The Brady Eight: Just Starting Out
A Welcome Aboard Sequel
Chapter 12
A/N1—Wow! Over 100 reviews! Thank you so much for all your reviews and Private Messages! They're very constructive and help me in the direction of this story. Also, sorry about formatting issues. For some reason, this website loves to mess up the formatting. Tried using different browsers, and no dice. I try to manually fix them when I feel like it, but sometimes, not so much. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing.
The end of May. Greg has completed his first year in college. Nora's about to fly back home for thesummer.
At the airport
Greg: Hugs his girlfriend. I wish you didn't have to go back.
Nora: Sighs. I know, but it's only for two and a half months. I'll be back the middle of August.
Greg: It just feels a long way off.
Nora: Steps back a bit, but keeps her hands clasped behind his neck. I still think you should fly up in July to meet my folks.
Greg: I may just do that. Smiles. I've got a couple weeks vacation. I'll have to use some of that to go camping with the family, but I can use most of the rest to come see you.
Nora: Excited. Would you?
Greg: Absolutely!
They hear the boarding call for Nora's flight over the PA system.
Voice: Pan Am flight 349 to Portland now boarding.
Nora: Picks up her bag. That's me. Gotta go.
Greg: Gives her a quick peck on the lips. Call me tonight.
Nora: I will. I miss you already.
Greg: See you soon!
Nora: You'll book your flight?
Greg: As soon as I can get it cleared with my boss. Kisses her again. You gotta go. I love you!
Nora: Love you too!
They reluctantly end their embrace. Nora gets in line to board the plane. Soon, she disappears into the tarmac. Greg stands by the window, spots her and waves. She smiles and blows him a kiss before stepping onto the airplane. He watches the plane as it taxis down the runway and takes off.
Meanwhile, at the Bradys
Marcia is frantically preparing for graduation. She slips on her dress and then her gown.
Marcia: Studies herself in the mirror. Guess that's good.
She runs a brush through her hair once more and exits her room. Jan steps out of her and Cindy's room.
Jan: Hey, you look great!
Marcia: Thanks!
Jan: You nervous?
Marcia: No, but this feels so final, so surreal.
Jan: Well, it is final. After tonight, you'll no longer be in high school.
Marcia: Yeah.
Jan: When are you telling mom and dad you're moving out?
Marcia: Feels a pit in her stomach. I'd thought about waiting until Suzy's father brings the truck over, but that would probably be a bit cruel.
Jan: A bit? She chuckles.
Carol: Stepping out of her bedroom. What would be a bit cruel?
Marcia and Jan gulp.
Jan: Well, here's you cue. Good luck.
Carol passes Ryan to Jan as she heads for the living room.
Marcia: Feels like a deer in headlights. Uhh, I'm moving out next week.
Carol: Pained. What?
Marcia: You know that Suzy Norris and I are getting a duplex together.
Carol: With what money? You don't have a job.
Marcia: I know. It's one of Mr. Norris's duplexes. He's not charging us anything because Suzy needed a housemate. Remember?
Carol: Yes, but I didn't think you'd be moving out until the beginning of the semester. Trying not to get choked up. I was trying to forget.
Marcia: Sympathetic. Mom, it's okay. Just like Greg, I'll only be across town. And, I'll be working part-time at that dress shop off of First Street.
Carol: Fashionista's?
Marcia: Yeah.
Carol: When did you apply?
Marcia: Yesterday. And the manager hired me on the spot.
Carol: Studies her oldest daughter and beams. I am so proud of you.
Marcia: Blushes. Thanks. Pauses. Mom, could you help me put on the mortar board?
Carol: Sure.
They go into the master bedroom. Marcia sits at the vanity while Carol styles her hair and affixes the mortar board.
Carol: How's that?
Marcia: Perfect.
Mike enters the room, carrying Carolyn.
Mike: Carol, have you seen my tie? He stops and takes in the sight.
Marcia: How do I look?
