AN: These are drabbles following "Home." People really responded to the story and wanted more, so I decided to do a set of drabbles leading through Tess's pregnancy. I hope you all enjoy :3
Month 3 – October 29th
Tess twirls the little orange pumpkin around in her hands thoughtfully. It's a tiny thing, but Ellie's damn proud because she actually managed to grow a small patch of them in a small plot of dirt near the main gate. The gourd brings back more nostalgia than she would like. Memories play in her mind's eye of trick-or-treating with her brothers, stealing candy from each other, even the two of them scaring the absolute piss out of their "little baby sister."
The recollections make her snort with laughter. "Yeah," she muses to herself, trying not to feel as sentimental as she does. "I'd like to see you two steal my candy now, you bastards…"
She sets the pumpkin on the windowsill by the bed and reclines back against the pillows. It feels good to be not throwing up for once. Like clockwork every day: Wake up, vomit. Have breakfast and find the taste disgusting no matter what it is, vomit. Get dressed, vomit before getting all clothes on. Manage to finish getting dressed somehow, and then vomit once more for good measure. The whole damn pregnancy is more exhausting than she'd like.
Her eyes remain on the smooth, bright skin of the pumpkin and she remembers picking them in patches with her family. Things were so simple then. The crisp autumn air, the dreamy golden light of the season…the memory's more like a ghost than anything.
Joel's presence draws her attention. He's leaning against the door frame, giving her a softer look she doesn't quite recognize.
"Yes?" She asks expectantly.
"Well, you went an' told Ellie about carvin' pumpkins an' now she wants me to teach her." He gives her a small, rare smile. "I figured you'd wanna join us if you're done with your," he phrases it carefully, "daily routine."
Tess grunts and sits up. "Yeah, I'm good for now…hopefully." She raises an eyebrow, "did she actually grow somethin' big enough to carve?"
"A hand of 'em are actually pretty good sized." Joel's hand grips hers securely, hoisting her to her feet with care. There's a moment that follows of his fingers ghosting over her neck, down her shoulders, gently over the little bump in her abdomen. It makes more heat rise in her cheeks than she can handle.
"All right, big guy." She rolls her eyes as she shrugs him off. "You'd better let me show her how to do it though."
"Oh really?" He guides her out of the doorway and down the hall. "I think I used to do a pretty good job of it." Images of a pulp-covered kitchen and Sarah's expectant eyes watching him as he carefully cut all of the shapes out of pumpkin flesh flash through his memory.
"Yeah, but I grew up with two brothers and we competed with everything…including carving pumpkins." Tess flashes a proud smile, complete with a playful chest puff. "I was good."
Joel gives her an amused look, playing along. "Well then, I'll just have to watch the master at work, huh?"
"Damn right, you will."