchen fills with the smell of cooking.

Tommy and Nicholas come into the kitchen and Tommy says "Wow, something smells good."

"Hey aren't you two supposed to be straightening the house?" Elizabeth says.

"We finished," Nicholas replies.

"Notice how men are always finished whatever they're doing when they smell food?" Abby says to the girls.

"Yes," Nancy replies.

As predicted Tom enters once he smells food. He kisses Abby and tries to sneak a sample.

Abby looks at the girls--~see?~ and taps Tom's hand away. "That's for dinner."

"OK come on just one taste, please?" Tom asks.

"It's not finished," Abby protests. "I'm not going to have you saying you got sick on my cooking before we even get married," she teases.

Tom smiles. "OK, OK, I'll be good. Do you need help with anything?"

"Maybe you'll come with me later to get them and bring them here," Abby suggests. "It'd be good if they could meet you without the whole crowd."

"Yes, I'll come with you later."

"In that case, there are some vegetables on the stove you can pick at," Abby tells him.

Tom goes to do that. The telephone rings so Elizabeth answers it. "Hello?"

The caller hangs up so does she.

"Who was that?" Nancy asks.

"I don't know, they hung up."

"I hate it when that happens. A good prank caller would at least try to say something witty," she replies.

"It sounds like you're talking from experience," Abby says.

The girls don't say anything they just try to keep from laughing and fail miserably.

"They are, I caught them at it one day," Tom says.

"Now you think to warn me?" Abby sighs. She checks the roast and looks at the time. "Are you girls going to be here for a while? We're going to have to leave soon if my father's going to get a chance to grill you," she tells Tom, "and this stuff won't be finished yet," she tells the girls.

"Yes, and if we go anywhere we'll have Tommy and Nicholas take care of it."

"Thanks." Abby continues to fuss at the food a while, makes sure everything's in the oven or on the stove, and then tells Tom that whenever he's ready, she is.

Tom and Abby soon leave to pick up her parents and her aunt at the hotel.

About 10 minutes after Tom and Abby leave, Joannie calls from the dress shop. "Can you get down here? Ellen's been called away on some family emergency, and if we want to check the final fit, we have to do it today," she tells her sister.

"Sure we'll be right there," Elizabeth says. "Have you reached Susan and Mary yet?"

"I spoke to Susan, but I couldn't reach Mary. Leave her a note, OK?"

"OK." They leave Mary a note, tell Tommy and Nicholas what to do, and then they head over to the dress shop for the final fit.

"My father's a little...opinionated..." Abby tries to explain as they drive to the hotel.

"How so?" Tom asks.

"How not?" Abby counters. "Let's just say there are two ways to do things, according to him--his way and the wrong way. Conversations with him go a lot easier if you just nod and pretend you're paying attention; he won't notice if you're not."

"Thanks for the warning." Tom says. They finally arrive at the hotel and go to her parents room.

Abby leads Tom upstairs and knocks at the door of her parents' suite. Katherine lets them in; Fealty's sitting on the couch and Harry is pacing. "It's about time, Sandra Sue," he greets her.

"Sorry, Dad," she apologizes. "Dad, Mom, Aunt Fealty, this is Tom," she makes the introductions.

"So you're the reporter," Harry says.

"Actually, I'm a journalist," Tom says.

Harry just grunts at this.

"So, tell us something about yourself, Thomas," Katherine says. "Sandra Sue's told us a bit, but she's understandably prejudiced."

"Well, what do you want to know?" Tom asks not knowing where to start.

"Aren't you a little old for my girl?" Harry asks, while Fealty says, "Eight children?" and Katherine asks, "This is all very sudden, isn't it?"

"I don't think so," he says to Harry. "Yes, eight of them," Tom smiles proudly. "And I know it seems sudden but I really love your daughter."

"Not bad," Katherine smiles at Abby.

"That's what I've been telling you," her daughter responds.

Harry launches into a long speech about the Mitchell's place in California history and the prestigious law firm in which he's a senior partner. Abby rolls her eyes. "Daddy..."

"What? I'm just explaining to Thomas the sort of family with which he's going to affiliate himself."

"He's not affiliating with anyone, Dad. He's getting married. We're getting married."

