Elementary Fic: A Hidden Agenda
Title: A Hidden Agenda
Author: kitmerlot1213
Fandom: Elementary
Pairing: Joan learns some stunning news about her mother
Word Count: 800
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: This story is for fun and no profit. I do not own any of these characters --I'm just borrowing them briefly.
Warning: Nothing graphic but there is some violent content
Summary: Joan thought she knew everything there was to know about her mother. Turns out she was wrong.
Author's Notes: Written for the December 15, 2016 Wadvent at watsons_woes . I was also inspired by the prompt for the Numbers Challenge at 1_million_words
The truth was not always an easy thing to admit and it certainly wasn’t an easy thing to hear, especially if it pertained to your very own mother planning a murder.
Mary Watson had been sitting at the brownstone’s battered kitchen table, drinking tea and eating a scone, when she let the proverbial bomb drop.
Joan looked between her mother and Sherlock in shocked disbelief. Only when her mom reached out a soothing hand did Joan react.
She grasped both her mom’s hands in a beseeching gesture before she could even begin to articulate a question. “Mom, do you know what you’re saying?”
Mary Watson smiled sadly at her daughter before she slowly nodded. “This is not an excuse, but it was the Christmas right after your father admitted to the affair.”
She lowered her gaze in embarrassment before she spoke again. “I was not at my best.”
“Mary, perhaps it would be best if Joan heard the entire story?” Sherlock’s voice was quiet but filled with an understanding Joan simultaneously hated and envied.
“You remember that everyone at the country club knew about your father and that woman?”
At Joan’s terse acknowledgement, Mary continued. “I couldn’t show myself anywhere in town without someone either whispering about it or just staring at me with pity.”
Joan could feel her mom’ hand starting to tremble, so she tightened her own grip and gave a reassuring squeeze.
It took Mary a moment to gather her composure. “We were all having a difficult time dealing with the situation and even though your father had apologized and begged forgiveness, things between us were still tense.”
Mary knew the next part would be hard for Joan to hear but it still needed to be said. “You and your brother had both decided that you weren’t coming home for Christmas,” and at Joan’s outraged grumble, Mary quickly amended her statement. “Yes, I know you were in your residency and you couldn’t get the day off, but what was Oren’s excuse?”
After Joan looked slightly mollified, her mom forged ahead. “So, it was just going to be Henry and me, and for the life of me, I had no idea how I was going to get through the day.”
Here, Mary took a deep fortifying breath, while she glanced almost pleadingly at Sherlock. He leaned across the kitchen table and laid his hand briefly across Mary’s forearm before he whispered, “Was that when you decided to poison your husband?”
Mary managed to choke out a “Yes,” before her eyes filled with tears but once Sherlock said the word aloud, a dam seemed to break inside Mary and the story just spilled out as she wept.
“It was after what felt like the forty-sixth trip to the farmer’s market to get Henry the exact pecans he liked, the corn syrup he favored and the natural brown sugar that had been all the rage at the time and that he insisted we start using--that was when the idea first occurred.”
Mary’s expression became almost dream-like. “Old Fashioned Pecan Pie was Henry’s favorite dessert and I made that god forsaken pie for every Christmas dinner since we’d gotten married. The pie was so sweet that adding a little anti-freeze to it wouldn’t even be noticed.”
She shook her head at the memory and her expression seemed to clear before she turned to her daughter. “You remember that your dad would practically use up an entire container of whipped cream on one piece?”
Joan looked worriedly at her mom before she wistfully answered. “I also remember you scolding Dad and giving him about ten antacids for his stomach ache.”
Sherlock could see the pain on both Joan and Mary’s faces as he gently encouraged Mary to be as open as possible. “When did you decide to abandon your initial plan?”
Now it was Mary’s turn to squeeze Joan’s hand. “You had called us right before dinner and I could hear your dad laughing as you talked, and I couldn’t go through with it. Right then and there, I threw the pie into the trash.”
She smiled grimly at the memory before turning back to Joan. “As angry and as hurt as I was, I still cared deeply for your father and we were still a family.”
Mary waited until she had her daughter’s full attention. “I knew I couldn’t hurt someone I loved as much as I loved your dad.”
Joan hadn’t realized she’d been crying until Sherlock handed her a handkerchief and her mom brushed away her tears.
Mary looked resolutely between Sherlock and Joan. “I don’t think I’ve ever been as frightened by my own actions and I vowed to never endanger anyone again.”
