"Jack was just introducing me to Veronica, Larry." Michelle said looping her arm through Larry's once again.

Jack half expected Larry to perform his usual act of flipping up his collar and sliding an arm around Veronica's waist to sweet talk her into leaving Jack for a 'real man' before inviting her out on a date.

Instead, Larry smiled sweetly. "Veronica and Jack are an amazing couple. I hope Jack will summon up the courage to make it legal soon."

Jack replied with a nervous laugh. "Stephanie? Um…is this your date for tomorrow night?"

"Yes." Stephanie replied. "Larry told me that he was your best friend, which is a relief, really. You know how much Mom would worry if she knew I was out with a total stranger. Now you can put her mind at ease."

Jack laughed his nervous laugh again. "Stephanie, you haven't seen the bathrooms yet."

"Well, Jack I don't have to….."

"Yes, they're lovely bathrooms. Lovely wallpaper lovely plants lovely lighting Veronica show Stephanie the lovely bathrooms." He ended while shoving his sister and Veronica out the door back into the dining room. He then took Larry by the arm and quickly escorted him out the kitchen door into the alley behind the restaurant with Larry grimacing in pain all the way.

"Just what do you think you're doing!" Jack exclaimed, slamming the door and dropping Larry's arm at the same time.

"Hey, buddy, I'm hurt! After all we've been through together you've been hiding that little jewel away from me in San Diego….."

"Forget it, Larry."

"Why?"

"This, for starters!" Jack said, holding up the little black book he had fished out of Larry's jacket pocket.

"What, this? If this bothers you I'll just get rid of it right now." He ended by throwing the book in a garbage can.

"Tripper!"

Startled, Jack turned quickly around and found Mr. Angelino standing in the kitchen doorway.

"Mr. Angelino?...Oh no the Peterson group!" Jack exclaimed suddenly remembering Mr. Angelino's important clients.

"I suppose oh no would explain why the rack of lamb still isn't ready to be served?"

"I'll be in the kitchen to help Felipe right away, sir." Jack said. He then turned to Larry. "Larry, break it off. If you go out with my sister tomorrow night, I'll never forgive you."

"Hey Pal…."

"I mean it Larry!" Jack emphasized before returning to the kitchen.

"Janet, what are we going to do?" Terri asked as she and Janet paced back and forth behind the couch in apartment 201 the following night.

"I don't know Terri, I just don't know!" Janet replied wringing her hands. "I do know that Jack's going to blow his top when he comes home and finds out that Stephanie isn't here."

"Maybe we can tell him she went to the library." Terri suggested.

"At this hour?"

"True." Terri reasoned. "How about a movie?"

"You know how overprotective Jack has been. If we told him she went to a movie he would rush right over to the theater just to escort her home."

"Well we can't tell him that she did go out with Larry. She made us promise."

"I know I know." Janet stopped and brainstormed a minute. "Wait a minute, Terri! If we're not here Jack can't ask us anything. Why don't we go to a movie ourselves? By the time it's over maybe Stephanie will be back home and she can answer all of Jack's questions."

"Good idea, Janet!" Terri exclaimed. She and Janet collected their purses from the chair next to the door and opened it to see Jack standing there with two grocery bags.

"Oh hi girls! I'm glad you opened the door." He said as he walked toward the kitchen. "My hands were full and I was about to ring the doorbell for you."

"Glad we could help, Jack. See you later!" Janet replied as they started out the door.

"Wait a minute, where are you going?" Jack asked.

"To the movies!"

"Well I hope you're ready to ride the bus awhile the theater on Pentz street is being renovated." Jack reminded them.

"I forgot." Janet said. "Well that's fine, we'll just take a walk on the beach."

Jack blinked his eyes before asking, "In the rain?"

"Oh, it IS raining tonight. Well how about a bite to eat Terri?" Janet asked.

"That sounds great!" Terri smiled practically shoving Janet as she tried to exit the apartment.

"There's no need for that. We had a slow night at the Bistro and I brought home all of this extra food." Jack said.

"Who could turn that down?" Janet said through clenched teeth.

"Where's Stephanie? I've got a chocolate mousse pie in here that's to die for!"

"She's, umm, she's…." Terri began.

"Don't tell me she's gone to bed already, it's only 10:00 p.m.." He jumped up on the landing and rapped on his bedroom door.

"She's not in there Jack." Janet announced.

"Where is she then?" Jack asked.

"She's umm, she's…" Janet began.

Jack gave her a sidelong glance. No, tell me she didn't go out with Larry."

"Ok, Jack, she didn't go out with Larry."

Jack relaxed slightly when Mr. Furley appeared in the doorway with an umbrella. "Hi kids! Jack, that sister of yours is a real looker. Why when I saw her with Larry earlier tonight he looked like the cat that swallowed the canary!"

"Mr. Furley!" Janet exclaimed.

"I tell you he must think a lot of her. Larry doesn't go out and rent a Ferrari for just any of his dates."

"Mr. Furley!" Janet exclaimed again.

Mr. Furley laughed. "Most of them just end up in one of his used cars!"

"Good night Mr. Furley!" Janet exclaimed for the final time before rushing to the door and slamming it in his face.

"You told me she didn't go out with him!"

"That's what you told me to say!" Janet argued weakly.

"I'm gonna kill him." Jack announced walking toward the door. "Where did they go?"

"Jack…." Terri began?

"Where?" Jack shouted, causing the girls to jump.

"The Italian Orchard." Janet said, reluctantly offering the name of a restaurant before grabbing on to Jack's arm. "Jack, be reasonable. Stephanie is legally an adult and she went out with Larry voluntarily."

"But she doesn't know how Larry is!" Jack argued.

"I know Jack, but that's for her to find out. She's of age and there's nothing you can do about it."

Jack paused and thought for a moment. "Yes there is one thing I can do." He said before hurrying to his room.

"Jack! Jack, what are you going to do?" Terri asked.

Seconds later, Jack appeared in the living room wearing a hat and carrying a trench coat.

"I'm going to spy on them." He announced before exiting the apartment, slamming the door behind him.