"So when do we get to meet all these children?" Katherine asks, hoping to rescue Sandra Sue.

Abby checks her watch. "We should be getting back to the house, shouldn't we, Tom?"

"Yes we should. The kids and dinner are waiting," Tom says. "Are the three of you ready?"

"We were ready before you got here," Harry snaps.

On the way out of the suite, Abby takes Tom's arm and leans in close. "I did warn you."

"Yes you did," Tom whispers.

"Just keep reminding yourself that they live in Pasadena," Abby whispers back.

On the drive to Tom's house the Mitchells discuss their plans for the coming week. "Sacramento," Harry says, as though it were a curse.

"They had to put the state capital somewhere," his wife reminds him.

"It doesn't mean anyone actually has to live here," he answers. "Why does anyone live here, anyway?"

"Nice people, Dad."

"Hmph."

"Thomas, did you always live here?" Katherine asks, trying to include him in the conversation and learn a little about him at the same time.

"No not always, but we've been here ever since Joannie was a baby."

"That's the second daughter; she's studying to be an actress," Abby says, hoping her family can keep all the kids straight in their heads.

"Do we get a scorecard to tell them apart?" Aunt Fealty asks.

Tom recites the thing that people use to get the kids' names straight. Fealty and Katherine look at him in confusion and he explains what it means.

"Trust me, it works," Abby tells them as they drive up towards the house. "At least until the first time you actually do try eating nectarines."

"Or until you have a child, too."

"Aunt Fealty!" Abby says, shocked at her aunt's bluntness, though she ought to have expected it. "Tom, I think Nicholas left one of his trucks in the driveway. I'll just get out and move it." She doesn't wait for his response before getting out of the car.

"So what are your intentions about that, Thomas?" Harry asks.

~Will you just call me Tom!! Sheesh.~ "Well I wasn't planning on any more children, but if Abby wants more we'll discuss it."

Tom pulls the car to a stop and Abby hurries to help her Aunt out of the car; her father holds the door open for her mother. Tom parks the car and when he gets out Abby asks him, "You all right? You look a little pale."

"Yeah I'm all right, but we have to talk later," Tom says as he leads everyone inside. They get half way there when Tommy and Nicholas come out.

"Hi," Nicholas says.

"This is Nicholas, our youngest," Abby tells her family. "Nicholas, these are my parents, Mr. & Mrs. Mitchell, and my Great-Aunt Fealty. That would make her your great-great aunt."

"I thought all great-great aunts were dead?" Nicholas says.

"Nicholas...!!!!!" Tommy replies.

"I thought all little boys minded their manners," Fealty says as she steps past Nicholas and glares at him.

Moments later inside. "Do you smell something burning?" Tom asks Abby.

Abby rushes into the kitchen, followed by the rest of the Bradfords and Mitchells. The pots on the stove have boiled over onto everything and there's smoke pouring out of the oven. She looks at Tom ~Suggest something. We left *your* kids to watch this.~

"How bout pizza or we can go out to a restaurant," Tom suggests.

"I think the restaurant's a better idea," Abby says. "Maybe I should have let you cook," she tells Tom.

"Thomas cooks?" Katherine asks and shoots her own husband a dirty look.

"You three can call me Tom," he finally says, not being able to take anymore.

"Well, why didn't you just say so," Aunt Fealty complains. "We weren't raised in boardinghouses, you know, so we don't know the rules if you don't say 'em."

Tom smiles. Moments later David arrives with a bottle of wine. Tom makes the introductions.

"It's very nice to meet you," David says.

The Mitchells look him over. "Not bad," Aunt Fealty stage-whispers to Abby. "Is that what Tom looked like when he still had hair?"

David smiles. "I brought some wine. I thought California wine would be a little too overwhelming so I bought this," he shows them.

Abby takes the wine. "Yes, home-grown Californian can be a little overwhelming," she glares at her family. She's about to say more when the girls, all giggling and with dress bags trailing, burst through the front door.

Nancy notices Abby's relatives first and motions for the others to calm down.

Joannie pretends to shiver. "Is it my imagination, or is the temperature in there about freezing?" she whispers. "Poor Dad looks shell shocked."

