Tom awakens. "Abby, what are you doing up this early?"
"It's Thanksgiving," Abby says, as though that explains everything.
"Oh yeah, do you want me to help you?"
"Can I trust you in the kitchen?"
"Of course you can."
"You really want to get out of bed at this time of morning?" Abby asks him.
"Yep," he falls back to sleep.
Abby laughs. "At least it's only when I'm trying to get you *out* of
bed that you fall asleep on me." She gets dressed and goes downstairs
to start cooking.
Four hours later Elizabeth awakens and goes to help Abby but not before
checking on her sleeping sister. Dr. Max had told them to keep
an eye on the shoulder wound to make sure it doesn't reopen. She smiles
when she sees it hasn't then goes to take a shower afterwards
she goes downstairs to help Abby.
"Hi Abby, what do you want me to do?"
"Ah, a victim for my least favorite chore," Abby says. "You certainly
picked the wrong time to walk in. I need someone to clean the celery
and chop it. Notice how I keep giving you the vegetables to handle?"
Elizabeth laughs. "Yes." She starts cleaning and chopping the celery
Two hours later Nancy awakens, takes one of her pain pills, and then
goes to the bathroom and very carefully takes a shower. After she
gets dressed, Joannie helps her put a fresh bandage on the wound.
"That wound looks pretty ugly, hopefully the scar will be barely noticeable," Nancy says.
"Don't worry, it'll blend in. And if it doesn't there's always makeup," Joannie assures her. "Or shirts with sleeves."
"True, thanks for helping Joannie. Hey, have you thought about what you're going to tell Dad about that part?"
"Actually, I was thinking this might be a really good time to start using a stage name."
"Great idea, want to go downstairs and watch movies before the guys try to watch football?"
"Yeah. If we don't grab the TV now, we'll lose it for the day."
They go downstairs and take the TV hostage. Tom pokes his head in.
"Joannie make sure she doesn't try to help with dinner and Nancy lie
down on the couch if you start feeling bad and don't move that
shoulder." He returns to the kitchen and tells his sons if they want
to watch the game they'll have to watch it upstairs.
"Joannie you don't have to babysit me I won't try to help I promise. Now does anyone else know about the part?"
"Well, Elizabeth knows I got it, but she doesn't know what it is," Joannie admits.
"Do you plan to tell them?"
"If I tell them, Dad will find out," Joannie says. "It's not that I'm ashamed, but I just don't need the hassle, you know?"
"Yeah I know."
Nicholas' friend Kenny P. Landers comes running in and changes the channel then he flops down on the couch.
Nancy winces in pain as her bad shoulder brushes against the couch arm
as a result of his unplanned flopping. "Kenny what are you doing
here go home to your family."
"Come on, Kenny," Joannie says and helps him off the couch. "Let's get you home."
When Joannie and Kenny leave Nancy puts it back on the movie they were
watching and decides to lie down on the couch instead of sit to
fend off future floppers.
By the time Joannie returns she's asleep again.
Around that time David arrives and tries to change the channel. Joannie glares at him. "Come on Joannie I want to watch the game."
"I just don't get it. Playing football, yeah, that's fun. But what's the point of just watching?" Joannie grumbles.
"You wouldn't understand," David says. "Why don't you go upstairs and
watch tv." Notices Nancy sleeping on the couch and his heart
softens. "Ok I'll watch the game upstairs, but you can't use our wounded
sister to help you take the den forever," he says and then
leaves the room.
"Oh, yeah?" Joannie asks towards his retreating back. "Watch me try."
Nancy, who had woken up and was just pretending to be asleep for the last few seconds, bursts out into laughter.
Joannie looks at her and picks up a couch pillow, but remembers in the nick of time not to throw it at Nancy.
"Hey with my shoulder and with your will we can keep the men out of here for the rest of the day," Nancy says.
"Sounds like a plan to me. After dinner we can invite the rest of the women in and make a party of it," Joannie says.
"Now that sounds even better." Nancy laughs thinking about it.
