Tarnished Armor
Part 143

Chandler Mansion. The nursery.

Adam is in his rocking chair, holding Colby.

Liza enters.

Adam looks up at her.

Adam: She’s wide awake. I think she’s waiting for you.

Liza is silent.

Adam: How’s Belinda?

Liza shakes her head.

Adam: Oh. I’m sorry.

Liza goes to Adam and reaches for Colby. Adam gives Colby to Liza.

Liza: Hey there. You’re home. Doesn’t that feel good?

Liza sits down in her rocking chair and puts Colby in her lap. Liza turns to Adam.

Liza: Has she eaten?

Adam: Yes.

Liza kisses Colby. She doesn’t look at Adam.

Liza: Thank you for bringing Rose here.

Adam: She... maybe this isn’t the right time.

Liza: What?

Adam: She wanted to know if you would write to her. From time to time. I have the name of a contact person.

Liza nods. She straightens Colby’s pajamas.

Adam: I’ll leave you two alone.

Adam gets up and goes to the door. Then he turns back to face them.

He looks at the two of them together.

Liza turns and faces him.

Liza: Will you be...?

Adam: What?

Liza: Never mind.

Adam: Good night.

Adam leaves.

Liza looks back down at Colby.

Liza: I’m sorry I’m not much fun tonight. It’s your first night back home and we should be celebrating, huh?

Colby reaches up to Liza’s face. Liza brings Colby up closer to her face.

Liza: Hair grab? Nose tweak? What’s your pleasure, princess?

Liza kisses Colby again, and smells her hair.

Liza: Daddy gave you a bath, huh? Did you see your rubber ducky in there?

Colby smiles.

Liza: You did? And after all this time.

Colby laughs.

The phone rings. After a moment, someone picks it up elsewhere in the house.

Liza: Oh, Colby, you look so tired, but I don’t think you’ll ever go to sleep. Let me see. We could talk about the ratings. That puts my stockholders to sleep lately. The Cutting Edge has a 2.6.

Colby: Bah!

Liza: Bah is right. We can bring it up a whole point at least. And I’ll mention your concerns to the producers.

Liza begins to rock.

Liza: Okay, now I hear I have a tendency...

Liza is quiet for a moment.

Liza: I have a tendency to sing flat. And I promise to never do this when you’re old enough to be embarrassed by it. But you have got to get some sleep, missy. I can’t have you being all upset in the morning. It would break my ... It wouldn’t be good. So.

Liza repositions Colby so that she’s laying down.

Liza (sings): I want to be a blooming blushing bride,
  I want Papa parading by my side.
  I want a veil that’ll trail to the altar rail.
  I want a groom that’ll pale with pride.
  I want tin cans and all old shoes,
  That all my loving...

Liza softly clears her throat.

Liza (sings): That all my... loving friends no longer...

Liza looks down at Colby. Colby’s eyes begin to close.

Liza (singing softly): ...no longer care to use.
  I want an orange blossom wreath.
  I want to smile and show my teeth.
  I want to be a blooming, blushing bride.

Colby is asleep.

Liza leans closer to Colby.

Liza (whispers): It’s just a song. You do everything the way you want to do it, and you’ll be fine.

Liza picks Colby up and takes her to the crib.

She gently places Colby down in the crib and covers her with a blanket.

Liza: A blessing on your pillow and your head. Good night. Sweet dreams.

Liza gazes at Colby for a moment. Then she leaves the room.

Tarnished Armor Index
Part One Hundred and Forty Two
Part One Hundred and Forty Four