Mike: Stunning. Just like your mother.
Carol notices Carolyn's wearing a different outfit from the one she picked.
Carol: She's not wearing the pink dress?
Mike: No. She had a dirty diaper and it leaked onto the hem. So, I thought the purple dress Sam and Alice got her would work.
Carol: We were going to save it for Alice's shower tomorrow. How 'bout putting her in the blue one?
Mike: All right.
He leaves and switches Carolyn's outfit. Marcia and Carol meet him as he exits the nursery, with Carolyn wearing the blue drress.
Carol: Thanks. She kisses her husband on the cheek.
Soon, the Bradys are off to graduation.
At the High School auditorium
Mike parks the car and the family gets out. Marcia makes her way to meet her class. The rest of the Bradys find their seats.
Mike: How are these seats?
Carol: Surveys the view. Perfect.
As soon as they sit, Ryan and Carolyn begin fussing. Mike tries to console Ryan and Carol juggles Carolyn.
Carol: Cindy, can you look in the diaper bag and see if I brought their pacifiers?
Cindy: Looks through the bag. Found 'em! She pulls two out and hands one to her mom and dad.
Mike: Here you go, little man!
Ryan calms down, but Carolyn will not be consoled.
Carol: You still hungry? You didn't eat much earlier. Cindy, can you get out the blue blanket?
Cindy hands the blanket over, and takes the pacifier. Carol adjusts herself, keeping the blanket over Carolyn and herself.
Carol: There you go, sweetheart.
Greg enters the auditorium, looks around, and spots his family.
Mike: Stands up and signals. Greg, over here.
Greg nods and joins his family.
Carol: Nora's flight take off on time?
Greg: It was about thirty minutes late, but they got underway. She'll call me tonight when she gets in.
Mike: Good!
Greg: When's our camping trip? I need to arrange some time off for the trip, and I also want to go up to Nora's place to meet her folks.
Carol raises an eyebrow in curiosity.
Mike: This sounds serious. Are you two serious?
Greg: Blushes. She's the girl I want to marry, but we're nowhere near ready to get married.
Carol lets out the breath she'd been holding.
Mike: Good. You two aren't ready to get married yet.
Greg: As we've said before, we want to get through college and medical school before we tie the knot.
Mike: You have a good head on your shoulders.
Greg: Thanks. Nora will get out of nursing school and be able to work while I go to medical school and residency, so we'll be somewhat financially secure.
Mike: I'm really proud the two of you are thinking this through.
Greg: Now, about the camping trip?
Mike: The weekend of the 28th.
Greg: Great! I could take off work the 27th, come back from the camping trip Sunday the 29th, fly out to see Nora on the 30th, be there for the Fourth, and come back home on the ninth.
Mike: Do you have that much vacation time built up?
Greg: I've got two weeks. That way, I'll have a couple days to spare. I don't want to take all my vacation time at once.
Mike: Smart thinking.
Soon, it's time for the graduates to process into the auditorium. Carolyn finishes, so Carol puts her over her shoulder to burp.
Carol: Gets sentimental. My baby girl!
Greg and Bobby take pictures. Mike touches his wife's shoulder in support. Soon, the principal calls out the names of the graduating seniors. One by one, the seniors walk across the stage, receive their diplomas, and move their tassels from the right to the left.
Principal: Marcia Ann Brady!
Peter: Stands up and yells. WAY TO GO, MARCIA!
He raises his hand and blows an air horn. Ryan spits out his pacifier and screams at the top of his lungs.
Mike: PETER! Annoyed.
Peter: Sheepishly. Sorry.
Ryan continues to wail, so Mike leaves the auditorium. He watches the rest of the ceremony via the closed-circuit television in the hallway. Soon, the last person crosses the stage, takes his hat off, and the entire senior class tosses their mortar boards up in the air. After the graduates recess out, families make their way to their graduates. Mike and a now calm Ryan rejoin their family and find Marcia.
Jan: Mom, do you want me to take her?
