4.15 - Christmas in Madison II

this comment gets a hearty "XD" from me

Ngozi

So beautiful. Bitty is so brave...to tell Suzanne about the jam. And for other stuff too.

People wonder where Bitty gets his evasive tactics from!! IT'S COACH.

Ngozi

Thank you, so much! ;-; I think I've been scared of venturing into sensitive territory?? And I only recently have gotten the skill (and courage lol) to do so. And I'm glad because a lot of the honesty in the story and character development has happened in these moments. And the humor makes it all go down easier! 😂

Ngozi

Responding like, a week late but--AHHH I hope you didn't get tears in your coffee. And thank you. I love a bit of angst, but I'm glad the Jam Wars could brighten things up.

Ngozi

I love this so much! Ever since we first saw Suzanne and Bitty talk on the phone post-kiss and she was like, "You can always come home," I've wondered ... How many parents does Suzanne know from church or PTA or around town whose kids went off to college and then just - didn't come home? How many parents has she seen kick their kids out for being queer? Or parents who never went that far, but whose kids stopped visiting because once they'd seen the Great Wide World, their parents' home just started feeling hostile to them? How many of those kids were not even queer, just a little too liberal or something else that made them not fit? That's got to be Suzanne's biggest fear - that Dicky, like them, will stop coming home. I don't know how much she needed to learn to deal with in the time between the Cup and now, or how much she always would have been fine with, but everything takes a backseat to her number one priority - that Bitty knows that he is loved and that he can still come home. That he doesn't leave them. I just ... I have so many feelings!

There are so many things to love about this set. It's definitely one of your best. You did a great job mixing the more sensitive elements with the humor. The interactions between Bitty and his mom are so honest and beautiful. Coach couldn't be prouder of Jack and has to use the errands as a cover for showing him around town. LOL! To top it all off, Bitty brought up the jam. Hopefully, no cookies were hurt, during the tirade. 😂😂😂

Octavia Atlas

Coach: what in the blue blazes is goin on in here. Jack: ah. jam. I have this story on file somewhere in my brain. Coach: AAAND WE'RE OUT SON LET'S GO LET'S GO I love that Jack and Coach are both men of few words, but in very different ways. Also the sheer magnitude of the jam meltdown is just *kisses fingers* perfect.

Cas Wanden

i don't have a lot to say about this apart from i loved it! specially suzanne's betrayed face and coach teaching jack 'keep it moving' lol

IT’S THE JAM 😂😂😂😂😂

Sylvia Hunter

God Bitty just looks so grown up??? In the scenes with Mama Bittle. And there was so much to love here I can’t pick just one or two. Will we actually see Aunt Judy or will that continue to be mostly off screen?

Omg, the jam. 😂 You had me go from crying to laughing so fast. This was wonderful and perfect. ❤ The Bittles try so hard and love their son so much. 💕 And Jack definitely is a keeper. "Oh I plan to!" 😭

Angela

Heh. Coach knows from long and bitter experience to stay the hell out of the jam wars. The look on Suzanne's face in the "WHAT." panel just kills me. XDDDDD

I am absolutely dying. Look. I adore, so much, how the tension has been ramping up this whole time about Bitty being out to his parents, having to have that conversation and that potential fall-out. But I also know that Ngozi has said that this is, at the base, Bitty's story and Bitty gets to have a happy ending. So this? Bitty having his uncomfortable moments with both of his parents but then the trip to Madison being this perfect mix of oh-shit-my-parents-are-meeting-them-as-my-SO and Coach and Suzanne really making an effort to show their acceptance not only through actions (Coach, taking Jack around town with when he knows everyone will know who he is) but also both of them USING THEIR WORDS to say "you're good for each other" "you have a home here" "i love you" is just. GUH. AND THEN THE JAM. Just. Bitty. The weight of all of that falling off your shoulders was a goddamn high and you could not stand to be lying to your mama about it anymore, but good lord boy. "Oh. it's the jam." and Coach's "keep moving." just the perfect end to that whole scene there.

Nagako

Yes. This! Coach taking Jack around to all his usual haunts when you know every person in the town knows about Bitty and Jack and probably saw that kiss on TV--that's a decisive statement that Coach supports Jack and Bitty and accepts them. But I am so glad he also says so to Jack. Telling Bitty is one thing. That's his kid. Telling Bitty's partner is really important and even though he's uncomfortable with it--I think he's probably a bit uncomfortable with feelings in general, but this is obviously something he's working at.

My God. Jack looking at a sander and trying to connect with Coach is a joy.

AHHHHHHHHH. I almost cried into my coffee. But then the JAM WARS to the rescue for a bit of comic relief to avoid the maudlin. Coach. You did good.

