A/N: So this is perhaps an unwise decision for me to put an un-betad story up on the net... but still, I will attempt to excuse myself. It's just that I wrote this, and felt bad that I haven't yet updated 'A Mother's Musings'- possibly due to my inexperience with chaptered fics- so posting this is sort of my way of making peace.
Again, if you dislike Alberta's characterisation or anything of the like, please post it. I'm not used to writing from a mother's perspective- especially a mother whose descriptions are somewhat sketchy and 2D (perhaps because there are only two or three sentences on her in the entire series), so I'm quite willing to accept constructive criticism. However, as previous authors have noted, "u suk! dis stori iz stupid" is not a review worthy of even being typed up.
Well… onto the actual fic now. I apologise for how Alberta called her son 'Eustace' and not 'Eustace Clarence' in 'A Mother's Musings', and I hope to remedy that in this fic.
"Eustace Clarence!" Alberta Scrubb called, and walked down the hallway. She opened the door to the living room and froze.
Her son and that girl- that Jill Pole- they were sitting next to each other- very closely- heads leaned in. They were evidently discussing something deep and important.
Alberta didn't know whether to cry, laugh, shout, or just cough and draw attention to her presence.
In the end, she did none of those things. Instead, she did what she never thought she would do in her entire life- she leaned in and listened to their conversation.
"No one's ever come in a vision from Narnia, have they, Scrubb?" The girl whispered.
At least they were only on surname references, Alberta thought with satisfaction. They weren't-
"-Jill, I think Peter's plan is insane, but it's all we can do."
Jill! He was calling her Jill! On first name basis, were they? She stifled a shriek.
"But Eustace, you heard what the Professor said- what Aunt Polly said! Aslan said not to use them again, didn't he?"
"He could have meant it jolly well for them alone," Eustace retorted.
"But think about it, just sit back and think, Scrubb."
"What do you think I'm doing, Pole? What do you think I have done? It's the only thing we can do- even the Professor and Aunt Polly have agreed on it."
So they were alternating. Not a good sign. She would have to talk to her son.
"Isn't there anything else we can do?" Jill said, almost despairingly.
Eustace gave a snort, and Jill looked hurt. Against her will, Alberta felt half sorry for the girl.
"Anything else! We don't have time. Besides, Aslan will be there."
Aslan? What was that? She took a quiet step in to listen. Something about the name was ridiculous, but pleasant. Something about the name was making-
It was making Jill lean in closer to her son! It would be innocent if she was just trying to listen, but Alberta knew that look too well. She'd worn it before, in Harold's presence, and now that Jill was-
Jill and Eustace jumped apart.
Alberta realised she must have coughed.
"Good afternoon, Mrs Scrubb," the girl, Jill, said pleasantly, although Alberta noted her cheeks were slightly red.
Pretentious girl, she thought uncharitably. She barely has the decency to blush.
"Good afternoon," she said coolly. "Good afternoon, Eustace Clarence."
"Yes, Al- Moth- Alberta?" he asked, confused.
Mother! He had almost called her mother! After all she'd done to teach him!
"Harold would like to discuss with you a few issues," she replied. "For your future. And next week, he would like to introduce you to one of his business associates."
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jill squirming slightly uncomfortably.
"I'll just be going now," she said, and rose. "Good day to you, Mrs Scrubb, good day Eust- Scrubb."
And with that, she fairly fled from the room.
"Mother- I mean, Alberta?" said Eustace hesitantly, when Jill had left. "I was wondering- could I spend the weekend before school with the Pevensies?"
The Pevensies! They were common people, why would he want to spend time with them?
At least they were family.
"Certainly, if your father does not object. It is just a family meeting, is it not?"
After all, if her Eustace Clarence wished to further network with his family and friends, who was she to object to it?
"Well… would it be all right if Jill came, too?"
"Jill Pole?"
Alberta's head jerked up.
Eustace looked terribly uncomfortable.
"Well- yes," he said, "but it's not anything-" he squirmed slightly- "indecent. It's just a gathering for friends, really."
Alberta drew in a large, deliberate breath of air.
"Talk to Harold," she replied.
When Harold said, "Yes," that night, she wanted to curl up and die.
Eustace Clarence, her son, would be gone in a few days to be with the Pevensies- and in the company of that Jill Pole!