Tad and Taylor                05/22/2012


Tad: Come on honey they should be here any minute!
Taylor: We have time! (She says walking towards the door tucking her blouse in to the waist of her skirt)
Tad: Aren’t you the one that said “O” eight hundred hours is eight o’clock sharp human time? (He gives her the once over picking a ball of lint from her shoulder he starts to drop it to the floor then catches it eyes it suspiciously looks around for the waist can decides it’s too far and sticks it in his pocket)
Taylor: Sure but he’s not that ridged! (She smoothes the front of her skirt as Tad scans the street)
Tad: And there they are! (He looks at his watch as a car pulls up the driveway then grabs the shoulders of the girls till the car comes to a complete halt in the drive way before opening the door) Eight O’one and forty eight forty nine…Go girls! Come on! (He grabs Taylors arm pulling her along she trips along trying not to laugh at him)
Taylor: Are you timing us?
Tad: You betcha! (They arrive just in front of the car as the doors swing open)
Taylor: Hi Mom! General! (She stops and salutes Tad following suit! Then she hugs him While Tad stands almost at attention with a goofy grin plastered to his face))
Mrs. Thompson: There’s my girl! (She runs over to hug Taylor then looks down at Jenny and Kathy) You must be Kathy and you must be Jenny.
Kathy: Hi! (She waves up at her as Jenny does the same)
Taylor: General Mom this is Tad.
Tad: Pleasure to meet you both. (The General steps back a minute looking Tad head to toe then winks at Taylor.) So far so good! Served any time in the military Tad?
Tad: No Sir.
General: Hmm.
Taylor: Why don’t we all go inside we can get the bags later.
Mrs. Thompson that’s a good idea get out of this sun!
Kathy: Taylor can we play out back till lunch please?
Taylor: Sure I’ll call you when it’s ready.
Jenny: Thanks Taylor! (Jenny calls back over her shoulder as she runs behind her sister through the gate)
Tad: Would like some ice tea or lemonade?
General: Home made or that can stuff? (he grumbles walking behind her)
Taylor: Home made. (She holds the door for her parents then Tad takes hold allowing her to pass) Come on Mom you want to give me a hand?
Mrs. Thompson: I’m right behind you sweet cakes!
General: Nice place you have here. (His head pivoting around inspecting every corner and cataloging it) 
Tad: Thanks we like it Sir.
General: How many bedrooms you have? (His eyes running along the ceiling then back to Tad who swallows hard before answering)
Tad: Ah four Sir.
General: Basement?
Tad: Yeah…Yes Sir we turned it into a playroom for the girls.
General: I used to have my billiard table in mine. You shoot pool Tad?
Tad: Do I shoot pool? Fish and Chips and I have a pool table down at the office. Ahhh Sir. (He says stumbling over his words as he trails a few feet behind him)
General: Fish and Chips? (HE spins around causing Tad to stop short and almost fall over the coffee table)
Tad: My partner Aidan Sir.
General: Oh yeah Taylor said you’re a private investigator. (He picks up a photo of Jenny and Krystal then sets it down then begins to examine the other photos on the shelf)
Tad: Yes sir.
General: How’s that going? (He turns his head scrutinizing Tads expression)
Tad: Not bad at all Sir. (The General turns back towards the shelf then back towards Tad)
General: I thought Taylor said you have older children?
Tad: I do sir my sons JR and Jamie. (He picks up the photo from the upper shelf and hands them to him pointing at each photo as he speaks) JR and his fiancée will be at the dinner tonight.
General: And your other son Jamie is it?
Tad: Yes, my son Jamie or James not sure if he’ll make it or not. (He places the photos back on the shelf knocking over two others in the process)
General: Oh? (He squints one eye and stares at Tad)
Tad: Yeah, ahh (He places the photos back on the shelf holding his palms out as he backs away slowly) he had some business in NY this week and he’s hoping to get back in time.
General: He’s a doctor right?
Tad: Yes, yes he is. (He grins proudly nodding his head)
General: What does he have some patient in New York or something?
Tad: No he umm, it’s a funny…you know when. (His face contorts in confusion as he stutters trying to find just the right words to explain what his son was doing)
Jamie: Hey Dad! I bet you were getting worried I wouldn’t make it.
Tad: Hey son! (He moves quickly to Jamie enclosing him in a bear hug and whispering hastily in his ear) Thank God! Everything okay.
Jamie: Everything’s great! Hi! General Thompson I’m James Martin Tad’s son.
General: Pleasure to meet you son. (He smiles shaking his hand)
Jamie: Did you have a good trip? (He grins looking like the cat that ate the canary as he rocks back on his heels)
General: Not bad at all. How about you? Your Dad said you were in New York?
Jamie: Yeah I went to get my wife.
Tad: Oh my God you didn’t? (He says his mouth agape his eyes wide)
Jamie: I did! (He nods grinning happily walking towards his Dad arms outstretched)
Tad: Congratulation! (He hugs him patting his back before letting go as the General stares at them looking confused)) I’m proud of you son.
