Nola is sitting at the boarding house kitchen table, wearing herrobe, and drinking her morning coffee. An already-dressed Bridget comesdown the stairs carrying Peter.

"Nola, Hart didn't call while I was upstairs in the shower?"

"No, Hart didn't call while you were upstairs in the shower," Nola answers her with an almost singsong quality.

"Well, I was just checking. I don't know what's going on with him.He's usually over here every day to see Peter, but I haven't heard fromin almost three whole days."

"Maybe he and Dinah ran off to Vegas to get married."

Bridget grits her teeth and returns, "By the way, Nola, how are Quint and Jessica getting along these days?"

"Bridget, you know very well that Quinton is no longer seeing Jessica, not that I care one way or the other, anyway."

"Yeah, right, and I'm going to be elected President of the DinahMarler Fan Club. You know, Nola, I would like nothing better than tosit around here all day and trade clever barbs, but I have to getgoing. I've got to drop Peter off at day care, run by the post officeand the bank..."

"Bridget do you think you could you possibly squeeze one more stop in there?"

"And where would that be?"

"Do you think you could take J some lunch out to the dig site?"

"I swear, you baby that boy more than I do Peter. And why can't you take him his lunch?"

"First, I don't want to run into Quint and have one of those awkwardscenes again. And second, I'm going to be busy all afternoon."

"Doing what?"

"If you must know, I'm going to be down at the Community College registering for some classes."

"Some decorating and design classes?"

"That and maybe something else. But I'm sure it's going to be an allday thing, so could you please pick J something up from the dinermaybe, and take it out to the site. Please."

"Okay. Okay. You don't have to beg. I'll do it."

"And Bridget one more thing, just drop off the lunch, and then leave. Stay away from Quinton."

"Why Nola, What are you afraid of? Bridget grabs her chest, and saysvery over dramatically, "Do you think I'm going to walk into Quinton'stent and that our eyes are going to lock, and he is gong to drop downon one knee, and beg me to become...the new Mrs. Quinton R.Chamberlain."

"Bridget, you'd have a better chance of winning the lottery. Besidesyou're so hung up on Hart, I don't think you would even notice if BradPitt, dropped down on one knee and proposed, even if he was naked."

"Well I might notice, I mean if he was naked."

"Bridget, I just don't want Quinton to have the chance to pump youfor more info about Lance. Next think I know, you'll have him being anastronaut that speaks four languages. So just stay away from Quinton,please."

"I'll try," Bridget continues, once again over dramatizing, "But Idon't know if I can. There's just something so...so compelling abouthim. I don't know. Maybe it's his cologne."

"That's not cologne, Bridget. It's insect repellant."

"Well, as far as telling him stories about Lance, I think you'regetting your imagination mixed up with mine. You're the one that madeLance a black-belt in karate."

"I only added that because I thought it might frighten Quinton off alittle bit. I guess I should have known better than that."

"Nola, speaking of Lance, did you ever find anyone to play the role of 'Lance' at the country club, Friday night?"

"Yes, Yes, I did. I'm going to be going with this nice young man named Zachary."

"Zachary, the guy that's rebuilding the Lighthouse? My, I'm impressed."

"You know Zachary?" Nola asks surprised.

"Springfield's a small town, Nola. And word about a new single guyin town gets around fast. Especially someone as cute as Zachary. Andhe's taking you to the country club? Do you know how many women wouldkill to be in your position? You go girl."

"Bridget, Zachary is my friend. He's only taking me to the club to help me out."

"And are you 'helping him out' too?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter. Zachary and I don't have a relationship. He's young enough to be my....younger brother."

"You know, older women and younger men relationships have becomealmost chic. And I think they're kind of romantic too. If you want tohave a little fling with Zachary, I say, 'Here's to you, Mrs.Robinson'."

"Excuse me?"

"It's a Simon & Garfunkel song." You know, it's from the movie, 'The Graduate'."

" 'The Graduate'?"

"I thought you were the movie expert? It starred Dustin Hoffman and Anne Bancroft."

"I am an expert, on the classics. 'Gone with the Wind', ... 'Wizard ofOz'."

"Nola, 'The Graduate' is a classic. Don't you remember that seduction scene?"

"Yeah, I think I remember that."

"Now that was hot." Bridget suddenly looks at her watch. Listen,I've got a lot to do, even more now with being J's personal caterer, soI don't have anymore time to do the 'Siskel and Ebert' thing. See youlater. And Nola, remember, 'Heaven holds a place for those who pray'."

"Bridget, be careful out at the dig site, okay?"

"Sure, Whatever you say."

