The Brady Eight: Just Starting Out
A Welcome Aboard Sequel
Chapter 21
End of August. The younger four Brady kids started school the weekend after Peter and Jan's party. Today, Marcia starts her first day of school and Greg begins his second year. Peter and Jan are Juniors in High School, Bobby's in 8th grade and Cindy's in 7th. The twins are almost 9 months old.
The night before Marcia starts college. Lewis and Rose Howard prepare dinner (beef casserole, green beans, fruit salad and rolls) for Marcia and Suzy.
Rose: Puts a casserole on the table. I made beef casserole. I hope you enjoy.
Marcia: It looks delicious.
Suzy: Thank you for having us over.
Lewis: It's our pleasure! It's not every day you start your first day in college.
Rose: Have you declared a major?
Marcia: I'm going into fashion merchandising and design.
Rose: Curious. Oh?
Marcia: I want to become a fashion designer and start a clothing line of my own.
Rose: That sounds exciting!
Suzy: I want to go into nursing.
Lewis: Wonderful! We need good nurses.
Rose: That, we do. Have you registered for your classes?
Marcia: Yes. I got all my classes.
Rose: What are you taking?
Marcia: American Sign Language, Fashion Sketching for Design I, English Composition, Basic Drawing Techniques, College Algebra, and The Business of Fashion.
Rose: And you, Suzy?
Suzy: Nursing as a Societal and Interpersonal Profession, Biochemistry, English, Psychology, Latin and Statistics.
Lewis: Wow! That sounds like a hard semester.
Suzy: Yes, but it'll all be worth it. I've always wanted to be a nurse. Even when I was little, I'd pretend to nurse my baby dolls back to health.
Rose: You've got a kind heart, love.
Marcia: The casserole is delicious!
Rose: Thank you! It's really easy to make. You get your beef and brown it up. Then, add salsa, a can of corn, a little bit of mayo or Miracle Whip, tortilla chips, cheese, and a little bit of chili powder. Then, you bake it at three-fifty for twenty minutes.
Suzy: I may have to try making it sometime.
Rose: If you do and you need help, you know where to find me. Speaking of easy to make, Marcia, how did your meatloaf turn out?
Marcia: It turned out pretty good. I left it in a little too long, so it was a bit burned on the edges, but it was still good.
Rose: Oh, that's easy to do. I've done that a few times myself.
They finish up supper and Suzy helps clear the dishes.
Lewis: Marcia, does your car still make that knocking sound?
Marcia: Yes sir.
Lewis: C'mon and I'll take a look at it for you. Don't want it breaking down on your first day.
Lewis pops the hood, instructs her to start the car and he listens.
Lewis: Okay, you can shut it off.
Marcia: Does as instructed. What do you think it is?
Lewis: Sounds like you need some new spark plugs. Let's go down to the auto parts store and get you some new ones.
Lewis takes her down to the shop where Greg works. Greg waits on them.
Greg: What can I do for you, sir? He spots Marcia. Oh, hey Marcia!
Lewis: I need to get some spark plugs for a 1974 Chevrolet Caprice convertible.
Greg: Chuckles. Whadya do to the car?
Marcia: Rolls her eyes. Nothing.
Greg: I'll get you the spark plugs. He finds the correct ones and rings up the price.
Marcia starts to pay, and Lewis stops her.
Lewis: Save your money. I'll get it.
Marcia: You don't have to. I can get it.
Lewis: I wouldn't hear of it.
Lewis pays for the spark plugs.
Greg: See you at mom and dad's tomorrow night? I know mom will want to know how your first day went.
Marcia: Sure. See you tomorrow!
Lewis and Marcia leave the store and go back to the duplex. He switches out the spark plugs.
Lewis: Now, try it again.
Marcia starts the car and the vehicle purrs.
Lewis: Closes the hood. You can turn it off now. Looks like that took care of the problem.
Marcia: Thanks! I appreciate it.
Lewis: You're most welcome.
The next day, Suzy and Marcia carpool to the university. They're both anxious and excited about starting this new journey.
Suzy: What do you have first?
Marcia: I've got English Composition at nine with Dr. Bond.
Suzy: Smirks. James Bond?
