AN: Sorry, probably not my best but I couldn't just not give you guys something to read after the week of work I've had. At this point if any of you have any ideas for things you'd like to see happen (within reason) in the next couple chapters, I'd be chuffed to have some inspiration!


Morticia and Gomez are still at their table, having already finished their soup for their starter. Gomez now has the fancy bib that these high-end restaurants provide tucked into his shirt collar and functioning as a bib. Morticia also recognizes that the underground vaults may be cold, so she's draped a blanket over her husband's lap. Morticia has moved even closer to Gomez as they wait for their main course. While they wait, Gomez shows Morticia his stocks on his computer, and explains how the widget works.

Gomez

And as you can see, Consolidated Lint is up!

Morticia

That is a shame, dear. I suppose not every investment can make a loss. I do hope you're not disappointed.

Gomez softly shakes his head, trying to banish her concerns.

Gomez

Not at all! I don't own any!

Morticia sighs – of course he doesn't own any. She places her hand on his, and gives it a little squeeze, which he reciprocates.

Morticia

But of course, dear. Your business acumen has always been inspired.

Gomez smiles wryly.

Gomez

You're making me blush.

Morticia continues, pointing to the computer screen again.

Morticia

And you command that… widget… with such poise and dignity!

Morticia leans in to kiss Gomez on the cheek, to which Gomez beams widely and savours the moment. He keeps his eyes closed for a few moments, in bliss, before briefly opening his eyes and quickly writing a message on the screen. As he does, Morticia doesn't notice, and kisses his cheek again.

Gomez

Cara mia, I hate to interrupt, but I believe we have company.

The waitress from before is standing right behind Morticia with the two meals, prepared exactly to their specifications.

Morticia turns around, pleasantly surprised and completely unbothered that the waitress saw them being lovey-dovey. By this point, everyone who works in the Raven's Perch has seen them be gooey with each other at one time or another.

Morticia

Ah, such a prompt service. Thank you.

Waitress

For you, Mrs Addams.

The waitress sets down Morticia's meal. The salad is emitting a bizarre steam, which Morticia inhales. She takes in the scent and is instantly impressed.

Morticia

Magnifique!

This sets Gomez off. He immediately turns his head as best he can to look at his wife, directly in the eyes. He lets out a small wheezy noise, barely above a whisper, before he composes his next sentence to Morticia. It's clear that were he able to speak the words, he'd be speaking in a low, passionate whisper.

Gomez

Tish! You just parlez-voused!

Morticia smiles coyly.

Morticia

Later, Gomez. Your food, remember?

Gomez nods, remembering where he is.

Gomez

Ah, yes. My food.

The waitress sets down the softened/liquefied version of the eye of newt brisket with blood sausage and mashed hornet larva in front of Gomez. Although Morticia spoonfed Gomez the soup herself, Gomez intends now to test his prowess at feeding himself with the main course.

Waitress

Anything else, just let us know.

Gomez

Splendid!

Morticia

You are such an understanding establishment.

Waitress

For much-missed regulars, anything.

Morticia and Gomez both seem bashful at that.

Morticia

Oh, darling, aren't they such sweet dears?

Gomez

Positively saccharine, querida!

Waitress

Well, you're very welcome. Enjoy your meal.

The waitress leaves Morticia and Gomez to dine.

Morticia gets up, finally ready to move the stand into its final position, allowing Gomez to feed himself.

Firstly, she secures the stand down, locking the wheels in place. She then gently lifts up her husband's arms and slides them through the slings, before repositioning the slings as close to Gomez's mouth as possible. If you can't picture this, imagine his hands hanging in place in slings, positioned sort of like medieval stocks. Morticia then makes sure to check this is alright before she keeps going.

Morticia

Everything feels comfortable, yes, Gomez?

Gomez nods.

Gomez

Certainly does, my dear!

Morticia

Excellent.

Morticia sighs, proudly.

Morticia

You're doing remarkably… bubeleh.

But before Gomez can even tell her what that word does to him, Morticia leans in and kisses Gomez on the cheek. He smiles again, savouring the moment of affection. No matter where, no matter when, he is always swept away by her.

Morticia then takes the two spoon attachments from the bag on the back of the powerchair and attaches them to Gomez's two hands.

Gomez's fingers weakly curl around the attachments, but not really strongly enough that he would be able to grip them were they not attached to his hand with Velcro. Still, it's the best he can do and he wants to be practicing gripping, even if his grip isn't strong enough to hold anything yet.

