Have you promised me that? (Mamma Valérius)

[Christine Daaé]

((NOTE: This thread happens sequentially after Blondie breaks the news to Westley, but we’re starting the thread now so Mamma Valérius has something to do.))

So much had happened in the past few months since Raoul and Christine had wed. Seasons and holidays had come and gone by, a new year had come, they’d met new people… and now they knew that there was a new addition to the family on its way as well.

Needless to say, Christine was quite excited, yet nervous for the arrival all at the same time. She’d never expected herself to even marry, much less have a family, but it was funny how those sorts of things seemed to work out. Sometimes life ends up giving what you least expect and least desire… yet it ends up being what you need the most and what you end up treasuring over all.

It was in the afternoon and Christine was down in the kitchen and dining room area, humming softly to herself as she set the table for lunch. She had sent invitation to her adoptive mother to join her in dining that afternoon, partially for the company, and partially because she had yet to break the news to the little old lady.

She’d prepared a nice lunch of Artsoppa (pea soup), Hasselbackspotatis (roasted potatoes), Smörgås med ost och päron (Cheese and pear sandwiches), and for dessert, a rose hip soup with iced cream and slivered almonds. On the side there was some rye bread for dipping in the soup if desired. This was, after all, an occasion for celebration…

She finished setting out all of the food and dishes, and then stepped back to examine her work. Everything seemed to be in place. The only thing left was to bring the tea. She’d found that there were some rather lovely blends there in the kitchen of the manor; her favorites were somewhat floraly. She went to go steep a pot of white tea with a blend of rose, lavender, mint, and botanicals, and then brought up back for the little luncheon setup.

[mamma]

The little old lady hobbled around her expansive room very slowly, crossing from her bed to the bathroom back to her bed to the chest of drawers back to the bed. Though she did it slowly and with a cane to help her or even her hoveround, it was very exhausting. Often taking breaks especially when at the bed to sit down upon it and catch her breath. Her poor legs had never been in so much use and they were so weak. Barely working. It took all her strength and efforts to just move about within her room.
Despite all these physical issues, she was still a happy old woman and hummed often even when she lost track of what she was doing or going to do. Eventually she would tap her fingers off the side of her head with a slight little shake of it when she finally remembered what it was she was doing. She was once a sharp woman. Old age does strange things to a person. Perhaps her dear Husband had been spared such embarrassment.

Finally dressed in a robe-dress that flared out at the sleeves and at the bottom of the skirting. A mid-19th century fashion she was used to and favored. Despite her old age she still looked fetching in that style.
With slow effort, Mamma shifted from the bed to the hoveround chair. Once there, she sat for a little while to rest since it took a lot out of her just to do that. Old age also took away the vitality a person once had in their younger days. She sighed as she began to recall her childhood days of running around in the fields of flowers with the village children on a warm late spring day chasing the half-grown lambs.

Finally after a moment's relaxation, Mamma touched the little 'magical device' on the armrest and her 'rolling chair' moved forward all on it's own! Each time she used it, it brought a smile to her face that was filled with wonder.
With a little hum and a sprightly visage, that little chair moved along at a steady pace exiting from the old lady's room and rolled down the hallway to a lift or as some called it an elevator. Touching the button then waited for it still humming in her silly little old woman way. As it seemed to take for ever for the elevator, Mamma didn't seem to mind nor care. She was as content as a starving stray cat locked in a fish factory.

When the lift arrived and the doors parted as she called it like the Red Sea waters by Moses, which she always glanced around to see if there was a Moses figuring somewhere. She thought there should be as the hoveround rolled forward and into the elevator. Soon enough the doors closed and she was on her way to meet her dear adoptive daughter, Christine.

Mamma created her own music in the elevator and within moments, she was jolted as the elevator came to a halt. A slight little frown as she never could get used to that. It was like be set down rather roughly and felt like every bone in her fragile body was being rattled out of place!
The doors once again opened and she rolled out steadily making her way to the dining area as her content nature returned swiftly as did the humming. Mamma knew where she was going because she had done some exploring since getting this amazing motorized chair! It gave her the freedom she hadn't had in years!

