[doc-church-deactivated20150904]

"I’m mingling. See how pleasant I am?" It’s because of Gloria (but I wouldn’t recommend drinking the punch).

[marriedtomurder-blog]

Gloria mingles with Doc, the most pleasant gentleman there. 

[marriedtomurder-blog]

Daughter;

[thelonewandereravrid]

           (——It really is a blessing and an honour to                           welcome such a strong, intelligent and                                   beautiful woman such as yourself into my family.)        She read over the letter again as if she was stuck on repeat;     the smile on her face growing with each word written on the      paper with the growing reminder of how close her ‘special day’     was. A normal person would grow more anxious with each closing     hour, but she couldn’t find herself more excited. God she was such a dork.       ”Can’t be rude, right, Vi?” She asked the little rabbit resting on her       lap, who gave her a simple look as an answer. Getting up from       her seat and putting Vi safely in her cage, she went off to 101.       Hands kept together as she walked the metal halls noticing       how unusually empty they were—hell, she’d remember times where       the broken dystopia had times of excitement and joy… Weird how       that could all change.      Arriving at the other’s apartment, she knocked several times with       the letter stuffed into her pocket, twiddling her thumbs like a little       girl again before the door opened up for her.

"You wanted to see me, Right? I’m not intruding on anything, right?"

[marriedtomurder-blog]

The glass she was drying off is placed down gently on the counter top. A nervous knock, she could tell -- call it a mothers intuition. Truthfully it was moreso that she knew her children didn't knock, or anyone else really any more for that matter; though she much preferred the term 'maternal wisdom'. 

---;                      "You're very welcome to enter without such politeness, you're family." she calmly calls. Intruding, what utter nonsense. She presses the door release regardless, a bright smile welcoming in her soon-to-be-daughter-in-law. 

"Avridianna. Hello dear. In, in -- come in!" arms placed on her shoulder, looking her over proudly. A hug, that's what she wanted, to hug the newest member of her family. So she does. 

"It's so nice to see you." 

[marriedtomurder-blog]

媳妇, 

        Daughter-in-law, or maybe perhaps just daughter — I much prefer that, don’t you? Are you exited, I bet you are! No of course you are, heaven knows I am, anyway, hello 亲爱的, I do hope you’re fairing well. I would really love to have you over for tea before the big day, a little bit of bonding is in order I think. I know I will never measure up to a real mother but I can certainly do my best for you, my best for your own mother, God rest her soul. I hope I succeed at least, a mother can only try her best.

I wish to talk everything about the wedding with you, I don’t even know the colour scheme, how am I to pick out a suitable outfit, tsk tsk! You know where to find me, I hope to see you very soon. 

It really is a blessing and an honour to welcome such a strong, intelligent and beautiful woman such as yourself into my family. 

                                                    Love, 

                                                             Gloria (母亲)

P.S Remind him not to get into any fights between now and the wedding, black eyes and bruises are not at all becoming. 

[marriedtomurder-blog]

My Dearest Doctor, 

It has been some time, I do hope you’re keeping well, I must say I have missed your enchanting and kind company. I have enclosed a box of those biscuits you enjoy so dearly and a request; will you escort and accompany me to the wedding? I cannot think of anyone else more suitable. I look forward to hearing from you;

 Always, Gloria. 

[hellsoverseer-00]

母親知道 [Gloria|Walter]

[hellsoverseer-00]

Even though the slap really is nothing he still whines for a moment, though it’s meant entirely playfully, it’s just how they were, him and Susie both. Following her onto the couch he sits sideways, back resting against the arm so they weren’t sitting side-by-side. He listens through the barrage of questions with a patient smile, she had every right to be excited — she’d probably been holding it in for well, since she’d found out. He really had fucked up there, oops. At least she knew now. 

"Avrid, yeah. I don’t know yet." he starts, smiling, “There’s this place out there called Oasis, it’s got lots of trees and stuff its the only place like it for miles,” and then some, "I think it was nice, like I asked her in this Oasis place, we’d been like just chilling out together and I just sorta’ said it? I don’t know what prompted me I just went for it," he shrugs, there’d been none of that down on one knee stuff. "I gave her the necklace." 

The one you put in my pocket, mother. 

[marriedtomurder-blog]

"Well if it's outside you must have it when the weather is cooperative." She'd been reading a lot about weather since her kids had left. She wanted to know what they were feeling and what to warn them about.  She'd gotten to a point where she could talk for hours about barometric pressure.

