25 Foods #20: Mustard
This was a random, spur-of-the-moment thing created from me having pregnant!Alice on the brain for some reason. I just thought it would be funny for her to have one of those wacky cravings fictional pregnant women get so often -- and the Hatter's comment about "Mustard! Don't let's be silly" during the famous "fixing the watch" scene in Disney's animated Alice inspired me. The reference to "cooling foods" and Susan's doctor being annoyed with her for craving meat is inspired by real advice given to pregnant Victoria women -- they were supposed to binge on lots of fruits and veggies. Which isn't a bad thing, given all the vitamins one needs while pregnant. Lionel is the youngest of this Alice's four cousins -- she also has Jerome, Stephen, and Terrence.
“She’s slathering mustard on everything.”
Charles Liddell frowned at his son-in-law. He and Victor were in the Liddells’ study, having a bit of a males-only chat before tea. “Mustard?” he repeated, trying to figure out how a question about how Alice was doing had led to such a statement.
Victor nodded, a rather lost expression on his face. “Yes. Mustard. On everything. I-I mean, I understand on sandwiches, but – she puts it on fruit, on vegetables, on bread without any meat to go with it. . .she made chocolate biscuits a few days ago, and she put mustard on hers! I once even caught her eating it straight out of the jar!” He shook his head, then gave Charles a beseeching look. “P-perhaps this is r-rude of me, but – did Mrs. Liddell e-ever – I mean--”
Oh, now Charles understood. He smiled at the young man. “Yes, her eating habits did turn a bit peculiar before each of our boys,” he told Victor. “She never wanted mustard, though. For her, it was smoked ham. Which greatly upset our doctor, as she was supposed to be eating cooling foods, not mountains of meat. . . . And I seem to recall Lorina craving pickles in the months before Alice.” He patted Victor’s shoulder. “I believe it’s normal. Your wife hasn’t gone completely mad.”
Victor smiled awkwardly, looking rather embarrassed. “I must look a bit silly, don’t I? It’s just – there’s so much happening now. But it’s all happening to Alice, and I feel like – like I’m just along for the ride.”
Charles nodded. “I know all about that. I felt that way during each of Susan’s pregnancies.”
Victor arched an eyebrow. “All four?”
Charles nodded again. “All four. Even with Lionel, I felt somewhat lost. This is mostly women’s business.”
Victor frowned. “But – I want to be i-involved! I’m the father – I want to f-feel I can help, or at least understand! I don’t like feeling so l-lost, so unsure!”
Charles patted his shoulder again. “I know, Victor. God, I know. But there’s not much you can do. This sort of thing is the province of the fairer sex.” Seeing Victor’s dejected expression, he added, “But I’m sure Alice appreciates your wanting a more active role. And when the time comes, I’m certain you’ll be a wonderful father.”
That got a genuine smile out of the boy. “Thank you, sir. That means a lot to me.”
There was a knock on the door. “Tea is ready,” Susan announced, poking her head in.
“Thank you, Susan.” He and Victor followed his wife to the drawing room, where the tea service was set up. Alice was there already, seated on the couch and absently rubbing her slowly expanding belly. She smiled as everyone entered. “Did you men have a nice talk?” she teased as they took their places.
Victor and Charles shared a small grin. “Very nice,” Victor nodded.
Susan poured the tea for everyone. Alice added her usual bit of cream to her cup – then, suddenly, looked thoughtful. She picked up the jar of mustard Susan had brought (obviously they’d been talking about her cravings too), dropped a little in her tea, and mixed it in. Everyone watched in astonishment as she sipped the resulting concoction.
And promptly gagged. “Alice?!” Victor asked worriedly, putting a steadying hand on her back as she coughed.
“I’m fine,” Alice said, getting her breath back. “Ugh. . .that’s one flavor combination I shouldn’t have tried.”
Victor nodded, then shot Charles a helpless, “what am I going to do with her?” look. Charles quickly lifted his cup to his lips to disguise his chuckles. Oh, dear. . .well, I did only say she hadn’t gone completely mad. . . .
Charles Liddell frowned at his son-in-law. He and Victor were in the Liddells’ study, having a bit of a males-only chat before tea. “Mustard?” he repeated, trying to figure out how a question about how Alice was doing had led to such a statement.
Victor nodded, a rather lost expression on his face. “Yes. Mustard. On everything. I-I mean, I understand on sandwiches, but – she puts it on fruit, on vegetables, on bread without any meat to go with it. . .she made chocolate biscuits a few days ago, and she put mustard on hers! I once even caught her eating it straight out of the jar!” He shook his head, then gave Charles a beseeching look. “P-perhaps this is r-rude of me, but – did Mrs. Liddell e-ever – I mean--”
Oh, now Charles understood. He smiled at the young man. “Yes, her eating habits did turn a bit peculiar before each of our boys,” he told Victor. “She never wanted mustard, though. For her, it was smoked ham. Which greatly upset our doctor, as she was supposed to be eating cooling foods, not mountains of meat. . . . And I seem to recall Lorina craving pickles in the months before Alice.” He patted Victor’s shoulder. “I believe it’s normal. Your wife hasn’t gone completely mad.”
Victor smiled awkwardly, looking rather embarrassed. “I must look a bit silly, don’t I? It’s just – there’s so much happening now. But it’s all happening to Alice, and I feel like – like I’m just along for the ride.”
Charles nodded. “I know all about that. I felt that way during each of Susan’s pregnancies.”
Victor arched an eyebrow. “All four?”
Charles nodded again. “All four. Even with Lionel, I felt somewhat lost. This is mostly women’s business.”
Victor frowned. “But – I want to be i-involved! I’m the father – I want to f-feel I can help, or at least understand! I don’t like feeling so l-lost, so unsure!”
Charles patted his shoulder again. “I know, Victor. God, I know. But there’s not much you can do. This sort of thing is the province of the fairer sex.” Seeing Victor’s dejected expression, he added, “But I’m sure Alice appreciates your wanting a more active role. And when the time comes, I’m certain you’ll be a wonderful father.”
That got a genuine smile out of the boy. “Thank you, sir. That means a lot to me.”
There was a knock on the door. “Tea is ready,” Susan announced, poking her head in.
“Thank you, Susan.” He and Victor followed his wife to the drawing room, where the tea service was set up. Alice was there already, seated on the couch and absently rubbing her slowly expanding belly. She smiled as everyone entered. “Did you men have a nice talk?” she teased as they took their places.
Victor and Charles shared a small grin. “Very nice,” Victor nodded.
Susan poured the tea for everyone. Alice added her usual bit of cream to her cup – then, suddenly, looked thoughtful. She picked up the jar of mustard Susan had brought (obviously they’d been talking about her cravings too), dropped a little in her tea, and mixed it in. Everyone watched in astonishment as she sipped the resulting concoction.
And promptly gagged. “Alice?!” Victor asked worriedly, putting a steadying hand on her back as she coughed.
“I’m fine,” Alice said, getting her breath back. “Ugh. . .that’s one flavor combination I shouldn’t have tried.”
Victor nodded, then shot Charles a helpless, “what am I going to do with her?” look. Charles quickly lifted his cup to his lips to disguise his chuckles. Oh, dear. . .well, I did only say she hadn’t gone completely mad. . . .