Dinner time arrives and everyone sits down at the table to eat together.
They do the traditional what they're thankful around the
table and then they start eating. Later during desert.
"What's this?" Nancy asks referring to the pecan pie she's never seen before.
"It's pie," Abby says a little defensively, thinking of all the leftovers she's put back in the kitchen.
"Ok," she eats some of it. "This stuff is good, what is this, pecans? Pecan pie, what a concept. We should have this all of the time."
"Thank you," Abby says, pleased at the compliment. "It's a good thing
I didn't buy too many nuts--the way Nicholas was having fun cracking
them, I thought we might end up having it all the time," she jokes.
Nicholas laughs.
"That would be a good thing." Nancy finally finishes and winces in pain.
Tom sighs. "Nancy did you forget your medication again?" Turns to Abby. "Ever since she was a child she's never remembered it."
"Sheesh Dad tell all my faults. But remember I know yours too." She jokingly threatens.
"You do?" Abby asks. "Maybe you keep me company tonight while I clean up after dinner."
Nancy laughs. "Ok."
"No!!" Tom protests. "I mean she needs to rest after dinner, to lie down."
"That's all right," Abby says. "Nancy and I can talk after she's rested."
Nancy chuckles while Tom pretends to pout.
After Thanksgiving dinner is over Nicholas knocks on his dad's door.
"Come in!!" Tom says.
"Dad, can I see you?" Nicholas asks
"Sure." Tom steps out of his study. "What is it champ?"
"I need to ask you a question."
"Ok, let's go to my study." Tom says. "That way we can have privacy because this sounds like an important question."
"It is an important question, but I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings," Nicholas says seriously.
They go into his study. "What is it Nicholas?"
Nicholas pulls out a paper from his pocket and hands it to Tom; it is
a school memo regarding a mother and son banquet in December. "I
don't know if I should ask Abby or not."
"Well she is your stepmother now," Tom says.
"I know, but I don't want the others to be angry at me," Nicholas says "They might think I have forgotten about Mom, but I haven't."
"They won't think that, Nicholas."
"You sure?" Nicholas asks "Besides I don't know if Abby will want to go anyway."
"Of course I'm sure and you'll never know unless you ask her, but I'm sure she'll love to go if she can get the time off from work."
"Thanks Dad, I'll go ask her." Nicholas says
Tom smiles, "No problem son."
Meanwhile in the den:
"Abby, come on in. We've taken the place, no men and their football games allowed," Nancy says from the couch.
"Sounds great. What are we watching?" Abby asks as she sits down.
"It's a movie about a man that falls in love with this lady and before
he can propose to her someone else does so now they're
competing for her affections."
"It's got to be better than yet another football game..."
"Yeah really." Nancy agrees.
Nicholas sees the girls and Abby in the den and asks, "Can I come in?
"You won't jump on the couch or want to watch football, will you?" Nancy asks.
"No. I am tired of football," Nicholas says "What are you watching?"
"Come on in then," Nancy smiles at him. "It's a movie about a man that
falls in love with this lady and before he can propose to her
someone else does so now they're competing for her affections."
"Oh...yuck." Nicholas says. "Miracle on 34th Street is on Channel 7."
Mary says, "I forgot that was on."
Nancy falls asleep due to the pain medication and turkey. Elizabeth changes it to Channel 7.
Mary laughs and Nicholas says, "Thanks Elizabeth."
"No problem, kid."
While watching the movie Nicholas asks, "Abby, can I ask you a question?"
"Of course," Abby answers.
Nicholas shows her the memo regarding the Mother-Son Banquet. "Can you come?" Nicholas asks.
Mary just gives Abby a wink of approval.
Abby looks at the date--just after the conference. ~I'll get the time
off. Somehow. This is important. Hey, wait, what ever happened to Ms.
Career Woman?~ "Of course I can. I'd love to," Abby tells Nicholas.
"Great!" Nicholas says
Tommy comes in and says, "Hey who turned the TV from the football game?"