Soon enough, she finally came to the dining room and frowned at the doors. Now... if only every door in this enormous house would be like the doors of the lift! Just... magically open! She sighed and reached forward, opening the doors as she rolled in.
Seeing the meal perfectly arranged and set, she softly snickered as she rolled from one end of the table to the other and around it. "My goodness!" the old woman exclaimed and giggled in an oddly old way. "This is a bit much! What ever is the occasion, dear Christine?" Surely just a short deprivation of her little old Mamma hadn't spurred this on.

[Christine Daaé]

It was a few minutes before Mamma Valérius arrived, though considering the old woman’s delicate and fragile state, it was quite expected for the journey to the dining room to take some time. Christine had actually been debating as to whether or not she should go and see if she needed any assistance at all in getting there, but it seemed that she managed to do so on her own. Christine was just grateful that she had managed to do so without terribly hurting herself at all, or at least, that was how it appeared from a brief glance.

Her face lit up to a practical glow as she rose to greet her adoptive mother, kissing her cheek affectionately. “How have you been faring, Mamma? Well, I hope? I’m so sorry I haven’t been able to spend as much time with you as I used to… You shall have to tell me all that has happened in your days – every little detail of it!”

She smiled warmly. “Oh, I’ll tell you the occasion soon enough… In the meantime, what would you like to eat, Mamma? I also have some tea here, if you fancy any. It really is a very good blend – rather floral. Perhaps there are a few good things that have managed to come out of this rather strange place… like your chair. Is it helping you very much?”

She began to fidget with the placing of the napkins and silverware and such, trying to make sure in her own little overly-concerned fashion that everything was to her mother’s liking. She set out the cups, along with some honey and sugar if Mamma Valérius desired any at all in her tea and began putting the serving spoons in their various dishes to be ready to get her whatever it was that she desired to eat.

[mamma]

Rolling to a stop with an innocent elderly smile while relishing in the greeting kiss that Christine bestowed upon her cheek. Oh, how she adored the girl! Despite Mamma's failing memory, there were still some things that even old age could never erase and one of them was Christine.
"Yes, my dear. Very well," she purred warmly when she took Christine's hand and patted it. Oh, how the girl had grown. She remembered - oddly - the day she first met Christine. Each day after that was such a blessing to know the girl with golden hair. There was never a moment that Mamma would trade for anything. Ever.
"It's alright, dear," she replied warmly. "I shall look forward to more days to spend with you in the summer though," and very lightly snickered with a big smile, patting the girl's hand again.
"Oh! Yes... yes," as she situated herself and was more than eager to start telling Christine all about the exploring she's been doing! Well, all inside the grand house that is. She had yet to go outside and someday she will. Most likely in the summer when it was warmer so she can satisfy her incredible curiosity.

Raising her brows as she looked at Christine. So this was indeed a special occasion? Now Mamma's curiosity was increased by ten fold!
Nodding as she glanced over what was laid out on the table and nearly cried. She was touched! Placing a hand upon her chest with barely an "Oh," that came out of her mouth in an equal mix of anguish and delight. What memories those foods brought back!
Nodding again, "Oh, tea would be delightful, my dear. Just delightful," she purred softly as she shifted to place herself at the table before a plate. "No doubt it is a very good tea." She had faith in Christine's ability to know what Mamma liked. After all, she was quite a keen girl. It was as though she could read people like a book!
"Oh! yes!" Patting the chair. "I do like it! I like it very much! I have been able to explore this enormous house with ease. My goodness! It is big!" Sitting there and waited for the tea before she took the fragile cup into her fragile hands and took a sip. "Mm," a short little sound as though it might have been too hot but instead- "delightful, Christine! Simply delightful! What ever is it? Where did you get it?" Mamma was aflame with want of more tea and to know more about it. It was so easy to astonish her.