"Remember, Joannie, we're supposed to be on our best behavior," Elizabeth says as she and Nancy put their dresses in a safe place and go in there.

"Is or was something burning?" Nancy asks.

"Dinner," Abby says, her voice carefully neutral since she doesn't know whether it was the boys or the girls who left everything to burn or some combination of both. "We'll go to a restaurant instead."

"Oh no," Nancy turns to Elizabeth. "I told you we should have written down the instructions for them."

"No, I told you," Elizabeth counters.

~They're arguing--again. This is the last thing I need.~ "Girls, it's all right, really. Maybe we should head out, Tom?" Abby suggests, trying to head off a full-fledged Bradford vs. Bradford war.

"Good idea, you girls go get ready and no more arguing."

The girls go upstairs to get ready.

When they get upstairs and out of earshot, Joannie continues what she started downstairs. "Did we walk into a waxworks or was that Abby's family?"

"Joannie, give them a break; you don't even know them yet," Nancy says.

"Neither does Dad, and he doesn't look like he wants to, either," Joannie points out. "OK, OK, I'll give them a break. They can't be all bad, right? I mean, Abby's OK."

"Exactly, don't worry it'll be all right," Nancy says.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Joannie admits. "And it's not like Dad doesn't have experience with in-laws. Come on, let's go get dressed for dinner."

The girls go and get dressed for dinner and then they meet everyone else downstairs, where they are finally officially introduced to Abby's parents and aunt.

Meanwhile Tommy pulls Abby aside and says, "I am sorry we ruined your dinner."

"It's probably better this way," Abby admits, knowing there's a limit to the 'forthright' questions her family will ask in public. "Now I can't say I haven't been warned that all the men around here cook the same."

Later, at a restaurant that Abby's dad picked out, Nancy leans over and whispers to Joannie. "Why do I have so many forks?"

Joannie shrugs. "Just uses the one Abby's father is using and you'll be OK, I guess. Who needs so many glasses just for soda?"

"I don't know, but thanks for the tip, and just use one glass I guess," Nancy whispers.

"Yeah, but which?" Joannie says. "And I can't watch Abby's family, none of them are drinking soda."

"When the waiter comes by tell him you want soda and watch which glass he pours it in."

"Good idea," Joannie whispers back. "You know, I never thought I'd say it, but I can't wait until after this wedding's over and we can get back to normal things, like the burger joint."

"Yeah really." Nancy glances around and one of the waiters catches her eye. ~He is so cute.~ "Then again," she gazes at the waiter.

"Nancy! Now is not the time to be trolling for men," Joannie protests. "Remember? We're supposed to be making a good impression."

"OK, I'll behave." ~Grr, older sisters, sometimes.~

"Besides--I saw him first," Joannie says and calls the waiter over.

On the other side of the table Nicholas is fidgeting with his tie and wonders when someone will pass the bread basket to him.

"What is it, young man? Hasn't your father taught you not to fidget?" Fealty asks.

"Sorry...my tie is too tight," Nicholas replies.

"Well, then, for heaven's sake loosen it," Fealty says, exasperated.

"Yes, Ma'am," Nicholas says, hoping someone will rescue him.

Elizabeth passes Nicholas the bread basket.

"Thanks," Nicholas says.

"You're welcome."

"Help," Abby whispers to Tom. "This isn't going well."

"So Harry, do you play golf?" Tom asks.

~Poor Tom may be bored to death, but talking about golf ought to keep Dad busy the rest of the evening.~ Under the table Abby gives Tom's knee a squeeze of gratitude.

This brings a smile to Tom's face real quick.

Katherine turns to the youngest of Thomas's--Tom's--daughters. "Sandra Sue tells me you're interested in dance. Ballet or modern?"

"A little of both actually. Are you into dancing?" Elizabeth asks her.

"Not as a participant," Katherine answers, "but I'm on the board of a small ballet company, and of course I drag Harry with me to as many performances as I can. Is it just a hobby, or are you hoping to make it your career?"

"Dancing is my life, that and the telephone," Elizabeth tells her.

"Yes, I've heard about you and the telephone," Katherine laughs.

Elizabeth laughs also. "Well, everyone in California knows, I think."

