And these photographs, keep me alive

[consumptivewife.livejournal.com]

*A spontaneous change of plans was how she had phrased it to Barty, leaning her face into the floo on very tender knees to ask if he would like to come home, instead, today. She had smiled easily to see him and merely asked if he would like let his mother have him around to brighten the house again for the afternoon. She had not mentioned her bruised elbow from bumping the nightstand, her morning of nausea, pain and lightheadedness, nor Roderick's recommendation that she not use the floo or even apparation unless absolutely necessary. None of that seemed important to tell or to think about as long as her plans with her son did not have to be cancelled, and though he has always been a stubborn thing all you have to know is the right words and he will agree in an instant.

With her elbow resting on a pillow it is both out of sight and out of mind. The fact that they are having their long-awaited mother-son lunch together in her bedroom makes the ever present elephant in the room all the larger today, but Bernadette has spent enough time over the years in this bed that she has learn not to let it speak for her no matter how frequently she is confined to it. She has brought out family photo albums and a small box of keepsakes fro his childhood to show Barty, not letting her need for rest be the only thing he sees of her today. She has each picture lovingly captioned and only looks up from them to talk to Barty and when the door opens and a tray comes bobbing in as Winky brings them their lunch.*

I thought I smelled cooking. Here - I'll take the book so you don't spill, I love these old ones.

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[mad-actually.livejournal.com]

*There is only one person in the entire world capable of keeping Barty in a room, much less a seat, with photo albums and sentimental mementos. Fortunately, that one person is Bernadette. In fact, something about her presence in general turns Barty gracious and less-fidgety, which is perhaps as close to maturity as he can get.

He hands the book to her, his movements are still erratic and a little too fast, but there's a weariness there as well, an understanding of fragility that makes Barty more careful.*