DISCLAIMER: The Facts of Life and its characters are the property of Columbia Pictures Television and Sony Pictures Television, no infringement intended.
SERIES: This is the latest in my Post Peekskill Series. It has references to earlier stories, Recoveries and Gifts.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
The Season Finale
By Fayne
"He asked you to marry him?!?"
"That's right, Tootie, the big M. The old ball and chain. Till death do us part. The whole shebang."
"Oh, Nat! This is so exciting. So is there a ring? Let me see the ring."
"Hold off on the jewelry appraisal," Natalie requested. "Who are you? Blair? I haven't said yes."
"You turned him down?!?" Tootie exclaimed.
"No, I just said that I needed some time to think about it."
"But he's great. Handsome, kind, a doctor, Jewish. Your mother loves him."
"No kidding. Oedipus redux over at the Greene household," Natalie declared. "I know Aaron's great but…"
"And," Tootie interjected, "he helped usher TJ into the world."
"Blair, Jo and I ushered TJ into the world, Tootie. I have the hand fractures to show for it."
"True," Tootie conceded. "But he was still involved so I'll always have soft spot for him. Anyway Natalie, you seem really good together. He seems like someone you could, I don't know, settle down with."
"You think I should settle down?" Natalie asked, with a hint of irritation.
"Well…."
"What?"
All right, it's just that Blair and Jo have each other and I have Jeff and TJ and it would be nice if you had someone special, too," Tootie declared.
"And you think that I don't?" Natalie inquired.
"C'mon Nat. You've always enjoyed playing the field. Which is fine, don't get me wrong. It's just at some point, it's time to, I don't know, grow up. Make a life with someone. Do you want coffee?" Tootie gestured at the passing waitress.
Natalie stared at her. "Make a life; I need to make a life? What have the past twenty seven years been – primordial ooze?"
"Ooze?"
"I have a life Tootie; I don't need to make one," Natalie snapped.
"I know that; I just thought…."
"You just thought that I needed someone to help me, how did you put it, grow up?"
"Nat, I didn't mean …."
"You know what? I'm going to pass on the coffee. I have to get back to work. Which is how I spend my empty days until that certain someone comes along. Here's some money. I'll talk to you later."
Natalie arose and strode out of the restaurant.
"What did I say?" Tootie inquired of the empty air.
"She was so touchy," Tootie complained to Jo the next day, as they were sitting on a bench beside a Central Park playground. "All I wanted to do was congratulate her."
"Well, Nat always gets her back up if she thinks people don't respect her choices," Jo commented. "Remember how defensive she got when she decided to postpone college?"
"I suppose. I tried to call her but she had already left for her assignment. I hate that she left in a huff. What if something happens? Her last memory will be of us fighting," Tootie fretted.
"Tootie, she's going to cover a Presidential news conference. Hardly a war zone. Although now that I think about it, all that hot air could be toxic."
"Good point," Tootie agreed. "Are you having fun with Frankie, TJ?" She called out to her daughter who was playing in the nearby sandbox.
"Ma ma ma fra fra fra," the eight month old replied enthusiastically, waving her plastic shovel at the two year old Frank St-Clair-Perlmutter digging furiously next to her.
Tootie smiled. "They make a cute pair, don't they? You know, Jo, it's really nice of you to spend so much time with Boots' son."
"I enjoy it. Frank's a surprisingly fun kid, given his lineage. And Boots says she likes leaving him with me so that he can be exposed to --what does she call it-- masculine energy. I don't know who that insults more--me, or her husband Howard."
Tootie laughed. "Ah that Boots. So when does Blair get back?"
"She's flying from Paris to Washington on Friday. She's going to overlap with Nat in DC, actually. They're taking the shuttle back together on Saturday."
"Blair Warner, Head of the International Division of Warner Industries. Quite a promotion. Although I was sort of surprised she decided to leave the Foundation."
"It was time to move on," Jo avowed. "She'd accomplished what she wanted. And this is the next step in her father's master plan to have her take over the company one day."
"The travel must be hard on you," Tootie offered sympathetically.
"It does suck but Blair really wanted to try the job. And given how much I've put her through with my career choices, I really can't complain."
"Excuse me. You're Daniella Haynes, aren't you?" A breathless girl of about sixteen materialized before the duo.
"Well, I play her on TV," Tootie smiled.
