-Chapter Four-

A/N-This chapter gives us a break from the hospital. The family is still reminiscing.


Carol: Your dad really came around.

Cindy: Yeah, he did. I know he had my best interests at heart and that me getting pregnant before we got married wasn't in his plans for me.

Carol: He means well and you were always his special little girl.

Cindy: He always did go out of his way to make us feel special. How about when I came over after my first appointment and showed you two the ultrasound?

Carol: Your dad was so proud.


Seven months' ago.

Cindy enters the Brady home after her appointment.

Cindy: Hi mom!

Carol: Hi! How did the appointment go and where's Gary?

Cindy: It went really well. I'm six weeks along and the doctor said I'm healthy. Gary had to get back to the station. Where's dad? I've got something to show you.

Carol: He's in the den. Goes up to the landing. Mike, Cindy's here!

Mike comes out of the den.

Mike: Hey Cindy! How was the appointment?

Cindy: Good! She grins. I've got pictures!

Carol: Excited. Well, lemme see!

Cindy takes out two pictures and gives one to each of her parents. Carol squeals with delight.

Carol: Oh my God!

Mike: Chuckles. Twins.

Cindy: Laughing. Yeah. Like you two. I still can't believe it.

Mike: Embraces his daughter. Come here, kiddo. Congratulations.

Cindy: Thanks, daddy.

Carol: Congratulations. Strokes her daughter's face. My baby's having twins.!


Back to the present.

The family sits in the living room, sharing stories.

Jan: I was so shocked when dad wanted to make me a partner in his firm. What timing! Philip had just finished his fellowship in Buffalo and we wanted to get back home, but we didn't know how we'd do it.


Back to 1989.

Jan walks into the apartment and sees Philip cleaning up.

Jan: Hi honey! She gives him a kiss. How's your research going?

Philip: Completed and the proposal is sitting on the dean's desk.

Jan: Oh, that's wonderful! Any messages for me?

Philip: Your dad called. He said he was taking your mother out for dinner tonight, so if you want to give him a call, you'd better go ahead and do it.

Jan: At work or at home?

Philip: At home.

Jan: Thanks. She dials the number. Mom! How are you?

Carol: I'm fine. How are you?

Jan: Good! Philip's finished his research.

Carol: Wonderful!

Jan: Is dad around? I heard he called.

Carol: Yeah, he did. He's in the den. Hold on. Lemme go get him. She sets the phone down in the living room and sticks her head in the den. Mike, it's Jan.

Mike: Picks up the phone. Hi Jan.

Jan: Hi dad.

Carol hangs up the phone and sneaks back into the den.

Mike: How's things going in Buffalo?

Jan: Philip's finished up his research and I finished designing that summer home I was telling you about. I show it to the client tomorrow. I hope they like it.

Mike: You designed it. They'll love it.

Jan: Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Mike: What are your plans after Philip finishes his thesis?

Jan: We've been looking at jobs around the country, but we'd really like to find something closer to home.

Mike: I think I've got the very thing. You know Mr. Philips is retiring.

Jan: Yeah.

Mike: And when you interned for him, he was really impressed with your work.

Carol is just about biting her nails with excitement.

Jan: You mean he would give me a reference! That would be great!

Mike: Better than that.

Jan: Confused. Huh?

Philip is grinning from ear to ear, but Jan doesn't notice.

Mike: He's selling out his share of the company to me.

Jan: Excited. Oh dad, that's wonderful! Your own firm!

Mike: He put one condition on his offer.

Jan: What?

Mike: Grinning. That I hire you on, but I'm going to do one better. How would you like to be a junior partner?

Jan: Can't believe it. What?!

Mike: I'd like you to come back home, learn the business, and when I retire, take over the firm.

Jan: Oh my God! I can't believe it! Partner!

Mike: What do you say?

Jan: Almost speechless. Yes!

Mike: Great! Just let me know how much time you need to make the move, and the move is on the company, so don't worry about expenses, and then we'll get you on your way! Now, go celebrate with Philip. He holds out the phone for a moment.