Carol nods and passes Carolyn over.
Carol: Embraces her oldest daughter. Congratulations!
Marcia: Thanks.
Greg and Bobby take pictures.
Mike: Peter?
Peter takes Ryan, and before he starts to fuss, Peter gives Ryan a pacifier.
Mike: Congratulations, sweetheart. Gives his daughter a hug.
Marcia gets pictures with her family and friends. Suzy and her family join the Bradys. Marcia and Suzy squeal and envelop each other in a celebratory hug.
Suzy: We did it!
Marcia: We sure did!
Suzy: Did you tell your folks about moving out?
Marcia: Yeah, but I don't think it had crossed mom's mind. She said she forgot.
Mr. Norris: Mr., Mrs. Brady.
Mike: Call me Mike.
Mr. Norris: Call me Thomas.
Mike: Thomas, this is my wife, Carol.
Carol: Hello.
Thomas: This is my wife, Anna.
Anna: Good to meet you.
Mike: Marcia was telling us that she's moving in with Suzy in one of your duplexes.
Thomas: Yes, if that's all right.
Mike: Sure.
Carol: We thought they'd be moving right before semester begins.
Anna: I wanted them to wait, but Suzy's all excited about being on her own.
Carol: Marcia too.
Marcia: Mom, this way Suzy and I can be settled in before school starts.
Suzy: Exactly.
Marcia: Smiles. And I know Peter and Jan are chomping at the bit to find out who gets the attic.
At the Brady house
The Bradys, except Greg, return to the house. Mike and Carol carry the twins up to the nursery, so Carol can feed them before they put them to bed. Marcia, Jan and Peter go up to the attic.
Marcia: Peter, why are you following us? I've got to change.
Peter: Surveys the room. I could put my bed over there and my dresser over there...
Jan: You? Me. This is my room after Marcia moves out.
Marcia: Rolls her eyes. I should stay through my first two years of college, then neither of you would get the room.
Jan: Smirks. Well... there's always Alice's suite!
Peter: Hey yeah! You can have the attic and I'll take the suite.
Marcia: There. It's settled. She pushes Peter and Jan to the steps. Now both of you, out!
Jan follows behind, and closes Marcia's door behind them.
Jan: Whaddya say, Pete? You take Alice's suite and I'll take the attic? Alice's suite always felt a bit claustrophobic for me.
Peter: Agreed. I don't mind her suite. In fact, I like how private and out of the way it is.
Jan: Let's shake on it. She holds her hand out. I'll take the attic and you'll take Alice's suite. Deal?
Peter: Deal.
Mike walks out of the nursery and hears the end of their conversation.
Mike: What's "deal?"
Peter: Me and Jan...uhh, Jan and I have worked out who gets the attic.
Mike: Oh?
Peter: Yes. Since Alice is getting married and moving in with Sam, her suite will be free.
Jan: And since I think Alice's suite is claustrophobic, I'd rather have the attic.
Peter: And, I'd rather have Alice's suite because it's away from everything.
Mike: And the two of you are okay with it?
Peter and Jan: Yes.
Mike: I'm proud of you for negotiating.
Peter and Jan say goodnight and Mike goes back into the nursery. The twins are finishing up.
Carol: What was that all about?
Mike: The kids negotiated who gets the attic.
Carol: Oh? Changes the subject a bit. Can you take her?
Mike: Yes.
He lifts Carolyn and explains the arrangement Peter and Jan made.
Carol: That's perfect! She smiles. We've got great kids!
Mike: We do!
He gives her a kiss on the cheek.
-End of Chapter 12-
A/N2—When I graduated high school, my older brother stood up and yelled, like Peter did. Well, he didn't have an air horn though. Some friends and I took air horns into another friend's college graduation and blew them while her department was lining up. We called her name and blew them. No one was speaking at the microphone, so we didn't interrupt anything. Just had to include this fun memory! And, nope, no wailing babies at that graduation.