"Did she cry?" Because of course she did. "What else could have prompted you? You are in love, Báichī." Idiot. Capped with another slap on the arm.

The look on her face nothing short of a smug 'bitchface'. They'd gotten it from somewhere. "Good. I thought you might, if you had any sense. Did she like it?" There was a threat to this very weighted statement.

[hellsoverseer-00]

母親知道 [Gloria|Walter]

It was very, very clean in here. It always was but he could sense it, she’d been doing her thing again, that motherly thing where they couldn’t just stop fussing. It was understandable though and he did feel somewhat guilty. He was going to tell her, he didn’t mean to make her thing like he’d forgotten her.  

“Wǒ yào gàosù nǐ!” I was going to tell you, “Wǒ gānggāng zhēnshi máng de dōngxī—” I’ve just been really busy with stuff. Busy and stressed, especially with Mac’s diva fits. "I’m sorry." 

The hug comes as no great surprise and he instantly returns it to her, stooping a little to match her small stature. “I guess.” because it was suddenly true. “I should have told you sooner.” 

[marriedtomurder-blog]

"Yes you should have," she chided. No skirting around it or being gentle here. She stepped away, patted his cheek, and then 'slapped' his cheek, the sort of slap that said 'how dare you you adorable fool' rather than anything painful. She went to the couch, sat down, and patted the cushion next to her. "Tánhuà," she said. Talk. She wanted to hear everything. "Is it James' daughter? When are you getting married? Where are you getting married? Did you have a nice proposal? Were you considerate? Did you exchange gifts? Do not get married in the Vault." Everything.

[hellsoverseer-00]

A note arrives by courier. "男孩. 来见我. 现在就." Boy. Come and see me. NOW.

Who the fuck sent notes everyone he knew had a Pip-Boy— he opens it and his face drops, eyes scanning the words over and over again, face blanching. 

"Tā mā de."

He was in trouble, he was in so much goddamn trouble. Susie, it had to have been Susie who’d opened her mouth, he was going to tell his mother, at some point, when he stopped forgetting to do so. Fucking shit. 

He leaves a rushed note to Avrid [Off to the Vault, forgot to tell Ma’ I’m going to die, love you!] before rushing out of the door, still pulling his jacket on, as he bolted through the gates and towards 101. Out of breath he finally arrives, gathers his cool and walks through the front to his house. 

Act natural, be cool. 

“Hēi, māmā yǒu shé me bùduì?”

Hey Ma, what’s wrong. 

Yeah, like he didn’t know. 

[marriedtomurder-blog]

She'd been cooking.

Enough to feed the entire Vault.

Cooking and embroidering and dusting (the entire Vault). Gloria Mack was on a mission. That mission was to be patient. It wasn't easy.

When the door opened she was sitting in a chair with her embroidery as if she was as calm and as poised as can be. This was because she'd had Old Lady Palmer sitting as a watch for her and as soon as she received word she'd stopped her feverish (violent) folding of blankets and sat down like she didn't have a care in the world.

"Nǐ jiějiě yīzhí hěn xīngfèn zuìjìn." Your sister has been very excited recently.

"Xiǎo shǎguā," she chided. Little Fool. "Did you forget about your mother?"

But of course she threw aside (gingerly) her work and rushed him with a hug.  "Nǐ zhèngzài chéngwéi yīgè nánrén," she murmured. You're becoming a man.

[hellsoverseer-00]

He watches them for a moment, smiling though it soon drops and an offended look crosses his face, “Bù, wǒ méiyǒu!” No I didn’t. "She was given to me, she was unwanted I didn’t kill anyone." not today anyway. 

[marriedtomurder-blog]

"You were unwanted, měilì de nǚhái?" she shook her head. Beautiful girl. "Not anymore. I will take care of you." She turned back to Wally. "Xièxiè, qīn'ài de," she said. Dear. "What should we call her?"

[hellsoverseer-00]

"I carried it for miles, my arms are aching!" He claimed, though he had been carrying it wrong the whole way here, oops. When the pup is taken from his arms and practically smothered he smiles, "You know it wont reply to you." even though he’d been talking to it all the way here. 