"We did," Abby says. "And other than Nicholas, no men are allowed in here--especially not football-watching men."
"Where's Dad and David?"
"David's probably upstairs," Joannie says.
"And your father said something about starting his 'They're starting
the Christmas season too early' column," Abby adds, "so he's probably
in his study."
"If I don't say a word can I stay here and watch TV with you guys?" Tommy says.
"You're also sick of football?" Abby asks.
"If you say anything to Dad or David; I'll deny it." Tommy says.
Nicholas wakes up in the middle of the night and can't sleep so he goes
downstairs and remembers he can't eat or drink anything after
midnight. So he goes back halfway up the stairs and sits on the landing.
Abby wakes up with some ideas for her reading conference speech. She
doesn't want to wake Tom, so she slips into her robe and heads
downstairs to Tom's study. Halfway down the stairs she sees Nicholas
sitting on the steps and sits down next to him. "You're up early,"
she says.
"Yeah, I was hungry but remembered I couldn't eat anything."
"Hungry? After that meal? I don't think I'm going to eat again until
Christmas," Abby jokes. "You nervous? You shouldn't be, you know.
It's really simple--Dr. Max will have you in and out and you'll be
back home."
"I know; but I am still scared." Nicholas says his lips quivering.
Abby gives him a hug. "Maybe it'll help if you think about things that'll
happen after the surgery, like--oh, I don't know--Christmas,
maybe."
"Do you think Santa will still come?"
Abby looks at him, puzzled by his question. "Of course Santa will come. He always does, doesn't he?"
"Yeah, but I never did anything bad until I stowed away on that train." Nicholas say worriedly.
"I think Santa can be persuaded to overlook that one slip up," Abby assures him.
"Are you sure?" Nicholas asks looking to his new stepmother for confirmation.
"We could bake him some extra cookies. I hear he's really easy to bribe."
"What kind of cookies?" Nicholas asks forgetting about his impending surgery.
"Well, I've always thought Santa was partial to pie," Abby says, "but
my mom used to make him sugar cookies. What kind do you usually put
out?"
"Chocolate chip cookies."
"Then we'll bake Santa some extra special cookies," Abby says. "I'm sure he'll come; I wouldn't worry about it if I were you."
"OK," Nicholas replies
Elizabeth walks in to get a drink for Nancy. Nancy had insisted on getting
it for herself but Elizabeth stood her ground and wouldn't
let her. "Hey, what are you two doing up so late?"
Abby doesn't want to give away Nicholas's fears about surgery, so she says, "Plotting."
Elizabeth smiles, "Plotting what? I can help at plotting."
"Christmas," Abby says. "We're trying to make sure we get what we deserve
from Santa. I hear chocolate chip cookies are the way to go
around here."
"Yes, Santa loves our chocolate chip cookies."
"I'll have to remember that. I thought..." Abby stops, recalling in
time that Nicholas is there. "I thought he might not know where I am,
after all, I'm not where I was last year, but I'll bet he'll be happy
enough with the cookies to find me."
"Of course he will, and I'm sure he'll be able to find you this year," Elizabeth says and goes to fix a drink for her sister.
"Think you can go to sleep yet?" Abby asks Nicholas. "Tomorrow's going to be a long day for you."
"I guess so." Nicholas says
Early Friday morning Abby goes to wake Nicholas up. "Come on, slugger, time to get ready. Dr. Max is waiting for you."
"Do I have to?" Nicholas asks.
"'Fraid so," Abby says. "And you do know that you'll feel much better afterwards, don't you?"
"Yeah." Nicholas says reluctantly getting out of bed.
Tommy gets up too and says "Come on in wont be that bad, afterwards they might even give you some Jell-O or maybe some ice cream."
"You are coming too?" Nicholas asks.
Of course, I don't want to miss the pretty nurses." Tommy says.
Tom is in his bedroom getting ready to go with Abby and Nicholas to the hospital.
