Hey worldwide web,
So this started off as a drabble I posted on a forum thread, but I decided to expand upon it and then publish it in a set of stories featuring one of my OTPs from Awakening and their adorable little daughter. More to come soon I hope!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
"I'm comin' I'm comin'!" Brady shouted from the kitchen. He gave one last glance at the pile of dishes he had been trying to clean before walking over to the table. He set a fruit cup in front of his daughter. "Stay here," he whispered, kissing her on the head.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
Brady flung open the door. "What the hell is so damn important that- Ma?!" Brady was met with an expertly aimed parasol swat to the nose. "Ow!"
"Brady is that any way to talk to your mother?" Maribelle asked as she stepped through the door and into the house, not waiting for an invitation. Her son stood there, dumbfounded and rubbing his nose. "And with a child in the house no less. Also you need to be quicker at answering the door."
"This isn't really the best time," Brady began. "Ophelia's-"
"Oh where is my little grand-darling?" Maribelle interrupted, giving a soft 'haha' at her own joke. She strode across the living room, giving a little 'hmph' at the sight of several newspapers with various cirlces on them sitting on the coffee table. "I see Owain is still looking for a job?"
"He's actually at an audition right now," Brady explained. "Which is why I'm here watching Ophelia and not at work."
Maribelle gave a soft gasp. "He's forcing you to take time off from your already insanely busy schedule to watch your daughter so he can go prance across a stage like some fool? The nerve of that boy, turning parenting into a chore. He has his father's wit, or lack thereof, that's for sure. I'm sure if Lissa had married someone nice like Frederick instead of...Vaike," she said the man's name with a high amount of prejudice, even by her standards. Brady glared at her. "Oh don't give me that look, you know I think Owain is a darling boy...I just wish he'd behave more like the man he technically is."
I've seen things that proves how much of a man he is, Brady thought, his cheeks turning a rosy tint.
Maribelle scoffed. "Are you really thinking lewd things in front of your own mother? And with your daughter in the next room?" Another gasp. "You left the child alone in the next room?! Ophelia darling! Nana's coming to rescue you!" Maribelle stormed into the kitchen where Ophelia was just finishing her fruit cup.
Brady just sighed and followed his mother. When 'Nana' visited, it was really best to just wait things out. Visits usually went scolding, coddling (for Ophelia anyway), complaining about Owain, more scolding, one last cuddle with Ophelia, and then leaving. All of this usually took place in a grueling three hour time-frame, but so far they were only at three minutes and twenty-three seconds and it was already on to the coddling.
"Grandma!" The six-year old said excitedly, jumping off of her chair and throwing her arms around Maribelle.
Maribelle pursed her lips. She hated being called 'Grandma' and she and Lissa had often competed to see who would be gifted with the title of 'Nana' when Ophelia was first adopted. Ah, many tears had been shed (by Maribelle, after a box of wine had been opened) on the fateful night when Ophelia's fourth word was Nana, directed at Lissa. Actually, Ophelia had been facing both of her grandmothers, but Lissa swore up and down it was for her.
"How are you my darling?" Maribelle asked, picking up the child. She turned to leave the kitchen. "We'll be back by the time you finish your shift, don't worry. I'll make sure she eats a proper lunch. Maybe a cookie afterwards if she behaves. Oh of course she'll behave."
"Oh thanks- Hey wait a minute!" Brady hollered, following Maribelle out to the car. "Where are you taking my daughter?!"
"To the aquarium," Maribelle said, setting Ophelia down in the car seat and buckling her up. Ophelia gave an excited squeal. She loved the aquarium.
"You hate fish," Brady deadpanned.
Maribelle thought for a moment. "Well I enjoy eating fish from time to time." Brady raised an eyebrow. "Oh darling, must you be so proud? Where do you get it from? Your father? I could have sworn your father said pride was a sin but I suppose-" Brady was now glaring at her. "Oh. I see. Really Brady, I'm trying to help you. With me watching Ophelia you can go into work now and continue making the money that Owain...well...can't."