After Bridget walks out, Nola says to herself, "Yeah, be carefulBridget. Quinton Chamberlain is more dangerous than he seems." She thenshakes her head, laughs, and says, "'The Graduate', huh? I don't knowabout that...Anne Bancroft was so beautiful, but Zachary is cuter thanDustin Hoffman ever was."

Nola's mind starts to drift off, but she quickly comes back toreality. "'The Graduate?'...No, I just can't see it. At least not rightnow, anyway."

Nola's musings are interrupted by two of the workmen doing the remodeling of Company.

"Ma'am, We didn't mean to startle you, but we need your signature on this work order."

"Sure. Sure," she says as she quickly signs the paper. "Listen guys,I have to go upstairs and get dressed, so if you want to help yourselfto some coffee, be my guest."

"Thank you ma'am," the men say in unison.

Nola rushes up the stairs and leaves the workmen in her kitchen.They both grab cups and the coffee pot and sit down at the table totake a quick load off their feet and to have a quick gab session.

"Hey, Sam, Wasn't that Bea Reardon's baby girl, Nola?"

"I think so."

"Didn't she go and get herself married off to one of those rich, high-faluting Chamberlains."

"I believe she did, Bob. I believe she did. But she must have gotten a divorce and gotten remarried again, since then."

"Why do you say that?"

"Cause she signed this work order, 'Mrs. Nola Robinson'."

To be continued

Episode 8 takes place at the dig site where Bridget and Quintonshare a coke, and a little conversation concerning rattles and rabbitholes.

8 - "Rattles and Rabbit Holes"

Bridget approaches the dig site but doesn't see Quinton or J. "Yoohoo, Anyone out here?" she calls out. Looking at the bag of food she'scarrying and then down at her shoes, she adds, "It's . . . Meals onHeels."

"In here," a voice calls from inside the tent.

Bridget ducks her head in the tent and finds Quinton all alone. "Hi Quinton. Where's J?"

"He's out in the field working."

"Well, Nola wanted me to bring him his lunch. I'll just leave it with you and be on my way."

"Bridget, do you have to rush off so fast? It's a hot day. Surely, you could allow me to offer you a cold drink."

"I guess that would be okay. I am kind of thirsty."

Bridget comes in and looks around the tent and is amazed at theelaborate set-up. "Boy, I can see now where Nola gets her 'taste' indecorating."

"I do like to think of this as my 'home away from home'. Quintongives Bridget a coke from his portable refrigerator, and then says,"Bridget,

I am glad that you stopped by. There's something, I've been wanting to discuss with you."

Bridget rolls her eyes and says, "Gosh, Quinton. What on earth couldyou want to talk to me about?" Let me take a wild guess. Could it beyour lovely, soon-to-be ex-wife Nola?"

"Actually, yes."

"Quinton, you really need to get over it." With that Bridget gets upand begins to walk around the tent, touching all the various artifactsthat are out in the open.

"Ah, don't touch that Bridget, It's very fragile."

Bridget, undaunted, continues to examine most of the contents of the tent.

"Please," Quinton, almost begs, "Be careful with that. No. Don'tpick that up. Bridget, you really should have gloves on to touch that."

"You know, Quinton, this whole archaeological thing, it...rules. Ican remember when Matt and I were kids, back in the eighties, when allthose Indiana Jones' movies first came out. Matt and I would hide mymother's jewelry out in the backyard, and then go dig it back up later,all the while pretending we were Indiana Jones looking for the 'Templeof Doom'. I remember too, we got our bottoms tore up, more than once,for that."

"'The Temple of Doom'? I see."

Bridget picks up yet another artifact, and this time Quinton actually yanks it from her hand.

"Hey, what's the big deal?" she squeals. "That one doesn't even look all that old."

"That's because it's not. It's a reproduction, Bridget. Areproduction of a Native American, handcrafted baby rattle. Actually, Imade it myself for J when he was a baby."

"You made this yourself?"

"Nola and I took a class in Native American arts and crafts whenwere first married. I think Nola made Stacey a dream-catcher that as Irecalled didn't survive a cat named Bogie. And I made this rattle forJ."

"Why a rattle?"

"You see, Bridget, in many cultures a baby rattle has more than onemeaning. There is of course, the baby's enjoyment in the sound itmakes, but the sound itself is also supposedly capable of warding offevil spirits, thus keeping the baby from all harm."

"You made this?" Bridget asks once again, obviously impressed.

"Yes, and you know what a pat-rack Nola is and how sentimental sheis about things, but this rattle was one of the few 'artifacts' of ourmarriage, if you will, that I insisted on taking with me when I . . . "

"Quinton, you really were a good father, weren't you?"