"Ohmygod. Ohmygod. I told Marlie, but she didn't believe me." She waved excitedly at her friend lurking nearby. "Could I have your autograph?"
"Sure," Tootie replied graciously. "What's your name?"
"Tiffany," the girl replied, holding out pen and paper.
"OK. 'To Tiffany, best wishes, Dorothy Ramsey aka Daniella Haynes,'" Tootie narrated and then signed with a flourish.
"Thank you so much. I just love your show." Tiffany looked over at Jo quizzically. "You look familiar too. Are you somebody?"
"Nope," Jo stated.
"This is Lieutenant Jo Polniaczek," Tootie interjected. "She's a real cop. You may have seen her in the papers. She got the Mayor's Medal for bravery in the line of duty."
"For being stupid enough to get thrown off a roof," Jo muttered to herself.
"You should get her autograph, too," Tootie suggested.
"You're not on TV?" Tiffany asked
"Nope," Jo confirmed.
"Well then, never mind. Thanks a lot Miss Ramsey," the teen exclaimed as she skipped away.
Jo laughed. "Glad to see Tiffany has her priorities straight. So Tootie, I must say, this role is bringing you a lot of attention." Tootie had landed a part as a hospital security officer on the top rated medical drama on television.
"It is. More than all my Broadway work combined. And this new plot line is going to generate even more buzz."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. My character's going to get romantically involved with one of the doctors."
"What a surprise," Jo said sarcastically. "When they have time to practice medicine at that place is beyond me. It's about the last hospital in the world where I'd want to get treated, given that the whole staff spends their time doing it in the supply closet."
"Well, in this case, there's a little wrinkle. It's for the May sweeps."
"Wrinkle?"
"Yes. The doctor I get involved with is Christine Wharton, the snooty chief of surgery. In the season ender we engage in a full tongue kiss."
"Well, well, well," Jo uttered approvingly. "Girl on girl action. That's kinda cool. So how do you feel about it?"
"It'll be a challenge," Tootie admitted. "I've never played a scene exactly like it before. It's supposed to be this eruption of unexpected lust. A surprise for both of them, given the race, gender and class issues, although the feelings have been simmering all season long. I need to be able to sell the moment." Tootie looked at Jo appraisingly. "I wonder…."
Out of the blue, Tootie leaned over, grabbed Jo's head, and pressed her lips to her companion's. Jo froze in shock for a moment and then jerked away.
"Tootie! What the fuck?!"
"Fuck," young Frank repeated gleefully.
Jo recoiled. "Truck, I said truck, Frankie."
"'kay," Frank replied, returning to his excavation.
Jo glared at her friend. "Well?"
"I just wanted to try it out," the actress replied calmly. "See how different it would be to suddenly kiss a woman in passion. Consider it an experiment."
"What? Now I'm your lesbian guinea pig?" Jo sputtered.
"Well, you were available," Tootie pointed out reasonably. "Anyway Jo, don't look so repulsed. Did I do something wrong? Maybe we should try it again."
"No, we should not try it again!" Jo yelled.
"Well, sorry I disgusted you." Tootie looked hurt.
Jo now felt bad. "Tootie, your… um… technique was fine. It's just that I consider you my little sister. I don't suck face with my sister. Particularly at the playground in front of her kid."
"Oh all right," Tootie sniffed. After a minute she added, "But the mechanics were OK? The right level of Sapphic intensity?"
Jo rolled her eyes. "Yes. Sapphic. Intense. All good."
"That's encouraging," Tootie declared. As she and Jo turned their attention back to the children in the sand box, they didn't notice Tiffany nearby, putting her camera away.
"So you really got to have lunch with the President?" Blair asked Natalie, as they approached the gate for the shuttle flight back to New York. "What was he like?"
"Smart, engaging, attractive. A lot of sexual energy. I'd do him."
"Nat! That's the leader of the free world you're talking about."
"Yeah, but you can tell he's a horndog. It'll get him into hot water one day. Oh look," Natalie said, pointing to the airline's complementary periodical rack. "They're giving away copies of the Enquirer. I love the Enquirer."
"I can't believe you read trashy tabloids," Blair tut-tutted.
