AN: I added a picture to go with the fic! I'm no artist, so it took absolutely forever, but I'm fairly pleased with how it turned out. Let me know if ya like. Nothing really new, just a pic I suppose of Morticia consoling Gomez by his bedside, not even that emotional a pic either, I'm not so good at conveying stuff like that through art. I really was just winging it. Anyway, here goes.
40 (Part 2)
Grandmama
So, after all that digging, eventually, I think I found a pair that'll fit.
Grandmama holds up an old-looking set of pyjamas. She's standing in front of the bed in a spot where Gomez can see her. Morticia watches too, standing at the bedside.
Grandmama
I think they used to belong to your Cousin Crimp.
Gomez
Wonderful idea, mama!
Morticia
I think so too. You'll feel much more like yourself when you're out of that repulsive gown.
Grandmama
It's far too yellow for your tastes.
Morticia
So undignified. Unbefitting of a man so noble.
Grandmama
Let's change you into real clothes.
Gomez
You think you can manage it?
Grandmama
Don't be silly, Gomez. I dressed you in your pyjamas every night when you were a boy, and a mother never loses that touch.
Morticia
How true, mama, how true.
Grandmama
Besides, Morticia'll help.
Morticia nods.
Grandmama
Now, Morticia. Let's get this ugly gown off of him.
Morticia and Grandmama stand on either side of Gomez. Morticia and Grandmama put their hands behind his shoulders and push him forward a little, leaving him flop. Morticia keeps him steady while Grandmama unties his gown.
Grandmama
Alright, let him down.
The duo ease Gomez back down, back into the position he was in to start with. Grandmama takes the covers off the bed, to allow easier access. Morticia then goes back up to reposition Gomez's head so that it's perfectly in line with the computer, just to make things easier.
Grandmama
Right. You lean him forward a bit.
Morticia obeys, wrecking the careful positioning work she'd just done in favour of easing him back up again, letting him flop forward for a second time. Grandmama keeps talking.
Grandmama
Stretch out his arm.
Morticia takes his left arm and stretches it out to the side, as straight as she can get it. Grandmama then brings the sleeve across, sliding it down his arm. Still keeping Gomez held up, Grandmama brings the back of the shirt around and across his back, before having to move around to the other side of the bed to finish the job. Once the shirt has been carefully placed on his left arm and back, Morticia eases her husband down again. She moves to the other side, where she stretches his right arm out, as straight as it can go, while Grandmama takes the right sleeve, and slips it down his arm until the shirt is on as best as it can be. Morticia then very carefully positions Gomez, as close to perfect as she can manage, so that the computer is always fully in his line of sight, preferably centered.
Morticia
Now, Gomez, dear. How is that? Does that feel better?
Gomez
Cara mia, I haven't worn real clothes in weeks! This is exhilarating!
Grandmama
That's my Gomez. Always so easily impressed. Just like his mother.
Morticia
Wonderful, my darling.
Grandmama
Let's get these bottoms on, then.
Morticia and Grandmama move to the end of the bed. Grandmama feels like she can do this one mostly by herself, but wants Morticia just in case anything goes awry. She takes the pyjama bottoms and slips the left and right side onto Gomez's legs. Then, she instructs Morticia to stand on the left while she stands on the right, and the two inch the bottoms up until they reach Gomez's waist. They do so – quickly and efficiently. Gomez is now fully clothed, albeit in pyjamas – but other than the hospital gown, it's the first thing he's worn in over a month.
Morticia moves over by Gomez's bedside. Grandmama folds her arms and just surveys the two of them.
Grandmama
Looking dashing, son.
Morticia
When aren't you? You are simply irresistible.
Gomez
Querida mia…
Grandmama
Now – let me get started on supper. I'll be back in 20 with that hemlock cocoa.
Morticia
Oh, wonderful, mama.
Grandmama closes the door behind her on the way out, leaving Morticia with Gomez.
Morticia
Oh, my sweet. It's such a shame you can't taste it. Grandmama tends to experiment in times of stress.
Gomez
Sounds like she hit upon a winner.
Morticia
That she did, Gomez dear. I'll pour a little in your feeding tube. It makes one delightfully woozy. How does that sound?
Gomez
Divine, cara.
Morticia sighs, and smiles at Gomez, and strokes his cheek. He looks up at her before composing another sentence.
Gomez
What was it you'd said about the nurses' roster?
Earlier, before Grandmama came in, they'd been talking about which nurses are on during which time of the day.
Morticia
Gomez, darling - I'll fix the nurses' roster to your computer.
Morticia takes a copy of the roster from the bedside locker, and with a sticker, affixes the sheet to the computer, just to the side of the screen so Gomez can see it and check it whenever he wants. Gomez examines it.
Gomez
Tish! Your name's on every shift!
Morticia
I can never relax when you aren't well, you know that.
Gomez
I know - you've hardly spent a second away from me since I came home. What about the children?
Morticia
Lurch is taking care of them, mon cher.
A pause.
Gomez
Tish, that's French.
Neither of them quite know what to do.
Morticia
Should I... refrain from speaking French, my darling? While you can't...
Gomez
No! I'll recover faster!
Morticia
Very well, mon cher.
A stagnant silence.
Morticia
Here, bubele. Allow me.
Morticia leans down, gently lifts Gomez's arm to her lips, and places three kisses on it, one on his arm, one on his hand, and one on his neck, in a careful, gentler, safety-conscious version of what he would usually do.
When he would do this, it would be energetic and fiery, with Gomez doing way more than just three kisses, overcome by his passionate love for Morticia, while Morticia herself would stand stoic, bemused, tickled and flattered - and usually after a while, having to bring him back down to Earth, to remind Gomez that they're in the middle of something else or that now isn't an appropriate time for passionate kissing, but that she'll be more than happy to resume later - and maybe not just kissing, at that. ("X now, bubele later").
This said, the rules don't apply here. Morticia needs to be careful with her fragile husband, plus she'd never just do an impression of him back to him anyway. She's more collected, coy, and ethereal - her three tender, loving kisses in her own vague echoing of his usual passionate routine is more than enough. She stands back a bit afterward, surveying her husband up and down.
Morticia
You look simply ravishing in the light of that machine, my darling.
Gomez
And I'm sure you'd look divine if I could see you behind the computer, cara mia.
Morticia steps a bit to her right so Gomez can see her better.
Gomez
What do you know? I was right!
Morticia
Flatterer.
Gomez
Querida...
Morticia walks around to her side of the bed.
Morticia
Perhaps you should try to sleep, my dear. We can nap until mama comes back with the cocoa.
Gomez
I do feel a bit drained.
Morticia
Don't worry about staying awake for me, darling. I'll turn the machine off.
Gomez
Thank you, cara.
Morticia strokes Gomez's face, before turning the computer off. Gomez now doesn't have a way to outwardly communicate. Morticia goes back to stroking her husband's face.
Morticia
You sleep, my sweet. I'll wake you for supper. I think Pugsley and Wednesday want to join us.
Morticia climbs into the bed beside Gomez, and gets under the blankets with him. She rests her head on his shoulder and takes his hand under the covers, and for a moment, it's like nothing has changed.