Nancy glares at Joannie who's looking at the waiter. ~Oh no you don't.~ "No, I saw him first."

"Fine. You take him, I'll take that guy over there," Joannie points to a man sitting two tables away.

"Over my dead body. Joannie, I went out with that guy before. He's all arms. I had to fight him off most of the night," Nancy says as she glares at her ex-date from the past.

"Is there a guy in Sacramento you haven't fought off?" Joannie gripes. "No wait--I don't think I want to know the answer to that." She takes a sip of her soda. "At least I know what glass to use now."

"Not all of my dates have been animals," Nancy retorts.

"Only the living, breathing ones," Joannie teases, and then sees the look on Nancy's face. "It was a joke. Sheesh."

Nancy rises from the table and tries to hide that she's upset. "I'll be back in a bit. I have to er um powder my nose," she says and then heads for the ladies room.

"Excuse me," Abby says, and gets up from the table to follow Nancy. She finds Nancy sitting in an armchair in front of the ladies' room mirrors. "What's wrong?" she asks, worried that her family may have said something to upset Nancy.

"Nothing. I know she doesn't mean to, but sometimes some of the things my sister says to me hurt even though she doesn't mean them to," Nancy confesses. "I just want to shake her sometimes."

Abby tries to recall whom Nancy had been speaking to at the table. "Joannie? What did she say?"

Nancy tells her what she and Joannie had said to each other.

Abby thinks it over. "You're right, I'm sure she didn't mean it the way it sounded. But you know, it must be pretty tough for your sisters. I'm glad the only one of my dates who ever saw you was the only one it wouldn't matter to. One look at that gorgeous face of yours and I'd have been out in the cold--what man could resist you?"

Nancy finally manages a smile. "Thanks for saying that, Abby. I guess I did overreact."

"It's understandable--Joannie makes everything sound so dramatic. I've overreacted a time or two myself," Abby says. "Come on, let's get back out there before they think some crisis is brewing--or before my father bores your father to death."

Nancy laughs. "OK." They both return to the dinner table.

After dinner is finished Abby offers to drive her family back to their hotel, but they insist on taking a cab: "Surely you still have a lot of packing to do," Katherine tells her. "Besides, we were planning to make an early night of it. Jerry's promised to show us around the capitol tomorrow."

Aunt Fealty grumbles a little, but not too strenuously.

After the Mitchells drive off, the Bradfords and Abby sort themselves out into cars for the drive home.

"You said that you wanted to talk to me alone before," Abby reminds Tom. "What about?"

"Abby, did you want babies?"

Abby waits until both she and Tom have closed the car doors and the rest of the kids have gotten into David's van and the station wagon before answering. "That's a pretty serious question for an impromptu discussion. Do you?"

"Well I wasn't planning on it, but if you want more children I'm not going to say no."

"Honestly, I hadn't really thought about it. Maybe someday, but not right now. I guess I should get used to having eight kids before I think about any more."

"OK, someday then," he agrees. "Do you want me to help you pack your things?"

"I could use some help, that's true," Abby admits. "But if I take you back to my apartment, do you think we'd actually get any packing done?"

"No, now that I think of it," Tom says. "Maybe I can recruit some of the kids to help you."

"I did mean to ask David if he could help me move boxes," Abby says. "Taking them over two at a time in my car is getting me nowhere fast. But, you know, you can still come back to my apartment with me."

Tom grins. "Even though nothing will get done if I come back with you?"

"I wouldn't say nothing would get done--just no packing," Abby smiles back at him.

Tom goes and tell his children that he'll be with Abby and then he returns to her. "Are you ready to go now?"

"Sure." As they drive to her apartment, Abby brings up the topic of after the wedding--for instance, though Nancy's mentioned it, they've made no plans (that she knows of) for any sort of honeymoon.

"I was thinking of Lake Tahoe," Tom says. "How does that sound to you?"

"Anywhere's fine, as long as you're there," Abby says. "Actually, I was thinking of taking you to my apartment and locking the doors behind us for a few days."

Tom smiles. "That sounds good, too."

"Or we could do both," Abby says. "I don't have to give in the keys on my place until the end of the month."

"That sounds even better."