"Hey, you'd be surprised. They often get stories the rest of us miss," Natalie proclaimed as she flipped through the pages. Her eyes widened. "Like this one, for example. 'TV and Broadway actress Dorothy Ramsey,'" Natalie read aloud, "'caught at a Central Park playground, enjoying a tender moment with an unidentified gal pal.'" She showed Blair the photo of Tootie and a very identifiable Jo in a tight lip lock.
Blair gasped. "Jo? Tootie? Gal pal? What the hell is that!?!"
Natalie shook her head. "As Ms. Ramsey would say, it's trr-rou-ble."
"If I every see that little punk again, I'll have her arrested," Jo yelled into the phone. "Never trust anyone named after a jewelry store. I can't believe she sold that photo to that rag."
"Now Jo, calm down," Tootie responded. "At least they didn't print your name."
"No, I'm just some gal pal," Jo snapped angrily. She took a breath. "But you're right; it's a lot worse for you. How's Jeff taking it?"
"Oh please. He's taped the picture to the fridge. He keeps looking at it with this creepy smile every time he gets a beer. By the way, he wonders if you'd like to come over for drinks and dinner one night next week. No need to bring Blair, he said. I had to slap him upside the head."
"And work?"
"Are you kidding? They love it. They tell me that the publicity should increase the ratings for the season ender by at least four points."
"Well that's good, I guess."
"So are you going to tell Blair?" Tootie inquired.
Jo grimaced. "I think I have to. I mean she normally doesn't read that junk but chances are she'll find out. Whoops. There's the doorbell. I'll talk to you later."
Jo hung up the phone and turned on the security camera to see who was on the stoop. She sighed. She had thought this day couldn't get any worse, but she was wrong. Blair's mother Monica stood at the doorway, tapping a copy of the Enquirer against her palm.
"Now Jo, I'm not here to lecture," Monica announced as she brushed by her daughter-in-law to enter the living room. "I, too, have succumbed to temptation. Tootie is a very attractive woman, and her growing celebrity is undoubtedly an allure."
"Allure? There is no allure," Jo objected.
"And, as I know from personal experience," Blair's mother added conspiratorially, "brown sugar can be sweet."
"Brown sugar?!? Oh my god! Please stop, I'm begging you."
"But Jo," Monica continued, ignoring her. "This just won't work. For whatever reason-- and Lord knows she didn't get it from her father or me-- Blair is a firm believer in monogamy. She won't accept an open relationship."
"Monica," Jo pleaded. "Listen to me. There is nothing going on between Tootie and me. She… she… assaulted me and some stupid fan of hers happened to catch it on camera."
"Tootie Ramsey, sexual predator. That doesn't sound right," Monica said suspiciously.
"No. She was practicing for her TV show. Her character is gay---whatever. It's insane."
"Daniella Haynes is a lesbian? Interesting," Monica mused.
"Anyway, you don't really believe that I would cheat on your daughter with one of our two closest friends, do you?" Jo asked incredulously.
"Jungle fever, it makes people crazy," Blair's mother declared.
Jo winced. "Let me make this clear. I love Blair more than anything on earth. I have not been, nor ever will be, unfaithful to her."
"Well that's nice to hear, all appearances to the contrary," Blair interjected from the doorway, holding an ecstatic Bella in her grasp.
"Darling!" Monica cried. "You're back! How was Paris? Did you get to the Chanel show? What about Yves' new collection; rather pedestrian, didn't you think?"
"Paris was fine," Blair replied, once again amazed at her mother's ability to shift gears. "Why don't we have lunch tomorrow and I'll fill you in." She put down the dog and gently guided the older woman to the front door.
"All right, sweetheart," Blair's mother agreed. "Listen," she whispered. "If things deteriorate, your old room is always open."
"Thank you, Mother; I appreciate it."
After closing the door behind her parent, Blair turned back to an abashed Jo.
"Honey, you have got to believe me," Jo implored. "That picture wasn't what it seemed."
"I know that," Blair huffed. "Kissing you for practice is just the kind of whacky thing Tootie would do. And if you were going to carry on with her, you certainly wouldn't do it at the playground in front of Frank and TJ."
"Whew," the brunette sighed in relief. "Thanks for understanding."
"Although Mother may have had a point about the appeal of something a little more exotic," Blair noted coyly.
"Jungle fever? Where does she get that stuff?" Jo snorted. "No, I have no interest in anything 'exotic.'".
"Reelly? A leetle maid's outfeet? Zum special parfume from Le Rive Gauche? Zum naughty, naughty lingerie?" Blair offered, in a theatrical French accent.