After she finishes getting Nicholas up, Abby comes back to her room to get ready. "He's really scared," she tells Tom.
"I'd better go and talk to him." He goes to the boys' room. "How are you doing champ?"
"I don't want to go."
Tom sits down beside him. "I know you're scared Nicholas but it'll be
over before you know it, and Abby and I will be with you, and Tommy
will be there."
"I just wished it was over." Nicholas says,
"It will be soon." Tommy says "Then you will have the whole house waiting
on you hand a foot for a few days, so enjoy it while you can
and I bet you might be able to con Dad and Abby to letting you have
the TV in here for a couple of days." Tommy says, Hoping he hadn't
over step his bounds.
"Yeah you'd like that right?" Tom says.
Nicholas nods and gets ready.
After Nicholas is wheeled into surgery. Tom, Abby and Tommy begin the waiting game. Tommy begins pacing the floor.
Tom stops him. "Tommy you're making me dizzy. Don't worry he'll be fine."
"Sorry." Tommy says before sitting down.
Abby pulls a textbook out of her bag and starts working to kill time.
Tom sits down next to Tommy. "It's all right."
Tommy gets up and says "I am going to find a soda machine, you guys want anything?"
Tom shakes his head.
"I'll come with you," Abby says. "Tom, you sure you don't want something?"
Tom shakes his head again.
Tommy and Abby go in search of a soda machine.
"You couldn't sit still either?' Tommy asks.
"Of course I..." Abby begins, then admits sheepishly, "No, I guess I couldn't. He's just so little, you know?"
Tommy shakes his head in agreement "Yeah. Even though he is a pain in the neck sometimes."
Abby laughs. "I always wished I'd have had a younger brother or sister."
"I sometimes wished I was an only child."
"Trust me, you'd hate it. Well, except maybe first thing in the morning,"
Abby says. "Where on earth do they hide these soda
machines, anyway?"
"Near the restrooms," Tommy laughs.
Currently at home. Nancy awakens and ventures down to the kitchen. "Are they back yet?" She asks Elizabeth.
"No not yet, are you hungry?"
"Yeah a little, poor Nicholas he must be so scared." Nancy says.
"Yeah." Elizabeth makes them both a turkey sandwich, bread lightly toasted. Mayonnaise on both sides.
"You've been so good to me this time." Nancy says.
"Well you did all kinds of things for me when I broke my hip and besides
I almost lost you I'm entitled to a little fussing over you."
Elizabeth says.
Nancy smiles. "I love you too kid." She stares at the phone. "I wish they'd call and let us know how it's going."
"Yeah really." Elizabeth also worries.
After getting sodas, Abby and Tommy go back to the waiting room.
"Any word yet?" Tommy asks.
"No not yet." Tom sighs worriedly.
Soon Greg comes out with a smile on his face.
"Greg how is he?" Tom asks.
"He's fine, he is going to be in pain for a couple of days. But if all goes well he can go back to school on Tuesday." Greg says.
"Oh he'll love that." Tommy jokes
Greg laughs.
"So it went well?" Abby asks.
"Very well." Dr. Max says "In fact, you can take him home in a few hours."
"Can we see him before then?" Abby asks.
"He will be in recovery for at least a half hour and then they will
move him into the Short stay area. You can stay with him there until
we release him."
"Thank you Greg." Tom smiles.
"No problem" Greg says and returns to the recovery room.
Tommy says "Do you want me to call home?"
"Yes, I'm going to go and see Nicholas." Tom says.
"I'll come with you," Abby says.
"OK" Tommy says.
Greg comes out of recovery and sees Tom and Abby standing there. "Would you like to him now?"
Tommy calls home and the phone rings
Nancy picks up the phone. "Hello?"
"Hi Nancy...its Tommy"
"Tommy how is he?"
"I haven't seen him yet; but Dr. Max says the surgery went well and we will be home in a few hours."
Nancy sighs in relief. "Good."
"Why are you answering the phone? Shouldn't you be in bed?" Tommy asks with concern.