Marcia: Chuckles. Dunno. Guess I'll find out. It's from nine to ten, then The Business of Fashion with Dr. Smith is at eleven-thirty. Guess between those classes, I can get my books.
Suzy: I've got Biochemistry with Dr. Brooks at nine-thirty and Statistics with Dr. Fletcher at ten-thirty. I'll get my books over lunch. I've got English with Dr. Cain at one.
Marcia: I've got Fashion Sketching for Design I with Dr. Blaylock at one-thirty, then I'm done for the day.
Suzy: I've got Psychology, Nursing as a Societal and Interpersonal Profession, and Latin tomorrow.
Marcia: I've got American Sign Language, Basic Drawing Techniques, and College Algebra.
Suzy: Well, I'll see you at the Student Center at three.
Marcia: Okay. See you then!
They go their separate ways. Marcia's first class goes by quickly. She stops by the bookstore to buy her books, and is shocked by the total price. Greg had told her to buy used books whenever she could, but even with that, the total was twice what she'd expected. Thankfully, she had enough cash to carry the cost. Then, she goes to her second class, eats lunch, and attends her afternoon class. After it's over, she meets Suzy at the Student Center.
Marcia: Hey Suzy! How were your classes?
Suzy: Good, but I think Biochemistry is going to be hard.
Marcia: I can't believe how expensive books are.
Suzy: No kidding! I broke the bank.
Marcia: Me too! Spies a notice board. Lets check out what clubs and groups they've got.
Suzy: Okay. I'm not doing sororities though. I had enough sorority mentality with the Westdale Boosters.
Marcia: Chuckles. I'm glad I decided not to join. I don't think I want to do a sorority either.
They look over the board and spot some interesting clubs.
Marcia: Ooh! They've got a ceramics club! I liked the club at Westdale.
Suzy: They've got photography. I may do that one.
Marcia: Excited. Maybe I should try that one. I may need those skills going into fashion merchandising and design.
They write down the information.
Suzy: Let's get home and do our homework before dinner.
Marcia: I'm going over to mom and dad's for dinner. Mom and dad will want to know how my first day went.
Suzy and Marcia go back to their house and work on their homework until it's time for Marcia to go over to her family home.
At the Brady House
Marcia pulls up to the driveway and meets Greg getting out of his car.
Greg: I see that you got your car fixed. Was that your next door neighbour with you?
Marcia: Yeah. He and his wife live in the other side of the duplex. They're really nice people.
Greg: How was your first day?
Marcia: It was okay, I guess. I can't believe how expensive the books are.
Greg: Yeah, they can really break the bank. You did buy used books when you could, didn't you?
Marcia: Absolutely! I wouldn't be able to afford them if I'd bought them all new.
As they walk into the family room, they see their mother, playing with the twins. Ryan startles when Greg opens the sliding glass door. Carol stands up to greet her oldest children.
Carol: Hugs her eldest daughter. Marcia!
Marcia: Hi, mom!
Ryan, who had been sitting on the floor facing the kitchen, turns around, holds his arms toward his mother and sobs. Carol retrieves her youngest son.
Carol: Mama's not going anywhere! Kisses the tears on his cheek. Aww, sweetheart.
Marcia: Picks Carolyn up. Hey, baby sis!
Carolyn smiles and pats her on the cheek.
Carol: How did your first day go?
They sit on the couch together.
Marcia: Fast! I think I'm going to like my Fashion Sketching for Design class. Dr. Blaylock seems to really know her stuff.
Carol: Great!
Marcia: My Business of Fashion class is gonna kill me.
Carol: Oh?
Marcia: Yeah. I've been told Dr. Smith is a slave driver.
Carol: When's your Sign Language class?
Marcia: Tomorrow at ten.
Greg: I've got it at ten too. Dr. Fitzgerald?
Marcia: Yep.
Carol: Amused. You're in the same class?
Marcia: Guess so!
Greg: Nora's in there too.
Marcia: Surprised. Really? That's awesome!
Ryan chews on his toy. The timer on the oven dings. Carol looks down at Ryan and then at Greg apologetically.
Carol: Will you take him? That's dinner.
Greg: Sure. He lifts Ryan off her lap. C'mere, little man.
