Darcy Lewis (tasergoddess) wrote in madisonvalley, @ 2018-12-22 21:19:00 |
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Entry tags: | !closed, !log, [plot] future kids take 5, ~2018 december, ~25 points, ~~~~ darcy lewis (tasergoddess) |
Who: Darcy, Stephanie, & Junior
What: Surprise!
Where: Darcy & Haymitch's house
When: morning
Warnings: nope
Status: started in gdocs, will continue in comments
Sleeping in was not a thing that happened too often when you had an almost two and a half year old, so Darcy was up early and in the kitchen making a pot of coffee when she heard some shuffling around in the other room. It sounded like a small person, but Stephanie was sitting at the kitchen table making a mess of the bowl of oatmeal that Darcy gave her, so she couldn’t imagine who it was, though she had an immediate sense of dread at the possibilities.
She decided it was okay to leave Steph for a minute and popped into the living room. The face she found was familiar, but the clothing was a big clue that this wasn’t a kid she had met before. He was obviously the biological child of her and Steve though she had a sinking suspicion he was not from this version of Madison Valley.
“Hey,” she said tentatively, hoping she wouldn’t terrify him completely. No doubt he was already confused by the modern house and the fact that she was wearing a pair of fuzzy pajama pants that had cupcakes on them with a hoodie.
***
Junior was immediately set on edge when he’d woken up in unfamiliar surroundings. Nothing looked like home, from the furniture to the walls. He’d gotten up cautiously, looked around a little before making his way toward what sounded like someone moving around, hoping that it wasn’t going to get him in a whole lot of trouble. His father wouldn’t be pleased if he was getting into trouble again. He’d already been chastised for it enough recently.
It was a relief to see his mother there in the kitchen, though she was wearing clothes that didn’t look at all familiar. She was still her, though. Junior wasn’t about to forget his own mother’s face.
“Ma?” He looked around. It was clearly a kitchen of some sort but it was enormous and it was strange. “What’s goin’ on? Where are we?”
He had so many more questions but that was a good start.
***
Darcy had no idea how to even begin explaining this whole thing to the kid. Most of the kids who were born and raised in Madison Valley understood ‘dome shenanigans’ as an explanation. This one definitely would not since they hadn’t been a thing in the old west version of the town.
“Why don’t you sit down and I’ll get you some breakfast,” she said. Maybe food would help make this a little easier to handle. Steph was intrigued by the new person and waved her spoon in his direction, flinging oatmeal all over the place.
There was no telling how many more kids were going to show up calling her mom and she had no doubt that this wasn’t the only one Steve was going to have either. “This is going to be very confusing and I’m sorry for that.”
***
Junior frowned a little at the toddler, but with a slow nod he did as he was told. He’d been raised well and wasn’t about to go disobeying his mother. Not today, at least. At very least not until he knew what was going on. Junior was a little too like his father in that he tended toward just doing whatever he wanted, consequences be damned.
Which were not words he was stupid enough to actually say aloud in front of either of his parents.
Folding his hands on the table, back straight and clearly uncomfortable, Junior looked at her expectantly.
***
He wasn’t the only one who was uncomfortable. Darcy got a bowl out of the cupboard and filled it with oatmeal, setting it and a spoon in front of the boy and trying to figure out how to even begin explaining this.
“Okay, so, you’re in Madison Valley,” she said. “But it’s not the same Madison Valley you’re used to. In fact, you’re in the future. I know that sounds hard to believe, but it’s true. So I’m not exactly the mom you know and your dad isn’t the dad you know. Which means I don’t know your name.”
That was a lot, but it was a good start. She hoped.
***
It sounded completely mad and if it was coming from anyone else Junior would have been sure they were pulling his leg. But this was his mother. He knew her he loved her and he trusted her more than just about anyone. She wasn’t going to steer him wrong.
He looked at her with wide eyes, his spoon half lifted to his mouth, habit having him digging into the food set before him immediately. Usually he’d have chores to see to and school to get to and there was no time to dilly dally over breakfast.
“My name?” he repeated, shocked. His own mother didn’t know his name? “It’s Steven. Junior.”
Just about everyone called him Junior, except at school, so as not to confuse him with his father.
***
Of course it was. Darcy wondered how many other kids were going to pop up calling her mom. At least she knew Haymitch and Veronica wouldn’t be jealous of this one.
“I’m sorry, Steven,” she said. “I know this has to be confusing and I wish it wasn’t.” Of course, she had so many questions about his world - if marrying her had destroyed Steve’s career and if his family ever accepted her, but this wasn’t the time to ask. It might never be the time to ask given the culture shock the poor boy was experiencing.
She was going to have to text Steve sooner rather than later. Maybe he’d have a better way of explaining things to their son.
***
Junior crinkled his nose at the use of his given name and he shook his head. That wasn’t right. “Please call me Junior, ma’am.” He had good manners, of course. His aunts would never let him have otherwise though he doubted his parents cared much in any way about it so long as he was kind. “Everyone does.”
It was all very confusing, but the worst part of it was his mother’s voice calling him Steven. He didn’t remember the last time she’d called him that and it just felt wrong.
“Is Pa around at all?” She hadn’t said he wasn’t still her husband and he had no reason to assume otherwise.
***
“Yeah, he’s at his house,” Darcy said, getting up again to get her daughter some juice in an effort to keep her from screaming about wanting down. She really needed Steph to behave while she tried to explain this all to the poor kid in front of her. “We, um… we’re just really good friends here, so we don’t live together.”
She was expecting questions about Stephanie and knew that she also needed to warn Haymitch about their guest. At least she didn’t have to try to explain a pregnant wife like Steve would.
***
His house. They didn’t live together. That was jarring and for a moment Junior was stunned to silence. Rare enough for him but especially so when he was talking to his mother. He was very prone to sharing with her, probably more than she cared him to do sometimes.
But this woman didn’t know that about him, and Junior made himself respond, nodding thoughtfully.
“S’pose at least you know each other.” That was something. He knew his parents had been friends first, too. “Who’s this, then?” He gestured to the baby. She wasn’t familiar to him but clearly his mother knew and cared for her, and well at that.
***
Stephanie banged her spoon on the tray of her high chair by way of greeting. "This is Stephanie," Darcy said. "She's my daughter. So kind of your sister, I guess." At least that was how they tried explaining these things when the kids descended en masse.
"She was named after your dad, actually," she added. "Why don't I give him a call and let him know you're here."