Chapter Nine--
A/N—Two days later. The Bradys are going to paint the baby's room. This chapter is also going to be divided in two. It's rather long.
The Bradys are preparing to paint the baby's room. After remodeling their parents' room, the girls' room twice, and the attic room twice, the Brady kids have become quite the experts in room decorating. The kids change into work clothes and gather in the room.
Mike: First, we need to move the furniture out.
Bobby: Where to?
Mike: I suppose it'll need to be put in our room.
The kids begin to clear out the room. Carol and Cindy try to help. They each pick up a drawer.
Mike: Just what do you two think you're doing?
Carol: Moving furniture.
Mike: No you're not.
Cindy: But daddy. I'd like to help too.
They put down the drawers.
Carol: She puts her hand on her hip and sighs. But Mike, I'm NOT an invalid.
Mike: I know you're not, but I don't want the two of you doing heavy lifting.
Carol: But Mike, I've redecorated each of my babies' rooms and I'm not gonna stop now.
Mike: And you can, but I don't want you moving the furniture and risking getting hurt. He puts his arm around her waist and pulls her close. Remember, you're decorating for two.
Carol: I know. She gives him a quick peck on the lips. She turns to Cindy, but still keeping an eye on her husband. Let's get out of their way. When they finish moving the furniture, we can help paint.
Peter: From the baby's room. Dad, some help with the dresser?
Mike: Coming!
They get the furniture out quickly. Sometimes there are advantages to having a large family. Carol and Cindy lay down the tarps so the carpet won't get messed up. Mike opens up the paint cans and reveals the paint colour. It's a pastel green.
Marcia: I like the colour!
Jan: It could go with either. That's good.
Mike: Crew, grab a brush and let's get painting.
Jan: Mom, should you be painting?
Carol: The doctor said it's safe for me to paint.
Mike: Honey, I don't know if you should.
Carol: Getting annoyed. Mike, the doctor said it would be fine.
Mike: Gives up. Okay, but I don't want you or Cindy to get overtired.
Carol: We won't. She grabs a brush and begins painting before anyone else dares to say anything.
The phone rings and Alice comes into the room.
Alice: Peter, phone call!
Peter: Thanks, Alice. He goes and takes the call.
Mike: Mike looks up in shock. Alice! Stop!
Suddenly, the Bradys begin cracking up. Alice has stepped in a pan of paint. Again. Alice takes her foot and steps on the tarp.
Alice: Well, I always thought green was my colour. She begins cleaning off her shoe. Lunch will be ready in about an hour.
Carol: Thanks, Alice.
Alice leaves to finish lunch. Peter comes back.
Peter: Dad, can I go over to Julie's tonight?
Mike: Sure. We won't be able to load the room until tomorrow.
Peter: Thanks. I'll be right back. He calls Julie back and lets her know he can come over.
Mike notices Carol holding her back frequently. She looks like she's getting tired. He discreetly comes up beside her.
Mike: Honey, why don't you lie down for awhile.
Carol: Starts to protest. I'm NOT tired. A yawn escapes before she can stifle it.
Mike: No arguments.
Carol: Realizes she can't win. All right. She hands the brush to Jan. Wake me up when it's time for lunch.
Carol goes to her bedroom and lies down. Cindy realizes she's getting tired.
Cindy: I think I'm gonna need to take a break. I'll go see if Alice needs some help.
Mike: Okay. We can take it from here.
Cindy leaves. The rest of the Brady clan finishes painting the room in no time. They stand back to look at their work before they begin cleaning up.
Marcia: I like this colour!
Jan: Yeah, it looks nice!
Mike: I like it!
Later on that evening, Mike finds Carol in the baby's room.
Mike: A penny for your thoughts?
Carol: Startled out of her thought. Oh Mike, you scared me!
Mike: I'm sorry. He puts his arms around her waist. Thinking about the baby?
Carol: Yeah. It's hard to believe that in a little over three and a half months that we'll have a baby in the house.
Mike: She'll be here before we know it.
Carol: We need to start picking out names.
Mike: This early? Honey, we've got time.
Carol: I had Jan's name picked out the moment I found out I was pregnant with her.
Mike: Okay. Chuckles. What names are you thinking about?