"I already called in sick, I can't go into work today," Brady argued.
"Why not?"
"I work at a hospital Ma!"
"Oh, still?" Maribelle shrugged. "Well then do some cleaning. Naga knows that Owain won't do it."
"Could ya please stop insulting Owain with Ophelia right there?" Brady asked, lowering his voice.
Maribelle glanced over at her granddaughter, who was busy playing with the switch that lowered and raised the window. "Oh, right, I'm...sorry." She turned to face her son. "I just...want my son and my granddaughter to be taken care of. It's hard to believe that after all of that time you spent being completely dependent on me and of little conventional use that you're finally old enough to do things for yourself." She sniffled and reached out to hug Brady.
"Ma please," Brady said, his voice already breaking. "Look, you go have a nice time at the aquarium, I'll try and see if they'll let me into work or if I can clean something. Thank you."
Maribelle immediately straightened up and clapped her hands. "Very well, I will see you later tonight." She climbed into the driver's seat and waved at her son as he went back inside. She looked in the mirror at the smiling girl in the backseat. "Ophelia darling, is it okay if we wait a little bit before we go to the aquarium?" Ophelia frowned. She wanted to go to the aquarium. "We'll go and see Daddy," Maribelle offered. Ophelia smiled and nodded. Maribelle began backing out of the driveway. "Yes, we'll go see Daddy and make absolutely certain he lands this audition. I'll call Grandpa and see if the director has said anything interesting during Confession recently..." She drove off to the local theater, happily humming a tune she used to sing to Ophelia.
Later that day, Brady had finished cleaning the kitchen and was starting up on the living room when the door burst open.
"Oh where art thou, my darling Brady?!" Owain called out, not noticing Brady was standing right there. Realization dawned on him and he swooped Brady up in a hug.
"How did the audition go?" Brady asked excitedly.
"Perfect!" Owain exclaimed. "I was the first to go on, and after some deliberation, the director canceled the rest of the auditions for the part of Romeo and said I had it. He must have been blown away by my performance!" He kissed Brady several times on the cheek. "Hey, where's Ophelia? I promised she could help me practice my lines."
"Oh she's out with my...Ma," Brady's voice trailed off. "Er...when exactly was your audition?"
"A little bit before noon," Owain said, setting Brady down. "Why?"
"No reason," Brady said quickly. "Tell me more about the audition." He sat down on the couch and grunted as Owain jumped onto his lap.
"Well we were requested to give a monologue," Owain recounted, "but the one they had us memorize was a bit dry. So I added some extra scenes and a battle flashback to make it interesting. Man you should have seen the director after my dramatic death scene at the end. I've never seen someone so pale."
Yeah, I'm sure your acting was what made him pale, Brady thought, remembering that the director went to the church his father ran. "That's great! I'm so proud of you." He ran his fingers through Owain's hair. "If Romeo ever needs a Juliet to practice on...I'm your man." He gave a smirk and started kissing down Owain's face.
"Thanks, but Ophelia wants to be Juliet!" Owain said, oblivious as ever. "Oh but you can be Tybalt if you want. Hey, maybe I can call up the director and..." Brady just rolled his eyes as Owain began looking for the correct number to call on his phone. When Ophelia got brought home he'd have words with his mother, but first he'd thank her for this. It had been a long time since Owain had been this happy.
Now Maribelle might not have enjoyed her son living with this man, or in her opinion, this boy, but she knew that what mattered most was Brady being happy. So she felt pretty damn proud of herself later that night when she left the house and saw Owain running excitedly around the living room with Ophelia on his shoulders and Brady laughing from across the room. Still, she was a grandmother, and she had a job to do. She opened up her phone and dialed Brady's number.
"Make sure Owain doesn't run into a wall," she said into the phone.
"Ma are you watching us from the driveway?!"
"Love you darling!"