What You're Missing

[Nighthawk76]

(Author's note: This Family Ties fanfic takes place towards the end of the first season)

ELYSE is in the kitchen preparing a breakfast of eggs and bacon for the Keaton family. It is a Tuesday in May of 1983. STEVEN, with a three day shadow on his face, enters the kitchen, putting on sportcoat over his turtleneck sweater.

STEVEN (sniffing the air): That smells wonderful, Elyse.

ELYSE: Thank you, Steven. It should be done in about five or six minutes. I just hope that the kids get down here in time. The last time I made bacon and eggs for breakfast, they took their good sweet time about getting down here and the bacon had burned. Infact, the whole pan had burned. I had to throw it away.

STEVEN: Well, if they don't get down here in five to six minutes it will mean just more for you and me.

ELYSE (noticing the stubble on Steven's face): Steven, haven't you been shaving the last couple of days? Last night I noticed...or at least thought... that you had a bit of stubble on your face, but I wasn't positive. It is very noticiable today though.

STEVEN (rubbing his face): Do you think it gives me the look of an intellecual?

ELYSE: No, it gives you the look of a bum.

STEVEN: Well, that's because it hasn't totally grown in yet.

ELYSE: Oh Steven, you know how I feel about beards. I remember you grew one back during th summer of '68 and every time we kissed, I felt like my lips were touching a Brillo pad.

STEVEN: Gee, thanks a lot. You know, when the Beatles made Abbey Road, all of them except Paul McCartney were bearded, and that was perhaps their best album. Coincidence, I think not.

ELYSE: You're telling me than that the Beatles made some of their finest music on Abbey Road all because they had facial hair?

STEVEN: Yeah, think about it. When John was writing "Come Together" and he got stuck on a lyric, he would put down his guitar, give his whiskers a couple of strokes and than the answer would come to him.

ELYSE: Steven you're certifiable, you know?

As STEVEN takes his place at the table, ALEX and MALLORY enter the kitchen...bickering as normal.

ALEX: What is this your good deed of the month or something?

MALLORY: No, I just thought it would mean a lot to Skippy.

STEVEN: What would mean a lot to Skippy?

MALLORY: If I allowed him to take me to see Flashdance. You know how crazy he is for me? Sitting home on a Friday night all by himself imagining what it would be like to be out on a date with me. So I thought I would do something nice and allow him to take me to see the movie. I might even allow him to buy me popcorn and a soda too.

ALEX: You're all heart, Mal.

MALLORY: Well, it is the least I can do for poor lovesick Skippy.

ALEX: You're just letting Skippy take you because you spent this week's allowance at the mall and you want to see the movie again.

ELYSE: You know, Mallory, I don't think that is very fair to Skippy. Using him just so that you can see the movie again. Skippy is human and has feelings too and its not right for you to be leading him on like that. Besides, you've seen that movie five times already.

MALLORY: Mom, we're taking about Skippy here. Being human doesn't fit into the equation at all.

STEVEN: Mallory, that is a terrible thing to say about Skippy.

ALEX: Well, she does have a point there, dad, which should be encouraged considering how seldomly she has one. Well, at least one that can be supported with any degree of logic.

JENNIFER enters the Kitchen and takes her place at the table.

JENNIFER: What's for breakfast, Mom?

ELYSE: Bacon and eggs and you're just in time.

MALLORY: And it's not like its a date or anything. We're just going as friends or something resembling friends.

ALEX: Well, if it were a date you and Skippy are at least perfectly matched. You are intellectual equals.

STEVEN: Is Skippy aware that this is not a date?

MALLORY: Well, not exactly.

STEVEN: Well, not exactly, what?

MALLORY: Well, not exactlty in that Skippy is not exactly aware that this is not a date

ELYSE (putting bacon and eggs on the five plates at the table): Then what does he think it is...exactly?

MALLORY: I sort of let him think it was a date.

ELYSE: How did you sort of let him think it was a date?

MALLORY: I told him it was a date.

STEVEN: Mallory, why would you do something like that?

MALLORY: Because I really want to see the movie again, and Skippy is the only one who has the money to go this Friday.

ELYSE: I don't like this Mallory. I don't like this at all.

To be continued...

[ZeldaGilroy]

You've made a good start on this. I think you've stayed very true to character as well.

[Nighthawk76]

Thank you for reading, Billie! I'll have part two posted sometime next week.

[Nighthawk76]

It is Friday evening, ELYSE and STEVEN are sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and talking about MALLORY'S date with SKIPPY. STEVEN's stubble is looking more and more like a beard.

STEVEN: I hope that we are doing the right thing by letting Mallory go on this date with Skippy. We might end up with a young man with really hurt feelings. Mallory has always been a bit insensitive towards Skippy, but I think this date is crossing the line.

ELYSE: I agree with you, Steven. This date between Mallory and Skippy is something that I don't agree with. However, Mallory is 16 years old and we have to give her the freedom to make her own choices in life. Even if they are the wrong ones.

STEVEN: But don't we have the responsibility to get invloved if she is making a choice that could end up hurting someone else?

ELYSE: Do we know for a fact that Skippy's feelings will be hurt? Mallory promised him a date, not a long term relationship. Did you expect a long term relationship with every girl that you dated in high school?

STEVEN: No, I didn't. However, you know how Skippy feels about Mallory. He might be going into this date thinking that its just the first in a long series of dates.

EYLSE: How can he really expect that? Skippy must know that Mallory is dating Jeff. Believe me Steven, I know how you feel about this date. I feel the exact same way. However, I think we have to give Mallory the freedom to mkae her own choice, and see how it all plays out.

Up in MALLORY's bedroom, JENNIFER is sitting on her sister's bed as MALLORY picks a dress for the date.

JENNIFER: You're actually getting dressed up for Skippy?

MALLORY: Well, I felt I owed him that much. After all, he is treating me to the movie.

MALLORY shows JENNIFER a one piece purple dress.

MALLORY: How about this one?

JENNIFER: I think that one is a little too dressy for a movie.

MALLORY: Yeah, I think you're right.

JENNIFER: You could go on this date dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt and Skippy would still think you look beautiful. You know how crazy he is for you.

MALLORY: True, but I would not be seen on a date in sweats and a t-shirt. Oh wait, I know just what to where.

MALLORY goes through her closet and takes out a knee length skirt and white and blue sweater.

MALLORY: What about this?

JENNIFER: That should be fine.

MALLORY goes over to her dresser and takes out a pair of black nylons.

MALLORY (to herself): I wonder which color of hose would be better, black or sheer....black.

JENNIFER: Mallory, aren't you worried that you are might hurt Skippy's feelings.

MALLORY: Oh no, not you too. I've already been over this with Mom and Dad, Jen. Skippy understands this is only one date. He knows that I am seeing Jeff.

JENNIFER: I hope that you're right.

To be continued...