deelaundry: person holding a cane and blue folder in the same hand (folder)
Dee Laundry ([personal profile] deelaundry) wrote2011-05-08 09:48 pm
Entry tags:

Five People Who Received Flowers on Mother’s Day 2011, and Three Who Didn’t (PG)

Title: Five People Who Received Flowers on Mother’s Day 2011, and Three Who Didn’t
Author: Dee Laundry
Pairing (Fandom): Gen (House)
Rating: PG
Words: 694
Notes: Thank you to [livejournal.com profile] hannahrorlove and [livejournal.com profile] nightdog_barks for beta.

Blythe smiled at the delivery boy as she let him in her front door. “Can you put them on the table, please?” she asked. She had cleared the table first thing this morning, and pulled two dollars from her wallet so as to have the tip ready. Every year, without fail, no matter what was going on in Greg’s life, a huge bouquet would appear at her door at some point on Mother’s Day.

The card this year said simply, “Thank you for everything. Love, Greg.” Blythe pressed the card to her chest and smiled.

James was such a thoughtful man.




Flowers. I sue her -- threaten to sue her, same thing -- con her friend into making her give me thirty grand, write her out of my will (Rachel’s the one who needs a trust fund, anyway; lovely child, my granddaughter is, but not exactly tops in the brain department), force an evacuation of her precious hospital… and still she sends me flowers.

She’s a sap.

A sap who’s married to her job, and what kind of husband is that? A job can’t hug you, or kiss you, or leave his underwear all over the floor for you to get exercise picking up -- oh, yes, Franklin, don’t think I don’t know why you used to do that.

I just don’t want her to be alone.

It sucks.




Flowers. He makes five times what his brother does, and the FTD Precious Heart Bouquet is the best that he can do for Mother’s Day. Not a spa certificate, or jewelry. Geraldine got a cruise for Mother’s Day.

I don’t know why I’m surprised. He’s always been ungrateful. Toys galore, classes, clubs, the best schools we could afford, and all we asked in return was for him to watch his brothers. Couldn’t even be bothered to do that properly; he let them get into trouble all the time.

He let my Danny run away and be lost.

Ungrateful little shit.




“Mrs. Taub,” the doorman, Jason, called. “Flowers for you!”

Esther smiled, until she saw the roses. “Those aren’t for me,” she said. “Every year my son sends lilies, my favorite.”

“The card has your name,” Jason replied, as he handed her the small white envelope. “Do you want me to call the florist?”

The card, indeed addressed to her, read: “You’re the best, Mom! Chris.” Oh.

“No,” she said. “It’s fine.”

A bit disappointing that Chris had never noticed which flowers his wife bought for his mother, but still. This year, that he had sent any at all was enough.




At three, Wilson knocked on Cuddy’s open office door. “Did you really think I’d think this was from House?”

“What?”

“‘You didn’t squeeze me out of your pelvis, but if not for you, I’d be dead. So, whatever. House,’” Wilson quoted.

Cuddy shrugged. “Sounds like him.”

Wilson raised an eyebrow.

Smiling, Cuddy kicked back in her chair. “He sent you flowers from me; I send you flowers from him. It has a good symmetry.”

“Symmetry. Huh.” Wilson’s face fell.

“Except,” Cuddy clarified, “I honestly do think that’s what House would, or at least, should say to you.”

Wilson smiled. “Thanks.”




“So why,” asked Chase as the waitress loaded their table with another round of onion rings, “are we drinking boilermakers at eleven in the morning, again?”

“Because,” Thirteen replied, reaching past Foreman for the ketchup, “we have work tomorrow and if we waited until tonight to get loaded, we’d be hung-over in House’s presence. Which is never, ever fun.”

“How would you know?” Foreman demanded.

“I do listen when you talk.” Thirteen clinked her shot glass against Foreman’s. “Up and at ’em, buddy.”

The glass was almost to Foreman’s lips when he paused. “Didn’t you recently get out of rehab?”

Hadley rolled her eyes. “Since when do you believe what House tells you?”

Chase laughed and clapped a hand on Foreman’s shoulder. “She has a point. Let’s drink.”

Three shot glasses raised in the air in silent salute. Three slugs of whisky went down not quite as smoothly as might’ve been wished. Three people coughed, and laughed, and sipped beer to ease their throats before the next round.

[identity profile] topaz-eyes.livejournal.com 2011-05-09 02:11 am (UTC)(link)
These are all wonderfully complicated, Dee. The symmetry is amazing. And I love that Wilson gets flowers from both House and Cuddy.

[identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com 2011-05-09 03:12 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks. At first, the flowers for Wilson in this fic were actually going to be from House, but then I decided to bring Cuddy into the act. : )

[identity profile] cuddyclothes.livejournal.com 2011-05-09 02:14 am (UTC)(link)
This was so cool. I had to read Wilson's mother three times before I realized who it was. That section was brilliant, especially if he sends Blythe a huge bouquet. Speaks volumes.

If I'm wrong, accept the praise and overlook any stupidity.

[identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com 2011-05-09 03:19 am (UTC)(link)
Wilson generally sends his mom and Blythe the same bouquet. His mom's is the biggest size while Blythe's is the medium size (he figures Blythe won't believe they're from House if he buys the largest, not realizing that she figured it out the first year he did it).