Maid's outfit? "On the other hand," Jo considered, "they say variety is the spice of life." She took the blonde into her arms and proceeded to welcome her home.
A few weeks later, the tabloids having moved on to other scandals, the four Eastland alums gathered in Jo and Blair's elaborate home theater to watch the season finale of Tootie's show.
"OK," Tootie said excitedly as the commercial ended. "Here it comes."
Daniella Haynes, a lowly hospital security guard, enters the elevator to find Dr. Christine Wharton, the aloof but icily beautiful Chief of Surgery, checking a chart.
Daniella: Dr. Wharton
Dr. Wharton: Daniella
Daniella decides to takes the plunge.
Daniella: On the assumption that you're just staring at that chart for effect, I have a question to ask you.
Dr. Wharton: What's that?
Daniella: Will you go out with me Saturday night?
Dr. Wharton starts. Her pale skin flushes and she nervously pulls at her striking blonde hair.
Dr. Wharton: What did you say?
Daniella: Go out. You know, drinks, dinner, maybe some dancing.
Dr. Wharton: I…I
Daniella: Christine. You don't have to act. I know. I see. You can be honest.
Dr. Wharton pauses and then sighs heavily.
Dr. Wharton: All right I won't deny it. But there are a hundred reasons why I have to say no.
Daniella: And they are?
Dr. Wharton: Well apart from obvious issues of race, we're from two different worlds. You're a security guard; I'm a surgeon. You're West Harlem; I'm Park Avenue. You're hip-hop; I'm opera. You're…
Daniella, interrupting: If you say I'm chitlins and you're caviar, I may have to slug you.
Dr. Wharton, laughing: Point taken but still…
Daniella: You have a hundred reasons why we shouldn't do this; let me give you one reason why we should.
Daniella grabs Dr. Wharton and kisses her hard. The surgeon responds enthusiastically and the women start to tug at each others' clothes, mouths still pressed together, tongues exploring. The camera pans to Dr. Wharton's hand fumbling for the elevator emergency stop button and the scene ends.
"Wowza!" Natalie expelled. "That passed the network censors? They must have been drinking at lunch."
Jo gulped. "Well Tootie, I have to say, you're sure a fast learner. Did you rehearse that scene a lot?"
"Actually," the actress replied, "we decided to do it on the first take. It felt more spontaneous that way."
"So you got all that expertise just from kissing me once?" Jo inquired, a little smugly.
Tootie smiled. "Well Jo, you aren't the first girl I've kissed."
"Really?" Blair interjected. "Do tell."
Tootie gave Natalie a sly look. "It was back at Eastland. I was tired of watching Natalie practicing her kissing technique on her hand. So I offered to substitute."
"Tootie," Natalie warned, in a dangerous tone. "You promised never to speak of this."
"Oh come on. The statute of limitations has run out. Anyway, we tried it once."
Jo burst out laughing. "And here I thought that all the sublimated lust was on Blair's and my side of the room. Who knew? Don't come- a- knockin when that bunk bed's a- rockin."
"Oh shut up," Natalie growled, throwing a couch pillow at the brunette.
"So how was it?" Blair smirked.
"It really didn't work out that well," Tootie admitted. "My braces cut Nat's lip pretty badly. She started to bleed, which sort of killed the moment."
"I couldn't eat hot food for days," Natalie reported. "It may be why I've stuck to men."
"Oh here we go," Tootie interrupted. "This is the final scene."
Dr. Wharton is reviewing charts when a nurse runs up to her frantically.
Nurse: Dr. Wharton, come quick! There's been shooting. It's Daniella. She's hurt.
Wharton runs down the corridor and into a hospital room where her colleagues are gathered around a bed. On the bed is Daniella, hooked up to monitors, breathing laboriously.
Dr. Wharton: Daniella? Oh God! What happened?
Daniella, gasping: Some lovers quarrel among the interns. Caught in the crossfire.
Dr. Wharton, stroking the security guard's forehead: Don't worry, you'll be OK. I'll take care of you. I'll always take care of you.
Daniella: I don't think so. I can tell it's bad. But Christine, no matter what happens. We'll…we'll…
She starts to cough violently.
Dr. Wharton: We'll what, Daniella, what?
Daniella: We'll always have the elevator.
