This post has the following content warnings:
View Flat HTML
View Metadata
Search Post
In between worlds, there is a bar.
In the bar, at the moment, there is a woman sitting at a table. She's scribbling in a notebook. Extant phrases include "abortion=surrogacy?" and "add sterile mosquitos to malarial areas"
the Second Coming comes to Gilead
+ Show First Post
better-for-everyone
Rose spends the rest of the day reading, taking care of Alexander, and answering any questions Christina might have.
At night, she takes her accustomed spot on the couch.
the-profoundest-act-of-worship
...Christina files that away for later, but decides not to ask right away.
the-profoundest-act-of-worship
That makes sense.
She gazes admiringly at Alexander. Babies are so good.
Alexander sleeps for a while! Then he becomes concerned about the existence of gravity and wishes to make his complaints known through a long bout of red-faced screaming.
the-profoundest-act-of-worship
Yep, that is a very baby thing to do. Christina picks up the baby and bounces him gently, making faces.
Alexander does NOT like this new person! He liked his old person! He screams.
"Would you shut that fucking baby up?" comes a shout from the bedroom.
the-profoundest-act-of-worship
...Christina walks over to the bedroom.
"Do you talk to your wife like that?" she asks, in a cool, disapproving tone.
He does not recognize Christina from the television!
"Who the fuck are you and why are you in my house?"
the-profoundest-act-of-worship
She flips the light switch on with one hand, propping the baby against her hip with the other.
He recognizes Christina from the television!
"Um. I'm sorry, ma'am-- I didn't know you were here-- what do you need? I can wake Rose--"
the-profoundest-act-of-worship
"The reason I'm here at this hour is so as to not wake Rose, I offered to mind the baby tonight so she could get some sleep. Do you usually scream at her like that?"
"Uh-- that's very nice of you, ma'am, but Rose doesn't need help with the baby, she's just slothful. I'm sorry she lied to you like that."
the-profoundest-act-of-worship
"She didn't lie to me, I offered because I noticed she wasn't getting enough sleep. Now answer. The question."
the-profoundest-act-of-worship
"I can tell when you're lying," she informs him flatly, and turns and leaves.
Possibly he should have considered not lying to a deity!
"I'm sorry-- forgive me-- I didn't know what I was doing--"
the-profoundest-act-of-worship
"You damn well knew what you were doing when you shouted profanities at your wife because the baby is a baby. Babies scream."
the-profoundest-act-of-worship
"Good morning," Christina says, still rocking the baby, when Rose wakes up.
the-profoundest-act-of-worship
"...I've been trying all night to think of a delicate way to say this and I can't. Why did you marry that man? He seems...unpleasant."