The characterization of Wilson's mother is based on something RSL said in House M.D.: The Official Guide. : (

[identity profile] taiga13.livejournal.com 2011-05-09 02:16 am (UTC)(link)
How wonderful to read fic from you! They're all so good I can't pick a favourite, each one is better than the next no matter which order I read them in. (The one about Wilson's mother though, chilling!)

[identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com 2011-05-09 03:27 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks! The piece on Wilson's mother is based on something RSL said, that he thought Wilson's parents were terrible parents.

[identity profile] taiga13.livejournal.com 2011-05-09 11:52 pm (UTC)(link)
He never talks about his family, ever, and I thought it telling that the reason he hung up on Danny was that he was sick of being the guy everyone leaned on.

[identity profile] namasteyoga.livejournal.com 2011-05-09 02:21 am (UTC)(link)
Great selection, with a definite fun Thirteen voice at the end. And Wilson would send Blythe flowers from House.

[identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com 2011-05-09 03:29 am (UTC)(link)
Thirteen was so exasperated about not being able to drink in the one episode where House had told the team she'd been in rehab. Hee. Thanks.

[identity profile] blackmare.livejournal.com 2011-05-09 02:48 am (UTC)(link)
"Wonderfully complicated," indeed. I wonder if Wilson's mom really is that horrid.

I had to read the Wilson-and-Cuddy one a couple times before I caught on that Cuddy was referring to the incident a few years back when House sent Wilson flowers, supposedly from her. Nice little callback, there.

[identity profile] deelaundry.livejournal.com 2011-05-09 03:43 am (UTC)(link)
I don't know if Wilson's mom is that horrid... but she could be. The Ordinary People poster in Wilson's office might be a clue. (Or might not.)

Originally the Wilson-and-Cuddy segment was longer and made more direct reference to the episode when House sent Wilson flowers supposedly from Cuddy (3-19, "Act Your Age") but I decided to keep it to a perfect drabble, 100 words. : )
ext_471285: (Default)

[identity profile] flywoman.livejournal.com 2011-05-09 04:22 am (UTC)(link)
James was such a thoughtful man.
The first one made me LOL!

The second one is a great Arlene voice.

The third... poor, poor Wilson. It really must say something that we've seen House's mother more than once despite all of his conflicted feelings towards his father and yet have never met Wilson's.

The fourth... makes sense that Taub has to send his own flowers now and doesn't remember his mother's favorite.

You didn’t squeeze me out of your pelvis, but if not for you, I’d be dead.
Hee! So House.

And the last is a sobering reminder that all three of them have been unlucky enough to lose their mothers, slowly and painfully.

[identity profile] damigella-314.livejournal.com 2011-05-09 07:46 am (UTC)(link)
Blythe reminded me of my own mother-in-law, who gently scolds me when I forget to remind my husband to call :-). I love my MIL.

And I loved, loved Taub's mother.

Poor Wilson. I immediately got that 1) it was Wilson's mother speaking and 2) she had gotten a large bouquet, and she would never be happy with him whatever he did. Which is why my own mother didn't even get a phone call, yesterday.

And poor Wilson for this one moment when he hopes that it was really House that had sent him flowers.

On the other hand, of course it took me forever to get the last one, which just shows how I totally lack any minimal form of empathy. Because just because I wouldn't drink whiskey in the morning in sorrow if my mother was dead, doesn't mean that other people wouldn't or shouldn't. Powerful and amazing.

[identity profile] hibernia1.livejournal.com 2011-05-09 02:34 pm (UTC)(link)
These are AWESOME. I especially liked the one about Wilson's mom's feelings. Poor Wilson, he can never win, can he?

Great to read something from your hand again, dear! Thanks very much for sharing!

[identity profile] maineac.livejournal.com 2011-05-09 02:51 pm (UTC)(link)
The last one was so lovely--the three characters who all lost their mothers to some sad illness, having a drink together. Nicely done.

[identity profile] chocolate-frapp.livejournal.com 2011-05-09 04:04 pm (UTC)(link)
I love the fact that Blythe immediately knew perfectly well it was Wilson who sent those flowers.
You notice Wilson's never said anything about his parents in canon. It would kind of make sense if he had a bitchy mom who was never satisfied with anything he did (and he would also relate to House's problems dealing with his dad).
I love Chase, Foreman and 13 toasting their moms' memories.

[identity profile] yarroway.livejournal.com 2011-05-09 05:51 pm (UTC)(link)
You write a very believable Arlene. I felt terribly sad for Taub's mom, but Wilson's mom made me shudder.
ext_25649: House sucking a lollipop while staring at Wilson (_houselolly)

[identity profile] daisylily.livejournal.com 2011-05-14 04:43 pm (UTC)(link)
"You didn’t squeeze me out of your pelvis, but if not for you, I’d be dead."

LOLOLOL - so very House.

These are wonderful, and Wilson's mom doesn't know how lucky she is :D

[identity profile] waylandsmithy.livejournal.com 2011-05-24 06:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Funny and sad. You capture Arlene's sourness perfectly. I'm not sure which is my favourite; Blythe probably. Her amused acceptance speaks volumes.