"I was lonely and worried about Nicholas, and no one is hanging out in my bedroom right now."
"He's going to be fine; and you better get back to bed or I'll have to report you to the bed police," Tommy jokes.
Nancy laughs, hands the phone to Elizabeth and goes back to bed. "Tommy
what did you say to get her back to bed and how's
Nicholas?"
"Nicholas's fine and I said I would stick the bed police on her if she didn't go back to bed."
"Oh good," she says and laughs about the bed police.
Tom and Abby go inside to see Nicholas. Tom bends down and kisses him on the forehead.
Nicholas moans a bit.
"It's ok son." Tom tells him.
Tommy sneaks in after calling home "How is he?"
"Well like Dr. Max said he'll be fine, he's still asleep right now." Tom says.
Abby sits down next to Nicholas's bed and takes his hand. "He's still pretty out of it," Abby tells Tommy.
"Mom, is that you?' Nicholas asks
Greg hears the response and says "He doesn't know what he is saying; its the anesthetic talking."
Tom grips Abby's hand trying to give her reassurance.
Abby smiles at Greg, thankful for his attempt at tact. "No, Nicholas, it's Abby."
Nicholas opens his eyes and says "Hi."
"Hi, champ, how are you feeling?" Tom asks.
"Pretty rotten," Nicholas replies
"I'm sorry." Tom kisses him on the forehead again. "Do you need anything?"
"Something to drink?" Nicholas replies
Abby gets up and pours Nicholas a glass of water.
Tom turns to the nurse. "Is it ok?"
"It's fine..."
Abby helps Nicholas sit up and drink.
"Thanks." Nicholas says "When can I go home?"
"In a little bit," Abby tells him. "They just want to make sure you're OK."
"OK." Nicholas says and soon falls back to sleep.
Abby straightens the covers around Nicholas. "Well, he does seem to be hearing better," she says to Tom and Tommy.
"Thank goodness for that." Tom says.
Tommy nods in agreement "If you two want to take a break, I can sit with him for awhile."
Abby looks at Tom--whatever he'd like to do is fine with her, stay or take a break.
"That's ok Tommy I don't need a break." Tom says wanting to stay with his son.
Meanwhile, at home, there's a knock on the door. Mary answers it.
"Come in." Mary says not looking up from her Med school applications.
"Hi is Nancy awake?" The jock friend of Susan's asks with candy and flowers in tow.
"Who are you?" Mary says being over protective
"Ray Johnson, I'm a friend of Susan's and Nancy's." He says.
"Hi,,,,I think she is resting upstairs. I'll go get her."
"Thanks."
Mary knocks on Nancy door and goes in "Nancy?"
"Hey Mary."
"There is a Ray Johnson downstairs; do you know him?" Mary asks
Nancy smiles. "Yeah I know him. He's the nicest of Susan's friends. He protected me from Rick one time."
"Oh OK...." Mary says "I'll send him up if you guys keep the door open and don't tell Dad."
"Thanks Mary."
Mary goes downstairs and escort the gentleman caller to Nancy's room.
He puts the flowers in water and hands her the candy. "How are you feeling, kid?"
~Kid!! Kid!!~ "I'm a little better, what brings you by?"
"Susan told me what happened, and I wanted to make sure with my own
eyes that you're all right. Your like a little sister to me, have to
make sure you're all right."
~Little sister!!~ "Thank you for caring."
~You idiot, why did you call her little sister for now you'll never
have a chance with her.~ "You don't have to thank me." He says as he
gazes at her.
Nancy notices the gaze and smiles. ~Hmm, maybe he mean the stupid little sister thing.~
He stays for a little while longer and then he goes home.
Mary comes in and asks "How did it go?"
"I'm not sure." Nancy says in confusion.
"Well he obviously likes you or he wouldn't have brought you flowers
and candy. Speaking of which...." Mary grabs the candy "Maybe I
should try these out."
