All For Not - Wednesday

Page 48

"Mother."

"A nightshade?" She seemed almost happy as I stepped off the stairs, "how fitting of your name darling..." I walked over, her aura a deep saddening emotion, "I'm not a part of the group mother, although I'm sure Wednesday has already had a moment to speak with you about it."

"I do wish you'd be more like yourself and stop following after your sister so much sometimes," I sighed with a tilt of my head, "if not myself then who would I be?"

She smiled at me, almost wistful, overburdened with sadness, "exactly..."

"How are you faring?" She seemed at her worst for once, I have no memory of her acting in such a way, except maybe when Pubert was born with a curse of looking like mothers sister, he would have stayed a blue eyed blonde babe full of laughter and bubbles if it wasn't handled fast enough. Thankfully it had been, there's something that feels deeply and morally wrong to keep such a young creature as such cursed, to never live up to his potential as a true Addams.

"My heart hurts, it does not feel right without your father here," I nodded in sympathy for the woman, my attention returning to her.

It seemed her whole life was a prime example of a morbid love story, but a true one nonetheless. A romance I admired in a way, a high standard learned from a very young age. Anyone lesser than my standards simply is not worth wasting an ounce of memory space on.

"Father told us what happened, about the entirety of the case and why he was arrested," she paused, turning back to the shelving lost in deep thought, knowing he lied but unknowing I know as well, "did he now?"

"He did, and I know his tells, all of them," her sigh reached my ears and I turned, standing at her side as I gazed at the wall of pictures in their frames behind her, "not now dear, I don't want to talk about this..."

"Did you talk to Wednesday about it?" I hadn't intended for her to feel slightly guilty, but she did and so she spilled her guts, not as literally as some would hope I'm sure, "by the time I made it up the stairs, I found your father fighting for his life. It was terrifying. I'll never forget the way Garret looked at me. Foaming at the mouth, it was like I was staring into the eyes of a rabid beast."

"It was only when I heard the scream that I realized what I'd done. Your father was so... calm and brave." I looked down in contemplation, speaking softly to her, "you killed for him," she nodded, still staring at the bookcase behind me, "he took the blame in order to protect me. I was so grateful when they cleared him of any wrongdoing. But I knew, someday this would come back to haunt us."

"Garret was human, but you said his mouth was foaming and his eyes," she shook her head, "he's no outcast, was. His eyes didn't look human that night, i've never seen someone so blinded by rage." Her sigh had me studying the wall, trailing my eyes up till I looked at the detailing and the etches of nightshade in the stone ceiling, "it wasn't rage..."

"What ever are you talking about dear?" I frowned, "it wasn't rage at all. Foaming saliva, dilated pupils, mental confusion most likely." She turned to me sharply as I continued my thoughts aloud, "all symptoms of a poison... Deadly as my namesake."

"But how can that be?" I looked up at her, "I guess we should fetch Wednesday, she'll be upset she hadn't figured it out sooner..."

"Looks like we'll be visiting a graveyard after all, a perfect time for wearing black. Sinclair has a habit of knitting as of late, let's hope she is not with Wednesday," I turned towards the stares grumbling the rest of my sentence, "lest you wish to wear something from a Dr. Suess book..."

"Oh, a torture device author, well I'm sure it can't be that bad darling."

"I speak of my roommate, mother," she paused and mumbled, "I see then, well that is quite tragic..."

Humming I nod, thinking of the fluffy snood and Enid's fluffy clothes before a thought hits me dead on, bringing me to a new clarity and decision on my ideas, "Mother...I believe it is time we dig up more than just our memories and thoughts, it's time we dig up the real past..."

..........................

The sigh was clearly a sign of her remembering her past as she spoke to Wednesday, "this reminds me of when you got your first grave-digging kit. You were so happy, you nearly smiled."

"It seems as though you wish you were digging as well mother," she smiled when I looked back at her with a glance, "are you sure you don't want to join?" I frowned looking at the side of Wednesday's face as she stopped, leaving me to continue digging by myself, "uh... mm... No, that's okay, darling. I don't want to spoil your fun."

A raise of my brow had me replying, "of course not, you just had a manicure, isn't that right mother?"

"Oh, you noticed?" I nodded, hitting a dead end in the dirt as I looked up at my sister, throwing the shovel above ground level to rest at the side of Garret's head stone, "of course, I always pay attention to claws."

I knew she was smiling fondly and so I hadn't a need to turn to look at her reaction, "moment of truth." My sister pulled herself from the ground and dusted her hands against her jacket as I hovered over the side of the coffin, retching the nailed door off with a growl, "well, I didn't think a human would have his coffin nailed shut."

My mothers words received a nod as I looked down at the corpse, "they were hiding this," I reached in, snapping his fingers from his left hand, "you were right?" I gave a nod to the question before slamming the coffin closed as a throat was cleared behind us and a light shined down at me, "I usually am after all..."

"Well, well, what do we have here? Guess there's gonna be an Addams family reunion in lockup tonight. You're all under arrest." I frowned, pocketing the fingers well until they wouldn't be found in a pat down before turning around to face the woman, "deputy Santiago... What perfect timing, what are we having for lunch? I'm quite famished..."