[marriedtomurder-blog]

"Not with words," she chided, taking it into the kitchen and setting it on the counter, filling a bowl with water and giving it to the thirsty dog. "And how did you get this little girl?" she asked. "Did you kill someone, Walter?" she glared, her tone like that of a mother finding him with his hand in the cookie jar.

[hellsoverseer-00]

He holds it up, legs waggling, tongue lolling. “Xiǎo gǒu.” Puppy. "I was given it and I can’t really look after it and I kinda figured you might like the company when you’re on your own here….?" 

[marriedtomurder-blog]

The leg waggling and tongue lolling was doing it every favor. She tsked, reaching forward and all but snatching it out of Wally's hands. "You are holding it incorrectly. Support the bum. Just like with babies." Which she demonstrated by cuddling the darn thing. "Doesn't that feel better?"

[hellsoverseer-00]

He follows her voice through, "Shhh." he says to the animal as it whined, excited at new ground wanting to claim everything. "Sounds good. Uh Ma’ so if I said I had a puppy for you to keep you company what would you say…"

[marriedtomurder-blog]

The answer was that she wouldn't say anything. She turned around with her hand on her hip, a wooden spoon in the air, and her brow raised. She looked at him pointedly. "Shuōmíng," she said. Explain. Her eyes flickered for a second to the dog. Oh it was cute.

[marriedtomurder-blog]

The unnamed Puppy continued to wriggle in his arms as he pushed through the Vault, didn't exactly know how this was going to go down but it seemed like the best option, getting to the apartment he goes for broke and opens the door, "Mǔqīn?"

"In the kitchen," she called out, going for casual but secretly pleased he'd come to visit her so unexpectedly. "I'm preparing dinner. Will you be staying?" It wasn't a question.

[marriedtomurder-blog]

紅小姐 [Gloria | Walter]

[hellsoverseer-00]

"I should go to Avi, she’d be able to sort it." However, he wouldn’t be going anywhere not right now, like like this, he couldn’t go home with another goddamn problem. "No you know what I’ll be okay. I’ve had worse." much, much worse. Of course Gloria wouldn’t take that standing but he said it anyway, much was his nature. James’ escape was responsible for so much, the huge change in his life — he wanted to look her in the eye and say, I wish he hadn’t left too but he didn’t, he was glad really now because yes it had lead to very bad things but it had paved way to good too, very good things he couldn’t be without now. Still fiddling with the spoon he doesn’t look at her, just nods. He wished she had been angry at him, screamed and cried, yet he never gave her that chance, he was gone before they even had an opportunity to blink. Out into the unknown. 

"Were Aunt Bea and Mary like that to you, because you were the youngest?" he asked curiously, looking at her. Did Grandpa Stanley and Grandma Vera say the same thing to her, girls will be girls. You are my daughters. Did Bea tease you, did Mary hurt you?

"You’ve seen the Wasteland," Rory told him how she’d stepped foot outside to see Allen, to help Avrid inside. "I can’t promise that Ma." it was the Wasteland, you could die at any given moment and that was that. It’s just how it was, he wasn’t going to lie. 

[marriedtomurder-blog]

"You will drink your tea, you will take a stimpak, you will rest. And then you will see your girl and get it properly tended to or I will fetch her myself." Try arguing with that tone.

"All siblings fight with each other," she said. "If siblings do not fight, something is wrong. They slap, kick, insult, make general nuisances of each other. What Stevie did to you, that is different. Family at the end of the day must love each other. Put each other first. Forgive each other. Your family failed you, Walter," she sighed. "I see that now. I should have seen that then. Shì shénme zuò de shì." What is done is done. "You can promise to not be reckless," she snapped. She wouldn't accept that excuse. "You were told to stay away from that place, and you went back. After Susanna saved you, you went back for your friend, didn't you? That is reckless. That the Wasteland did not make you do. That is what you chose to do. You start thinking with your head more, yes?" she said, jabbing at it (very lightly). "And less with this," she said, jabbing at his heart a little less lightly. "No excuses. Do not patronize me. No excuses."