[Christine Daaé]

“Yes, of course, Mamma,” she said as she handed the old woman the cup. "I’d love to spend more time with you. You know that… And summer would be a very good time.” She smiled inwardly at the thought. Yes, come summer, she would be rather well along, and honestly, it would probably be a good time to stay with Mamma Valérius. She would surely be able to help her with things, like preparing a space for the baby, and teaching her all of the basic motherly duties…

She couldn’t help a little chuckle at Mamma’s enthusiasm about the tea. “It’s something that I found in the kitchen. It came from the village, I think. The labels were all in English, but from what I could understand, it’s something with rose and mint and a few other herbs, mixed in with a white tea. It’s very good, don’t you think? It’s my favorite of the ones I’ve found so far…” She poured her own cup and then sat down at her place across from Mamma Valérius at the table, smiling gently at her.

She nodded as she picked up her cup and took a small sip. “Yes, quite big. Though difficult to swallow, I think that it would put the Opera House – or at least the upper levels – to shame! As to the lower… I’ve no idea exactly how much there is. I’ve only seen a few of the… places.” She chose her words very carefully. She still was not quite sure as to what Mamma Valérius had discovered on her own of the Manor, and what left of what she had not discovered she could easily handle the news of…

“I’m happy though, that your chair is doing well for you… It’s not too terribly complicated, is it?” She had just asked this when another thought entered her mind and she quickly shook her head and waved her hand, dismissing her own question. “Never mind that. We should probably say grace before we eat… Would you care to, Mamma, or would you prefer it if I did?”

[mamma]

Taking the cup of tea as though it were a fragile little baby then took it to her face, where she smelled the delicate scent briefly before she took a quick sip. The taste was light and aromatic. Any tea that had content to it was always a delight to the old woman. "Thank you, my dear," she purred and took another sip. "It's a lovely tea. Quite good."
Slowly lowering the tea as she looked at Christine and smiled with mention of the summertime. She'd forgotten why that was brought up already. "The summer will be wonderful, Christine. I look forward to it." Smiled the old lady with a childlike wonder and brought the tea back to her lips to enjoy another savoring taste of the aromatic brew.

Turning her attention to Christine at the further mention of... something large? Bigger than the Opera? Oh, yes! This enormous mansion! Well, she doesn't forget everything. Just some things. "I would imagine so!" and softly giggled in a strange, silly old lady sort of laugh. Taking another sip of her tea before setting it back down upon the matching saucer carefully. Waving a hand after an odd look from Mamma, "Lower levels?" shook her head as though to brush it off with a brief raising of her brows, "I don't expect to go there." Facing towards the display on the table a moment as though she were attempting to find something else new to do. "Why ever would anyone go down there?" the old woman stated absentmindedly.

"Hmm?" Looking up at Christine as though she missed what she said. "Oh, no. No. Not at all. I sit, touch this little device here and it does as I want it. I go where I wish!" the elderly woman's face lit up gladly explaining her freedom to move about. "I enjoy doing a little bit of exploring."

"Oh!" as she brought her hands up, "Yes. Yes, we should!" Pausing a moment as she tried to remember how the lines go. "Could you, dear?" Sideways glancing at the younger woman. A bit apprehensive that she had forgotten how it all went already. She simply had to get back into the Practice again,

[Christine Daaé]

Christine closed her eyes for a moment and breathed an inaudible sigh of relief when Mamma Valérius said that she didn’t expect to go down there and wondered why anyone would. That would surely save her the trouble of trying to keep Mamma from… showing up rather unexpectedly at one of the Eriks lairs. She smiled a bit at the old woman and just shook her head gently. “People have their reasons, Mamma – probably just to… store things.”

Then she nodded a bit when the old woman answered her question about prayer. “Yes, of course, Mamma.” She crossed herself and then bowed her head, folding her hands and closing her eyes, then waited a few moments for her mother to do the same before beginning her prayer over the meal.

“ Bless us Oh Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from thy bounty, through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.”

She crossed herself again and then looked back up at Mamma Valérius with a soft smile. “I do hope that you like it, Mamma. Please, don’t hesitate to tell me if there is anything at all which you might need…”

[mamma]

Oh! Store things! Yes, thought the old woman. How ever could she have brushed that off? Of course someone would use the underground as storage! Makes a lot of sense. Silly old her!
Touching her fingers lightly to her temples then flit them away as she barely shook her head and blinked a few times nearly rolling them silently conveying her absent-mindedness.