Carol: Well… She turns around to face her husband …I was thinking we should name him after you. Just think, Michael Paul Brady Junior. She lays her head on his chest.
Mike: Or Carol Ann Brady.
Carol: Umm, I don't know. We've already got Marcia Ann and Janet Carol. Cindy was named after my mother, Cynthia Denise.
Mike: Well, we've got Gregory Paul and Robert Michael. Peter was named after my dad, hence Peter Thomas.
Carol: Hmm! She's thinking, but not sure.
Mike: We don't have to pick out names yet, but do you like Carl Anthony for a boy?
Carol: Not really. I like the Anthony part, but I'm not thrilled with the name Carl. If it's a girl, I like the name Michelle.
Mike: I do too. Do you like the name Christopher?
Carol: Yeah, that's nice. Christopher Anthony. We could call him Anthony.
Mike: Okay, whatever you'd like.
Carol yawns.
Mike: I think we need to get you to bed. We can talk about names later.
Carol: Okay.
The couple goes to bed.
The next day, it's time to load in the room. Carol's very excited. She can't wait to see the room take shape; she's been waiting all day.. Mike's at work, so she'll have to wait until he gets home. Alice walks down the upstairs hallway, carrying laundry and sees her in the baby's room.
Alice: Hoping the furniture will arrange itself on its own?
Carol: Startles out of thought. Alice, I didn't see you come in.
Alice: I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.
Carol: Oh, that's okay.
Alice: I was just saying I know you're anxious to get the furniture moved in here.
Carol: I am. Rests her arm on her abdomen.
Alice: It'll be so nice having a baby in the house again. Before long, you'll be rocking your little one to sleep in here.
Carol is beaming.
Carol: I can't wait to meet this little guy. Oh Alice, I never thought I'd be having another baby. I thought we were done.
Mike comes home from work and sees the women talking.
Mike: Hi honey, ready to get the room loaded in?
Carol: Yes!
She plants a big kiss.
Alice: I'm gonna go check on dinner.
She makes a quick exit.
Mike: After dinner, we'll get the room loaded. Greg called, he's coming to dinner.
Almost as if on cue, Greg walks into the house.
Greg: Mom, dad?
Mike and Carol descend the stairs, and greet their son.
Carol: Greg! It's good to see you.
Mike: How's work going?
Greg: Not bad. I rebuilt my first engine today.
Mike: That's great!
Greg: So, we're gonna load the room after dinner?
Mike: That's the plan.
Alice puts the finishing touches on the dinner table. Cindy's helping set the table.
Alice: Dinner's ready! Cindy, call the troops.
Cindy: Okay. Hi, Greg!
Greg: Hey!
Cindy goes upstairs and gets her brothers and sisters. Then, they all sit down to dinner.
After dinner, the family loads the room, much to Carol's delight.
Mike: Okay men, come with me and we'll load the room. Girls, help Alice clean the dinner dishes. C'mon sweetheart, I know you'll wanna supervise. After we set up the furniture, you girls can help set up the finishing touches
Cindy: What are the "finishing touches"?
Carol: We've got the bumper for the baby bed, I know you three want to paint the mural on the far wall, and the baby clothes need to be put away.
Marcia: Okay. You chose a baby animal motif, right?
Carol: That's right.
Jan: I've got some good ideas for the mural. I'll get the sketches after we help Alice.
Carol: Sounds good.
The girls help Alice as Carol supervises the arranging of the furniture.
Mike: Okay, let's get the chest of drawers first. Bobby, you and I will get the changing table.
Greg and Peter get the chest while the other two get the table.
Carol: I want the chest there and the table there.
The boys do as she suggests. Then they get the crib.
Mike: Bobby, get Alice and your sisters while the rest of us set up the crib. Quickly.
Bobby goes and gets the women from the kitchen.
Bobby: We've just about finished the room. Dad's gonna go get the surprise for mom. He wants you up here.
Alice: I hope she likes it.
Jan: She will.
They all go upstairs as Mike, Greg and Peter finish setting up the bed. Mike slips away as the other two put the bed where Carol suggested.
Mike: Comes back in the room with one more piece of furniture. Carol, where do you want this one?