Morticia

Are you ready, darling?

Gomez nods, weakly raising an eyebrow and giving her a wry look.

Gomez

Never readier, querida mia! To love!

Morticia smiles, charmed by how cheesy that was.

Morticia

To love, my angel. I'll affix the tray and we'll begin. But you must remember, if you become tired, you must tell me, rather than risk choking. Understood?

Gomez

Of course!

Gomez gives her a cheesy raise of his eyebrow as the words play aloud. Morticia strokes his hair, talking to him in a low, comforting voice – and maybe slightly sensually.

Morticia

Oh, darling. You are the quick learner… but of course you are. You're an Addams! The handsomest and shrewdest of all the Addams men!

Gomez

Flatterer.

Gomez shakes his head, humble, but grinning ear to ear. Morticia kisses him on the forehead as he responds to her. Gomez hasn't even done anything yet, so he's not even sure what he's done to deserve this praise. The truth is just that when Gomez first became sick and couldn't move anything or even open his eyes, Morticia never would have envisioned that the two of them would ever be able to have a romantic dinner together again. Now, they're here, and it's happening, and she's so proud of her husband – and indeed, her family. And herself, for getting through this.

Morticia takes the final, foldable metal tray out of the bag on the back of Gomez's wheelchair and attaches it to the chair itself, very high up and very near Gomez's chin. His tracheostomy tube is repositioned to give Morticia more space to place the bowl on. Morticia plops the bowl carefully on the tray, and sits back in her chair, watching intently, not paying any attention to her own meal yet.

Morticia

That's that. I believe we are ready. But please, make sure to feed yourself in your own time.

Morticia sits back in her chair, waiting for Gomez to begin. Morticia thinks on it more, getting sentimental. All she can do is watch him. Gomez is just a little confused.

Gomez

You're not eating anything!

Morticia

I'm watching you, dear.

Gomez

Nonsense, cara mia! We haven't eaten together like this in months!

Morticia

Oh, I suppose I'm just nervous watching you. We've both so longed for a night like this. But you're right. I ought to eat. I am famished after that drive.

Morticia takes some of her salad, getting ready to eat. Now, Gomez feels ready to start. He raises his eyebrow weakly again.

Gomez

Shall we?

Morticia

Dear Gomez. Of course we shall.

Gomez makes his first attempt to take a spoon of the bowl of soft food waiting for him. He painstakingly moves his wrists the tiniest bit downwards, aiming the left spoon for the mixture. After four or five seconds of intense concentration, the spoon makes contact, and Gomez then focuses on now moving his wrist across the top enough to get a substantial amount of the liquefied food on his spoon. It takes him several seconds to focus, and several more seconds of forcing his wrist forward, millimetre by millimetre, to get enough food on his spoon to be satisfied.

He then begins the task of lifting his wrist out of the mixture, and inching his hand back towards his mouth. This whole process, just to take one spoonful, is laborious, but Gomez is determined. It takes him almost thirty seconds to lift his hand back to its original position and to start moving his wrist back towards his open mouth. About a minute and a half after he started, Gomez finally ingests the first spoonful, and after just a second – maybe two – he swallows. Right as Gomez takes the spoonful, Morticia takes the first bite of her salad. She takes the pocket square from Gomez's pocket and uses it to dab some small beads of sweat from his forehead.

Morticia kisses his forehead after she wipes the sweat away, so indescribably proud of him.

Morticia

Oh, Gomez.

Gomez grins shyly.

Morticia

Brilliant, darling. Absolutely brilliant.

Gomez

Angel. I would still be a dribbling vegetable at rest were it not for your caring spirit!

Morticia is getting very sentimental now.

Morticia

You are my life's brightest light.

Gomez

And you, my own.

Morticia

What ever would have become of me had I not met you?

Gomez

I believe we were both blessed by unparalleled good fortune, cara mia.

Gomez raises his eyebrow again, cheekily. He's getting remarkably good at it. He also cocks his head a little bit, doing everything he can to emote using his head and face but not his voice.

Gomez

Our guardian spirits must really like us.

Morticia

You are a darling.

Gomez gets completely distracted from what he's meant to be doing, now entirely devoted to whispering sweet nothings to his wife. He's under her spell, and she's under his.

Gomez

Those beautiful words… they set my blood afire!