Carol: Congratulations, Jan.

They hang up. Philip is smiling. Jan turns to her husband and smiles.

Jan: You knew this whole time.

Philip: I did. Congratulations.

They envelop each other in a hug.


Back to the present.

Carol: Your dad was so excited that you said yes. When you declared a major in architecture, he was so proud. That evening, he designed a plaque to put on the firm he wanted to run, "Brady and Brady." He looked forward to the day he could put it on the front of his own firm.

Jan: So that's the sign that hung in his office.

Carol: It is. The night you graduated he said, "Carol, I'm gonna make her my partner some day." And I knew he would.

Jan: I have to confess. When I graduated, I hoped that someday I'd get to at least work for dad, and maybe one of these days, I'll get to pass the firm to one of my children.

The women hug.

Marcia: I think the proudest I ever saw dad was when I got to show him his first grandchild for the very first time.

Carol: I remember.


Back to 1982.

Mike Brady and the Logans are pacing back and forth in anticipation for the birth of the first grandchild on both the Logan and Brady sides of the family.

Ryan: How long does it take to have a baby?

Bobby: Nine months!

Alice: Don't tease him like that. He's almost seven.

Cindy: It takes as long as it takes.

Carolyn: Signs to Jan. Are you gonna have a baby too?

Jan: Signing. Someday, but not now.

Wally and Carol come out. The family stands up. Wally looks excited and nervous.

Wally: It's a girl!

Carol runs over to Mike and gives him a big hug.

Carol: Mike, we have a granddaughter! She's beautiful! She looks like Marcia with Wally's colouring. Oh Mike!

Wally: Mom, dad, Mike, Carol, would you like to see her?

They go in and see Marcia and baby Jessica. Marcia is holding the baby. When she sees her parents, her face brightens.

Marcia: Mom, dad! Come and meet your granddaughter.

Mike and Carol approach their daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Logan hold back a bit.

Carol: Marcia, she's beautiful.

Marcia: Would you like to hold her?

Carol: Sure.

Marcia passes the baby to Carol.

Carol: Hi baby girl, it's your grandma. You are so precious! Yes, you are! Would you like to see your grandpa?

Mike: Hey Jessica, come to grandpa.

Carol passes the baby to Mike.

Carol: Who's got you? Yes, grandpa's got you.

Mike: Studies his granddaughter. Well hello kiddo, I'm your grandpa. He blushes. Grandpa. I like the sound of that. Jessica, you are such a special little girl.

Marcia and Wally watch the scene before them with pride.


Back to the present.

Marcia: Dad and Jessica do share a special bond.

Jan: He loves being a grandparent.

Cindy: Puts a hand on her abdomen. She's a bit sad. I hope he gets to see these little ones.

Bobby: So, do you know what they are?

Cindy: Uh, they're babies.

Bobby: Aw, come on. You know what I mean.

Cindy: Yes I do, yes we know, and no we're not telling.

Marcia: Good for you. It's fun being surprised. I'm glad we decided not to find out with ours.

Peter: So Jan, when is the liaison bringing the baby from Korea?

Jan: Smiles. At the end of the week.

Carol: Excited. Really?

Jan: Yes, we talked to the agency and the liaison was going over there anyway. We expedited the paperwork and she's over there right now.

Peter: Got any names picked out?

Jan: Not telling.

Peter: Wow, tough crowd.

Greg: How about dad's reaction when Peter met Christine?

Cindy: Oh yeah! Both Peter and Christine kept begging Gary and me to introduce each other.

Peter blushes.

Carol: Doing a fake "Gone With the Wind" accent. Why Peter, I do believe you're blushing!


The previous September (Grandparents' Day), the day of Cindy's wedding.

Cindy and her bridal attendants are getting ready for the wedding. Marcia serves as Matron of Honour. Jan, Carlee, Carolyn, and Gary's sister Christine serve as Bride's Maids. Jessica and Patty serve as flower girls. Cindy comes out of the dressing room to show off for her attendants.

