The TARDIS materialised with its usual wheeze. The crew were on the move again after a brief stop in 1990 Brisbane to visit Nita's family.
Nita bounded over to the console where the Doctor stood frowning at the readings. "Where are we this time, Doctor?"
"Now, this is interesting," replied the Doctor. "We've only moved in time."
Ace joined them at the console. "What do you mean, Professor?"
"We are still in Coopers Plains, but are now in 1966," the Doctor explained. "Nita, did your family live here at this time?"
"Yes, Grandad built the house here in 1950, so the family will be living here now, except for my aunt who is already married."
"This could be a problem," the Doctor pondered. "I would like to leave, but the TARDIS must have brought us here for a reason."
"Why could it be a problem?" asked Nita.
"Well, you shouldn't interact with your family in the past because it could affect your future," replied the Doctor. "You should stay here while Ace and I investigate."
"Aw, come on, really?" Nita objected. "What am I gonna do while you guys are having all the fun?"
The Doctor took her hands and looked her in the eyes. "Listen," he said gently. "I know you would like to be a part of this, but it could be a very bad idea. How about you hang around at the shops for a while, that should be safe enough. Ace and I will probably have worked things out soon enough, and then we'll go to a fun-park planet, ok?"
Nita appreciated that the Doctor cared about her feelings, so she decided not to make any more fuss. "All right, off you go then."
The Doctor poked his head out of the door and saw the nearby shops. "There's a milk bar or something over there," he reached into a pocket and pulled out a velvet bag and rummaged through it. "Here is some local currency. They have just changed over to dollars and cents so you shouldn't have any trouble working it out. Go get yourself a malted milk."
"Thanks Doctor," Nita accepted the coins, and gave the Doctor a quick peck on the cheek before bounding out of the door. The Doctor blushed furiously, and Ace chuckled.
"Well, come on then," the Doctor blustered, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Let's find out why we're here."
Nita couldn't believe she had had the nerve to kiss the Doctor. Sure, it was just a peck on the cheek, but it was more than she had ever had the courage to do before. She wasn't even sure why she had done it. Well, he's one of my best friends, so why not? It doesn't mean anything. She thought to herself.
Nita entered the milk bar. There were some girls about her age sitting around a table. They looked up at her as she walked in, and then looked at each other and giggled. "It's farmer Jane!" one of them said, and the others laughed loudly.
Nita was taken aback. She looked down at herself, dressed in her usual t-shirt and stone-washed jeans and sneakers. Then she looked at the girls, all dressed in bright colours. One wore a bright yellow button-up blouse, with a yellow check pleated mini skirt, knee-high socks and white buckled shoes. Another wore a bright pink tank top with pink floral trousers and a pink belt. While a third wore dark blue t-shirt and light blue trousers with a matching band in her hair.
Nita walked over to the counter. She was feeling a bit out-of-place. "What would you like, love?" asked the middle-aged woman behind the counter.
"Umm…a large vanilla shake please," Nita replied.
"You mean a malted milk shake?" asked the woman, puzzled by Nita's choice of words.
"Yeah."
"Well, they only come in one size."
"Ok."
The woman made the milkshake in silence, while Nita looked around the milk bar. There were quite a few young people sitting around.
"That'll be one and a penny love… err. Sorry, I mean eleven cents please. Sorry, this change-over is doing my head in."
Nita counted out eleven cents and handed it over, amused at how cheap the milkshake was. She sat down on a stool at the counter. The bell over the door jingled, indicating that someone else had entered the milk bar.
"Hey Marjorie, what are you doing in here?"
Nita turned to look at the newcomers, a group of fashionably dressed girls, and then followed the girls' line of sight to see who they were talking to. Nita's mouth dropped open in shock. Sitting at a table by herself, drinking a milkshake, was a short, plump girl of about 20, with short brown hair, wearing a loose frumpy dress. Nita immediately recognized the young woman as her mother, Marjorie! Marjorie had ignored the newcomer's question.
"Hey! I'm talking to you, Marjorie, you square sweat hog!"
Marjorie sighed and then looked up at the girls. "Oh hey, Susan, hey, girls, how are you doing?"
"Yeah, I thought I told you not to come in here, Marjorie?" said Susan, standing in front of the other girls, with her arms crossed over her chest.
"Uh, well, actually, I was thirsty, and I figured since you weren't in here…." Marjorie started.
Susan walked over to Marjorie and looked in her ear. "Hello, hello, anybody home? Think, Marjorie, think. This is my bag. Only cool people are allowed in here, not chicks with cooties." The other girls giggled at that, and Marjorie looked down at her milkshake. "You need to bail, now, otherwise you're gonna have a bad trip."
"Chill out, Susan, I don't want to beef with you," said Marjorie, standing up. "I'll just bug out, ok?"
"You'd better," replied Susan. "It's such a drag to find you in here. This place is too fab for you. I don't wanna see you in here again."
"Yeah, alright, I'm going," said Marjorie, heading out the door. Nita went out after her and saw her walking along the footpath. Nita followed her.
Marjorie suddenly stopped and turned around. "Why are you following me?"
"You're Marjorie Atkins."
"Yeah, who are you?"
Nita ignored the question. "Hey, why do you let those girls push you around like that?"
"Well, they're cooler than me."
"Stand tall, girl, have some respect for yourself!" cried Nita. "If you let people walk all over you now, they'll be walking all over you for the rest of your life."
"Leave me alone!" said Marjorie, jumping on a bicycle and riding away.
"Hey Mum, Marjorie, hey, you on the bike!" called Nita, but Marjorie was gone.