With that, Daniella's eyes close and her head slumps. The monitor emits a flat line beep.
Dr. Wharton: No, Daniella, No! Wake up! Wake up! Please. Please. Please don't leave me alone.
The camera pulls away to show Dr. Wharton sobbing over Daniella's still form. The screen goes to black and the credits roll.
"You die?!?" Natalie choked out. "You didn't tell us you were gonna die!"
"Pretty dramatic, wasn't it?" Tootie pronounced cheerily. "So what did you think, Blair? Blair?"
Blair sat, deathly pale, with a stricken look in her eyes. "I…I... can't…" She jumped up from her chair and bolted from the room.
"Oh geez," Jo expelled, running to follow her.
"What's wrong?" Tootie asked. "Didn't they like it?"
"Um Tootie, Daniella is kinda like a police officer, right?" Natalie posited.
"Technically hospital security. She's an ex-cop."
"Well, call me crazy, but I'm guessing that a scene of a cop dying in the arms of her blonde, upper class, lesbian lover isn't exactly Blair and Jo's cup of tea. A little too close to home, if you know what I mean."
"Oh my Lord! It never even occurred to me," Tootie exclaimed contritely. "How stupid could I be? I should go apologize."
"Give them a moment," Natalie suggested. "Anyway, speaking of apologies, I'm sorry for our little fight at the restaurant. I thought about what you said, and maybe you were right. I think I reacted so strongly because you were telling me things I didn't want to admit. I can't party forever."
"Oh Nat, I didn't mean to offend you. It's just that I'm loving family life so much that I want you to have a chance at it too."
"Well, you convinced me. I've decided to accept Aaron's proposal."
"Really?!? Oh my god! Have you set a date? Thank the Lord the baby weight has come off and I can fit into a bridesmaid dress. Assuming that you want me, of course."
"Naturally you'll be the matron of honor, but it'll probably be a small ceremony up in Maine so you won't need anything fancy. A nice flannel will do."
"Maine? Flannel? Why not New York? It's traditional for the wedding to be in the bride's hometown."
"Aaron hates New York City," Natalie declared.
"He does? He's never let on; he always seemed to have enjoyed himself."
"Of course he enjoyed himself, he was with me. But the City drives him nuts. I'm sure he'll want the ceremony to be in Bar Harbor."
"Forget the ceremony," Tootie said. "How's he going to live here if he hates it?"
"Oh, I'll move to Maine. We will be living there."
"What?! You're moving away?!? But… what about your job…what about….."
"Aaron says I don't have to work. In fact, he would prefer I concentrate on getting pregnant. He's anxious to start a family. And I can probably pick up some free lance stuff at the Bar Harbor paper just to keep my hand in."
"Natalie," Tootie said, eyes welling. "What about your life here? Blair, Jo, TJ….me."
"You'll visit," Natalie assured her friend, patting her on the shoulder. "Come up for duck hunting season. Supposedly a wild time."
"Nat, is this really what you want? To be a small town doctor's wife? Because if it is, I'll support you, but I know you and I can't believe that you'd give up your whole world just for a man."
"Really? Isn't that what you said I should do?"
"Of course not! I just wanted you to find someone special, not to change who you are. I love who you are."
"I appreciate that," Natalie replied with a smile. "OK. I'll tell Aaron to forget it."
"What!? Hold on, I didn't mean for you to…..wait a minute," Tootie said suspiciously. "Are you messing with me?"
"A little. I told Aaron no a week ago. You're right, Tootie, I'm just not willing to give up everything I have going here for a guy. At least not this guy, as great as he is. It wouldn't be fair to either of us. Plus, I have to admit that if the President had invited me back to the Lincoln Bedroom, I would have gone in a second. Kind of a hint that I'm just not ready to settle down."
Tootie smacked her on the shoulder. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."
"Sorry. Tootie, I know you're wrapped in an ecstatic haze of young motherhood, but you have to respect that not everyone may want that."
"I know. And I also realize that one of the reasons that I love having TJ so much is that I can dump her off on her godmothers. It takes a village, Nat. You are so part of my village. I couldn't stand it if you left."
"Well, I'm not leaving. Things around here are just too damn interesting."
Jo entered the kitchen to find Blair bent over the sink, breathing heavily, eyes closed.
"Are you all right?"
Blair shook her head. "I still have nightmares about it."
"It?"
