"He reminds me a lot of AJ, I mean J when he was this age, Quintonsays, as he watches Peter enthusiastically attacking a large and messychocolate ice-cream cone. "I don't know if you know this, Bridget, butNola and I used to bring the kids to this same ice-cream shop all thetime when we were in Springfield. Those were such happy times. Maybethat's where we made our first mistake, by leaving the place and thepeople that we loved...." Quinton's voice trails off in amist of regret.

"Now come on, Quinton, it's not going to do you any good to cry overthe past. Besides, the only thing that will accomplish is getting tearsin your rootbeer float."

"I guess you're right. But I can't help but thinking if we had only stayed here, then maybe..."

"Let me tell you what I think. If two people are in love then itshouldn't matter where they're at, just as long as they're together."

"But Bridget, even with a strong love like the one Nola and I shared, there are still always going to be "outside factors".

"Yeah, I know all about "outside factors". They always have a pretty face, and a skinny body, don't they?

Quinton doesn't respond.

"You know something, Quinton, when I was a little kid, all myrelatives would always talk about you and Nola being the perfectcouple."

"We were."

"And all my life I heard all these great, romantic stories about myaunt that married the rich, handsome archaeologist, and how she wasbusy traveling the world with him, helping him to make all theseexciting discoveries. Do you know how I felt when I found out the twoof you had broken up? It was like someone had told me that Cinderellahadn't lived "happily ever after" with Prince Charming. You and Nolahad this beautiful, love story. Almost like a fairy tale, and you hadto go and spoil it all by running off with Dinah..., I mean Jessica."

"Bridget, it's not as simple as all that. Life is not a fairy tale."

"Yeah, tell me about it."

"And about Jessica. She and I are through"

"Okay, now I know what you're really up to. You've lost your sweet,young thing, and now you're trying to get back into homeport, right?Quinton, you need to give it up."

"Give what up?"

"This crazy idea of getting Nola back. Forget about her and get on with your life."

"I'm trying to get on with my life. But how can I do that if I'm not sure if Nola's happy, if this is what she really wants.'

"Do you mean the divorce or the boyfriend? You know what? I've hadjust about enough of this. I think you should take Peter and me back tothe boarding house. I can think of a lot better things my son and Icould be doing on a Sunday afternoon than sitting here with mysoon-to-be ex-uncle gossiping about my aunt."

"Yes, Bridget, I'll take the two of you back home, if you want meto. But first, I want you to understand that I do truly care aboutNola's happiness. That is why I must know what kind of man she hasgotten herself involved with now. You live in the boarding house;surely you must know something about him."

"Give me one good reason why I should tell you anything, "Uncle"Quinton."

"I'll buy you another ice-cream cone."

To be continued

In Episode 4 of my continuing saga, We are reminded of that famousquote, "Oh, What a tangled web we weave, When first we practice todeceive." But a little white lie never hurt once in a while, or did it?

4 - "Wanted: One Very Young Lance."

Nola walks into the boarding house, and puts her bundle of packageson the table. She immediately calls out for Bridget and receives noanswer. "I can't believe that girl actually went somewhere. I thoughtshe couldn't be more than two feet away from the phone, just in caseHart called. Who knows? Maybe she got a cellular phone."

Just then the door opens. "There you are Bridget, Peter, and ....Quinton," Nola says obviously shocked.

"Nola, Quinton came by to see Peter, and it was such a hot day, I thought it would be a nice to go get some ice-cream."

"Quinton was here to see Peter?"

"Yeah, he brought him that great big teddy bear, over there. Andthen he took us to this old fashioned ice-cream shop. What was the nameof that place, Quinton?"

"Rosellie's"

"Listen," Bridget says, "I'm going to take Peter upstairs and put him to bed. He's had a long day."

After Bridget has left the room, Nola asks, "You took them toRosellie's, Quinton? That's where we used to go with the kids. Theowner, he had that huge, handle-bar mustache. You remember, Quint, howStacey used to always beg you to grow one like that?"

"I remember that Nola."