Carol: Turns around and sees the matching rocker she'd wanted. Oh Mike! It's beautiful! She races across the room and gives her husband a big hug. I love it!
Mike: Try it out!
She sits in the rocking chair and Mike motions to the kids to bring in more boxes.
Carol: What's this?
Marcia: We got the baby some things when we were out of town.
Carol: Aww guys, thanks! She's about to tear up.
Peter: Hands a box to his mother. Julie and I picked this out.
Carol: Opens the box to reveal a bath towel hoodie with a beach scene. Oh Peter, it's so cute!
Jan: What's it say?
Carol: "Beach Blanket Baby!"
Cindy: How cute! Here, open mine!
Carol opens the box, which holds four terry cloth towels and wash cloths which have different sea creature scenes.
Carol: How sweet! Is this from the hotel?
Mike: No, but this is. He hands a box to her.
Carol: A terry cloth robe! How did you…?
Mike: I called the girls after we got off the phone and asked them to pick up a robe for you. Cindy said they were cozy, so I wanted you to have one.
Greg: This is from me.
The box reveals two outfits. One's a boy's outfit which reads, "Surfer Dude" and the other, a girl's which reads, "Surfer Chick."
Carol: They're darling!
Marcia: This is from me.
They're burp cloths that have sea creature scenes, which match the towel and wash cloth sets.
Carol: Well, the baby should be nice and clean, and dry afterward. Thanks.
Marcia: You're welcome.
Bobby: I hope you like this one.
Carol: She opens the box to reveal a coral locket and two bunting bags, one is blue and the other, seafoam green. Both have beach scenes. Oh Bobby, it's beautiful! She fingers the locket.
Bobby: I thought you could put the baby's picture in there.
Carol: I love it. Thank you. She kisses him on the cheek.
Alice: This is from me.
Carol: Alice, you shouldn't have.
Alice: I saw these in Seattle and couldn't resist.
The box contains a photograph of sunset over Puget Sound and four bibs. One reads, "Someone from Seattle Loves Me!" Another, "Cutie Pie." The other two read, "I love my daddy" and "I love my mommy."
Carol: Thank you, Alice.
Jan: Here you go, mom.
She gives her mother two picture frames with sea creature motifs. Underneath the picture frames, is the mural sketch.
Carol: Jan! How beautiful!
Jan: You like the sketch? I used the bumper and the picture frames as my guide.
Carol: Begins to tear up. I love it! Thank you. She bends down as far as she can and gives Jan a big hug. She whispers in Jan's ear, I love you.
Jan does her best to fight back tears.
Carol: Lets her daughter go and sits up. Thank you all.
Mike and Carol put the baby things in their proper drawers and the girls begin the mural. Jan directs her sisters.
Jan: Cindy, I want you to start over here and Marcia, over here. I'm gonna work here.
Mike: Carol, let's go so they can work. I know you're excited about the mural.
Carol: Starts to yawn. You've got no argument from me. I think I'll take a long soak in the tub and then go to bed.
Mike: Okay, I've got some work to catch up on.
Greg: I'm gonna go on home. See you in a few days.
Mike: Bye, son.
Carol: Bye.
The rest of the family leave so the girls can get started.
The girls converse while they paint.
Marcia: I love this sketch, Jan. When did you do it?
Jan: A couple weeks ago, dad took me to Babyland and showed me some of the linens. We figured mom would go for the animals over everything else. He showed me the bumper when we got back from Sea World. I worked on the sketch Monday. I'd already made some drafts, but I'd done the most work on the baby animals sketch. He thought adding the sea creatures was a nice touch, so I went for it.
Cindy: That's what we could do in our room.
Jan: What, baby animals?
Cindy: No, I mean a mural.
Jan: Sure. Let me know what you'd like, and I'll draw up a sketch.
Cindy: You can have input; it's your room too.
Jan: After Marcia leaves for college next year, mom and dad have said Pete and I will get our own rooms. We're not sure who gets the attic, but we'll both get our own space.
Marcia: Which room do you want?
Jan: I kinda want the attic.
Cindy: Yeah, it's neat.
Marcia: I think so too.
The girls continue talking. Soon, it's time to wrap up for the night. They get to a stopping place, clean up and get ready for bed.
A/N—The second half of chapter nine is coming up next.