Doing the same as Christine practically in unison - at least she could remember that much - but she simply could not remember the prayer to bless dinner. Being Elderly was having a lot of down sides than up sides.
"Ah-men," the older woman repeated making the cross upon herself. Opening her eyes to glance over the selection again, looking as though she'd seen it for the first time even though she's already looked it over. "My Goodness! This is so much, Christine!" Almost laughing but did not. Oh, where should she start?!? She didn't eat much. There was no need to. She barely moved about, barely did a thing. She only ate to sustain herself to live.

Glancing over the selection still then turned to look at Christine. With a smile, she patted the younger woman's hand, "all right, dear. It's a wonderful dinner, dear Christine. It all looks so good." Pausing a moment, "perhaps I will start with the soup. That looks delicious," looking like a coy little school girl who was nearly batting her eyes at a youthful gentleman with a crush.

[Christine Daaé]

((Bleh. Short post is short...))

Christine only smiled and shook her head at her adoptive mother’s awe of the lunch. She would understand in due time why it was such an occasion. Christine wanted her to be surprised. It would ruin the effect, after all, if she just came out and told her straight forward that she was going to be a grandmother soon…

“Of course, Mamma,” she said, taking her bowl and ladling some of the pea soup into it. “Would you like any salt?” Christine ladled some soup into her own bowl in the meantime, as she waited for Mamma Valérius to give her response.

As she was dishing the food, she paused a moment, then set her bowl down and looked at her adoptive mother. “Mamma? Have you by any chance started any new knitting projects recently?”

[mamma]

Sitting there as proper and straight as an old lady could possible sit. Straight was a challenge since the body was not as vibrant and fine as it once was. But to the old woman, it was no excuse for lack of good manners at least.
Smiling at the younger woman with such an innocent aura. Watching Christine serve the soup but had to taste it at least to see if it needed salt or not. With spoon in hand, she tasted it and looking rather amusing at the same time. "Oh, no. No, dear. It's perfect without it." Smiling at the young blonde and spooned another portion to consume.

Slowly enjoying the pea soup and shifted her gaze over to Christine, "I haven't really thought about it. I don't know where my sewing kits are." Now that she began to think of it, she wasn't sure where any of that was! "Good heavens," as she dabbed the corners of her mouth with a napkin. "Where ever is..." and trailed off, distracted from eating for a moment. Looking back to Christine, "Why do you ask, dear?" And then started back into the pea soup.

[Christine Daaé]

Christine ate a couple of spoonfuls of her own bowl of soup as she watched the old woman try her to decide whether or not she wanted any salt in it. When she stated the negative, Christine nodded once and continued eating her own food.

She had decided upon making several of the traditional foods from her homeland (or at least an attempt at them) to make sure that the moment would be remembered for her dear old adoptive mother. Granted, she had little doubt that it would not be memorable, considering the nature of her news, although it did add a certain sort of charm to the atmosphere around the telling of it.

Mamma Valérius informed Christine that she did not know where any of her sewing kits (which would have included her knitting needles and yarn) were. “Oh dear… well that’s no good. We’ll have to find them or get you some new supplies…”

She then smiled, setting her spoon down and stifling just a bit of laughter behind her napkin when the dear old woman began to seem just a little bit confused, as if she were suddenly trying to look for the sewing kits right then and there, in the middle of the dining room. “Mamma, I do not believe you are going to find them at all in here… but the reason why I ask is because I was wondering whether or not you would be willing to help me with a little… project. You know that my knitting is always hopeless without you there to supervise. I can never quite remember how to cast off my sritches…”

[mamma]

With each spoonful, Mamma looked as though she were in a taste test combine with the soup being too hot which it was not. Almost as though she were trying to think but dazed as well until she scooped up another spoonful.