"Yeah but he called me a kid, said I was like a little sister, but then
he seemed to change his mind about that. Yes you can have a
piece."
"Believe me...you don't give this type of candy to a kid." Mary says savoring the piece.
Nancy's face lights up. "So you really think he likes me?"
"Yeah, I think he does."
"I wonder why Susan hasn't told me about this?"
"Who knows? Could be she doesn't know."
"Yeah could be. How are the applications coming along?"
"Don't ask...I am getting writers cramp putting the same information
down on several different applications and for what? I may not be
accepted anyway." Mary says discouragedly.
"Mary I know not being accepted by the school in Frisco was a big blow
but the others they'll accept you. You'll wind up torn between
which school to go to."
Mary sighs "I hope you are right."
"I am." She smiles at her.
Mary gets up "I better get busy on those applications and you better rest before the gang gets home."
"Yeah you're right." Nancy falls asleep and Mary goes to fill out applications.
Greg comes in and looks on Nicholas and asks "Are you ready to go home?"
Nicholas nods
Tom smiles, "Good, I want to get you settled in bed and check on Nancy. What do you want for dinner tonight Nicholas?"
Greg interrupts Tom before Nicholas can answer. "It might be best if
you start Nicholas on soup first; you never know how his stomach will
react to the anesthesia and then tomorrow anything goes."
"Oh thanks for warning me Greg."
"Here is a prescription for some pain meds." Greg hands to Tom "You can fill it here at the pharmacy.
Tommy asks "Do you want me to go do that?"
"If you don't mind."
Tommy grabs the prescription and heads for the pharmacy.
Greg continues "I suspect he will be in more pain tonight and in the
morning after the anesthesia has worn off but that should subside by
Sunday and Monday. I'll drop by later today to check on him and Nancy."
Greg then turns to Abby "Do you have any questions?"
"Is there anything specific we should watch out for, any typical complications?" Abby asks.
"Mainly watch his temperature and any excessive drainage; but I'll be
by later to check his ears. Tom do you have any other questions or
concerns?"
"Not that I can think of right now but if I have any I will call."
"Ok...you have my number."
"Well as soon as Tommy gets back you are free to go. See ya later, Nicholas."
"Bye Dr. Max." Nicholas says groggily
After Dr. Max leaves the room. Abby and Tom get Nicholas ready to go home.
Tommy comes back from the pharmacy. "I got the medicine." and hands it to Abby.
"Thanks," Abby says. "I should have told you to buy some candy or something.
Nicholas is going to like my mother better than he likes
me."
"We have some halloween candy left in the cupboard." Tommy suggests
Abby grimaces. "It's after Thanksgiving. I want to give Nicholas a treat,
not poison him. I'll pick some up after we've got him settled
in."
Tommy laughs "OK"
Tom smiles. "Are you ready to go now champ?"
He shakes his head "I don't think I can walk."
Tom picks him up. "That's no problem."
Later at home Nicholas wakes up and gets out of bed and goes in the hall.
Joannie sees him as he passes her room. "Nicholas! You're not supposed to be out of bed."
"I have to go to the bathroom." he explains while trying to walk towards the bathroom.
Joannie goes out into the hallway. "Here, let me help you. You're still really out of it."
"OK...But you cant come in with me." Nicholas replies
"That's all right, Nicholas. I love you and am worried about you, but
I was not planing on going into the bathroom with you," Joannie
says. "But I can stand outside to wait and see if you need me, right?"
"OK." Nicholas finishes in the bathroom "I am hungry."
"You go back to bed and I'll bring you something," Joannie offers. "What do you want?"
"Pizza."
"I don't think we have any, but I'll go downstairs and see what I can get together for you."
Jgoes downstairs and starts making Nicholas a peanut butter sandwich. Abby walks in to the kitchen.
"I thought only Nicholas ate those," she says.
"You're right; this is for him," Joannie answers.
"He's not supposed to have that yet. All he's allowed today is soup. I've put a pot up--I think you can take a bowl from it already."