Carol gets the casserole out of the oven and puts it on the dining room table. Ryan looks toward the kitchen and bawls. She puts the rest of dinner on the table before going back to the living room.
Greg: Grabs a toy to distract him. Here ya go!
Ryan fusses until he sees Carol come back into the room. She picks him up.
Carol: Thanks for trying. He's been rather clingy today. Can you go get your brothers and sisters and tell them dinner's ready?
Greg: Sure.
Marcia helps Carol with the twins, while Greg lets the rest of the kids know dinner's ready. He knocks on Jan's bedroom door first.
Jan: Come in!
He opens the door and sees her and Peter going over their Sign Language homework.
Peter: Jan, it's this way. He signs, "I'm going to the restaurant."
Jan: Cracks up. Pete, you just signed, "I'm going to the cigarette!" It's like this. She signs it correctly. See?
Greg: Goes up the stairs. Whacha doing?
Peter: Our ASL homework.
Greg: You two in the same class?
Jan: Yeah.
Greg: So are me and Marcia.
Jan: Bet mom's excited about that.
Greg: She is. Oh, and she told me to tell you it's dinnertime.
Jan: Thanks! She signs, "Time to eat!"
Peter: Okay. He signs, "I'm hungry."
Greg chuckles and knocks on Cindy's door. Peter and Jan go downstairs.
Greg: Cindy! Dinner!
Cindy: Exits her room. Thanks! Hey!
They walk to Bobby's room and Greg knocks on his door.
Bobby: What?
Greg: Dinner!
The four of them go downstairs and see the rest gathering at the table.
Carol: Mike, can you take him? I forgot to get the salad out of the refrigerator.
She starts to pass Ryan over, but he clings to her. Marcia places Carolyn in her high chair.
Mike: I'll go get it. Anything else?
Carol: She looks at the table. Get a jar of green beans and black berries.
Mike gets the salad and baby food jars. Carol tries to put Ryan in his high chair, but he's having none of that.
Mike: Do you want me to get him?
Carol: Sighs. No. I'll hold him in my lap. He's been like this all day.
The family sits down to dinner.
Mike: Marcia, how was your first day?
Marcia: It's different. She tells him about her classes. I did find a couple clubs that I wanna try out.
Mike: Oh?
Marcia: Yes. Ceramics and Photography. I like ceramics, but photography is probably a good thing for me to learn about since I want to go into fashion.
Mike: Good thinking, but do you really want to do photography? I know you've not been interested in it in the past.
Marcia: I'm willing to give it a try. If I don't like it, I don't have to stay in the club. Besides, Suzy's also signing up for the club.
Jan: So, are you going to join a sorority?
Marcia: Probably not. I had my fill those few days I was trying out for the Westdale Boosters.
Mike: How was your day, Greg?
Greg: Good. I like my classes. Anatomy and Physiology is going to eat my lunch, but I'm ready for the challenge. Marcia and I'm going to be in the same ASL class.
Bobby: Just like Peter and Jan!
Marcia: When do you two start ASL?
Carol: We all start after Labor Day.
Greg: Are Alice and Sam, Grandma and Grandpa Brady and Grandma and Grandpa Tyler still going to take classes?
Carol: I believe so.
Peter: Signs, "Pass the casserole, Jan."
Jan: Doesn't understand. The what?
Peter: Fingerspells, "C-A-S-S-E-R-O-L-E."
Jan: Oh! She passes the dish. Signs, "Pass the bread, Peter."
Peter: Passes the basket. Signs, "Here you go."
Jan: Signs, "Thanks!"
Marcia: To Cindy. Do they always do this?
Cindy: Mom and dad think we should practice together as much as possible.
Carol: We need to learn so that we can teach and communicate with Carolyn. She starts Early Intervention after Labor Day.
Marcia: What's that?
Carol: It's a program where speech, occupational, and physical therapists, and other professionals work with children with different handicaps and disabilities, up to age three.
Greg: Interested. Will they also work with Ryan?
Mike: Yes. And they'll work with your mother and me.
Greg: Will they teach her "total communication"?
Carol: Yes. We want her to be able to speak and lip read as well as sign.
