[ She sighs, slightly exasperated, though it's also shot through with affection. ]
I love my mom. I do. But it's like...
I have three older brothers. One's an assistant district attorney, one's a doctor, the third one runs a community service agency, a nonprofit. All [ Two fingers lift away from her glass, curling a couple of times, forming half-hearted air quotes, ] respectable jobs.
When I started she thought I'd joined one of the gangs and was shaking people down for money. Now it's, why don't you get a [ there go her fingers again ] respectable job, or, god help me, why don't you get married so I can stop worrying about you.
[ Madsen looks away for a moment, her expression sobering up for a bit before she starts tracing the rim of her glass again. ]
Mine wasn't too thrilled when she found out I was jumping back into things so quick after nearly [ legitimately ] getting killed a couple years back. I get why she's worried, considering certain events, but at the same time, it's ... frustrating. Especially when I feel like I'm actually making a difference.
S'fine. I'd like to think I've moved on since then, and bright side, things did turn out for the better.
[ By way of the guy who did it ending up being killed shortly after that whole stunt, but she'll leave that part out for now. ]
Think it's something in the mom handbook or something - "fret over your daughter's lives, especially if she starts getting into non-conventional fields of work". Probably a subset about meddling in love lives, too. [ She strokes her chin in thought before shaking her head and taking another drink. ]
Preeeeetty much. Which especially sucks when you tend to have a lot of guy friends anyway for whatever reason. It's like - Mom, no, these guys are like brothers and I'd rather not kiss a sibling. Gross.
...You ever see yourself doing anything else? A different career? Because I don't. That's what she and I stumble on, sometimes, that I won't just up and change my job.
Not really. Even if it's not exactly this, it'd be something similar.
Probably could chalk that up to too much like my dad, honestly. He laughed and wanted to take me out for drinks after he and mom found out. Granted that also devolved into a "be careful" speech, but it was less fretting over me and more making sure I learned from his mistakes.
It is good that you have it. I think when there's some common understanding about what you do, it's easier.
My second oldest brother, the one that's the attorney, I think he gets what I do more than the other two, and definitely more than my parents or grandma. I think it's hard for my parents too because there's no, like... outward signs of success? If that makes sense? Like my brother the doctor got his medical degree, my brother the lawyer wins in court, my brother the nonprofit guy can show the work he's done in the community. Mine's more secretive, it's hard to show my parents I'm doing well too.
And I can see that - both with your brother getting it more since he works in the system as well and how your parents aren't seeing as tangible of a result of what you're doing, so they worry more. That was the other part of my mom's worry when she found out I was getting into security and protection detail. [ Best analogue she's got without revealing the more supernatural side of it. ]
But the thing is with what either of us do, the fact that we don't bring our work home with us, in a sense - is actually a good thing. Keeps them safe.
[ Olivia laughs, but it's decidedly lacking in mirth. ]
I'm not keeping the job to myself to be a pain. Mom really doesn't need to know some of the things I've seen or found out about people. It's for the best.
Yeah. And it sucks that it takes having to lie to them or just outright not saying anything in the first place in order to do so, but that's ... unfortunately part of it.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
preternaturalist) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
nipplescratchers2017-11-02 08:16 pm
no subject
...Maybe we're giving this too much attention.
[ She's totally superstitious, worried about manifesting something like this for herself if she's not careful. ]
I served someone with papers today and I didn't have them take a swing at me? I feel like I'm moving up in the world.
no subject
[ She grimaces. ]
But hey, that's a good start! It's just an unfortunate side-effect of the job.
no subject
[ She shakes her head, wry. ]
And give up all this excitement?
no subject
[ Madsen flashes a grin. ]
She not a huge fan of you striking it out as an investigator?
no subject
I love my mom. I do. But it's like...
I have three older brothers. One's an assistant district attorney, one's a doctor, the third one runs a community service agency, a nonprofit. All [ Two fingers lift away from her glass, curling a couple of times, forming half-hearted air quotes, ] respectable jobs.
When I started she thought I'd joined one of the gangs and was shaking people down for money. Now it's, why don't you get a [ there go her fingers again ] respectable job, or, god help me, why don't you get married so I can stop worrying about you.
no subject
[ Madsen looks away for a moment, her expression sobering up for a bit before she starts tracing the rim of her glass again. ]
Mine wasn't too thrilled when she found out I was jumping back into things so quick after nearly [ legitimately ] getting killed a couple years back. I get why she's worried, considering certain events, but at the same time, it's ... frustrating. Especially when I feel like I'm actually making a difference.
no subject
[ She sighs, picking up her drink. ]
Moms are gonna be moms, right? What can you do? Though sometimes I wish they'd calm down just a little.
no subject
[ By way of the guy who did it ending up being killed shortly after that whole stunt, but she'll leave that part out for now. ]
Think it's something in the mom handbook or something - "fret over your daughter's lives, especially if she starts getting into non-conventional fields of work". Probably a subset about meddling in love lives, too. [ She strokes her chin in thought before shaking her head and taking another drink. ]
no subject
Does your mom immediately size up any man she hears about or meets that knows you that's between, like, 20 and 50 years old?
no subject
no subject
no subject
[ She raises her glass. ]
To solidarity in surviving meddling mothers.
no subject
...You ever see yourself doing anything else? A different career? Because I don't. That's what she and I stumble on, sometimes, that I won't just up and change my job.
no subject
Probably could chalk that up to too much like my dad, honestly. He laughed and wanted to take me out for drinks after he and mom found out. Granted that also devolved into a "be careful" speech, but it was less fretting over me and more making sure I learned from his mistakes.
no subject
no subject
[ She idly bites her lip in thought before letting out a long exhale. ]
And I get that I'm lucky in getting that support, I can't deny that. I dunno. Might be making it sound more complicated than it probably is.
no subject
My second oldest brother, the one that's the attorney, I think he gets what I do more than the other two, and definitely more than my parents or grandma. I think it's hard for my parents too because there's no, like... outward signs of success? If that makes sense? Like my brother the doctor got his medical degree, my brother the lawyer wins in court, my brother the nonprofit guy can show the work he's done in the community. Mine's more secretive, it's hard to show my parents I'm doing well too.
no subject
And I can see that - both with your brother getting it more since he works in the system as well and how your parents aren't seeing as tangible of a result of what you're doing, so they worry more. That was the other part of my mom's worry when she found out I was getting into security and protection detail. [ Best analogue she's got without revealing the more supernatural side of it. ]
But the thing is with what either of us do, the fact that we don't bring our work home with us, in a sense - is actually a good thing. Keeps them safe.
no subject
[ Olivia laughs, but it's decidedly lacking in mirth. ]
I'm not keeping the job to myself to be a pain. Mom really doesn't need to know some of the things I've seen or found out about people. It's for the best.
no subject
no subject
no subject
[ Madsen frowns, staring down at her glass before she lets out a groan. ]
Anyway, let's ... get off that topic. Came here to feel better not worse about myself.