The Brady Eight: Just Starting Out
A/N—Thank you so much for all your kind reviews and PMs! I am humbled. Glad you enjoyed the last chapter. Happy reading!
Chapter 2
At the Regional Art Exhibit
Mike and the kids enter the gallery. Like before, Greg and Nora are at the front waiting for them to arrive. Nora sees Jan and calls out.
Nora: Jan! You've got to come see!
Jan: What? Her excitement mirrors Nora's.
Nora: Just come.
Nora leads Jan and the rest of the kids to Jan's painting. Greg follows with their dad.
Greg: So, mom talked you into coming?
Mike: She insisted.
Greg: How's Alice?
Mike: Still green. He sees that the family has left them behind. Let's catch up to the crew.
As they approach Jan's painting, they hear cheers coming from around the corner.
Jan: I can't believe it!
Peter: You're a very talented artist. I'm not surprised.
Jan: Yes, but look at all the other ones. They're spectacular too.
Mike: Enters the gallery where Jan's painting is located. What's the news?
Jan: I won Best in Show! The painting's going to State!
Mike: Congratulations! He gives his daughter an embrace.
Jan: Thanks! I can't believe it!
Mike: Your mother's going to be so proud! I'm proud of you.
The Show Official makes his way to Jan and her family. The press accompany the official and photograph Jan with her painting.
Official: Congratulations on winning Best in Show!
Jan: Thanks!
Official: The State competition will be in April. For winning Best in Show, you'll receive a four year scholarship to the State college of your choice.
Jan: Thanks!
Official: Well again, congratulations.
The family congratulates Jan, take more pictures, and tour the rest of the exhibit before going to Haskell's Ice Cream. Mr. Haskell welcomes the family.
Mr. Haskell: Come in! How'd the exhibit go?
Jan: I won!
Mr. Haskell: Congratulations! I knew you could do it!
Jan: Thanks!
Bobby: So, what about that mural?
Mr. Haskell: Well, here it is!
He takes the tarp covering the mural down. The family admires it. The mural is an old fashioned malt shop from World War II era.
Mike: Jan, you did a great job!
Jan: Thanks!
Marcia: It's beautiful!
Mr. Haskell: Hands her an envelope. Here's your check for the mural, and you'll receive a second check at the beginning of February. I promised you a check for five percent of the profits from the Grand Opening Week next week.
Peter: Wow, Jan! You'll be rolling in the dough!
Meanwhile, at the Brady house
Carol is in the living room with her twins. Ryan is asleep in the swing and Carolyn is nursing. As she finishes nursing, Ryan wakes up and begins fussing. Carol stands up, with Carolyn in her arms, to see about her son.
Carol: What's the matter, Ry? He breaks wind a couple times, and quits fussing. Better?
All of a sudden, Ryan lets out a big wail. Carol shifts Carolyn onto her shoulder, so she can scoop Ryan up.
Carol: Awww, sweetheart! Mama's here.
She scoops her infant son up and balances him over her other shoulder.
Carol: I've got ya.
Carolyn lets out a big burp and begins wailing. Both babies are crying at the top of their lungs.
Carol: Oh Carolyn, not you too?
Suddenly, Carolyn spits up and covers Carol's right shoulder.
Carol: Oh no!
At the same time, the hot spit up trails down Carol's back, Ryan has an atomic diaper, with it running down his leg and onto her leg.
Carol: Not you too! OH! Tears stream down her face. Why did I let Mike go to the show and why did Alice have to get sick?
She looks down and sees that spit up and poo have dripped onto the floor. Quickly, she rushes upstairs so that she can get them bathed. She lays the babies in their bassinets, gets out the tubs designed for infants, and prepares their bath water. The babies continue to wail at the top of their lungs.
Carol: When's Mike gonna be home?
Carol picks Ryan out of his bassinet and lays him on the bath mat by the tub while she gets Carolyn for her bath. She strips Ryan down and bathes him, then bathes Carolyn.
Carol: There, two clean babies all ready to go back downstairs. Mama's gotta clean up the mess you two made.
She diapers Carolyn, and gets ready to diaper Ryan. Before she's able to get the diaper on him, he messes himself again.
