AN: I wanted to expand a bit on Gomez being there and (emotionally) looking after Morticia, especially after the last chapter. She was lost without him while he was under, and he's as much there for her as she's there for him, so I wanted to write a little piece where he grounds her and comforts her in this tough situation – which he does mostly by just being himself and being there to reassure her.
Thoms is about ready to discharge Gomez. It's the following day. Morticia is cleaning him up in preparation of leaving in a few hours' time. Morticia somehow has a miniature basketball, and a miniature basketball net has been stuck to the far wall. In her other hand, Morticia combs Gomez's hair, an activity she finds great comfort in doing, even if his hair is incredibly neat already.
As she finishes running the comb through his hair for the umpteenth time, the voice on Gomez's eyegaze computer bursts into life as he speaks.
Gomez
Ready?
Morticia
Always, darling.
Gomez
Aim!
Morticia nods, and holds the basketball behind her head, still combing his hair and not looking at the net.
Gomez
Fire!
Morticia throws the basketball blindly backwards, and of course, makes a perfect basket. She turns around to see it, delighted with herself. When she turns back around to see Gomez, he's smiling broadly, looking excited.
Gomez
Olé! Perfect, querida mia!
Morticia
Well, I do try.
Gomez
Such dexterity! Such poise! Such steely concentration!
Morticia
You flatterer.
Gomez
And that's just the way you comb my hair.
Morticia
Why, you are in quite the mood for flattery.
Gomez
It's the day that's in it, my dear! Home at last!
Morticia
That is true, darling. But we still have to have you looking your best. And that reminds me – I must speak with Dr Thoms about removing that unsightly tube out of your nose. I see no danger of you vomiting at all. Shall I fetch him?
Gomez nods, thinking it best to do it now.
Gomez
Good thinking, querida. It has been rather uncomfortable.
Morticia
Anything for you, Gomez.
She shoots him a loving smile, which he reciprocates. She walks over to the door, but before she can open it, she hears a knock emanating from it.
Morticia
Why, that must be him now!
Morticia opens the door, and as expected, it is Dr. Thoms.
Gomez
Excellent timing, old man! Come in!
Morticia
I was just on my way to fetch you, doctor. We think it would be so unbecoming to send Gomez home with that unsightly tube in his nose. Could you please remove it?
Gomez (nodding, smiling. He's in a good mood)
It would be quite the relief!
Thoms
Oh. Of course. Yes, it's about time we took it out.
Thoms approaches the bed, staring at the basketball hoop. He doesn't need to express his confusion in words, his face says enough.
Morticia
Oh, just a little reminder of home. I should take it down now, though. Thank you for reminding me, doctor.
Thoms
Right. Well. Uh, let's get to it, then.
Thoms looks at Gomez, and carefully takes the tube in his hand, just looking at it.
Thoms
Okay - this will feel uncomfortable, Mr Addams, I'm sorry.
Gomez
Banish those apologetics, old man! Discomfort is my middle name!
Morticia
It is?
Gomez spasm-laughs, smiling wickedly.
Gomez
Just a jest, cara mia.
Morticia
So it's still Florencia?
Gomez
Still Florencia, my dear!
Morticia
I'm glad. It does suit you.
Thoms
Excuse me. Let's just, uh, get to it, please. Mr Addams? Again - I'm sorry if this is painful or uncomfortable.
Thoms presses a button, raising the bed up even more and bringing Gomez into even more of a sit than he had been previously.
Thoms then grabs a towel from the bedside and drapes it over Gomez's chest. He then puts on a new set of gloves.
Thoms
Right, this'll be quick.
Thoms peels back the small bit of tape attaching the tube to Gomez's nose, and places it briefly on the bedside table.
Thoms
Okay, we'll do it on your next breath. Sorry in advance.
They wait until the ventilator performs Gomez's next breath for him, and as his chest falls again, Thoms pulls the whole thing out in one fell swoop. It seems to go longer than Gomez had expected it would.
Gomez gags. It's actually painful for Morticia to watch this. Gomez did not expect the removal to be so abrupt, and so his eyes immediately begin to water the moment the tube was first moved out of his nose. His eyeliner - perfectly applied by Morticia for him - she can't have him not looking like himself - even while he was comatose - begins to run. He makes an intense gurgling, gagging noise, followed by a cough. He immediately starts sweating profusely. Morticia almost wishes his mouth or face was more paralyzed, just because now he's better able to emote, seeing his pained expression kills her.