Carolyn: Signing. You look so pretty!

Cindy: Thank you. Are you sure?

Marcia: Positive!

Jan: I could give you the same answer you gave Marcia and me at our wedding, "If you keep asking, I'll tell you the truth."

Cindy: Lauging. Touché.

Christine: Hey Cin, who's that tall, dark, and handsome single guy in Gary's party?

Carolyn: Laughs, signs and speaks. You can't mean Peter?

Christine: Brown eyes, quirky sense of humour?

Carolyn: It's either Peter or Ryan and I think Ryan's too young for you.

Cindy: I'll be sure to introduce you two at the reception.

Carol enters the room and sees her daughters. She becomes misty-eyed.

Marcia: I think she's gonna cry again.

Jan: Gets up and puts her arm around her mother. Mom, the stock prices of Kleenex are rising by the minute.

Carol: Smiles. My baby girl's getting married.

Carolyn: Three down, me to go!

Carol: Not for a long time, young lady. Turns to Cindy. Are you ready?

Cindy: Yeah. Let's get me married!

The women make their way to the foyer. Peter and Christine catch each other's eye.

Wedding Coordinator: Okay, let's have Matron of Honour, Marcia and Best Man, Steve in the back. Next, Chuck and Christine, Peter and Jan, Jake and Carlee, and Ryan and Carolyn. Then we need Mickey and Patti and Kevin and Jessica.

Peter and Christine keep eyeing each other and smiling during the lineup. Christine does a small wave and Peter nods. Mike approaches his daughter.

Mike: You ready?

Cindy: A bit nervous. Yeah.

Mike: You look beautiful.

Cindy: Thanks.

Mr. Greenberg escorts his wife down the aisle. Greg escorts Carol. Then the kids walk down the aisle, followed by the attendants, then the Best Man and Matron of Honour. It's now time for Mike to escort Cindy.

Mike: Here we go.

Cindy: I love you, daddy.

Mike: I love you too.

Mike escorts her down the aisle to meet her beloved. All to soon, the Rabbi pronounces them husband and wife. The reception gets underway. Mike escorts his daughter for the father/daughter dance and then Gary cuts in for the first dance. Christine and Peter wind their way through the crowd and run into each other. Peter is almost speechless.

Peter: Hey, I'm, uhhh.

Christine: Giggles. Peter. I know.

Peter: You're Gary's sister. Right?

Christine: Yeah.

Peter: Would you, ummm? I mean, care to, uhhh?

Christine: Dance? Sure!

Peter: Yeah. Would you care to dance?

Christine: I'd love to.

Peter and Christine are inseparable through the whole reception. Gary and Cindy are hoisted up on chairs for the Hora, much to Carol's horror.

Carol: Mike! They might drop her!

Mike: Carol, she's fine.

Carol: But the babies.

Mike: Chuckles. Carol, you worry too much. Kisses her on the cheek.

Carol: Facetious. I'm a mother. Worry's in my job description.

Soon, it's time to send off the newlyweds. Gary and Cindy run through a spray of rose petals to their limo. The reception winds down soon afterwards.

Peter: Can I call you sometime?

Christine: No, but you can call me Christine. Here's my number. She writes her number on a bridal napkin. I had a good time.

Peter: Me too.

They start to part, but then engage in a full embrace and liplock. Mike and Carol observe the scene.

Mike: I think Peter's found his future wife.

Carol: How can you be sure?

Mike: She's rendered him speechless.

Christine leaves and Peter stands watching her go. He's unaware anyone is watching.

Peter: She's the one. I'm gonna ask her to marry me.

Mike: Whispers to his wife. Told you so.

Carol: I think you're right.

Mike: You're my one. I love you.

Carol: I love you too.

They embrace, ending in a passionate kiss.


Back to the present.

Bobby: Hey Pete, have you popped the question?

Peter: To quote my sisters, "Not telling!"

Bobby: Aww, you guys are fun suckers.

Ryan: That's fer sure.

Carolyn: I remember dad teaching me how to drive.

