Morticia gently placed her knife and fork down in the centre of her plate and delicately wiped her mouth with her napkin, "That dinner was absolutely delightful Mama."

"Yes," agreed Gomez, "and how ingenious of you to put the yak eye in with the eye of newt!"

"I just followed the instructions on the box," said Mama bashfully.

"And how cleverly you did it," complimented Morticia.

"Well," said Gomez, standing up, "shall we retire to the living room?"

The family agreed and each member of the family stood up and left the room. Thing collected the dishes and handed them to Lurch, who carried them into the kitchen to wash.

In the living room Morticia sat up tall in her peacock chair, knitting a sweater for Kitty, who she claimed would be getting chilly this time of year. Especially since Gomez and Fester had broken the ceiling fan in the basement and they couldn't get it to turn off. Gomez was on the floor beside her, doing his zen yogi and trying to read a book while stealing glances at his wife.

Fester and Mama were in an enthralling game of dominos, which they weren't actually sure how to play, but figured that with enough dynamite anything was fun.

Pugsley and Wednesday were trying to pull one of the rugs apart thread by thread.

"How's your book dear?" asked Morticia.

Gomez smiled at her, "Riveting," he replied, "who ever knew there were so many ways to tie knots."

"I thought there were only two?"

"Well, I've read bows, that was chapter one. I haven't gotten to nooses yet," admitted Gomez.

"They've probably saved the best for last," reasoned Morticia.

"Ah ah, you got a line of five dots, five dots, and two dots," shouted Mama, "that means it's my turn to blow it up!"

"Aw," whined Fester as he slid the stick of dynamite over to Mama.

Triumphantly Mama set it off. The explosion rocked the house, then in a fit of sparks, the lights of the grand house blew.

"Oh," said Morticia after they'd been sitting in the dark for a few moments.

They heard the groan of Lurch, then Mama spoke up, "I'll see if there are any candles."

A few crashes were heard as Mama walked away.

The family listened as Mama slowly fumbled her way through the dark.

"I found them!" they heard her call from the depths of the house.

"Wonderful Mama," said Morticia, raising her voice slightly, just enough to be heard.

The sound of crashing followed as Mama made her way back to the living room.

"Here we are."

Although the family could not see, Mama's arms were laden with candles, and one torch.

"Gomez, may I have a match please?" asked Mama.

"Certainly Mama," there was the sound of striking, and then Gomez's face was visible through the gloom.

He lit up the torch first, which he then took from his mother and passed to his youngest.

"Thank you Father," said Wednesday, she carried the torch across the room to where Pugsley still lay on the floor. She handed the torch to her brother as he sat up. The children resumed their previous activity.

Gomez lit the remainder of the candles. He and Mama handed them out to the rest of the family. When Gomez made to pass a lit candle to Uncle Fester the bald man shook his head.

"Gomez," he said in such a way that Gomez felt he had forgotten something.

He had.

Fester took a light bulb from his pocket and put it in his mouth. The room lit up.

"Fester," suggested Gomez, "why don't you go and see if you can't figure out how to get the power back up.

The room suddenly became more dimly lit as Fester took the bulb from his mouth and replied enthusiastically, "Sure!"

He put the light back in his mouth, and as he walked away the room become progressively darker.

"Oh, I do hope he can fix it," said Morticia.

She was trying to resume her knitting, but was finding it difficult as she had no where to place her candle and was attempting the task one handed.

Gomez sprung to action, taking the candle from his beloved, "Here Cara," he held both her candle and his own near enough to her that she could see what she was doing.

"Thank you Bubbeleh."

He dropped the candles. Thing was surprisingly quick at picking them up before the flames spread anywhere.

Gomez had already made his way halfway up his wife's arm before someone tugged at his sleeve.

He stopped to see who the culprit was.

"Father," it was Pugsley, torch in hand, "Wednesday fell asleep," he pointed the torch in her direction.

Gomez looked at his watch, and then his pocket watch, "Querida," he said to his wife, "were you aware that it's after two in the morning?"

"Already?" asked Morticia, then putting down her knitting and standing up she continued, "I'll get Wednesday into bed. May I have my candle dear?"

Gomez looked about him for the candle, Thing handed it to him, "Thank you Thing."

He passed the candle to Morticia, she shuffled off with their daughter.

Morticia and Fester returned to the living room at the same time. Morticia sat back in her chair. Fester stood in the centre of the room.

"Well, I couldn't do it," he announced.

"Oh well, Fester old man, we'll call an electrician tomorrow," comforted Gomez.

"And to top it off," continued Fester, "I need to be recharged," he put his light in his mouth to prove the point, it flickered and died.

Morticia passed him her candle, "I'll share Gomez's," she said.

Gomez moved closer to her, holding the candle between them.

"Mother?" asked Pugsley.

"Yes dear?"

"Why don't we light a fire?" he pointed the fireplace.

"That's a wonderful idea Pugsley," smiled Morticia proudly, "Lurch?"

Lurch groaned as he walked to the fire place, he made to light it. Then he stopped. He turned back to Morticia and Gomez, "No wood," he explained.

"Oh well," shrugged Mama, "I always look better by candlelight anyway."

Gomez looked at his mother for a moment, then agreed, "It does bring out the wrinkles."

Mama smiled proudly.