this love is good, this love is bad [wenclair]

chapter 4: haven't you heard what becomes of curious minds

Beginning of summer break
Wednesday's point of view

"Itt! It's been a while!" Father exclaimed as soon as the door was opened. "Come here!" he said while already hugging Cousin Itt. 
His wife, Margaret, appeared behind him.
"Gomez... and Wednesday! We haven't seen you around lately! How's it at Nevermore?"
I just stared at her with deadpan eyes.
"I guess I got my answer," she laughed. "Come in, come in! Morticia and Pugsley are in the kitchen."
I left my purse in the lobby, not after taking my phone out of it and putting it in the pocket of my hoodie. This house was almost as familiar to me as our manor. When I was a child and Pugsley just a baby, we would spend all of the holidays here. Then Margaret and Itt got What, and Pugsley and him didn't get along. Once, What almost bit Pugsley's finger off. They were always fighting, so our parents decided that maybe it wasn't a good idea to keep doing it that often. The last time I had set foot there had been over a year before.

"Wednesday!"
Pugsley crushed me in a hug.
"I missed you!"
Mother appeared behind him, smiled and ruffled his hair.
"Glad to have you back, Wednesday," she said as she kissed the top of my head.
She wrapped her arms around us.
"I'm so happy to have both of you here."
After some time, she let go of us. Father and Cousin Itt came our way.
"Tish!" Father started, already opening his arms to hug her.
"Gomez."
Her tone was dry and her facial expressions neutral. Father's smile faded a bit as Mother went back to the kitchen.
"What happened?" I whispered to Pugsley.
"I don't know, it's been like this for a week. You can't imagine how awkward it was on the plane!"
Well, that was something I had to find out.
What could they be fighting over?
"Pugsley, Wednesday! Come help with dinner!" she called us from the kitchen.
Pugsley glanced at me.
"Where are your suitcases?"

~~~

By the time Lurch came home, the sun had already set and we were all sitting at the table. Pugsley in one corner and What in the opposite. Since the last time I saw him, he had grown a lot. So much that he was slightly taller than me. That must piss Pugsley off so bad. I might not be tall, but he's still smaller.

"Now that everyone is here, bon appétit !" Margaret exclaimed.
But just as we were going to start, some noise came from the lobby, probably from one of the suitcases.
"What's this?" Mother asked concerned.
Father's eyes widened. "THING!"
He quickly got up and ran to the lobby.
Just at that moment, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I assumed it was Enid and took advantage of that distraction to text back. However, it wasn't Enid. Just Xavier.

X: how are you doing?
W: i can't right now, we're eating. 
X: you're actually responding?! omg i didn't see THAT coming

Of course he had to make a remark.
"Wednesday, put the phone away."
Mother picked up on it.
"How did you even get one?"
It buzzed again, and again. Xavier was spamming.
"It was a present", I simply explained.
Father came back with Thing in his hand. I could feel his anger from where I sat.
"He got stuck in my trolley."
Thing jumped on the table and explained how he didn't 'get stuck' and how Father simply locked him up in it and forgot.
"The man sitting next to me was getting suspicious, I had no choice", he tried to reason. "I may or may not have forgotten to take you out of it, that's all."
Mother let out an annoyed sigh. "Whatever."
I opened Xavier's messages briefly to see if they had any meaning. Spoiler: they didn't. He just wanted me to answer.

W: xavier. right now i can't answer. stop.

"What did I just say, Wednesday?"
I turned it completely off and placed it once again in my pocket. She cleared her throat.
"Sorry," I said without meaning it.
"Don't you roll your eyes at me."
"Let's start, the food is getting cold," Margaret interrupted before it could go any further.