Morticia

Later, Gomez. Food first, remember?

Gomez nods, yet again remembering where he is and what the task at hand is.

Gomez

Ah, yes! Sorry, my love. I got carried away.

Morticia

Don't worry, dear. You're apt to be a bit distracted.

Gomez takes a moment, and then gets ready to feed himself the next spoon. When he's ready, he steels himself and begins.

Gomez

Better give it another go!

He smiles at his wife, who nods, a small smile still on her face.

Morticia

In your own time, my sweet.

Gomez begins the laborious process of taking another spoonful of the meal. It takes him about the same amount of time as before to manoeuvre his wrist back down into the bowl and take a spoon. He again brings his hand and wrist back up to his mouth, and after another long and tense moment of Morticia watching him to ensure he doesn't choke, he ingests the spoonful and swallows soon after. Morticia sighs with relief when Gomez manages it yet again, and dabs any sweat from his forehead.

Gomez seems bashful, a little embarrassed to be complimented on being good at something that's such a commonplace human activity, but accepts it nonetheless, trying to make a bit of a joke out of it.

Gomez

Not bad!

Morticia

Darling, you're so diligent. Are you feeling at all tired?

Gomez shakes his head, not too tired yet.

Gomez

Certainly not, querida! In fact, I believe it's time for another helping!

Gomez yet again repeats the same actions as before, feeding himself another spoonful. Each spoonful takes an agonizingly long time for Morticia's liking, but Gomez always comes through and manages to feed himself.

Gomez has now eaten about half the bowl, and it's roughly thirty minutes later. It's clear to Morticia that Gomez is now completely tired. She's dabbing sweat off his forehead constantly. In addition, he's getting too tired to swallow his saliva, so she's having to dab away the odd bit of drool as well. Gomez himself also knows that he's too tired to continue. He has no strength to even keep his mouth closed – which shows how hugely tired this has made him. Morticia knows it's time to stop.

Morticia

Darling, you have been magnificent.

Gomez smiles with his mouth open.

Gomez

Gracias, cara mia, gracias.

Morticia

But Gomez, dear, take a look at yourself.

Morticia takes out her makeup compact and shows Gomez his reflection in the mirror. He can see himself, forehead damp with sweat, mouth open and the tiniest speck of drool forming at the side of it. Gomez sees himself and immediately knows it's time to stop, even though he wants more than anything to be strong enough to continue. Still, this has been the most he's ever managed to feed himself in one sitting – he finished about half of a meal completely on his own. This is a huge step.

Morticia

You're far too tired to continue. But oh, you have been spectacular. Even the most masterful have their limits.

Gomez nods, very weakly.

Gomez

Hear, hear.

Morticia

Let me get you out of that ridiculous thing for now, dear.

Morticia gets up and moves over to Gomez, gently taking the spoon attachments off of Gomez's hands. Then, she moves the bowl of food back to the table, and detaches the tray, folding it back up and placing it back in the bag at the back of Gomez's wheelchair. Finally, she unlocks the stand and slides it out of the way so that it's no longer behind Gomez.

Gomez

Thank you, Tish. You do everything for me.

Morticia

It is an honour, darling.

The two of them smile at each other as Morticia sits back down.

Morticia

Do you want me to feed you the rest, Gomez?

Gomez shakes his head.

Gomez

No thank you, cara. I believe it's time for dessert!

Morticia grins coyly.

Morticia

Gomez, dear?

Gomez

Yes?

Morticia

May I feed you dessert? It's so romantic.

Gomez mirrors his wife's coy smile, suddenly feeling remarkably romantic too.

Gomez

Sounds enchanting, cara mia.

Before heading up to find a waiter she can place a dessert order with, Morticia grins wickedly. Gomez is so drawn in that he can do nothing but copy the wicked grin, the two of them unable to wipe the smiles from their faces.

Morticia

But first…

Morticia leans in, and kisses Gomez on the lips. This triggers a little burst of energy in Gomez, who closes his mouth enough to kiss Morticia back. The two of them kiss for what is probably an obscenely long time. Finally, Morticia leans back just enough for Gomez to see her face.

Gomez

Tish… you are beguiling.

Morticia

As are you, my angel. I just couldn't resist.

The two of them go back to kissing, thoughts of dessert, for now, sidelined, as the two of them embrace the moment of togetherness and intimacy in their little corner of the restaurant, away from everyone else. Dessert will come when they decide it will.