First mate's log:

November 18, 1973

Mary Ann hired Peter! I know, Marcia recently fired him for laziness. (And now Jan is the only Brady working at the ice cream parlor.) But Mary Ann thinks he's learned his lesson and deserves a second chance. So she's given him a job as delivery boy.

It'll just be around our island, on his bike, since he's too young to pilot a boat himself. Food delivery is pretty unusual on this island, since everything is so close together. (Even Sam didn't have Greg working as a delivery boy for the butcher shop that long.) But she figures that way people won't have any expectations. And then if there's not much demand, we can always use another waiter at the restaurant.

He won't be working on Sundays, but I saw him after church today. He told me he especially wanted to go, because Bobby saved his life! Their sisters are redecorating their room, and the whole family is pitching in. But yesterday evening, after his delivery shift, Peter was doing yardwork, while Greg was up on a ladder, painting the girls' shutters. Greg got a phone call and climbed in the window to take the call. Peter accidentally snagged the garden hose on the ladder, and it toppled.

The can of paint fell, too, and could've landed on Peter's head! But Bobby thought quickly and pushed Peter out of the way. So instead of Peter's head, two pots got broken.

Peter told the story very dramatically, but Bobby was modest about it, and he was mostly annoyed that he got covered in green paint. Peter swears that Bobby saved his life and Peter will be his "slave for life." I remember when Kalani was my slave, and I hated it. Hopefully, this won't get too out of hand. I mean, gratitude is one thing, but Greg didn't become Bobby's slave when Bobby got them out of Sam's meat locker. He just thanked him and probably bought him ice cream or something.

Anyway, I hope Peter isn't so busy doing favors for Bobby that he misses work. (Not that I don't feel bad for him, but it's not like he actually got hurt. I had more serious accidents on a regular basis in the old days on this island.)

Carol Brady's diary:

November 19, 1973

We're all redecorating the girls' bedroom, but the first thing that got painted was Bobby! There was a mishap in the backyard and Bobby got green paint all over himself while protecting Peter. No one was hurt fortunately, and I found out after the accident, so I had no time to worry.

Peter is very grateful. He swears he'll be Bobby's "slave for life." He's doing favors for him, like polishing Bobby's shoes. I'm not interfering yet. It's almost Thanksgiving, so the kids will be off from school for a few days, and I'm sure Peter will be back to normal by the end of vacation.

As for the redecorating, the girls haven't come to a decision yet on what kind of wallpaper they want, especially to go with the green shutters. We're again getting the paint, paper, and other supplies from Waller's. Charley seems to be over Marcia and the two of them are just good friends. Otherwise, this could be very awkward, especially since she's going steady with Jeff.

November 20, 1973

I talked to Charley Waller for the first time in months, I mean beyond him ordering pizza. He's over Marcia and in fact has a steady girlfriend. But Marcia's boyfriend Jeff saw Marcia and Charley hugging, and he got jealous. Charley told me Marcia was just thanking him for giving her a good deal on the decorating supplies. He asked me if he should explain to Jeff, but I said that he should let Marcia handle it.

I would've asked Mary Ann's advice, but she wasn't feeling well. She thinks it might be the flu, so I had her stay home and I did my best to run the Pizza Parlor without her. Kalani took over the cooking. Unfortunately, Peter wasn't around either, because he was too busy doing Bobby's chores. At least we'll be closed Thursday and Friday, because of Thanksgiving and Black Friday.

November 21, 1973

Marcia broke up with Jeff! She told me in tears about the whole thing. On her last day at Haskell's Ice Cream Parlor, Jeff came in with another girl and ordered two "Lover's Delights." Marcia squirted both Jeff and his date with whipped cream! (No, that's not why Mr. Haskell fired her. She swears she didn't get in trouble for it.)

Jeff admitted to her that he was just trying to make her jealous. They made up and they were seeing more of each other, since she no longer worked at Haskell's. But yesterday, he saw her platonically hugging Charley at the decorating store. Jeff and Marcia had a big spat about it. She's not sure if she wants to make up with him. She feels like they spent more time not getting along, like when he felt like she was neglecting him for her job.

