Lurch played the simple piece again. Slower this time. Wednesday watched, trying to remember everything he did. Then it was her turn.
On each of the keys, Lurch has written a letter. His handwriting wasn't the tidiest, but Wednesday could still decipher it.
She pressed the keys, trying to mimic Lurch's sequence. B.
She looked at him for confirmation. He nodded a silent well done. Wednesday beamed up at him. As they were about to move on Morticia walked into the room. She halted when she reached the pair.
"Wednesday, darling," she summoned, "That's enough for your lessons today. I need your help with Cleopatra."
"Yes Mother," responded Wednesday.
The small girl clambered from the harpsichord stool and took her mother's proffered hand.
"Cleopatra is refusing to eat," explained Morticia, "so I need you to distract her, while I try and get some food in her."
Wednesday nodded. She then paused, thinking hard.
"Okay Mother," she said after a moment's though, "I have a plan, are you ready?"
"Yes Darling," replied Morticia as she picked up a fork and the plate of meat.
Wednesday stood as high as she could on her toes and reached up to tickle Cleopatra's chin. Sure enough, Cleopatra opened her mouth, the plant version of smiling in glee. Morticia got some food in the plant's mouth.
Wednesday ceased her efforts and smiled as her mother cooed to the plant, "Now Cleopatra, masticate, masticate."
Cleopatra reluctantly did as she was told and swallowed the food.
Morticia handed the empty plate and fork to Wednesday, "Would you take these to the kitchen Darling?" she asked.
"Yes Mother," Wednesday nodded and took the dishes away.
Morticia turned her attention back toward the African Strangler. She could hear Lurch tinkering away on the harpsichord. Contentedly she hummed along and she stroked Cleopatra's chin.
A pair of strong arms wrapped around her small waist.
"Cara mia" a voice coursed into her ear like an electric current.
She turned her head slightly so her husband was visible in her peripheral vision, "Gomez," she purred.
Then Gomez leapt away from her with a sudden energy, he kowtowed to her, "May I have this dance?"
"Of course darling," Morticia replied.
Gomez righted himself and offered her a hand, which she took gracefully. She allowed him to lead her into the next room where Lurch was playing the frivolous music.
The couple began their dance. Lurch, who had until now been playing contentedly with his eyes shut, looked up and saw he had an audience. He slowed the tempo to a gentle waltz. Morticia and Gomez noted the change and slowed their dance, pulling their bodies closer together in a soft embrace as they swayed to the music.
The gentle atmosphere of the room continued for several minutes until, as with all things in the Addams Family home, it reached a cacophonous and explosive end.
"Pugsley! Give it back!" shouted Wednesday, as she and her older brother stormed into the room.
"No! It's mine!" retorted Pugsley, equally as loud as his sister.
Morticia and Gomez had stopped their dance. Observing the chaos before them.
Pugsley was holding a small toy grand piano close to his chest, and Wednesday, arms crossed and red faced in displeasure, stood tapping her foot at a quickening pace.
Gomez intervened, "Children, what's -"
Wednesday cut him off, turned to her parents and pointing an accusing finger at her sibling "Tell him to give it back!" she all but screeched.
"No! It's mine!" Pugsley repeated.
Wednesday's face began to scrunch up, she was either about to scream or about to cry and Lurch wasn't keen on finding out. He plucked the tiny piano from Pugsley's grasp.
The boy elicited a surprised "Oh!" as the toy left his possession.
Lurch tucked it beneath his arm and awaited an order from either of the adults in the room.
"Thank you Lurch," said Morticia, relief flooding her voice as the noise in the room had ceased.
Lurch nodded his head in acknowledgement.
"Now, darlings," she addressed her children, "what is the matter?"
"Pugsley took my piano from me when I practising!" exclaimed Wednesday.
At the same time Pugsley replied, "She was making too much noise and I needed silence for my experiment!" then he turned to his sister, "Besides, it's not yours, it's mine."
"You weren't using it," she replied weakly.
Gomez and Morticia exchanged a look. Their children usually got along and were well-behaved, but every so often there was a moment like this, where chaos broke out.
"Wednesday," Morticia addressed her daughter, "did you ask Pugsley if you could borrow his piano?"
Wednesday bowed her head, "No Mother, but I-"
Gomez coughed a warning.
"No Mother, I know I should have, but-"
Another cough.
Wednesday turned to her brother, "I'm sorry Pugsley, I won't use it again unless you let me."
"That's okay Wednesday, I'm sorry I took it from you," replied Pugsley maturely.
Morticia smiled, glad her children were able to work this out.
Gomez turned to Pugsley, "What experiment were you doing son?" he asked enthusiastically, apparently having forgotten the drama that had occurred moments earlier.
"I was trying to bake dynamite into a soufflé," replied the boy.
Morticia's eyes lit up, baking and explosives, an ingenious combination. Gomez saw the look in her eye and instantly knew that she wanted to assist the boy in his efforts.
"Wednesday, do you have something you'd like to ask your brother?" he addressed the youngest Addams.
Wednesday smiled sweetly at Pugsley, "Pugsley? May I pleeeaase play with your piano? I need to practise for my lessons with Lurch."
"Sure Wednesday," replied Pugsley.
Wednesday smiled in glee, and hugged her brother. Pugsley was startled by the sudden affection but warmly patted her back before ending the embrace and taking the toy from Lurch, passing it to his sister.
"Pugsley," said Morticia, with that enthusiastic light still in her eyes, "would you mind if I joined you in your experiment?"
Pugsley nodded, "Sure Mother, that'd be great!" The two went off to the kitchen where Pugsley's burning soufflé awaited them.
Wednesday and Gomez stayed behind.
Gomez sat cross-legged on the floor beside his daughter who was looking a little lonely and jabbing unenthusiastically at the keys. She smiled when she saw her father joining her.
"Need any help with that practise?" he asked her.
Wednesday smiled, "Can you even play piano Father?" she asked sceptically.
"Of course I play the piano!" exclaimed Gomez in mock offence.
To prove it, he mashed the keys a few times, producing a sound that was in no way musical.
Wednesday laughed and leaned into him. He put his arm around the small girl in a gentle hug. She began to tinker with the piano keys, trying to remember all that Lurch had taught her.
a/n: Sorry about the delay with this latest chapter! Don't know how well my characterisation went in some parts of this, I'm not really sure how the Addamses go about solving sibling rivalry - I really don't see it happening that much.