--Here's the 2nd half of Chapter Nine--
Enjoy!
Later that night. Everyone's asleep in the Brady house. The house is calm, it's a peaceful night. There are no clouds in the sky and the stars sparkle. Suddenly, a blood curdling scream emits from the girls' room.
Jan: NO! GEORGE, STOP! YOU'RE HURTING ME! STOP! STOP! STOP!
Cindy: Startles awake. She tries to wake her sister, but to no avail. Jan! Jan! Wake up! She shakes her sister. Jan! Jan! Please, wake up!
Jan: NO! GET OFF OF ME! LEAVE ME ALONE!
Mike and Carol hear her screams and sit straight up in bed.
Carol: That's Jan!
She dashes out of the bed, down the hall, and into the girls' room. Mike is not far behind. Marcia comes down the attic room stairs and follows her parents into the room. Peter and Bobby peek through the pocket door, but Marcia waves them off. Mike and Carol sit on Jan's bed and try to wake her. Cindy shrinks back on her bed and stares. Marcia then sits on her bed and holds her close while their parents attend to Jan.
Carol: Jan, wake up. You're safe. It's mama.
Jan: NO! STOP! HELP ME! SOMEONE HELP ME!
Carol: C'mon honey, wake up.
Jan continues to scream and flail. She strikes her mother. Mike intervenes and tries to wake his daughter. He gently shakes her shoulder.
Mike: Jan! Wake up!
Jan: NOOOOO! HELP ME, PLEASE!!
She finally awakens and realizes where she is and who is around her. She is scared and embarrassed and begins crying.
Carol: Jan. She strokes her daughter's hair and begins rocking her. Shhh, you're okay.
Soon, she calms down and relaxes into her mother's arms.
Carol: C'mom baby, let's go to my room and talk, okay?
Jan nods and allows her mother to escort her out of the room. Mike hangs back for a minute.
Mike: Cindy, are you gonna be okay?
Cindy: Yeah. I'm okay.
Marcia: Dad, I'll stay with her. Do you want me to stay with you, Cindy?
Cindy: She nods. Yeah, that'd be okay.
Mike: Okay. He joins his wife and daughter in the bedroom.
Carol is sitting on their bed. Jan's also on the bed, cradled in her mother's arms. Mike slips in next to his wife.
Carol: Jan, you were screaming about George. Who's George?
Jan: I met him at Sea World. We were at the penguins exhibit, and I backed up into him. She starts crying. I thought he was so cute. Pain is written all over her face.
Mike: What happened?
Jan: Between sobs. We got to talking and then we went out for pizza. We lost track of time and he walked me back to the hotel. She starts crying really hard.
Carol: Figuring out what comes next. Oh, Jan no! Tears are rolling down her face, dreading the next words coming out of her daughter's mouth.
Jan: Then he tried to… he tried to… he… he… he, ummm… I can't say it! She's wailing.
Carol: Whispers. Oh, God, no.
Mike: You don't have to say.
Jan: Tries to comfort herself. But, but I got away.
Mike: Relief sets in. You did?
Jan: A tiny wry smile crosses her lips. I kneed him hard, uhh, right in the, you know… and then I ran.
Carol: Strokes her daughter's face with her hand. Oh baby, I'm so sorry.
Mike: Me too, kiddo, but I'm glad you fought back.
Jan: Yeah, me too.
Carol: Do you wanna talk about it?
Jan: Not right now. I just wanna go back to bed.
Carol: Are you sure?
Jan: Yeah.
Carol: Okay.
Jan: Mom, could you stay with me until I go to sleep?
Carol: Okay, I will.
Mike: Goodnight sweetheart. I love you. He kisses her on the top of her head.
Jan: I love you too, dad.
They go back to Jan and Cindy's room.
Cindy is asleep, with her head in Marcia's lap. Marcia is stroking her sister's hair. Jan gets in bed. Carol sits on the bed and strokes her daughter's hair.
Marcia: She gently lays Cindy's head on her pillow, gets up and whispers. Mom, is she okay?
Carol: She will be, in time. She told me about George.
Marcia: I'm sorry we didn't tell you.
Carol: That's okay. I'm glad she told me. Is that what the three of you were talking about when you got home?
Marcia: Yeah.
Carol: Thanks for being there for her.
Marcia: You're welcome. I'm going to bed. Good night.
Carol: Good night.
She kisses her mother and goes to her room. Carol silently strokes Jan's hair until she falls asleep. She gets up, kisses her daughters and goes back to her room.
Mike's in bed, waiting for her.
Carol: I thought you'd be asleep.
Mike: No, I couldn't go to sleep. How is she?
Carol: Asleep. I feel so bad for her. She gets in bed.