Ryan: You drive as if you're in the Indy 500.

Carolyn: I guess I'm in with the best. Maybe I should become a race car driver.

Bobby: Oh no you don't, little sister.

Carolyn: Sighs in mock frustration. Fine. I won't do NASCAR.

Bobby: Good.

Carolyn: Smiles an impish smile. Instead, I think I'll do BMX or Motorcross.

Carol: My little girl is NOT doing BMX or Motorcross.

They all crack up as they know she's not serious.

Carolyn: I do remember when I tried skateboarding. Things were going okay until I hit that rock.

Ryan: I tried to get your attention.

Carolyn: I know. I wound up with a broken arm and a concussion. Daddy took me to the ER because mom was at work. When she came home and saw me all bandaged up, she freaked.

Carol: Wouldn't you if you come home and your daughter's all banged up with a concussion and a broken arm?

Ryan: Or, how 'bout when we found Rocket in the park?

Carolyn: And dad let us keep him, after no one claimed him.

Ryan: I was afraid that when he placed those ads in the newspaper and put up flyers that someone would claim Rocket.

At the mention of his name, Rocket, a black Lab-Beagle mix, comes racing into the living room from the kitchen. He jumps up on Carolyn's lap, barks, and sits down.

Carolyn: Good boy!

Ryan: He's a softie when it comes to Rocket.

Carolyn: We begged long and hard enough. I guess he got tired of two ten-year-olds begging to keep him.

Carol: He was so proud of you Greg, when you graduated from med school and you, Peter, when you enlisted in the Air Force. And Bobby, he was so excited when you gave the Valedictorian speech at your high school graduation, and he watched every race you were in. He was proud of all you kids and your accomplishments.

Greg: That, he was. He was also very forgiving of our mistakes. Like when Jan and Cindy caught me smoking.

Peter: Or when he thought you had a girl in your room when you stole Cooledge High's mascot. What was her name? He's cracking up.

Greg: Raquel.

Bobby: Or when I was made safety monitor at school and I let it go to my head.

Marcia: Boy were you a little stinker then.

Jan: I'll say! Then, he was always building stuff for us.

Cindy: Like the set for "Snow White."

Carol: He was so proud of you for planning and pulling that off.

Cindy: I couldn't believe it actually fell into place instead of into pieces.

Bobby: Then, there was the dunking booth for the school carnival.

Jan: Or the sets for the play about George Washington.

Greg: Or the sets for my student film.

Marcia: I like how dad never has treated us girls differently from you guys.

Bobby: Why should he? He's your dad too.

Marcia: I know and that's one reason why I nominated him for Father of the Year. He treated Jan, Cindy and me as if we were his biological children just like you five. That really means a lot.

Cindy: He was so proud when I wanted to show him off to my friends when I got the Fairy Princess role in that play in first grade.

Carol: You were proud to show him off too.

Carolyn: He's just gotta make it.

They sit in silence for awhile. Then Peter looks at his watch.

Peter: I'm sorry I have to go, but I've got a date with Christine.

Greg: Does it have to be tonight?

Peter: Listen Greg, dad may be in the hospital for a long time or he may not make it through the week. He would want us to continue with our lives. The five of you have families of your own. Your married and have kids. I'm not. Mom and dad understand that my life is a bit different from yours and I have different responsibilities. In addition, Christine said we could cancel our date if I needed. Well, right now, I need to go on my date with her. I'm relieving Sam and Alice after our date and I just need to get away right now.

He gets up. Carol walks him to the door and kisses him on the cheek.

Carol: You're right. Your dad wouldn't want us to halt our lives completely. Have a good time tonight and tell Christine hello for us.

Peter: I will mom. Goodnight. Get some rest.

Meanwhile, back at the hospital. Mike Brady is lying unconscious in intensive care. Machines surround him, beeping and buzzing. A respirator is breathing for him. Alice is sitting at the bedside. Nurses and patient care techs come in, check the various machines and silently leave.


-End of Chapter Four-