[marriedtomurder-blog]

紅小姐 [Gloria | Walter]

[hellsoverseer-00]

Looking into the tea he shook his head ignoring the throb as it almost felt like it was rattling with the movement. "I can’t lie down," he says matter of factly, tapping the side of his head with a free hand. Remembering the moment when… Mac had actually tried to kill him. His supposed best fucking friend. You didn’t go in for a blow like that with the intent of ‘doing a little bit of damage’ not at all. Fucking hell. For the thousandth time (or so it seemed) he sighed, and looked down at the floor. Mac was upset but he didn’t think he was that upset, to do something so extreme. It confused and hurt him really, yet it wasn’t the last time he’d felt this kind of anguish after loosing a really good fucking friend. It was just another case of history repeating itself. He wished that would fucking stop. 

Getting up from the chair he placed the mug down, ignoring his thoughts and focusing back on her. “I promise.” he said, actually vowing to do something good for himself for once, listen to her and talk. There was so much and stuff he would omit, of course, but he would try, for her, it was all she really had left. As she walked into the kitchen he jumped up onto the counter top, like always, like many times before and just thought for a little while, watched as she got to work, looked around at the pictures, the faces, focussing on one, remembering. Then, suddenly out of the blue, without entirely realising it, as she carried on with what she was doing, he apologised. 

"I’m sorry, I know it wont fix anything and I know it wont bring him back but I am." Bring them back because if it wasn’t for that they’d both still be here, lording it up like the assholes they were. "I realised just now that I’ve never actually apologised for that." most would have outcast him, not her, not Gloria. “I’m sorry for hurting you like that.” he picked up a spoon from the side and began to study it with a deep curiosity. Maybe it was the bump to the head but he didn’t entirely know where that came from. 

[marriedtomurder-blog]

"Of course," she said, shaking her head. Foolish. She hadn't been thinking. "I will find you medicine. I wish we still had a doctor but he had to go off and start this whole mess." Damn James. Damn James more than anyone she'd ever met. Without James, none of this would have happened. It wasn't perfect before, but they had been together, and she liked to think she would have gotten better at wading through the mess of the men in her family. But no. Realistically, no. Until James had left and everything happened, she had been willfully, albeit guiltily, party to the whole thing, by turning a blind eye.

"I wanted to be angry at you," she said. "I wanted to. I was angry, of course. But not at you. I know he was cruel to you. I didn't know what to do. You are both my sons. I thought boys would be boys. I was wrong." She shrugged a bit helplessly. "You are my sons." "I cannot say it does not hurt. And I cannot say that it will stop hurting either of us. But I am lucky. I had two sons. I almost lost both. If you want to apologize to me, Walter, apologize by staying alive. This is how you will not hurt me. Anything else," she waved her hand, not so much dismissively but like water under a bridge. "It has happened. It has passed. I will not forget him because he was my son. But I do not begrudge you."

[marriedtomurder-blog]

紅小姐 [Gloria | Walter]

[hellsoverseer-00]

Shut up, and go away. 

Precisely what she used to tell her when Stevie got out of hand when he got a too awful and relentless with the teasing, bullying and abuse. Shut up and go away. Zhùkǒu hé líkāi. It didn’t work back then and he was fairly certain that it wouldn’t work now, Her memory was too powerful. But, "I’ll try." is all he can say about it, he didn’t want to tell her it was a fruitless attempt but he didn’t want to lie to her either so he aimed for middle ground, that always usually worked. 

Looking up at her he just shrugs, he didn’t want to see a counsellor because it meant telling more fucking people, people who didn’t need to know. There was no chance he nor Avrid would go to Maria, it would stay between them, they’d work it out — besides, Rory would be sure to offer some kind of helping grace for them. He doesn’t offer her an answer to that, just a sad smile at her follow up comment. 

"That place is full of people like that. Some have it worse," he pauses, thinking back to what Mac was saying before, it still left a bitter taste in his mouth, "Apparently I was lucky.” words he doubted he would ever un-hear. Mac had his reasons for saying it he knew but it didn’t mean he had to like it or adhere. He sighs and watches the mug move from his hand, liquid untouched. When Gloria returns he goes back to holding it just as before. 

 "Kěshì māmā, wèishéme bù?" But Ma’ why not? He asks, without a single ounce of amusement or playfulness in his tone, he replies because of normalcy, it would be what she was expecting. Truthfully he didn’t want anything. He just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep for a really fucking long time. 

"Where’s Susie?" He says, looking around — she’d been here a few hours back, “Listen, she doesn’t know the half of what happened in that place, could you please not tell her?” He didn’t need her knowing, he couldn’t bare that. 