Mike: Yeah. No wonder she seemed sick when they got back.
Carol: She snuggles into his embrace. I can't believe it. My baby, was nearly…
Mike: I wanna rip him from limb to limb.
Carol: First Marcia, now Jan. Is Cindy next?
Mike: Not quite hearing what she said. What? Marcia? What about Marcia?
Carol: Realizes she never clued Mike in. Last year, when she was going out with Lane…
Mike: He sits up, shocked and angry. He attacked her? Both of my girls?!
Carol: Tears are welling up. Yes.
Mike: When?
Carol: Remember the weekend you were out of town?
Mike: Yeah.
Carol: She and Lane went out and when she wouldn't do what he wanted, he left her at Lookout Point. She called Greg to get her.
Mike: Trying very hard not to yell. Why didn't anyone tell me?
Carol: You weren't home and we talked.
Mike: I'm her father!
Carol: I know.
Mike: If Jan hadn't had a nightmare tonight, would you have told me about George?
Carol: Mike. She tries to calm the situation down.
Mike: Would you?
Carol doesn't reply. Her eyes are downcast.
Mike: Gets up and grabs his pillow and a blanket. I can't stay here right now.
Carol: Where are you going?
Mike: I'm gonna sleep downstairs tonight.
Carol: Mike, please come back to bed.
Mike: Not right now. I just can't.
He leaves and Carol curls up and cries into her pillow.
Later, Carol hears a knock on her door.
Carol: Mike?
Jan: No, it's me. Can I come in?
Carol: Sure, honey. She tries to conceal the fact that she's been crying.
Jan comes in.
Carol: What's wrong? Can't sleep?
Jan: No. She notices her dad's not in the room. Where's dad?
Carol: He decided to sleep downstairs.
Jan: It's my fault.
Carol: No, honey, it's not your fault.
Jan: But if I hadn't told you about George, then…
Carol: Come here. She pats her hand on the bed. Jan complies. It is not your fault. Your dad's just upset. He didn't know about Marcia either.
Jan: I'm sorry.
Carol: Just lie down and let's get some sleep, okay?
Jan: I can't sleep. Whenever I close my eyes, I see his face.
Carol: Shhh. You're safe. Try to relax. I'm here. He can't hurt you here.
They lie down. Carol strokes her daughter's hair until she falls asleep. Carol silently cries herself to sleep.
The next morning, Mike gets up off the couch in the family room. "I'm a fool. I shouldn't have taken my anger out on Carol. It's not her fault. I just want to rip both Lane and George from limb to limb. They'd better never show their faces around here." He takes his pillow and blanket and brings them back to his room. He sees his wife and daughter asleep in the bed. He kneels down by his wife and kisses her on the cheek. Carol opens her eyes.
Carol: Mike.
Mike: He sees that Jan's still asleep. He puts his finger to his lips. Shhh. Let's go to the den so we can talk.
Carol: Help me up.
Mike helps Carol get up and they go to his den to talk. They shut the door and sit on the couch.
Carol: I'm sorry.
Mike: I'm sorry.
Carol: I should've told you about Marcia.
Mike: I'm sorry for getting angry.
Carol: You have the right to be angry. Like I said, I should've told you about Marcia.
Mike: Perhaps, but I found out that two of my three daughters were attacked by their dates. I was seeing what it was doing to Jan, and then I imagined what it was doing to Marcia.
Carol: It still wasn't fair for me to keep it from you.
Mike: Never mind that. I'm afraid for my girls.
Carol: I am too.
Mike: And I'm angry because I couldn't protect my girls. A father's supposed to protect his girls. And now we're having a baby. What if the baby is a girl? How am I supposed to protect her too?
Carol: We can't always protect them. We've just got to give them the tools to help them do their best in the world. Marcia and Jan fought back.
Mike: They did, didn't they? He's smiling with pride.
Carol: Marcia was there for Jan and they'll be there for Cindy when she starts to date.
Mike: Cindy?
Carol: I'm not saying it'll happen to her. I hope it never happens to her, but if it does, she has two older sisters who will help her through it. And we'll give the baby tools he or she will need as well. We've done a good job with the six we've got and we'll do a good job with the baby.
Mike: Studies his wife in silence. I am sorry for walking out on you last night. I hurt you.
Carol: You did. I know you're sorry about it. We've never gone to bed angry.
Mike: I wish I could take it back, but from now on, I promise you I won't go to bed angry. I love you.
Carol: I love you.
They hold each other in a long embrace. Jan opens the door and walks in. Neither Mike nor Carol notice, so Jan quietly leaves the room, relieved that her parents made up.
--End of Chapter Nine--