"You in the hospital. Lying in that bed. Only in my dreams you don't speak, you don't move, you're...."
"I get the picture. I have them too. But less and less often, right? Dr. Gropper is helping, isn't she?"
"I suppose."
Jo put her arm around the blonde's shoulders. "That's not how it's going to happen, Blair. That's not how we're going to say goodbye to each other."
"Oh?"
"No, what will happen is that we'll be outside the nursing home on our walkers, bickering. You'll be nagging me about having some fancy party for my hundredth birthday which I won't want because I'd rather just hang in our room and watch TV. But you'll insist and I'll get mad and we both won't notice the bus that's coming and then…splat! Nothing left but hearing aids and false teeth."
"Splat? We're both going to get run over by a bus when you're ninety-nine and I'm a hundred?"
"Yup."
Blair thought about it. She laid her head on Jo's chest and whispered, "You promise?"
Jo drew Blair into a hug and kissed her forehead. "I promise."
After a moment Blair sighed. "All right, I'm feeling better now."
"Good. Let's go back and reassure Tootie. I think you scared her."
Blair and Jo returned to the television room
"Oh you guys, I'm so sorry. I should have warned you. I didn't think," Tootie declared remorsefully.
"It's all right," Blair replied. "You know, Tootie, because we've grown up with you and know you so well, I think we take your talent for granted. You really are a great actress. That was very powerful."
"Why, thank you Blair, I appreciate that," Tootie beamed.
"I just had one thought," Blair added.
"What's that?"
In response, Blair grabbed the sides of Tootie's face and kissed her firmly. Tootie's eyes widened and she gasped when Blair finally broke it off some five seconds later.
"Excuse me," Jo sputtered.
"Wow," Natalie declared. "That was kinda hot."
"Uh, Blair. Um, what was that?" Tootie choked out.
"Well, you've smooched everyone else in our little group. I didn't want to be left out."
"Um, OK," Tootie blinked, still a little disoriented.
Blair smiled complacently. "Next time you want womanly kissing advice, come to a real expert."
"I'll be sure to do that," Tootie agreed.
"Or not," Jo snorted. "Anyway Tootie, I think it sucks that they killed off your character. What? You have to punish the lesbians? They aren't allowed to have a normal, happy relationship on prime time TV?"
"Well…"
"These network suits— they're just cowards," Jo complained. "I bet some right wing loonies threatened to boycott and they folded like cards. Typical."
"Actually Jo, they did ask me back for next season. Daniella was going to move in with Dr. Wharton and adopt a Chinese baby. I turned them down."
"Really? Why?" Blair asked.
"Because it would have been a supporting role and a three year commitment and-- oh, I was going to tell you all later-- but I just got offered the lead in a movie opposite---" Tootie named the current top male box office star. "It's a romantic comedy. I've always wanted to do one of those."
"Whoa! That's great!" Jo exclaimed.
"He's so dreamy," Blair interjected.
"Dreamy, Blair?" Natalie repeated. "Still reading Tiger Beat, are you? That is so cool, though. Tootie, you have to introduce me."
"He's married, Nat," Tootie pointed out.
"It's Hollywood," Natalie retorted. "How long can that last? So are you going to do any research for that role? And if so, does Jeff know?"
"Jeff is the research," Tootie replied with a grin. "As much as I've enjoyed playing a gay woman, I think it's time to get back to my roots. But Blair, I have to say, if they decide to spice up the script a little, I'll give you a call."
"Or not," Jo repeated, with a glare at her partner.
"I'd be happy to consult," Blair replied with a smirk. "After all, it is for art."
"Enough with the consults, the experimentations and the boundary blurring," Jo grumbled. "Can't we just get things back to normal?"
"And when have they ever been normal?" Natalie inquired.
"You have a point," Jo admitted as the phone rang.
"I'll get it," Blair said. "Oh, hello! How wonderful to hear your voice. You're in the States? You saw the Enquirer? Well yes, it was a shock but we're trying to work through it. Every relationship has its rough spots. I agree. Very inappropriate. I know, in front of the children and all. Yes, I do think hearing from you would help. Slap some sense into them. You have to be very firm, though. They need to realize the error of their ways. As a matter of fact," Blair offered, with an evil smile, "why don't I put them both on the phone right now."
"Jo, Tootie. It's Mrs. Garrett. She'd like to speak with you."
The End