Joannie ladles out a bowl of soup and takes it upstairs to her brother.
"Soup?" Nicholas asks
"Sorry, kid, Abby says that's all you're allowed."
Nicholas grumbles and eats the soup.
Meanwhile in Nancy and Elizabeth's room. Dr. Max is there showing her
how to move her shoulder. It hurts at first so she tries to back out
of it.
"Nancy if you don't start moving it now you may never be able to move it again. Come on you're tougher than the pain is. Everyone who knows you knows that."
She grits her teeth and tries again. The pain finally lessens and she
goes to show off. Greg laughs and goes with her so he can check on
Nicholas.
Monday afternoon Abby calls Tom's office, but he's out. She asks Donna
to let Tom know that she's swamped with work, so she'll be
staying late, and going straight to school from work. After that she
has study group--she'll be in about midnight, maybe later.
Donna takes the message and puts it on Tom's desk, where it promptly gets lost under a stack of folders.
Later that night, Tom has gone through dinner thinking `hey maybe she's
just running late' but when 9pm comes around he starts to
worry. Now at 11:30pm he is frantic. He calls the police but they won't
do anything till she's been missing twenty four hours.
At 1:30 Abby comes home. She goes into the kitchen for some food--she
didn't have time for dinner--and tries to get a little more studying
in, though she's really too tired to concentrate.
Tom walks into the kitchen and is very relieved that Abby is home but
it soon turns to anger at her for not telling him she would be out
this late. "Abby, where have you been?"
"At school," Abby says, not looking up from her books.
"Well you could've told me!! Used enough consideration to call!! Do you have any idea how worried I've been about you?!"
"I left you a message, so don't blame me," Abby says. "Besides, I told
you'd I'd be working crazy hours this week. I have so much to
make up for from this past month, both at work and at school. I'll
probably be pulling all nighters through Christmas, longer if I can't
get some peace and quiet to work in."
"What message? I didn't get any message."
"I don't have time to discuss this now, Tom," Abby says. "I have a test
Wednesday, a new student tomorrow, and I'll be lucky if I get to
sleep tonight."
"Don't have time to discuss it!! Abby, you're my wife!!"
"I'm also a teacher, and I'm also going to school. I have a life, Tom,
even outside this house. I left you a message; it's not my fault
you didn't get it. Now would you please let me get back to work?" Abby
says, her voice rising.
"Get back to work? You've been working all night!!"
"And I'm going to be working all the rest of the night if you don't go away and stop bothering me!"
"Fine. I won't bother you then!!" He goes upstairs and slams the door, forgetting that his children are sleeping.
Abby just shakes her head, puts water up for coffee, and gets back to work.
Nicholas wakes up and goes downstairs into the kitchen.
"Hi." Nicholas says
Abby looks up from her books. "Hey, Nicholas. What are you doing out of bed at this hour?"
"I heard a door slam and I realized I was hungry." He says as he goes to the refrigerator. "Why are you up?
Abby starts to ask who slammed a door at this time of night, but then
realizes who it must have been. She holds up her book. "Studying. But
I'm ready to take a food break. What would you like to eat?"
"I think there is some stew left over from dinner." Nicholas says
"I think stew at this time of the night--I mean the morning--might give you nightmares," Abby warns.
"OK; how about a peanut butter sandwich?"
"Sounds a lot better." Abby makes them peanut butter sandwiches and pours two glasses of milk and then brings them to the table. "How are you feeling today? I was gone before you woke up, and I didn't get a chance to ask you before you went to sleep."
Nicholas shrugs "I am doing OK."
"Good. Must feel better than you did the before the surgery, right?" Abby says, picking at her sandwich.
"Yeah at least I can hear better," Nicholas says.
"Yep, there is that," Abby says. "You really should be getting back to bed, you know, or you won't want to wake up for school."
"Ok, it was nice seeing you today; too bad it had to be after midnight."
Abby yawns. "Yeah, really. Just don't expect to see too much more of
me until that banquet. Maybe we ought to set a regular midnight
rendezvous."