Turning her attention back to Christine, raising her brows as though she'd forgotten what the younger woman had just said before the bright light came on after a minute. "Oh! yes, yes. dreadful. I just might have to obtain a new sewing kit and needles and yarn." Then offered her usual charming little old lady grin.
Tossing another little charming old lady grin at Christine again with a slightly raised brow, "Well, yes. Of course. I would be delighted, my dear," she grinned again. "Stop by any time," pausing and looking puzzled, "When ever I can find my sewing kit." Looking a little lightly flustered. Then took to eating more of her lunch.

[Christine Daaé]

“Oh, don’t worry, Mamma. I can get you a new kit with some needles and some yarn… You know that if you every need anything, all you need do is ask. Raoul and I are more than happy to help you get whatever you need.”

Christine took a bit of the rye bread and dipped it into her soup before eating it. It really was nice to be able to have a meal together. It hadn’t happened so often since the old woman had lost use of her legs, but this strange electric chair – however much Christine disliked the thing and distrusted it – seemed to be making things much easier for her dear old adoptive mother.

“I needed to go get some needles for myself anyway,” she said, dipping yet another piece. “Is there anything else that you need? I’ll have to add it to my list if there is. Let’s see here… sewing kit, needles, yarn, powder, safety pins, maternity corset…”

She glanced up at her mother after saying that last item, to check to see whether or not she would catch the little hint, or if she would need to be a bit more direct in explaining to the old woman that she was going to have a baby…

[mamma]

No doubt Mamma looked quite amusing when she ate, especially with the special soup as each spoonful she acted as though it were scolding hot but it was not. It was simply her odd way of tasting all the melded flavors that went into the dish. Likewise with every other dish on the table. She looked mighty serious when sampling the food as though Christine was being tested for a National Competition.

Turning to look at the younger woman with a slight innocent shock, reached her hand over to pat the younger woman's hand ever so lightly with those nearly gnarled and aged fingers, "Oh, dearie. I wouldn't want to bother you with such trivial things." Then smiled warmly, "Thank you, my dear. I do appreciate it though," as she withdrew her hand and took up more of the favored soup. With that taste of freedom she's been allowed to have with this modern mobile chair device, Mamma has gained a slightly inflated spirit and ego.

"A full sewing kit, my dear," she raised a bent aged finger to remind her as she took another amusing bite of her meal. Then furrowed her brow looking as though her food were too hot, "Heavens, why ever would you need a maternity corset?!?" Turning her bewildered face to Christine to study her a moment. "You only need one if you are going to have a baby," as she turned back to her food.
It was a delayed response though as her face changed from that complete bewilderment like butter melting in the sun to that of utter surprise and overwhelming joy! "Oh! OH!" she looked as if she were having a heart attack or some other medical condition as her hands shook ever so dramatically in front of her as she continued to exclaim, "OH! Oh, Goodness! Oh, My!" She was bouncing and hopping in her modern chair! If her legs worked, she would be up on her feet racing about in wild excitement exclaiming even louder than she was now! "Oh! My! OH MY! Oh Christine!" as she reached out to her. "Are you, my dear?!? Are you having a baby?!?" The old woman may be a bit off her rocker at times but she wasn't completely daft or ignorant.

[Christine Daaé]

Christine casually took a sip from her drink as she waited for what she’d said to sink in and take its effect on her dear old adoptive mother’s frail old mind. After all, there was a sort of thrill behind figuring out something on one’s own no matter what their age may be, particularly when the thing that they figured out was something exciting and new.

It took a moment, but when it finally happened, the little old lady was practically leaping with joy. In fact, Christine was quite sure that had she had use of her legs, she certainly would have been dancing about the room in happiness and excitement. A smile spread across the younger woman’s face and she could not help giggling a little in happiness and in amusement at her Mamma Valérius’ reaction.

“Yes, Mamma,” the girl said with a bright smile and a little nod of the head, her blue eyes just as filled with joy and wonder as the other woman was. She reached out and took the old woman’s hands in her own and have them an affectionate little squeeze. “Yes… Raoul and I are going to have a baby.”

The words tasted so sweet as they rolled off of her tongue, and she could feel a tingling surge of sheer delight pulse through her nerves and cause her to feel a warm giddy feeling all over. While it had seemed at first as if this place were the end of their lives and what little happiness was left, lately, the young soprano finally felt as if her life were beginning…