Jamie: Thanks Dad!
Taylor: Okay, Iced tea’s all around. Jamie! (She places the tray down on the table quickly then hugs him) When did you get back?
Tad: HE and Mrs. Martin got back late last night. (He says grinning from ear to ear his eyebrows wiggling up and down)
Taylor: You’re kidding right? You and Francessca didn’t? (She pulls him to her hugging him again)
Jamie: Yes we did! (He hugs her back almost loosing his balance as she pushes him to the side and looks behind him)
Taylor: Where is she? (Looking around the room)
Jamie: She’s outside (He laughs) Kathy and Jenny got to her first!
General: Would some one tell me what in the Sam hill is going on? (His wife comes to him taking his hand in hers and patting it)
Francessca: Hi! (She waves placing her Bag on the table then wrapping her arm around Jamie’s waist)
Taylor: Don’t “Hi!” Come here! Ohh Congratulations! (She hugs her tight rocking her back and forth)
Francessca: Thank you so much! (She hugs her back then lets go)
Taylor: Why didn’t you let us know?
Francessca: After the pandemonium of my last wedding (She says rolling her eyes) we just wanted something quiet! Not that my Grandmother didn’t tell everyone in Brooklyn! (Tad Taylor and Jamie laugh as Taylor’s father’s head swivels from one to the other and her mother stares at Francessca slack jawed)
Mrs. Thompson: Wait a minute Red! (She gasps pointing and shacking her finger at Francessca) This is the girl from the newspaper!
General: That story you were reading to me all the way here? (He looks at her heading bobbing like a bobble head doll) And Margaret those things you read are not newspapers!
Mrs. Thompson: That’s the one! (She giggles with delight) And hey! (She smacks his arm) You were the one that kept asking questions the whole way! 
General: Let me shake your hand Boy! (He says reaching his hand out to Jamie) The wife and I have been rooting for you the whole way here!
Mrs. Thompson: Oh wait till I tell that snooty Hattie Howard! (She giggles again then glances at Taylor’s mortified expression) Oh, I’m sorry! (Francessca laughs breaking the tension in the room)
Francessca: It’s fine don’t worry about it.
Taylor: Francessca these are my parents General Red Thompson and my mother Margaret.
Francessca: Very nice to meet you.
Tad: So where’s my hug daughter in-law! (He walks towards her his arms outstretched and embraces her in a bear hug grunt and all) Welcome to the family honey!
Francessca: Thanks’ Tad or Dad?
Tad: Honey I think you have as many Dad’s as I have Mom’s Tad’s fine! (The two of them laugh uproariously and she hugs him again) You talk to your Mom?
Francessca: Yeah! Their plane got in this morning. Oh and Taylor I checked the garden looks beautiful! (She swoons)
General: I thought you were having the ceremony in the backyard?
Taylor: We are it’s just that Francessca’s backyard is a lot bigger. (She winks at Francessca who winks back) And when we started counting just family on Tad side that could come we had twenty some odd people and then with just our families that’s fifty or more. (She hands her father a glass from the tray and then one to her mother)
Tad: And there was no way we were going to get everyone in here.
Taylor: So Francessca’s Mom Rhea,
Mrs. Thompson: Who’s Rhea? (She looks from Tad to Taylor)
Taylor: She’s one of Tads oldest friends she lives on that beautiful old estate I think you passed it on the way here the one with the huge rolling lawn.
Mrs. Thompson: Ooo! I remember that looked so pretty when we passed! I said so to Red. Didn’t I Red?
General: She made me slow down so she could gawk. (He teases chuckling to his self and earning another tap from his wife)
Mrs. Thompson: Quiet Red!
Francessca: You all want to drive over and take a look? Come on I think we’ll all fit in my truck. (She reaches for her purse and stands up waving to the others to follow) Besides it will give me an idea for some pictures for tomorrow. (She turns and see’s Kathy and Jenny sitting on the couch quietly listening with their fingers crossed) You girls want to come?
Kathy: Yeah!
Jenny: Yeah! (They both clap their hands and start dancing around)
Francessca: Yeah we can’t go looking at where we’re having the wedding with out the maids of honor! (She turns to Jamie kissing him quickly on the cheek then takes Kathy and Jenny by the hand and leads toward the door) We’ll be right back I’ll see you in a bit honey. (Tad and Jamie watch as everyone files out the front door leaving the two alone)
Tad: Now that the Cats away you want a beer?
Jamie: Sure. (He follows behind Tad as he walks in to the kitchen)
Tad: You okay with all this (He opens the refrigerator door pulls out a bottle of beer and hands it to Jamie then takes one for his self)
Jamie: Why wouldn’t I be? I married to the woman I love. (He flips the cap in to the trashcan then leans back against the counter)
Tad: What about the stepbrother you hate and that hates you?
Jamie: What about him? (He gloats) He doesn’t matter anymore!
Tad: Oh he’s going to matter! He’s going to matter a whole lot! Tell me something Mc Gyver what are you going to do when he figures out that bun in Francessca’s oven is his?