Nicholas laughs and says, "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," Abby says, and goes back to studying.
Joannie wakes up from the slamming. "Hey, what's the deal?" she says as she walks out of her room. "I need my beauty sleep."
Nancy comes out of her room. "Hey, keep it down out here I was having a good dream for a change."
"Hey, don't blame me," Joannie says. "I was asleep until someone got slam happy."
"Who's slam happy this time?"
Mary comes out and says, "Will you both be quiet."
"Uh, oh, Nance--we're busted," Joannie says. "OK, so if it wasn't Mary
and it didn't come from your room or mine, must have been one of
the boys. I say we kill 'em."
"I second that."
Tommy comes out of his room yawning "What's going on?"
"Wait--if it wasn't one of the boys who woke us all up, who did?" Joannie wonders.
Mary looks at her dad's bedroom door. "You don't supposed.....?"
"Must have been Dad or Abby."
"Nahh. They're practically still on their honeymoon," Joannie says.
"Well, or they would be if they'd actually gone on a honeymoon.
Besides--last I checked Abby wasn't even home, so who's Dad so mad
at, anyway?"
Nicholas comes up the stairs. "Hi, why is everyone up?"
"What are we doing up?" Joannie repeats. "What are *you* doing up? It's so far past your bedtime it's almost time for you to get up!"
"I was downstairs having a PB sandwich with Abby."
"If Abby's home and Dad's slamming doors, I guess the honeymoon is over," Joannie says.
"Yeah," Nancy says quietly. "I'll talk to Abby, who wants to talk to Dad?"
"I will," Joannie sighs, and goes to knock on her father's door.
Nancy goes downstairs and finds Abby in the kitchen.
Meanwhile in Tom's room. "What do you want!!" He yells.
"I want to talk to you, Dad. Can I come in?"
Tom smiles. "Come on in Honey."
"What's wrong, Dad? We didn't figure you'd be slamming doors again so soon."
"Some people are really inconsiderate." He pouts.
"Yeah, but we love you anyway," Joannie says.
Tom looks at her strangely. "Not me, her."
"Abby? What'd she do, besides bust curfew and make Nicholas a midnight snack?" Joannie asks.
"She didn't tell me she was going to be out late." He pouts. "She said she left a message but I never got it."
"Dad, she is a grown woman. I wasn't serious about her having a curfew--were
you? And messages do get lost sometimes, you know,"
Joannie tries to reason with her father.
"I know, but I was so worried about her."
"Well, that's a great way to show it, having a fight and waking the whole family up."
Tom sighs.
"Maybe if you talked to her, Dad, instead of yelling at her," Joannie suggests.
"You're right." He goes downstairs to talk to Abby.
In the kitchen.
"Hi Abby."
Abby puts her book aside with a sigh. "I know I can't get any quiet
to study in this house during the day, but I thought I could in the
middle of the night."
"Sorry, I was woken up." She sits down. "Is everything ok?"
"Sure," Abby says. "Just trying to study." She yawns. "What time is
it anyway?" She looks at her watch. "Doesn't pay to try to sleep
anymore tonight."
"It's almost 2am, and are you sure? I heard a door slam upstairs. I
was on a date with my dream guy and then all of a sudden I get a rude
awakening."
"Sorry about interrupting your dream. Why don't you go back to it and I'll get back to studying?" Abby suggests.
Nancy observes hefor a few minutes. "Not going to work, what's up Abby?"
"I'm just trying to get some studying done," Abby says. "During the
day I'm at work, then I come home to more kids and housework. The
middle of the night's the only time it's quiet around here--or at least
I'd hoped it would be."
"Well now that I can move my shoulder again, I can take over some of
the house work. I bet a lot of us can help out with that, but in the
meantime I'd better let you get back to studying. Goodnight Abby."
"Good night," Abby says, and doesn't even wait for Nancy to leave the room before she goes back to studying.
"Night." Nancy goes back upstairs.