Who: Madeline Spencer and Tesla Echolls. Where: The Grand. When: This brunch time! What: Mother/daughter bonding. Warnings/Status: Nothing major. Complete.
It was getting to be afternoon, and Tess was kicked back on the couch flipping through the TV, bored out of her mind seeing as there was never anything good on when she actually wanted to watch the damn thing. She gave up and left it on "A Baby Story", had been watching it a lot lately and was actually pretty bored with the lack of visual of the actual birth. Mused at how the camera men had to have strong stomachs. There was a hurried knock on the door and she recognized it as her mother's, slid off the couch to open the door, smiling at her. "Hey, mom."
"Hi honey, grab this would you? It isn't heavy." Handed her a grocery bag of veggies Tess had asked her to pick up, walked in with the heavier stuff, going straight for the kitchen. "Sorry I'm late, there was the worst line at the market! And then there were these pregnancy magazines in the line so I read one in the car, there's so much more that they know than when I had you and Shawnie! It's really incredible. Just bring that in and set it on the counter, I'm cooking for you today. How do you feel?"
Tess couldn't stop an amused grin as she obeyed her mother, setting the bag of leafy veggies down to unpack it, inspecting all the contents with eyes and nose. "All right, I don't feel sick. I had some heartburn last night but some tea Logan made took care of that," At her mother's amused expression Tess chuckled. "I know, okay? I feel so bad, I'm pussywhipping the poor boy. I keep telling him to fuck off and have a card game or something but he hasn't. I'm thinking of arranging Dick to kidnap him. Anyway, yeah, my breasts are really tender, they inflated a little more last night and the bra absolutely wont go on, so time to shop. Again." A sigh.
"Tess," She put some food she wasn't using for the dish away, turned and smiled at her daughter. "You're going to go through so many bra sizes from now until. .after you deliver, that it isn't even funny. They just tender, or do they hurt bad?"
"Nah, just tender." Tess nodded to the stove. "So what are we in store for tonight?"
Madeline went back to the food. "Chicken rollatini, the non-alcoholic version, at least." She laughed softly, digging through the bag. "Now, did you ever check on the provolone cheese?"
"Oh yeah." Tess hopped up into a chair, digging her hands into the pockets of her hoodie. "It's fine."
Madeline nodded and started cutting open packages of chicken breasts. "Good because I don't think it would taste as good with American and I know you can't have certain cheeses." Took a couple of breasts out and started to flatten them. "How's Logan?"
"He's good, really good. He adjusts better and better by the day and i haven't been so moody since the I called the doctor about the vitamins, not much moody at all actually, I'm just really tired." Yawned to emphasize her point. "I feel like I've been working 14 hour days loading a cargo hull."
Her mother chuckled and nodded. "Making all that blood for him, it wears a lady out. How often do you rest?"
"I'm rarely on my feet, I nap once in the middle of the day and I go to bed earlier than I ever have, though the time varies, you know. What with grown-up time."
Madeline glanced over her shoulder with a raised brow, chuckled, pushing off a TMI comment. "Sore breasts, tired and still having sex? What is wrong with you? Most of us swear it off."
Tess' first thought was to reply with 'Like I could', thought better of it and shrugged. "Like I said, I get my nap and if they get tender he's gentle, or I just don't let him touch." She shrugged again.
Madeline sighed, grabbing cheese to lay in the chicken. "You're something, kid, but then again, you always were." She sighed. "I still can't believe it, Tess. My little girl all grown up and married, having a baby." Glanced at her with teary eyes. "I know this has been hard, and I'm really proud of you both. Logan, he's really proved himself the last few weeks. And you're a trooper, even if you get a little bit crazy."
"Mom," Seeing the tears in Madeline's eyes and listening to her her own eyes flooded and released warm droplets, making her try to laugh, wipe at them. "God, don't, I'm gonna boohoo all afternoon if you start!"
"I'm sorry!" Maddie finished with preparing the chicken and moved to wash her hands before pulling Tess into a hug standing in front of her chair. "I love you so much, you know that, right? I do. It's all gonna work out fine in the end, even for that hubby of yours."
"Hey," Tess laughed softly, patting her back before pulling back. "I kind of knew from the beginning and it gets more and more obvious, especially without the goddamn mood swings from hell."
"Wait until you deliver." Madeline winked, settling the rolled up chicken pieces on a baking dish, pouring in olive oil and chicken broth. Stuck it in the oven and took Tess into the next room to watch a movie while they waited on it. "So what's the deal with tomorrow?"
Tess groaned, settling into the couch, hitting the remote to scroll through movies. "There is no deal, if you want to go to the ceremony, by all means but I don't want a party or anything. I already told Logan, nothing."
Maddie chuckled, shaking her head. "You know you're lucky he wants to blow money on you all the time, the rich guys usually clam up after the wedding, and watch every dime you spend from their accounts."
"I don't though, I use his cards and pay the bills with my own money, he got my name on them before we even got married." She shrugged. "I don't mind him buying me stuff, I buy stuff for him too, I just don't want to make a big fuss out of tomorrow, I'll just be exhausted."
Madeline sighed, because she knew Tess wasn't going to let up about it, but she also knew she wasn't going to get her way either, especially if she had something to say in it. She just dropped it, and turned her attention to the movie Tess had chosen.