I love Suzanne's descent into madness and Jack's "Oh. It's the jam" (said like somebody who has heard this story many time.) but I think my favorite bit might be Jack's little "This is the one we have in the equipment room" about the tool in the hardware store. It's like the poor guy is just trying to find something to say to connect with his boyfriend's dad and he's like, "Yes! A tool! Bitty's dad obviously likes tools because we're in a hardware store, so I will tell him about my experience with this tool."

We love some good discussion Qs! I love this update, and I feel like this was Bitty’s parents really trying to resolve any remaining tension. It may have been partly for them, but it was for Bitty and Jack too. I think Suzanne was really hurt by Bitty choosing not to come home for the Summer, but instead of phrasing it in a way that would guilt-trip him, she’s taking Bitty’s feelings into consideration, trying to empathize with the reason he stayed away. And Coach...means what he says lol. I think he genuinely likes Jack. I mean, he’s basically showing him off to the whole neighborhood by running errands and asking him to sign autographs lol. He wouldn’t do that if he weren’t proud of his son and their relationship. I really love these moments with the Bittles and seeing their family dynamic (Jack included)! Sorry for the analysis dump lol English Major, habits die hard.

As a Southerner whose mother and aunt had a "pickle war".... I FEEL SEEN. :-)

Both Coach and Jack just took it in stride lmao yeah he's a keeper alright. Also I'm glad we got a bit more of their interaction, neither are good with words

Nearly started crying but then almost HOWLED when Bitty told his mom about the jam! THAT might be the last straw for her. Jack will be allowed to stay but Bitty’s going to be banished for that betrayal, hahaha

Cat

Bitty is now so much taller than his mama! I'm not sure why but that detail in 8/10 really tells me how much time has passed since we met them.

I'm waiting for when Aunt Judy shows up at Bitty's house. There's gonna be hell to pay! ;-)

"preservation heretics" I'M DYING! 😂😂😂

Michele C (BookGeekGrrl)

“Preservation heretics.” 😂😂😂😂

God Suzanne has her priorities in order there.

Perfect ending to a perfect update!!!!!

WOW, you didn't tell me I was going to laugh and cry simultaneously during this update!! OK!!! 😭🤣 Edit: I just really need to add...my God, Jack is adorable. And I feel like he's scoring major points by knowing all the family minutia. Good for him!!

oh my god i started CACKLING "oh. it's the jam."

Chelsea

I knew Suzanne would throw a fit about the jam. Also there's an extra space in the word "Have" when Suzanne starts screaming at Judy over the phone in the final page.

Spit take at work... :D Kept thinking what heretical jam must taste like....my mum's womens group is just like this...ahhh memories of home. <3 Brilliant stuff.

Love this! Favourite random tiny detail: the cookie stuck to (or flung towards) the ceiling in the last panel.

"Two men for just knowing their loves so well." ;-;!!! They really do. And thank you so much!

Ngozi

Dude-Guys And Their Awkward Emotions! These things thrill my heart.

Ngozi

omg, exactly. If Jack were alone, he would have foolishly tried to engage with the family-jam-feud. He's got a LOT to learn! :)

Ngozi

Suzanne's ethics are ironclad and correct 😂

Ngozi

WHOOPS

Ngozi

Jack is well aware of the jam lore and the darkness of the Bittle-Phelps lol

Ngozi

The Bittles are as wild as they are WHOLESOME

Ngozi

Aghh you got it! Fortunately it's correct in the published version. @_@ THANK YOU

Ngozi

First I was nervous, then I was actually emotional about Coach's little cough and acceptance, I had real tears about Bitty and his Mama but laughed out loud with the 'Oh, it's the jam' and 'Move along' God bless those two men for just knowing their loves so well. While I have enjoyed Check,Please from the very beginning, this is my favorite (so far)!

Karen Welborn

Bitty having a same sex partner: 👍 Bitty using HERETICAL PRESERVATION TECHNIQUES: 😡😡😡

Holly

There were A LOT of different emotions going on in this one. Lots of good feels too. I just feel like poor Jack's gonna have a lot to learn while he hangs out with Bitty's fam :)

Raylen

OMG, hahahahaha!!! BETRAYAL! :D Coach and Jack's conversation reminds me of that moment in "Love, Actually" when Billy Mack tells his manager he loves him and they have that hella awkward pat on the back. :D

Ahhhh! What a great thing to wake up to 😂 Also: last pannel, Bitty- I think the " 'd " is maybe supossed to be on "you'd" instead of "I'd" ??

Michaleen Melby

Well that’s was amazing I nearly lost my drink with laughter while at work!

Oh my god, AMAZING tone shift!! I'm freaking dying over "Oh. It's the jam." 😂🤣

elizabeth p.

Such is life!! Thank you for reading. 🙏

Ngozi

THANK YOU AND SORRY BUT THANK YOU!! 😋

Ngozi

We really stan a supportive family

Mojo

WHOLESOME

Nic Sushi

How do make me cry and laugh at the same time? Woman, you’ll be the death of me. So many emotions... 😂

From tears to laughter in seconds!

Cathy Berner