Meet the Next Mrs. Norris ...

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

She swallowed slightly, as Lee's hand slipped into hers, squeezing it tightly. She returned the pressure even more tightly, her fingers gently caressing his.
"Sure," smiled Madeleine, nervously. "I'm not really too sure what to tell you; there's not very much that's interesting about me. I'm Head of the Warriors here at Orchid, I like to play guitar and to play chess, though I'm not really that good at it. I'm a gypsy, but I was born in Lylis Glen, about a five and a half hour drive from here."
What else? Shaun immediately jumped to mind, but she wasn't sure Mr and Mrs Norris would like to get onto the subject of her dead brother and his murder. It wasn't exactly a nice topic of discussion.
If Madeleine had any idea of the job she wanted, she could bring that up - but she didn't, not at all. And other things - talents, or hobbies; well, she didn't really have many. Life was too full, what with school and her Warriors.
So that was really it.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

"You're a what?" Vicky's eyebrows shot up in confusion, and Lee's grip on Maddie's hand increased to a bone-cracking crunch.
"Like the Hunchback of Notre Dame?" John laughed. "Lylis Glen?"
"A what, though?" Vicky frowned. "A... gypsy?"

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Lee's hand tightened painfully on hers, but her own hand went limp inside his, as her hopes were crushed.
She'd known it. She knew that this would prove some sort of problem. Even if Lee himself didn't care, even though he wasn't prejudiced; he loved her anyway... she knew that someone would object.
And maybe Lee's parents wouldn't object, maybe he was right, but... it definitely sounded as though his mum didn't like this.
And the Hunchback of Notre Dame comment? Not exactly original, Madeleine had heard it before, and it usually just made her laugh. This time, however, it devastated her a little.
"Yes, a gypsy," she said quietly. "A traveller, Romany, whatever way you'd like to put it - they all mean the same thing. My family have been travellers for generations; we're Romani by race as well as choice. My mum wasn't originally a traveller; she lived in Lylis Glen, and my grandmother still lives there now, that's why I was born there."

[Kira & Lee Norris]

"Oh my god."
John was silent for a few seconds, staring at Maddie, then, his eyes switched, and turned to his wife, who had frozen, her mouth slightly open as she watched Madeleine.
"You're... you're a... oh my god."
"Mum," Lee cut in, a spasm of fear running through him, "oh, god, Mum look, you can't be predjudiced, you just can't-"
"Oh, John, I was right. I was right."
"So you were," John said, still a little stunned looking. "Didn't think it would be that, though. A French daughter-in-law was enough for me."
"Dad-"
"Oh, John," Vicky sighed rapturously, and her face split into a smile. "Oh, John, isn't that exciting? I knew you'd be special, Madeleine- a gypsy- oh goodness, how exotic!"

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

As Lee's parents kept talking, Madeleine was becoming more and more devastated.
Because this had happened so many times before, but for it to happen now, with these two people...
It couldn't happen. She'd hoped so much that it would all be okay; she'd really, really hoped...
She was aware of Lee trying to talk to his parents, but they kept talking over him.
Then...
Mrs. Norris sighed, breaking into a smile. "Oh, John, isn't that exciting? I knew you'd be special, Madeleine- a gypsy - oh goodness, how exotic!"
Madeleine relaxed, squeezing Lee's hand tightly in relief.
"It's not really," she smiled. "Of course, it is fun; one night you can fall asleep in one town, then wake up the next morning in another. It's exciting, but you grow used to it as a way of life. Living in one place, like Orchid is a completely new experience for me - and to me, it's incredibly exciting."

[Kira & Lee Norris]

"I've only ever moved twice," Vicky sighed. "Oh, that sounds so lovely, Madeleine..."
"Can't say I'd be able to stick it," John said, a little apologetically to her. "It'd be hard; I'm better with stability."
"Oh, John," Vicky frowned. "Come on, now- can't you imagine it? Sleeping under the stars; on the open road?"
"In Ireland, it pisses down every night. I wouldn't like to sleep outside in the rain."
"John," Vicky snapped, then rolling her eyes, she turned back to Maddie. "Well, Head of the Warriors, then? What's that like?"

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

"We don't sleep outside," Madeleine laughed. "We have a caravan; we call it a 'trailer'. Though, if it was a nice night, Shaun - my brother - and I would lie outside and attempt to count the stars." She turned to Lee, smiling. "I want the two of us to do that one night in the summer.
"And Head of the Warriors? It's... stressful. It's definitely stressful. I just came from training, and I got a bit of a burn to my face," she said, the hand that wasn't in Lee's flying up to the smooth white skin. "And there were a couple of pretty bad injuries amongst the others; trying to sort that kind of thing out really heightens your blood pressure. But... I was born to fight; it's always felt that way. I come from a long line of Warriors and fighters, and to lead... it's stressful, but it's an incredibly satisfying job, and I can't imagine doing anything else now. I love actively doing something, and teaching others to do things. And I'm always learning new things from my Warriors, new techniques, new opinions...It's dangerous, yes, but... I think I can handle the risk," she finished, with a smile. "Sorry, I'll ramble if you give me half a chance."