Carol: Oh! She sighs. I suppose it's back in the bath for you, Mister.
She bathes him for a second time, diapers him, scoops the babies up, and lays them on the bed while she changes out of her soiled clothes.
Carol: Are you ready to go back downstairs and get in your swing?
She lifts Ryan off the bed and cradles him, and then does the same with Carolyn. Then, she makes her way back downstairs.
Carol: Ah kids, I'm not as used to this as I thought.
She places Carolyn in her cradle, then settles Ryan into the first swing. Then, she settles Carolyn into the second and winds both swings.
Carol: There! Two clean babies all nice and settled. Now, no more messes while your mama cleans up the mess.
Carol wets and soaps up a couple rags, and carries a couple dry ones with her, and scrubs the spots left on the living room carpet, landing and stairs.
Carol: I'll get the rest after the twins are down for the night.
As she tosses the rags in the laundry hamper, Alice, bundled in her bathrobe, exits her room.
Carol: Alice, how are you feeling?
Alice: Things have slowed down to a dull rumble, but I'm still feeling a bit rough. How are you doing? I heard the twins earlier and you look exhausted.
Carol: Carolyn spit up all over my shoulder and down my back, and Ryan got me from the other end.
Alice: Do you need any help?
Carol: I'll be all right.
Alice: If you're sure...
Carol: I am.
Alice: Gives her friend a sympathetic look. I'm sorry I wasn't able to help you out tonight.
Carol: Don't worry about it. Got everything under control. Just get some rest and feel better.
Alice: Reconsiders. On second thought, I'm just going to heat me some soup and then go back to bed.
Carol: Would you like me to do it?
Alice: No, I'll do it, Mrs. Brady. I really don't want you to be around me right now; don't want you or the babies to catch whatever I've got.
Carol: You're right. Get some rest.
Alice: Will do.
Carol goes back into the living room to check on the twins. She finds them fast asleep.
Carol: You two are so cute when you're asleep. She beams with pride. I think I'm going to lie down here on the couch and relax until your father and brothers and sisters come home. I hope Jan won. That would be great! She studies her sleeping children. I can't wait until we start doing things like this with the two of you.
Carol stifles a yawn, stretches out on the couch, and immediately falls asleep.
Mike and the kids drive back home. The kids are still full of excitement and Jan is on Cloud Nine. As they enter the house, they continue to chatter about the evening.
Mike: Shh! He puts his finger to his lips. Alice, your mother or the twins may be asleep and we don't want to disturb them. He walks into the living room, sees his wife asleep on the couch and the twins asleep in the swings, and smiles. Shh!
Carol hears the commotion and wakes up. She stretches and rises from the couch.
Carol: Hi honey! How was your evening?
Mike: I'll let Jan tell you. He grins and kisses his wife on the cheek.
Carol: Jan?
Jan: I won!
Carol: What?
The rest of the kids say hello and head upstairs. Ryan startles and begins fussing. Carol turns to get him and Mike stops her.
Mike: I'll get him. Let Jan tell you all about tonight.
Mike cradles his son and begins walking him, as Jan tells Carol about the night.
Carol: Oh Jan, I'm so proud of you! When is State?
Jan: April. The babies will be old enough for you to go.
Carol: I can't wait! When does Mr. Haskell unveil the mural to the public?
Jan: Next week. I got a check for $100 for doing the mural and he's promised me five percent of the profits during Grand Opening next week.
Carol: Wow! Sounds like he's helping you get a good nest egg for college.
Jan: Yes, and I would like to do a few of those summer camps I was told about at the Citywide Show.
Carol: I think that would be great.
Jan: Well, I've got to finish up my homework. She gets up and kisses her mother on the cheek. Good night!
Carol: Good night, sweetheart.
Jan goes upstairs, leaving Mike and Carol alone with the babies. Ryan has calmed and is asleep on his daddy's shoulder. Carolyn is still sleeping in her swing. The couple sits on the couch. Carol snuggles into her husband.
Carol: I'm so happy for Jan. What a night!
Mike: You should've seen her, honey. She was so excited.