[marriedtomurder-blog]

It was all she could offer. The best she could do.  She wanted to pull him into her arms, keep him safe, make all the monsters go away. She hadn't been able to do it with Allen or Stevie. She wouldn't be able to do it with this Lady Red. Then, just as now, she was sidelined. In this instance, at least, she hadn't sidelined herself. Never again. She could tell he wasn't going to listen. Mothers know these sorts of things. When their children are appeasing them. But she wouldn't call him on it. She probably should, but she wouldn't. People don't change overnight. Neither Walter, nor herself. She had taken action to stop their fighting, to draw the truth from him. That was more than she'd done in the past. She still had miles left to go. "She went to visit with Mrs. Palmer," she said. "This is between us. I will honor that." She returned with the tea, gave it to him and patted his cheek. "Why don't you go lie down while I make supper?" she said. Regardless of the medical soundness of putting a guy with a head injury to sleep but she wasn't thinking of that. She was thinking about how tired he looked - had looked. "Get some rest." She stood to fuss with something else so she could retain her composure until he left. "Nánhái," she called. Boy. "This is between us. But that means you talk to me from now on. Míngbái?" Understand. "I won't ignore you."

[marriedtomurder-blog]

紅小姐 [Gloria | Walter]

[hellsoverseer-00]

"I wish." because that would be a light show he would adore to see, he chuckles. "A little Asian lady like you, blowing up Paradise Falls? Hmm, sign me up for that." because given the chance she would do it, he knew that. she called him reckless but he had to get that from somewhere. Though the mood sours again rapidly and this time he doesn’t stop what he feels from escaping at that. 

"Yeah." is all he manages through the sniffs and sighs of frustration at himself. It should have never happened, not to him and not by a — not that. It was keeping him yet he hadn’t exactly put the two together like that but now it made sense, the barrier they seemed to have between them that deflected anything she tried to do or say. It wasn’t her fault yet the damage still stood and the relationship effected. That woman, Lady Red had taken more than he ever realised. 

[marriedtomurder-blog]

"It's over now. It's done. And when she comes into your head again and starts her whispering you tell her to go away. This is your life, Walter. Not hers. Not mine. Not even Avridiana's. This is your life. You just tell her to zhùkǒu" shut up "and go away."

There was a reason they trained counselors. Gloria was running on instinct and praying that she was saying something helpful. "You should talk to Morietti. Both of you. She will have seen this sort of thing." Maybe. Probably not. But Gloria said it with authority so she willed it to be true. "This happens, Walter. More than it should. You're not alone." More desperate clawing for something that seemed right. Mothers may look all knowing but on the inside it's constant flailing.

She took the mug from him. It was cold by now. She ran her hand through his hair before getting up to put more in. "Though if you think this means you can have ice cream for dinner again you are sorely mistaken, xiǎo shǎguā." Little fool. Normalcy. Nothing had changed between them. She still looked at him the same. And that was with a fierce devotion.

[marriedtomurder-blog]

紅小姐 [Gloria | Walter]

[hellsoverseer-00]

One that she believed, but he didn’t vocalise that thought he didn’t want to talk about that right now. Or any of this for that matter. “Yeah.” He says quietly, because they did need to talk but were both far to stubborn to initiate it. Really he should bring Avrid here so Gloria could do her thing. That always seemed to work as it was doing right now. Damned Mothers, why were they always right? 

When Her name is spat he flinches a little because he couldn’t stand to hear it and he didn’t like hearing his Mother say it. You will call me Lady Red, it had been a demand he was forced to say it he didn’t want to hear her speak what he did so disdainfully and fearfully. 

Did she hurt you.

He nods. 

"She needed something to play with.”

[marriedtomurder-blog]

She needed something to play with. She grabbed his head and kiss his forehead, and then put her hands in her lap. Because she wanted to squeeze something. It was everything she could do to remain calm. She took a few deep breaths, reasserting her composure.

"Does this Paradise Falls have a bomb in the atrium like Megaton?" she asked, clearly with the intention (only half joking) of blowing it up. "And what this woman did to you is keeping you from James' girl?" she asked. It was as close as she would get to saying it. That didn't happen to men, and if it happened in the Vault to a girl it was always her fault somehow. But it didn't happen to a man. And certainly not at the hands of a woman. Though Gloria never really set much stock in the things handed out by Vault tec. Not when it came to her children. If she believed those lies this morning she didn't right now, not looking at her son like this.