Chapter 16

At a local bar

Sami: Nicole, I'm glad you thought of all of us having a night out.
Nicole: Well, I can't hog the credit. It was your wonderful twin brother's idea.
Carrie: You mean Eric thought of this? I'm not that surprised. He's always been a great guy.
Jess: Sami, thanks for calling me & Minnie up. I know that I needed a break from work & home. I'm happy that Minnie came too. She's really worrying me lately.
C: Is she seeing a new therapist?
J: Well, Greg called me up & asked for a few names. I'm not quite sure who she's going with though.
Minnie: (she just walked in after parking her car) What's going on?
J: Nothing really. How are you feeling?
M: Good. Why shouldn't I? Are you my mother? Why are you on my case? Just lay off me. All of you!
N: Minnie, do you want something to drink? I know I could definitely go for something.
M: No thank you.
J: I'll come with you Nicole. Sami, Carrie, do you want anything?
S: I'll have a beer. Thanks.
C: Just a coke please.
N: Carrie, you don't want a drink? That's not like you.
C: Well, Austin & I are trying to have another child. I don't want to have any alcohol just in case.
J: That's an excellent reason. We'll be right back.
(they go & get the drinks)

***
At the Troy Residence

Josie: Mel, I want a vacation.
Mel: A vacation? From what?
J: I'm sick of being a baby-sitter. I don't know how Caroline Brady did it all of those years.
M: Enjoy these times of your life. We're both healthy. Our children are grown. The grandkids are so wonderful. We spoil them to death. What more could you ask for?
J: I don't know. But, we worked for so many years to achieve some time to ourselves. We deserve a vacation. A cruise maybe.
M: Fine. Where do you want to go?
J: The Caribbean. The ocean. The sand. The sun.
M: Ok. We can do that. When shall we go?
J: Let's leave next weekend. I'll call the travel agency.
M: Great. I'm hungry. Let's go see Caroline Brady over at the pub & tell her. I know she'll be happy to hear about this.
J: Fine, let's go now.

***
At the Salem Inn

Max: Well, this is home for the next week or so. Let's make the best of it.
Girl: I'm not tired anymore. Can we go find a nice little place to eat? I'm kind of hungry.
M: Ok, I think I saw a restaurant/pub not too far from here. Do you want to walk?
G: Do you mind if we take a cab instead?
M: I'm sorry. I didn't think. Don't worry. He won't come after you. It's impossible that he'd follow us here.

***
At the bar, again

Minnie: Jess, I'm not feeling too good. I'm gonna leave.
Jess: No, I don't want you going anywhere by yourself.
Carrie: Here, I'll drive her home & then get Austin to pick me up from there.
Sami: Ok.
Nicole: Sami, can I get a ride from you?
S: Sure. (pager beeps). Let me see who this is. (thinks for a moment) It's Grandma at the pub. Carrie, can I borrow your cell phone? (Carrie says yes & Sami dials). (She proceeds through some "uh-huh's" & some "yeah's" & finally hangs up the phone). Nicole, I have to stop at the pub first. Do you mind?
N: Not at all.
J: & I'll drive myself home. Anyone need anything else?
All: No.
(They all leave. S & N go to the pub. C drives M home & gets a ride home from Austin. J decides to stop by to see M & then goes home)

***
At the Brady pub
(Bo, Hope, Sami, Greta, Nicole, Josie, Mel, Max, the girl, Caroline, & most of the children of Salem are there)

Sami: Grandma, what did you want?
Caroline: Samantha, darling, can you please help me with the children here? I'm getting rather old & I can't take care of them all anymore.
Nicole: Mrs. Brady, you should've said something long ago. If we'd known that, I know I wouldn't have sent David & Lara over here so much.
S: Me neither Grandma. I would've kept Will & Maria at home. I'm sorry.
C: That's ok. Could you please call all of the children's parents & have them picked up? I have an especially bad feeling about tonight.
S: Ok, let me get on the phone. (She calls up nearly every family in Salem to come pick their kids up.) Ok, Grandma. All of the children have left. Why don't you go up to bed? I'll call Franco & then close up later.
C: Thank you Sami. (she starts to fall backward. Mel comes to her rescue) Melvin, thank you.
M: Caroline, let me help you up the stairs. (Mel & Sami help Caroline)
~~~
Bo: (to the entire pub) Does anyone want to play cards?
Greta: (in a quiet voice) I'll play.
Josie: I'll play until Mel comes back.
Nicole: Do you mind if I play? I'm gonna stay the night to help Sami with the pub.
B: Sounds good. We need one more. How about you Fancy face?
Hope: No thanks Brady. (she goes to the corner & stares out the window)
B: Ok. How about either of you over there? (pointing to Max & the girl)
Max: I'm not one for cards, but my sister, here loves them. (she walks over & sits down next to Bo)
B: Aren't you a bit young to be out so late?
Girl: Yeah. So what?
B: Fine. So what's your name?
G: Alexia.
J: How old are you, dear?
Alexia: 15. What's it to you?
B: Feisty one, aren't we?
M: Yo! Be nice to my sister.
N: Let's just play cards.
~~~
(Max goes to look out the window with Hope)
H: Who are you?
M: Max. And you?
H: Hope Williams. What are you doing here?
M: I'm looking for someone here in Salem.
H: Who?
M: (Whispers something to Hope)
H: Ohmigosh!
M: Do you know him?
H: Yes. Let's go outside & I'll tell you all about him.
(Max & Hope go outside & begin walking around the pub)
~~~
Inside the pub

KA-BOOM

(credits roll)

sToRyBoOk
InDeX