"I like to think I still am."

"Hart, that's my Peter's father, he's a good father too. You shouldsee him with Peter. Sometimes when he's playing with him, I swear it'slike I had two boys instead of one."

"You and Hart, You aren't 'together', are you?"

"No, we're not. Not right now, anyway. But that's only because of .. . what did you call it the other day? Oh yeah, 'outside factors'. Buteven though Hart is not with us full time, he is still a good father. Iknow he loves his son very much."

"He never married you, did he?"

"No, he didn't. The horrible truth, Quinton," Bridget lets go withfake dramatics, "is that I am an . . . un-wed mother. Where do youthink I should wear the Scarlet letter? Do you think it would lookbetter on the right side or left side of my sweater?"

"Bridget, I didn't mean anything by that question."

"Whatever. It's no big deal. It doesn't really bother me that Iwasn't married when I had Peter. I guess you could say I was evenfollowing in my Dear Aunt Nola's footsteps."

Bridget notices the very disapproving look on Quinton's face. " Oh,that's right," she continues "We're not suppose to talk about Nola'spast, are we? Well, come to think about it, I don't want to talk abouther past or her future. Sorry, Quinton, but I've really got to getgoing."

"Wait Bridget, don't go."

At that moment, they are both startled by a loud cry of pain comingfrom outside. Bridget and Quinton run to the field, where they find Jon the ground, crying out in pain.

"Son, what happened?" Quinton asks frightened.

"I . . . I fell in a rabbit hole," J says obviously embarrassed. My ankle . . . "

Quinton looks at the quickly swelling ankle and says, "Well, I'm nota doctor, but I do believe, son, that you might have a nasty sprain.You'll probably have to stay off it for quite awhile. Now come on,let's get you to Cedars..."

"But . . . What about the dig?" J asks through the pain.

"I'm worried about you right now, not the dig. But now that youmention it, I was hoping to be finished up here in the next few weeks,and I'll never be able to do that completely on my own. Now where onearth am I going to find an archaeological assistant on such shortnotice?"

Quinton suddenly looks at Bridget and with a gleam in his eyes andsays, "Bridget, As I recall, back in the tent, you were saying that youthink this whole archaeological thing... 'rules'. Yes, I do believe,that's how you so eloquently put it."

9 - "You're Going to Be His What?"

"You're going to be his what?" Nola yells with a ferociousness she had almost forgotten she could muster.

"I'm going to be Quinton's archaeological assistant," Bridgetanswers calmly. "And I don't know why you're getting so bent out ofshape over it."

"Oh, I don't know. I guess I should just be thrilled to death thatmy niece is going to be working for my estranged husband. Bridget,haven't you ever heard of thing called family loyalty?"

"I'm not being disloyal to you. J sprained his ankle, and Quintonneeds someone to help him out at the dig. And I don't have anything todo around here, while Company is being remodeled, so I would think Iwould be the perfect choice for the job. Would you have preferred hebrought Jessica back from California?"

"No. Of course not, It's just that . . . Bridget, you don't know anything about archaeology."

"What's there to know? All I'm going to be doing is helping himclean the dirt off some stuff that's been lying around. It won't bemuch different than cleaning up after Peter. And come to think of it, Ihave just as much archaeological experience as you did when you firstwent to work for him. Ah . . . now I see what your problem is. Youreally believe that stuff I was saying about Quinton falling for me.Gosh, Nola I was just kidding around about that. Quinton Chamberlainmight be your fantasy, but he's certainly not mine."

"Bridget, I didn't say that Quinton is after you. I think it's veryobvious what he's up to. He wants to get you alone out on the site, sohe can get you to tell him more about my relationship with Lance."

"Your relationship with Lance? Excuse me, Earth to Nola. There is noLance. Remember we made him up. You know, I think you're beginning tolose what little grasp on reality you ever had."

"Bridget, I don't have to listen to this." Nola starts to leave the room, but Bridget grabs her by the wrist and holds her.

"Oh, yes, you do. You are going to listen to me. Let me tell yousomething, Auntie Nola. If you don't figure out soon and very soon howyou really feel about Quinton, and quit playing these ridiculous catand mouse games, then you are going to lose him for good. Someone elseis going to come by and snatch him up, and Nola, you won't have anyoneto blame but yourself."

"I refuse to take love advice from you, Bridget. I'm getting out of here."

Nola jerks away from Bridget and runs to her car. Fighting backangry tears, she just begins to drive, not even sure of where she'sheaded. Putting miles between her and the boarding house, is all shethought she had in mind. She is in fact, quite surprised herself, whenshe realizes she has almost driven straight to the Lighthouse.

To be continued