Morticia (flustered by how hard that was to watch)
Oh, Gomez...
As soon as Thoms is finished, Morticia swoops next to Gomez. She takes some tissues from one of the tissue dispensers, and dabs Gomez's forehead free of the sweat. He looks up at her rather helplessly.
She then takes another tissue, and with Thoms just stepping out of the way, it leaves her free to wipe Gomez's face clean of the running eyeliner. She also just gently dabs his eyes free of tears.
Morticia (she then takes his hand out from under the covers, and holds it)
My poor, noble, courageous love. Speak to me, darling.
Gomez (if he could physically speak, this would be spoken frazzled and woozy)
Oh, querida mia.
Thoms
I'm sorry. I really am. You're good now. All gone!
Thoms holds up the tube.
Gomez
Ah, liberated from that wretched contraption at last. A cause for celebration, cara mia! Let's dance 'til dawn!
Thoms stares. Morticia takes another tissue, and wipes Gomez's nose as he speaks. He smiles as he looks into her eyes, very excited.
Thoms
Now, please, Mr Addams. I know you're not one to let things stop you, but take it easy for the next few days.
Morticia
But dancing 'til dawn is taking it easy, doctor! Before Gomez became ill, we didn't stop 'til noon!
Thoms
Well, maybe just cut out the dancing for a day or two.
Morticia
And disrupt the triumphant march of his progress?
Thoms
Any of your husband's purported "triumph" will have to be put on/
Gomez
/Triumphant, you say?
Gomez nods, allowing himself to have this.
Gomez
Well, that's true.
Morticia
Of course it is. How could it not be? You're Gomez Addams! The single most triumphant man, a noble husband, a doting father, a/
Thoms
/Well, you should be able to transfer him back to his wheelchair in just a few to prepare him to leave. Oh, just one last thing.
Gomez
What?
Thoms
Trach suction and then you're out of here.
Gomez's cheery demeanour almost immediately dulls. He can't stand trach suction. The sensation is even worse than the tube being pulled out his nose. Even though he undergoes trach suction every single day, it always fills him with a primal dread.
Morticia catches sight of this. She knows how much he hates it, and how, after the tube being removed too, this is turning out to be more of a traumatizing afternoon than previously planned. She squeezes his hand.
Morticia
Oh, darling.
Gomez
Cara mia...
Morticia leans down, and kisses Gomez on the top of his head. Maybe a bit cheesy to some, but Gomez, the hopeless romantic, is, of course, very comforted by it.
Thoms
Let's get it done, Mr Addams. And then you can go home to your family.
Gomez nods, resigned to his fate.
Gomez
If we must, old man.
Morticia keeps her hand holding Gomez's, trying to bring as much comfort to him while Thoms performs the very uncomfortable task of suctioning Gomez's tracheostomy.
Thoms places another thin pad (more like a big tissue) over Gomez's chest - over the towel that's still there. He then grabs a suction catheter, one of which is behind the bed, and a resuscitation bag, checking the catheter is at the right amount of pressure.
Thoms then puts on a surgical mask and an impervious gown, both of which are ready and waiting for anyone to put on, sitting on one of the shelves.
Thoms then puts on another, different pair of gloves and readies a cup. He then pours a saline solution into the cup.
Thoms
Sorry again. I swear, I've got nothing against you.
Morticia
Only a madman would.
Thoms
Gonna give you a few more breaths now.
Thoms takes the suction catheter in one hand. In the other, he dislodges Gomez's tracheostomy tube, and puts the resuscitation bag there instead in its place, blocking the hole. He then squeezes down on the resuscitation bag a few times to give Gomez some extra air, as promised.
He then takes the bag off, leaving Gomez laying there with nothing connecting him to the ventilator he needs to breathe. Morticia can feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She can barely being herself to watch, knowing Gomez has no power or control over his ability to breathe.
Thoms picks up the suction catheter, and the tubing, which is just laying on the bed, ready for something to be connected to it. Then he dips it in the saline solution. Gomez has started sweating again.
Thoms makes sure it's actually working, confirms it is, and makes sure the tube connecting the ventilator is out of the way.
Thoms
Again, old man. I'm sorry.