Greg: Would Nora and I be allowed to observe some sessions? Since we want to be in the health care field, this might be helpful. I promise we won't get in the way, and we won't be at every session.
Carol: I have no problem with that.
Ryan smacks the spoon out of his mother's hand and it drops to the floor.
Carol: Ryan.
Ryan giggles.
Greg: Thanks.
Mike: When we begin to gain proficiency in ASL, I want us to have some evenings where we just sign, and I'd like you and Marcia to come over for some of them. And you two need to practice together as much as possible.
Marcia: Since we'll be in the same class, that won't be difficult.
Greg: And since Nora's in the class too, the three of us can sign together.
Jan: Changes the subject. Marcia, is Charlie Johnson at the university?
Marcia: Disappointed. No, he decided to go to Stanford.
Jan: Oh. I'm sorry.
Marcia: Yeah, me too, but he got a full scholarship there, so I can't blame him.
Cindy: Smirks. Any prospects?
Marcia: Blushes. I dunno. I just started at the university.
Bobby: Well Greg met Nora on his first day.
Marcia: Rolls her eyes. Whatever.
Mike: Okay, that'll do.
Marcia gives her dad a "Thanks, dad" look. Carolyn finishes her dinner and is ready to get out of her high chair.
Mike: You want out?
He lifts her out of the chair and places her in his lap while the rest of the kids converse.
Greg: Anything else going on?
Bobby: I'm going out for baseball.
Greg: Great! Let me know if you want some pointers.
Bobby: Sure.
Greg: You still working for Sam?
Bobby: Only in the summer. Mom and dad don't want it interfering with school. Rolls his eyes. They think a job during school would interfere.
Greg: Well, a job during school does take up a lot of time.
Cindy: I'm hoping to place in the school spelling bee again. I want to make it to State...or even Nationals.
Bobby: Me too. Might as well try again. Maybe I'll get to go to Nationals.
Jan: I'm still on the debate team. I'm hoping to be captain this year.
Greg: Great! Be sure to let Nora know.
Jan: We're already talking. She's given me good pointers.
Bobby: And Peter's doing Julie.
Carol: Horrified. Bobby!
Bobby: Blushes. Err. That came out wrong. Gulps.
Peter: Outraged. I can't believe you said that!
Bobby: Downcast. Sorry. Regroups. I meant...
Peter: Cuts him off. I don't care what you meant.
The rest of the kids want to disappear.
Peter: Deflects the tension. I'm going out for the archery team.
Marcia: They have an archery team at Westdale?
Jan: Yeah. It's new this year.
Peter: I liked it at scout camp a couple years ago, so why not try it again?
Marcia: Great! Let me know when your archery tournaments are. I'd like to see them.
Soon, the family finishes with dinner. Marcia and Greg help the others clean up. The oldest two Brady kids get ready to leave. Carol is in the family room with the twins. Carolyn is playing underneath a baby gym and Ryan is sitting in Carol's lap on the floor.
Marcia: I need to go on home.
Carol: Gets up. Ryan clings to her and starts to fuss. It's okay, Ryan. Mama's not going to put you down. To Marcia: Hope you have a good day tomorrow. Call and let us know how it goes. She hugs her oldest daughter.
Marcia: Bye, Ry! She tickles his neck and he giggles. Bye, mom and yes, I'll call. She bends down and tickles Carolyn. Bye, little sis!
Greg: Comes into the family room. I'm gone.
He embraces his mother and brother.
Carol: Have a good day tomorrow!
Greg: Thanks.
He, too, tells Carolyn goodbye. He and Marcia exit the house.
Outside the Brady house
Greg and Marcia walk to their cars.
Marcia: See you tomorrow.
Greg: Yeah. Glad you had a good first day.
Marcia: Chuckles. Better than my first day at Westdale.
Greg: That was bad, but you made it.
Marcia: Boy! I was uptight then.
Greg: You've loosened up a lot. You're going to do just fine in college.
Marcia: Smiles. Thanks, Greg. That means a lot. Well, I'd better go.
Greg: Me too.
They get in their cars and go back to their homes.
-End of Chapter 21-
A/N—Sorry this chapter is shorter, but it just seemed to come to a natural end.