Pause
in the Air
Text ?004 The Angst Guy
(theangstguy@yahoo.com)
Daria and associated
characters are ?004 MTV Networks
Feedback (good, bad, indifferent,
just want to bother me, whatever) is appreciated. Please write to:
theangstguy@yahoo.com
Synopsis: An unexpected guest
appears during Thanksgiving dinner at the Morgendorffers?home.
Author抯
Notes: This
story takes place in November of the year in which the 揇aria?TV movie, 揑s It
College Yet??takes place. Certain fanfic assumptions about the actual
relationship between Daria and Jane are employed. The reader is assumed to have
a working knowledge of the major characters from the 揇aria?series, so
personal introductions are not given.
*
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou抮e not eating much, sweetie,?Helen Morgendorffer said to her eldest daughter. She learned closer and inspected Daria抯 weary face. 揂re you feeling all right??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Daria shrugged and poked at the
piece of turkey on her plate. She swallowed and put her fork down, resting her
hands in her lap. 揑抦 okay,?she murmured.
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane Lane抯 spoon suddenly appeared over Daria抯 plate and gestured at her sweet potatoes. 揧ou eating that??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Daria shrugged again. Jane took that as the all clear to scoop the sweet potatoes away. 揟hanks.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揟here抯 more here if you want some,?Helen said, indicating a bowl. Her eyes were fixed on the mountain of food on
Jane抯 plate梐nd how rapidly Jane was putting it away.
牋牋牋牋牋?揅抦on, Daria.?Quinn handed the bowl of stuffing in Daria抯 direction. 揑t抯 Thanksgiving. You抮e supposed to eat梤easonably, of course.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Daria looked across the table at the
minuscule portions of food on Quinn抯 plate. She sighed but betrayed no
expression other than a tired look. Jane took the bowl instead and began to
empty it.
牋牋牋牋牋?揧eah, kiddo!?Jake said around a mouthful of turkey. 揧ou gotta get with the program! This is our first time together since we went to Montpelier and then you two went off to college.?He pointed to the cranberry sauce, which Jane was spooning onto her plate in a red rubbery mound. 揟ry this! It抯 excellent!?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揓ake,?said Helen hissed, 搚ou抮e spitting food all over the table.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揈www!?Quinn cupped a hand over the
right side of her face to block out any view of her father.
牋牋牋牋牋?揗ontpelier really was beautiful,
wasn抰 it??Helen said without enthusiasm, trying to ignore Jake.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑t was gorgeous!?Jane said. 揑 used up eight rolls of film. You抳e got to see the pictures later. Oh棓 Jane抯 fork hovered over Quinn抯 plate 摋do you want those beans??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揌uh? Oh, no, I棓
牋牋牋牋牋?揟hanks.?The beans vanished.
牋牋牋牋牋?Helen cleared her throat and looked at Daria and Jane. 揝o, um, how have the two of you been since . . . the . . .?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揝ince the wedding??Jane said brightly, spearing more turkey from the serving plate. 揥edding, civil union, whatever. Wasn抰 that a blast? Vermont sure is pretty in late summer.?She reached over and gave Daria抯 hand a long, warm squeeze. Daria barely returned it. 揥e抳e been great. I can抰 tell you how much we抳e appreciated your support, Mr. and Mrs. Morgendorffer. It抯 meant everything to us.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揂nytime!?Jake said with a grin,
cutting up turkey and having barely heard a word Jane said.
牋牋牋牋牋?揢m, certainly,?said Helen with a
strained look. 揥ell, we sort of knew, a while back, that the two of you were,
uh, you know, and, uh, we棓
牋牋牋牋牋?揑s she always this cheery??Quinn interrupted, staring at her sister. 揑 mean, around you.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揙h,?said Jane, smiling at Daria. 揝he抯 my sunshine.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Daria glanced up for a moment, gave
a fraction of a smile back, then looked down again at her nearly empty plate.
Helen rolled her eyes and sighed but said nothing. Jake, oblivious, worked his
way through his turkey and gravy.
牋牋牋牋牋?揌ey,?said Jane gently, 搚ou need to eat. Get with the program, like your dad said.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揘ot hungry,?Daria mumbled, her
voice barely audible.
牋牋牋牋牋?揝he抯 not like this all the time,?Jane said to Quinn, then looked at Daria directly. 揧ou sure you don抰 want something? A little milk? Some fruit? C抦on, you have to eat something.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Daria grimaced and shook her head
slightly.
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou抳e got to,?Jane repeated.
牋牋牋牋牋?揑s anything wrong??Helen asked.
牋牋牋牋牋?Daria shook her head, but she didn抰
look up.
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou feeling okay??Jane asked. She
put the back of her hand to Daria抯 forehead.
牋牋牋牋牋?Daria shrugged and rubbed her mouth.
揑抦 okay,?she whispered.
牋牋牋牋牋?揧ou抮e really missing out.?Jane began cutting up more of her turkey. 揟his is great food.?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揂t least you抮e eating well,?Quinn remarked, watching Jane. 揧ou gonna have a baby, or what??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?There was shocked moment, then Quinn
and Jane both burst into hysterical laughter. Helen forced a smile a moment
later, though she looked embarrassed at the same time.
牋牋牋牋牋?Jake looked up with a puzzled grin. 揥hat抎 I miss??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揙h, I asked Jane if she was going to have a baby!?Quinn said, wiping her eyes. 揇o you get it??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揥hat??Jake cried. 揗y God! Jane抯 going to have a baby? How??o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?揓ake!?cried Helen, mortified.
牋牋牋牋牋?This provoked more laughter from
Quinn and Jane.
牋牋牋牋牋?揙h, it抯 not me,?said Jane, still laughing. She jerked a thumb to her right. 揑t抯 her that抯 . . .?o:p>
牋牋牋牋牋?Jane抯 laughter faded one second
later as she flinched. 揙ops,?she whispered.
牋牋牋牋牋?Daria closed her eyes. Her head then
descended toward her plate until her forehead and glasses softly thumped
against the china. Her thick brown hair covered what was left of her turkey and
sweet potatoes.
牋牋牋牋牋?There was a pregnant pause.
Original: 01/20/03; modified 12/08/04
FINIS