Thoms eases the catheter inside the hole in Gomez's throat, and through the short plastic tube keeping the hole open. The catheter sucks up all the mucus and gunk that Gomez hasn't been able to clear from his throat that may be obstructing or endangering his breathing without him knowing. It is a decidedly unpleasant sensation for Gomez, a tube being forced down his throat that sucks everything up inside of it. When it gets a few centimetres down, Gomez violently coughs, gagging and accidentally dribbling out of both sides of his mouth.
Thoms pulls the catheter about, swirling and rotating it intermittently. It is only done for about ten seconds but for Gomez it feels like forever.
When Thoms finally stops, he puts everything to the side briefly, and gives Gomez a few more deep, hyperventilated breaths on the resuscitation bag.
Thoms
Doing great.
Thoms flushes the catheter out by dipping it in the saline solution, giving Gomez a few moments before repeating the process again. Again, Gomez coughs, gagging intensely and dribbling out of his now open mouth - he wants to yell with pain but can't make sound. When he opens his mouth to gag and yell, all that comes out is dribble. Gomez is, unsurprisingly embarrassed.
Thoms finishes the second round, and flushes the catheter once more before giving Gomez a final ten seconds of suctioning. Gomez has tears coming from his eyes, drool coming out of his mouth and sweat forming everywhere. Morticia can barely watch as Gomez wretches - it's especially hard to watch because he wretches without being able to move, so all he really does is seem to jerkily vibrate or convulse.
Knowing Thoms is done, he gives Gomez a few more hyperventilated breaths before disposing of all the now non-sterile pieces of medical equipment. He watches Morticia and Gomez sadly.
Thoms re-connects Gomez's tracheotomy tube to the ventilator, securing it back and ensuring Gomez gets steady and constant airflow again.
He then takes a few steps back and surveys them both.
Thoms
Well, that is that! I'll leave you to it. I'll be back in about a half hour with the hoist. Then we can finally get you out of here. And again - Mr Addams - that was rough. I'm sorry.
Thoms gives them both a curt nod and exits before either can say a word.
Morticia looks at Gomez's face. He's crying - whether due to the pain and discomfort, the genuine emotional turmoil, or both - he's dribbling saliva again, and he is drenched in sweat.
Morticia, too, is genuinely upset by what she just witnessed. The truth is, Morticia has never been able to do this to Gomez herself. She has always had one of the live-in nursing staff suction her husband's tracheotomy. She's only seen it done on him once before, and that was while he still had no face movement.
Even then, when she couldn't see the reaction on his face, she couldn't bear to watch. Now he can show emotion and discomfort, she is rendered emotional by merely re-imagining what she just saw. The looks of pain, the bodily fluids that escape during the process, the discomfort, the twinge of humiliation and the overwhelming helplessness all combines into one - this destroys her. She can't ever do this procedure on Gomez and she can't bear to ever watch it done on him again.
Morticia strokes Gomez's hair and appeals directly to him.
Morticia
Darling, cavaliero mio - say something. Anything, to let me know how you're feeling. How are you feeling, Gomez?
Gomez (weakly giving her a nod)
Just a little drained, cara mia. But I'll be alright.
Morticia
Dear, let's get you cleaned up.
Gomez
Thank you.
Morticia takes more of the tissues from the dispenser, and begins to wipe Gomez's face clean of sweat, drool, and tears. He is a little embarrassed that Morticia is seeing him like this, but also knows he ought not to be.
Morticia is very careful in how she neatens Gomez up, trying to be as gentle as possible. When she's finally wiped everything clean, she takes a step back, and sighs.
Morticia
Gomez, that must have been truly frightening. To think you must endure it on a daily basis. I don't know how you do it.
Gomez
Frankly, my dear, I don't know how I do it either!
Morticia surveys Gomez, still a little traumatized from what she just witnessed.
Morticia
Gomez… darling.
She sighs.
Morticia
May I join you?
Gomez (grinning, surprised)
In bed?
Morticia
Precisely.
Gomez
If you can fit, my dear! I certainly do take up a lot of space!
Morticia
As you should. Your limbs need to be stretched. Allow me.
Morticia unclicks one of the barriers on the side of the bed off (most are removable) and sets it down on the floor. She pulls back the covers. She takes Gomez's right arm and right leg, and very gently moves them in a little, giving her a small amount more space to join him.