I told her to think if over the next few days. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, so she won't see Jeff, or Charley, at school until Monday. I think spending time focusing on the redecoration project will be good for her. (The girls have settled on a nice yellow floral print wallpaper.) Taking a break from romance, even for less than a week, might help her see things more clearly, whatever she decides.

November 22, 1973

Wow, I have something unexpected to be thankful for! Not that gratitude is the only thing I'm feeling.

We had the Hinkleys, the Howells, the Skipper and Joyce, and Kalani and Ugundi, and the various kids, including Thurston Howell IV (who's in college), over for dinner, at the closed Pizza Parlor. Mary Ann was feeling much better, so she cooked the turkey, but everyone else brought side dishes. It was nice, not just the food but seeing everyone. (The Bradys of course had their own dinner at their house.)

After everybody left, Mary Ann and I did the dishes in the kitchen. (We could get a dishwasher, but in some ways we still live pretty simply, and she never had one growing up on a farm. OK, we do have a washer for clothes, and a dryer, but that's different somehow.)

Anyway, we were listening to the radio and talking, and I mentioned that she hadn't said what she was most thankful for when we went around the table. She just said, "It's hard to narrow down."

Now she said, "I'm thankful for you and the baby."

"Uh, what baby?" We don't know any babies, other than customers' babies.

"The baby I'm going to have next year."

I stared at her. She was smiling but also blushing. I almost dropped the plate I was drying. I carefully set it on the counter and whispered, "You're gonna be a mom?"

"Yes, and you're going to be a dad."

I gave her a big hug and kiss. Then I had her sit down carefully, and I knelt next to her chair. She told me she felt fine. Dr. Howard made a house call on Tuesday, when I thought it was the 24-hour flu. She's two months along, so the baby is due in seven months. She's very happy but nervous.

Dr. Howard said she's very healthy, other than a little morning sickness, which is normal. She can keep working as long as she wants, although she may have to sit down more.

"That's one of the reasons why I hired Peter. Not just because he wants a job, but because I figure we'll need all the help we can get the next few months."

I didn't point out that he hasn't been much help lately, because he's busy being Bobby's "slave." And even if he weren't, I can't see him lasting in the job another seven months. Instead, I asked if she's going to keep working after the baby's born. She said she didn't want to make any big decisions like that just yet. She might take a couple years off and just manage the Pizza Parlor from home, with Kalani as full-time cook. She just knows she likes running a restaurant, and she'd like to combine that with raising a family.

I'll do whatever I can to support her. But this all feels so unreal. We're gonna have a baby together! Even though I'm almost thirty, I don't know if I'm ready for this. Yeah, I've had years of playing uncle to the Brady kids, but that's not the same. At least I'll have seven months to get used to the idea, and obviously Mary Ann will be a great mom.

She doesn't want to tell anyone else just yet. She wants to get to the end of the first trimester. (That's the first three months. There are three trimesters in a pregnancy.) I wish I could at least talk to the Skipper about it, but she's not even telling Ginger yet. Yeah, I may write about it more in this journal, but I'm still sorting through all I think and feel about it.

All I know is I'm very thankful for my amazing wife, and my life with her that I never imagined nine years ago.

November 23, 1973

We had a very nice Thanksgiving as always yesterday, and yet. Alice's cooking was delicious of course, and I think my contributions, and Marcia's, turned out well. No one let worries about weight gain stop them at that meal.

But I am worried about both Marcia and Peter, for different reasons. She's unhappy about her relationship with Jeff, but it's not easy to break up with him, even if she feels it's the right thing to do. As for Peter, he's running himself ragged, doing Bobby's chores and other favors for Bobby. I know, I should put a stop to it, but at least they're not in school right now. If this is still going on on Sunday, I will talk to Bobby and let him know he can't keep using Peter like this, even if Peter seems willing.

Meanwhile, we got some more of the redecoration done, but we're putting off the wallpapering until Saturday, because of the smell. The girls will sleep over at one of Marcia's friend's houses that night. By Sunday night, the odor should've faded.