[Kira & Lee Norris]

"Oh, no, it's not rambling," Vicky beamed. "It's lovely to hear you talking so enthusiastically about it all."
"I've seen her in training too, Mum," Lee cut in, glancing proudly at Madeleine. "She's something else, she really is."
"She's Head of the Warriors," snorted John. "I wouldn't have expected anything else!"
"A history of fighters, then?" Vicky continued. "Oh, I can't wait to meet your family!"

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine laughed, glancing at Lee.
"There aren't many to meet," she said. "There are my parents, and my grandmother on my mum's side - and that's about it. Of course, I have a huge network of Romani cousins and the like, but because we all travel, we rarely see one another - so they're clan, but we're not close enough to call each other family."
There were many friends they would meet at some stage, but no one pressing. And of course, then there was Russ, who was a little bit of everything. However, having Lee and Russ in close proximity to each other was not a prospect Madeleine relished...

[Kira & Lee Norris]

"And you have to meet Bethany!" Vicky stopped, and suddenly, her smile faded. "John.. just thinking... maybe now?"
His smile faded too, and he looked at her, carefully. "Vic, you sure?"
She nodded, looking back at them both. "She's family, John. I want them both... both to know..."
"What?" Lee said sharply, confused. "Mum? What is it?"
John looked at his son for a few seconds. "Lee... the thing is... well, your mum and I had a bit of an accident."
"What kind of accident?" Lee asked carefully, narrowing his eyes.
Vicky and John shared a quick glance, before she stopped, inhaled deeply, and looked at Lee.
"I'm pregnant."

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine had barely had time to recover from her flush of gratitude and pleasure at being called 'family', when Lee's mum said:
"I'm pregnant."
... okay, whoa.
It was safe to say that Madeleine hadn't been expecting that.
But... in what was a probably a strange way, she was thrilled for them - and she wasn't sure why. Obviously she'd have been happy... but to be that happy...
Slightly odd.
In another way, though, Madeleine felt a little sad. Because she'd be gaining yet another sibling-in-law... and Lee would never meet his.
"Oh, wow," she said, smiling warmly at the two. "Congratulations!"

[Kira & Lee Norris]

... what?
It felt like a bad joke; like a play; like some clichéd drama. It was weird. It didn't make sense. It felt like... like Lee was the parent, and his parents were the kids; the silly kids who'd gotten drunk at a party. Like his mum was a pregnant teenager, or something, and he was the father; stunned into silence.
Honestly, though, Lee had every right to be shocked. His mum wasn't old; but she was in her thirties. Wasn't that too old for kids? For babies? So instead of being a teenager, and being too young, suddenly, she was too old?
Maddie should be the one pregnant here, or something. Maybe then, it would feel more real.
... whoa. Maddie pregnant?!
Okay. Maybe then it wouldn't feel more real.
"Mum?"
"3 months," she said softly, meeting his eyes. "It's been 3 months, now. But I only found out two days ago."
"Christ..."
"Lee?"
"Yeah," he blinked several times. "Er. Yeah. Christ. Really?"
"Really," she laughed nervously.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

At that point, the prominent thing going through Madeleine's head was that if she had said "Christ" to her mother; she probably wouldn't live to see the next day.
At the back of her mind, there were half-formed thoughts and feelings; emotions that she knew that she shouldn't be feeling.
Namely a slight tinge of jealousy.
Because with this child, Lee would have another sibling. He had a sister, and a future brother-in-law, and now he'd have another brother or sister.
And Madeleine had none.
It wasn't resentment; of course it wasn't, it was only that old green snake, with its razor-sharp fangs hovering over her neck, hissing that it was unfair, it was so goddam unfair...
But it wouldn't bite unless she let it.
So she wouldn't.
She just sat there, silent, her hand subconsciously stroking Lee's.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Somewhere beneath the shock, Lee could feel another alien reaction shift into place.
Something like excitement.
Excitement.
When Lee was seven years old, Lee had gone to his mum and dad, miserable and hanging his head, because Eric, the strange boy on his road, had just come out with an unusual flush to his cheeks, and told his friends proudly that his aunty had just had a little baby. Everyone crowded around him eagerly, listening as he described excitedly the baby's soft, fair hair; her blue eyes and tuft of chestnut curls. She was called Abigail, Lee remembered, and she was coming to visit soon.
Lee, seeing the attention that Eric had received for merely having a baby cousin, realised that if he was to get a baby brother or sister, he would become extra specially popular. The idea appealed to him, so he turned and tottered back to his parents.
Of course, when he told them what he wanted, both had laughed at him.
"A baby is a lot of work," John had told him.
"You very nearly ruined my figure," Vicky had told him, "another baby would destroy it completely."
"But I want one. I want a baby."
"You've already got a sister!"
"But she's not a baby sister! She just treats me like a baby!"
"Sorry, son," John laughed, ruffling Lee's mop of hair. "You'll always be the baby of this family..."
Well, how times do change.
"I'm gonna' be a big brother," Lee said, suddenly aware of the grin spreading across his face. "I'm going to be a big brother!"

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine had to laugh.
"You're going to be a big brother," she smiled, rubbing the back of his hand.
That was something Madeleine had never really cared about; being an older sister. With a big brother like Shaun, she didn't really want another sibling - they were a set all of their own.
Still, she could see why it would make Lee excited - after all, she'd idolised Shaun, hadn't she?It must be pretty amazing to have someone look up to you like that.