She slips beside him, and brings the covers back up over them. The two of them look at each other. Gomez beams. Morticia smiles sadly.
Gomez
Ah, cara. Together at last.
Morticia (nodding, distressed)
Gomez…
Morticia seems genuinely distraught, replaying the mental image over and over. She seems much more distressed than Gomez, but he picks up on this.
Gomez
Morticia – you're in a blue funk.
Morticia
Yes, I suppose I am.
Gomez
Oh, my dear querida – what happened?
Morticia looks into his eyes, incredulous.
Morticia
It's too upsetting to think about.
Gomez
Cara mia - whatever the problem, we can handle it!
Morticia
Oh, darling, I know. I just wish you didn't have to…
Gomez (concerned)
Didn't have to what?
Morticia
Undergo that wretched treatment. The look on your face was one of pure torture. And not the fun kind. You looked like… you were in agony.
Gomez
I am, my dear - to see you upset like this!
Morticia
I refuse to carry out that procedure myself. I couldn't even stand to see it when you were under.
Gomez
I don't blame you – neither could I! In fact, I couldn't even stand or see it.
Morticia smiles at his little joke.
Morticia
You are so…
She struggles to find the words.
Morticia
…so able to take this all in your stride.
Gomez
Tish – if I can't stand, I can't stride either!
Morticia
But dear, you are so adaptable.
Gomez (nodding, grinning, full of jokes)
Pretty ironic seeing as we've adapted the whole house to suit me.
Morticia
And still so full of humour and courage.
Gomez
That's true.
Morticia
Gomez, there's something I must tell you. These past few days without you. They have been nothing short of mental torture. Your presence is so grounding. With you comatose, I felt unmoored – lost without a light to guide me through this ordeal. And you are the one enduring it, not me.
Gomez (surprised to hear her say this)
But cara mia! You are enduring it!
Morticia
Not to the degree that you are.
Gomez
Nonsense! My dear - you cater to my every need! All I do is merely lay, and allow my needs be met! You do it all! From morning to night! You are a saint.
Morticia
You're too kind, darling.
She leans next to him and kisses him on the cheek.
Morticia
It just tears my heart to shreds to see you suffer like that. And my heart was already in tatters from that brief coma. Without you to talk to, without your words of comfort… I floundered.
Gomez (trying to cheer her up but also genuinely tickled by the image)
To have one's heart torn to shreds. What a thought!
Morticia
But you see what I'm saying, dear. Despite your being the one who's so unwell… I still turn to you for comfort to cope with it.
Gomez
Unwell? I'm always well when I'm with you, cara mia.
Morticia
Gomez…
Gomez
Tish – no more surgeries! I can't risk going under again!
Morticia doesn't even have words to express her relief.
Gomez
I can't do that to you and the children. It wouldn't be right.
Morticia
Thank you, dear. I'm still glad we got this one. I have no regrets.
Gomez
Nor do I! Tonight, we shall cuddle uninterrupted at last!
Morticia
That will be such a blessing, mon cher.
Morticia leans in and kisses him reflexively, but she's maybe underestimated Gomez's ability to turn his head from side to side. He turns his head immediately to kiss her. Morticia winds up kissing Gomez on the forehead, and Gomez winds up kissing Morticia on the cheek. They both stop, pause for one second, and then kiss on the lips.
Gomez
Cara…
Morticia
Bubeleh…
Gomez
Bubeleh. Tish, you know what that word does to me.
Morticia (still a little upset, but now being a bit more self-aware about it, plus Gomez is cheering her up by just being his normal self)
Kiss me again, Gomez. Banish these thoughts.
Gomez
For you, querida, anything! Your knight in shining armour - to defend you against the ravages of the world!
Morticia
You romantic…
Gomez goes back in for another kiss, giving her a few small ones, before she leans in and they kiss on the lips again – and again. Gomez hopes he's cheered her up a bit. Indeed, a smile begins to form back on Morticia's face.
Gomez (smiling, lovingly, back at her)
Happy, cara mia?
Morticia
Cavaliero mio…
She sighs, smiling at him.
Morticia
…when I'm with you, it's hard not to be.
Meanwhile, Dr Thoms returns to pick up the trash bag, slightly opens the door, and sees the two of them kissing – with Morticia in the bed beside Gomez. He immediately retreats, trying to act as if he'd never seen anything.