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halfamoonTitle: Cautionary Tale
Fandom: The Sopranos
Female Characters: Carmela & Meadow Soprano
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 524
Summary: Meadow & Jackie Junior's relationship as seen through Carmela's & Meadow's eyes
After Carmela gave birth to Meadow, Rosalie Aprile came to the hospital to visit the new mother. As she held the baby in her arms, Rosalie proclaimed, “Oh, Carm, she's beautiful. Could you imagine if she and Jackie Junior got married when they grew up?”
Carmela could imagine. She could imagine Meadow having the position that Rosalie held right now in the family (if, God forbid, something would happen to Jackie Senior). She would be set for life. But she also could imagine Meadow waiting by the phone, worrying every time her husband didn't come home at a decent hour, hearing stories from other wives of husbands who had either disappeared or been arrested.
So she smiled politely at her friend, believing that for all of Rosalie's best intentions, that Meadow and Jackie Junior would travel in the same circles but never get together.
College changed everything for Meadow. It was hard for her being away from home and, while at a party, she found herself gravitating to a familiar face. She'd known Jackie Aprile all her life and she could use a certain shorthand with him that she couldn't with anyone else. On top of that, he'd gotten better looking since they were kids, and to have someone who looked like that want to be with her, she'd be crazy to turn him away.
She wasn't going to turn into her mother. She was in college. Jackie was in college. She had some misgivings about Jackie's eductional prospects when he asked her to write one of his papers for him, but she cared about him and wanted to help. She'd do anything for them to further their educations and get out of Jersey for good.
Despite what she'd thought in the past, Carmela was not crazy about Meadow dating Jackie Junior. He didn't have his father's brains (or his looks, thank God) and while he could use the Aprile name to open doors that might have otherwise been closed, there was no way he would ever rise beyond the ranks of an associate. Men like that were dangerous and also expendable. There was no way Carmela wanted something like that for Meadow.
She couldn't say that to Meadow though, because the more she'd be against something, the more Meadow would be for it. It didn't matter that Carmela had lived this life, had walked this path, Meadow knew that she knew better than her mother.
Meadow woke up in the hospital room, alone and heartbroken. She still had feelings for Jackie, but she knew she couldn't see him anymore. She wondered if she made the right choice, but then she thought about her mother, who had stayed with her father through thick and thin. Had her father done this to her mother? Was her mother a fool for staying?
Meadow wasn't going to bind herself to this life. She was going to strike out on her own and make her own mistakes, and years down the road when she had a daughter of her own, she'd use this as a cautionary tale.
But, she realized, her daughter probably wouldn't listen to her either.
Fandom: The Sopranos
Female Characters: Carmela & Meadow Soprano
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 524
Summary: Meadow & Jackie Junior's relationship as seen through Carmela's & Meadow's eyes
After Carmela gave birth to Meadow, Rosalie Aprile came to the hospital to visit the new mother. As she held the baby in her arms, Rosalie proclaimed, “Oh, Carm, she's beautiful. Could you imagine if she and Jackie Junior got married when they grew up?”
Carmela could imagine. She could imagine Meadow having the position that Rosalie held right now in the family (if, God forbid, something would happen to Jackie Senior). She would be set for life. But she also could imagine Meadow waiting by the phone, worrying every time her husband didn't come home at a decent hour, hearing stories from other wives of husbands who had either disappeared or been arrested.
So she smiled politely at her friend, believing that for all of Rosalie's best intentions, that Meadow and Jackie Junior would travel in the same circles but never get together.
College changed everything for Meadow. It was hard for her being away from home and, while at a party, she found herself gravitating to a familiar face. She'd known Jackie Aprile all her life and she could use a certain shorthand with him that she couldn't with anyone else. On top of that, he'd gotten better looking since they were kids, and to have someone who looked like that want to be with her, she'd be crazy to turn him away.
She wasn't going to turn into her mother. She was in college. Jackie was in college. She had some misgivings about Jackie's eductional prospects when he asked her to write one of his papers for him, but she cared about him and wanted to help. She'd do anything for them to further their educations and get out of Jersey for good.
Despite what she'd thought in the past, Carmela was not crazy about Meadow dating Jackie Junior. He didn't have his father's brains (or his looks, thank God) and while he could use the Aprile name to open doors that might have otherwise been closed, there was no way he would ever rise beyond the ranks of an associate. Men like that were dangerous and also expendable. There was no way Carmela wanted something like that for Meadow.
She couldn't say that to Meadow though, because the more she'd be against something, the more Meadow would be for it. It didn't matter that Carmela had lived this life, had walked this path, Meadow knew that she knew better than her mother.
Meadow woke up in the hospital room, alone and heartbroken. She still had feelings for Jackie, but she knew she couldn't see him anymore. She wondered if she made the right choice, but then she thought about her mother, who had stayed with her father through thick and thin. Had her father done this to her mother? Was her mother a fool for staying?
Meadow wasn't going to bind herself to this life. She was going to strike out on her own and make her own mistakes, and years down the road when she had a daughter of her own, she'd use this as a cautionary tale.
But, she realized, her daughter probably wouldn't listen to her either.
no subject
Date: 2022-02-15 05:08 am (UTC)(I was on my phone when I wrote this comment, so elaborating now)
Honestly, it's been ages since I watched the show, but I love the idea that Carmela would struggle with how Meadow might follow in her own footsteps, or not. This is a great take that mother/daughter dynamic. Thank you for sharing!
no subject
Date: 2022-02-15 06:34 pm (UTC)Meadow always seemed to interact more with Tony so I enjoyed exploring more of the dynamic between her and Carmela especially when Carmela sees where staying in this life would lead- both good and bad.
Thanks so much for reading and the nice comment.