For a minute neither speaks.

"So Quint, you came here to visit Peter?" Nola asks still confused.

"Yes, Nola. I was thinking about what you said about life beingshort, and I think it's time I started spending more time with myfamily. And I do still consider all the Reardon's family."

"Uh, huh."

"And after the talk we had the other day, I also consider you... myfriend. And I want to start doing nice things for my friends andfamily."

"Like what, putting us on your long-distance calling card plan?"

"I see you haven't lost that wonderful sense of humor that I fell in..."

"Quinton, do you have a point in all this?"

"Well, yes. I was thinking as a gesture of friendship, ...and as asort of burying of the hatchet, I would like to invite you and Lance tobe my guest at the country club, Friday night."

"Lance?"

"Your boyfriend, Nola."

Bridget, who is coming down the stairs, right at that moment, gives Nola a wink.

"Oh, yeah. Good old. Lance," Nola quickly recovers. "But I'm afraidI'm going to have to turn down your offer, Quint. Friday night isLance's karate night, and he never misses that."

"Surely he could miss one lesson."

"He's the instructor," Nola says without missing a beat.

"The instructor. I'm impressed."

Bridget can't resist joining in the conversation.

"Nola, don't you think Lance could have Ivan take over the class for just one night?"

"Ivan?"

"You know Nola, Lance's co-instructor."

"Right, Lance's co-instructor. Geez, I don't know. You know how Lance is about his karate class."

"Say yes, Nola," Quinton asks sweetly. " I think the three of ushaving a nice dinner together could be the ultimate sign that you and Ihave begun to get on with our lives, and that we have finally put thepast behind us. And I just had another wonderful idea, Bridget, do youthink you could get a sitter, Friday night?

"I could try".

"Great. Then it will be the four of us, What could be better thanspending an evening with your friends and your family. What do yousay?"

"Okay. I guess It's a...date."

"Well, I need to get back to the dig, I'll see you, Nola. Quintonstarts to kiss Nola goodbye but suddenly stops. "I guess I need towatch that now that you have a boyfriend with a black-belt."

Nola who was just about to pucker up, says softly, "Yes, We wouldn't want to make Lance jealous, would we."

After Quint walks out, Nola throw a cushion from the couch at Bridget

"God, Nola. You could kill someone with that thing."

"That's what I was trying to do. Why did you tell Quinton all that nonsense about Lance?"

"Now wait just a minute. I was just going along with what youstarted. You were the one, that made him up in the first place. All Idid was give him a name. Besides, I thought you told me that a womanshouldn't have to scheme to trap a man.

"I didn't make up the boyfriend story to trap Quinton. He justmisinterpreted something...Oh never mind. But would you please tell mewhat I'm suppose to do now. I have five days to find a 'Lance'. Thereis that guy at the grocer down the road,...Mr. Harvey. He's in hissixties, but he does seem to have the eye for me. At least his one goodeye. Maybe I could tell Quint, he was Lance".

"It won't work, Nola "I sort of told Quinton that Lance was very handsome, and very young."

"How young?"

"My age."

"Why on earth did tell him that?"

"It was fun watching him squirm. And besides, it served him right after that 'Jessica thing' he pulled."

"Bridget, I don't want to talk about that. I have worse problemsnow. I guess I'm going to have to tell Quinton that I...we made thewhole thing up, and that no man has even looked at me, in the lastyear."

"Except for Mr. Harvey, of course. But that was only with his one good eye."

"I give up. I'm doomed."

"You know Nola, I used to hear all these stories about how wild andgutsy you were in the old days. I don't think the old Nola would havegiven up so easily."

"Bridget, I have grown a lot as a person since my wild and crazydays. And the new Nola is mature, sensible, ...practical. And what thenew Nola is going to do is go to that country club and look Quintonstraight in the eye and say, "Quinton, I... would like you to meet myboyfriend.." Now I just need to find a handsome, young..."

"Very young," Bridget interjects.

"karate expert. That answers to the name of Lance."

To be continued....