Sherlock smiled briefly before he responded. “That is all anyone of us could ask.”
Author: kitmerlot1213
Fandom: Elementary
Pairing: Joan learns some stunning news about her mother
Word Count: 800
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: This story is for fun and no profit. I do not own any of these characters --I'm just borrowing them briefly.
Warning: Nothing graphic but there is some violent content
Summary: Joan thought she knew everything there was to know about her mother. Turns out she was wrong.
Author's Notes: Written for the December 15, 2016 Wadvent at watsons_woes . I was also inspired by the prompt for the Numbers Challenge at 1_million_words
The truth was not always an easy thing to admit and it certainly wasn’t an easy thing to hear, especially if it pertained to your very own mother planning a murder.
Mary Watson had been sitting at the brownstone’s battered kitchen table, drinking tea and eating a scone, when she let the proverbial bomb drop.
Joan looked between her mother and Sherlock in shocked disbelief. Only when her mom reached out a soothing hand did Joan react.
She grasped both her mom’s hands in a beseeching gesture before she could even begin to articulate a question. “Mom, do you know what you’re saying?”
Mary Watson smiled sadly at her daughter before she slowly nodded. “This is not an excuse, but it was the Christmas right after your father admitted to the affair.”
She lowered her gaze in embarrassment before she spoke again. “I was not at my best.”
“Mary, perhaps it would be best if Joan heard the entire story?” Sherlock’s voice was quiet but filled with an understanding Joan simultaneously hated and envied.
“You remember that everyone at the country club knew about your father and that woman?”
At Joan’s terse acknowledgement, Mary continued. “I couldn’t show myself anywhere in town without someone either whispering about it or just staring at me with pity.”
Joan could feel her mom’ hand starting to tremble, so she tightened her own grip and gave a reassuring squeeze.
It took Mary a moment to gather her composure. “We were all having a difficult time dealing with the situation and even though your father had apologized and begged forgiveness, things between us were still tense.”
Mary knew the next part would be hard for Joan to hear but it still needed to be said. “You and your brother had both decided that you weren’t coming home for Christmas,” and at Joan’s outraged grumble, Mary quickly amended her statement. “Yes, I know you were in your residency and you couldn’t get the day off, but what was Oren’s excuse?”
After Joan looked slightly mollified, her mom forged ahead. “So, it was just going to be Henry and me, and for the life of me, I had no idea how I was going to get through the day.”
Here, Mary took a deep fortifying breath, while she glanced almost pleadingly at Sherlock. He leaned across the kitchen table and laid his hand briefly across Mary’s forearm before he whispered, “Was that when you decided to poison your husband?”
Mary managed to choke out a “Yes,” before her eyes filled with tears but once Sherlock said the word aloud, a dam seemed to break inside Mary and the story just spilled out as she wept.
“It was after what felt like the forty-sixth trip to the farmer’s market to get Henry the exact pecans he liked, the corn syrup he favored and the natural brown sugar that had been all the rage at the time and that he insisted we start using--that was when the idea first occurred.”
Mary’s expression became almost dream-like. “Old Fashioned Pecan Pie was Henry’s favorite dessert and I made that god forsaken pie for every Christmas dinner since we’d gotten married. The pie was so sweet that adding a little anti-freeze to it wouldn’t even be noticed.”
She shook her head at the memory and her expression seemed to clear before she turned to her daughter. “You remember that your dad would practically use up an entire container of whipped cream on one piece?”
Joan looked worriedly at her mom before she wistfully answered. “I also remember you scolding Dad and giving him about ten antacids for his stomach ache.”
Sherlock could see the pain on both Joan and Mary’s faces as he gently encouraged Mary to be as open as possible. “When did you decide to abandon your initial plan?”
Now it was Mary’s turn to squeeze Joan’s hand. “You had called us right before dinner and I could hear your dad laughing as you talked, and I couldn’t go through with it. Right then and there, I threw the pie into the trash.”
She smiled grimly at the memory before turning back to Joan. “As angry and as hurt as I was, I still cared deeply for your father and we were still a family.”
Mary waited until she had her daughter’s full attention. “I knew I couldn’t hurt someone I loved as much as I loved your dad.”
Joan hadn’t realized she’d been crying until Sherlock handed her a handkerchief and her mom brushed away her tears.
Mary looked resolutely between Sherlock and Joan. “I don’t think I’ve ever been as frightened by my own actions and I vowed to never endanger anyone again.”
Sherlock smiled briefly before he responded. “That is all anyone of us could ask.”