AN:
Another Addams Family fic, seeing as the fandom is so woefully under-populated. This is from the POV of Margaret Alford, later Addams, and her acceptance into the Addams clan. I do not own The Addams Family; all rights belong to the filmmakers and to Charles Addams.
On Margaret's first visit to the Addams family home, she had of course been too conformist to find anything but fright in their strange ways and customs. She had been terrified by the place they lived and things they did and the things that worked for them. But clients were clients and the Addamses happened to be the only ones left feeding she, Tully and their son. So, in that way, she had attempted to keep some smidgen of respect for the eccentric clan, despite their oddities.
Now that she was included in that 'odd' group of people, she could safely say she did not know of a better set anywhere. Though at first glance they seemed strange, bizarre and even threatening, once you really got to know them, you could safely say you'd never meet a kinder clique. Being an Addams, whether by marriage or blood, was not simply a way of life, it was an inclusion into a club who always strove to take care of its members. From the moment she had married Cousin Itt, she had been treated with nothing but love.
Her ex-husband had been buried long since and her son no longer spoke to her, but she found contentment in her new spouse and in their daughter, What, and in their closest kinfolk, the Addamses at 0001 Cemetery Lane.
Despite often meeting with widespread relations on special occasions, more often than not, she, Itt and What contented themselves with paying calls on Morticia, Gomez and their close family. Initial impressions aside, Margaret held a deep affection for the couple and their three children and even had a soft spot for Uncle Fester and Lurch. Even Thing no longer seemed so unusual. That was what being an Addams had done to her. What she had once frowned upon and shunned she now embraced. She could honestly say they had made her a better person.
Today was one of those days when they paid a visit to the mansion and so they set out early that day, all three of them in Itt's little car, chuntering their way along. They arrived without trouble, entered without incident and even Gate seemed in a playful mood as he clanked shut behind them. In the hall, as ever, they were greeted by Morticia.
Though Margaret could honestly say she counted Morticia as a dear, close friend, she still envied her her figure sometimes. Her tight black dress showed the cinched line of her waist off to perfection and her lush, dark hair hung in that simple way that made Margaret think she was one of those 'roll out bed looking gorgeous' types. Still, envy was an easy thing to get over when the object was Morticia. Whatever she'd first thought of her ways, Margaret believed her to be one of the sweetest people alive, ever accepting and graceful. So, while Itt spoke with Gomez and What played with Pubert, she and Morticia retreated to the greenhouse where, ensconced in their female conversations, they carried out their day.
Morticia had for some years now been trying to show Margaret how to best prune some of her more exotic plants. While she was still terrified of Cleopatra, Morticia's prized African Strangler, the Nightshade was becoming a tad less daunting to her. The pair sat with shears, talking of family and activities, snipping the red heads off the roses. Margaret always asked Morticia for the buds and, with a raised eyebrow, she always acquiesced. After all, people were allowed their eccentricities.
When all the gardening had been done, they travelled down to the kitchen, where they found Mama (Margaret wasn't even sure of her name, was it Esme, Esmara – Esmeralda perhaps?) throwing some rather questionable ingredients into her cauldron. The trio rummaged about there happily for yet more hours, as the children passed through with an assortment of objects. It had taken her a while, she wasn't afraid to admit it, to get used to the nonchalant way with which the Addamses treated violence. But she knew that Wednesday, as sombre as she seemed, would never allow her kin to come to any real harm. So she simply watched happily as hatchets, knives and axes went mysteriously astray.
The night was setting in when it was time for the visit to conclude but first Morticia took Margaret's hand and lead her out to the graveyard. Pruning the graves was a task she enjoyed, especially when bathed in moonlight. In moonlight, it had to be said, Morticia appeared how she was meant to be seen. Margaret thought that with her ordinary hair and ordinary face she couldn't possibly compete, but, whether out of kindness or not, Morticia often commented on how lovely Margaret looked and it elated her to no end to hear it.
As they passed from marker to marker on this night-time inspection, Margaret was forced to come face to face with Tully Alford. His gravestone shone, ghoulish in the starlight and she frowned at it, hardly knowing how to act. Thankfully, Morticia saved her the trouble. She swept up alongside her, seemingly from nowhere and took hold of her hand, patting it in condolence:
'He was a cheat and a liar and a thief. He's right at home here, don't you think?'
For the first time since becoming an Addams, Margaret disagreed with her, albeit silently. Despite the Addamses priding themselves on their ruthless backgrounds, they never caused harm where it was unwanted or unjust. And unlike Tully, they were honest to a fault and were possessed of courage, strength and intelligence.
No, Margaret did not like the comparison, but she would allow Morticia her opinions. Being part of a family was all about give and take. Yet she knew without a doubt that she would never trade these years of happiness with the Addamses for anything. Life was for living, death was the next great adventure and an end to it all could, standing on Addams land as she was, most assuredly be just around the corner.
AN:
What did you think? Just a little musing, inspired by how happy Margaret was at Debbie's hen party about being a member of the family. PLEASE REVIEW!