An Unexpected Gift, rated G

[allegrita]

Thank you, Phoenix.

[mitzie]

That was so beautiful and in keeping with the times!! I loved the toaster part(made me think of my dad)!! I could see Mick doing this for his folks. Very sweet, such a loving thing to do!!!!

mitzie

[Lucy]

Always the good son, the gentleman.....so very sad he has to do this from afar. So painful and yet sweet.

Lucy

[jen]

Lovely, just lovely. (sniff)

Read this before and it still makes me cry (but in a very good way!)

Very, very lovely!

Mick is such as sweetie.

[allegrita]

mitzie, thank you so much for your comment. I'm so happy that you feel this story is true to the time and to the spirit of Mick's love for his family.

Lucy, it is painful that he had to do it from a distance. But I can't imagine him not keeping an eye on his family. I'm glad you liked it!

jen, a reread is the best compliment! Thanks for stopping by again!

[Moonlighter]

Oh Alle -- this is me thinking about Mick doing this for his lovely parents Oh, here I go again...

So well done. You got me going from "Land sakes" and I was sucked in from there, even hoping that Arlene found that damn spring in the crack of the linoleum! What a wonderful take on an unexpected gift, and one so richly deserved.

[allegrita]

Thank you so much, Moonlighter. I kinda fell in love with Mick's folks when I wrote the story... I feel such anguish for them, having lost their son after he came home safe from the war.

[jen]

This is one of those classics that just have to be read again ever so often.

I think most of us agree that this is the kind of thing Mick would do--find some way to reach back and touch the lives of people he was forced to leave behind. Maybe not right away. Maybe not during the years he gave the whole vampire gig a go with Coraline. But once he began reclaiming his place in the universe.

This was his equivalent of sending money home.

Priceless!

Thanks, Alle!

[allegrita]

Thank you so much for this lovely comment, Jen. That's the way I feel, too. He'd do what he could for them.

[norsmyth]

Hey Alle! In the mood to read some fanfic today so I decided to just start at the beginning of the alphabet and you're at the beginning! Have read all of your stuff so far but just had to comment on this one! Loved how you portrayed Mick's parents (a subject that I wish would have been explored on the show) and Mick as the well raised gentleman. I thot it was prophetic that Arlene wanted to go to Hawaii---maybe she'll meet a certain ex-navy seal who reminds her of Mick---they say everyone has a twin!! PS I realize there is a big time gap here but this is fiction!

[allegrita]

I LOVE that idea! Thanks so much for revisiting--it's such a pleasure to see you here.

[maggatha3]

Oh, allegrita, it was great, you have "turned" that man that we have always pictured as the most desirable lover into a loving and caring son...yet, we do not get to hate you for that!

[allegrita]

Oh my goodness, Maggatha, I never thanked you for this lovely comment. My apologies! I love your little joke about turning Mick... I do imagine him as a loving and respectful son, despite the fact that he was a down-at-heels musician around the time he met Coraline, which Arlene can't have really approved of... But seriously, I can't imagine the pain that his parents went through, having their beloved son simply disappear like that. I really love these people I created, and I'm glad they came through well. I pictured them so clearly as I wrote this story, living in an old house in West Adams, trying to keep things working, making do when there wasn't enough money to keep them comfortable. I don't believe Mick would leave his family to dwindle into poverty if he had it in his power to help them, but he'd know that his dad was proud... so I can just see him racking his brain, trying to figure out a way to help his folks in a way they'd accept. And who would be the one he'd turn to? Josef.

One of the things I'm proudest of in this story is that although Mick's not there, he permeates every moment of the scene. He was his parents' son, and he adored them, and I think that giving them up must have just devastated him. That is part of the burden Coraline will always bear... that she separated Mick from those he loved, without his permission. It gave me a lot of pleasure, figuring out a way for Mick to make sure that his parents had a happy and comfortable old age. And the Hawaii thing was just serendipity.

[cassysj]

Okay, this made me cry. I'm visiting old challenges and I'm so happy for Mick's parents that they are set for the rest of their life.

[allegrita]

Awwwww... thank you so much, Cassy. I can't be too sorry that this story brought a tear... it makes me cry a little too. I really love Mick's parents and I'm so happy they came to visit me that day and told me their story.