Carol: I'm so proud of her.
Mike: So am I.
Carol: I wish I could've been there.
Mike: I know you do. How was everything here tonight?
Carol: Oh, not too bad.
Mike: Good! I was worried that the kids might've been fussy all night.
Carol: Oh, Carolyn spit up all down my back.
Mike: Chuckles. I'm sorry.
Carol: And Ryan went the other way...all down my pant leg and onto the floor.
Mike: Oh no. He's still chuckling.
Carol: And, I wound up bathing both of them, and Ryan twice. As soon as I got Carolyn cleaned up, Ryan messed himself again, so he wound up being bathed twice.
Mike: Poor thing! He kisses the top of her head.
Ryan is still asleep on Mike's shoulder.
Carol: At one point I thought I was going to lose it. Alice offered to help, but I had her go back to bed.
Mike: How's Alice doing?
Carol: She's still sick.
Mike: Stomach bugs are the worst.
Carol: They really are.
Ryan begins squirming and lets out a big scream. Mike and Carol rise from the couch.
Carol: It's about time to feed these little ones and down for the night. I'll get Carolyn if you'll carry Ryan up for me.
Mike: Oh, you'll let me carry up the screaming baby, while you get the quiet one.
Carol: Picking up Carolyn, who seems unfazed by her brother's howls. C'mon, little girl, let's get you and your brother fed.
They go up the stairs. Carol feeds the twins and Mike and Carol put the babies down for the night. They give the babies a quick kiss on the top of their heads, kiss each other good night, crawl into bed and quickly fall asleep.
The Middle of the Night
A baby lets out a big cry, which causes Mike and Carol to sit straight up in bed. Mike crawls out of bed and picks his sobbing son up.
Mike: Ry, you'll wake your sister.
Carol: What time is it? She yawns.
Mike: It's four.
Carol: Stretches out her arms. Here, it's time for him to nurse. Can you bring Carolyn here too?
He hands Ryan over and checks on Carolyn. Mike picks her up and she awakens.
Mike: She was still asleep.
Carol: At least we don't have to worry whether or not the noise of having six older brothers and sisters will be a problem for her.
Mike hands Carolyn to Carol and then sits in bed beside his wife. He admires the babies.
Carol: Look at them. Beams. I can't get over how tiny they are.
Mike: They grow so fast though! He touches Carolyn's foot. It seems like they're longer at the end of the day than they were at the beginning of the day.
Carol: Is pensive. Can you believe if Paige had survived, that we would've had a three year old and six week old twins? I can't imagine chasing around a three year old and juggling twins at the same time.
Mike: That IS hard to believe. He tries to imagine this, then turns serious. How are you feeling about all this?
Carol: I love my life. When we married, I never could've predicted that we'd have eight living children, and one born sleeping. Except for wishing Paige were with us, I wouldn't change a thing. How 'bout you?
Mike: Same here.
He places a gentle kiss on his wife's lips. Ryan finishes nursing, lets out a burp and then howls. Mike reaches for his son.
Mike: I'll take him downstairs, so that he won't disturb the others. I'll bring him up in a few minutes.
Mike makes his way downstairs. Carolyn finishes nursing. Carol puts her on her shoulder and begins to burp her daughter. The baby burps and snuggles into her mother's shoulder. After an hour, Carol begins to wonder if Ryan has calmed down. She places Carolyn in her bassinet and goes downstairs. She sees her husband pacing the floor in the living room, and Ryan wailing at the top of his lungs.
Carol: I'll take him. Go back to bed.
Mike nods absently, passes him over, and goes back upstairs. Carol begins pacing the floor.
Carol: What's wrong, little man?
Ryan tenses up, and tries to curl into a ball. She rubs his back, trying to soothe her son.
Carol: I'm so sorry. I know it hurts.
She tries to nurse her son, but he resists. Then, she swaddles and places him in the baby swing. Soon, he is asleep. Carol stretches out on the couch and immediately falls asleep.
-End of Chapter Two-
A/N-I'd originally said Paige would've been 2. No, she would've been 3, since Carol was pregnant with her during the latter part of Season 2. I corrected it.