Artemis: Cooking for Company
Dori Smith
Samantha had returned to her quarters with the girls, pleased with how the first meeting with her sister had gone.
Patricia looked up from where she was puttering about in the kitchen and gave Sam a small smile. Emma was sitting at the bench, munching on some carrot sticks.
“How did it go Sam?”
Samantha smiled. “It went well, considering she doesn’t remember me at all.”
“It was GREAT!” Christy echoed, throwing her hands in the air. “When are we gonna eat, Mommy?”
“Soon, dear.” Samantha replied.
Patricia held out a small plate of carrot sticks.
“Here you go Christy. I’m just starting work on dinner now. It’ll be a little while.” Patricia looked up at Sam. “Why don’t you ask Zoe to join us?”
“I could do that. She was tired and wanted a rest, but if it’s going to be a little while - how long do you think?” Samatha asked.
Patricia looked at what she had before her and thought for a moment.
“About three and a half hours. I want it to simmer and slow cook, bringing out the flavour of the meat more. So, about that.”
Samantha nodded. “In that case, we should feed the girls something soon. They’ll be tired before it’s ready.” she grinned. “I’ll go ask my sister. Be right back.”
“Not a problem. The carrot sticks will tide them over for a bit, I’ll do up something else for them. Something two hungry, growing girls will enjoy.” Patricia smiled at the two girls as they giggled around their carrot sticks.
With that, Samantha slipped back out and over to the door that led to the quarters Zoe was using. She rang the chime, and was answered a moment later. “Samantha?” her sister asked.
“Patricia is making dinner - it’s going to be late, in about 3 and a half hours. I was wondering if you’d like to join us.” Samantha said. “It gives you some time to rest, and then you can meet my best friend. She’s a good cook.”
Zoe paused a moment, then nodded. “I’ll be over.” she said.
“Great.” Samantha replied. “I’ll see you later.” She turned and walked back to her own quarters. “She’s going to join us.” she told Patricia.
Patricia nodded as she methodically chopped up some vegetables.
“That’s great, I look forward to meeting her. I went to hydroponics this afternoon and got a bunch of fresh vegetables from the garden, so we’ve got a nice feed for us.”
“That sounds really great. What are you making?” Samantha asked curiously.
“Well, I’m doing a stir fry of vegetables with a touch of beef for the girls. But we’ll be having a beef bougandry casserole, scalloped potatoes, capsicum stuffed with rice and beans, sweet potato mash and green beans with almonds. Then for dessert I have a Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake chilling in the fridge.” Patricia smiled at Sam. “So, I got a bit creative.”
"You sure did." Samantha said, sounding impressed. “We're going to have a gourmet dining experience, not a meal. You want me to do the stir fry for the girls?"
Patricia smiled in appreciation and nodded.
“Please, I’ve got most of the vegetables chopped, just a few more to add then replicate the meat, then she’s ready to go.”
“Leave it to me.” Samantha told her. “I’m tempted to replicate a wok.” she eyed the stove. “But they take up a lot of room and you’re going to need the space.”
Patricia gave a soft laugh.
“A pan will be fine. Tomorrow night I may do a full on Chinese banquet, I have a wok already. We can have Zoe over again if you like and we’ll eat a bit earlier, so she can spend time with her nieces.”
“We’ll see how things go. I’ve pretty much told her she can have as much time as she wants with the girls, or at least Aoife, and Christy when she’s not in classes. She’s also going to see sickbay at some point. We’ve got our work cut out for us too - so I think we’re just going to have to play it by ear. Plus, I have something I want to do with her.” she smiled.
Patricia nodded in understanding.
“That sounds fine then. Maybe another night then. Did you want me to make ourselves scarce tomorrow night then?”
“No. I’ve got a holodeck program I want to try with her to stir up some memories. It’s of our family farm - you wouldn’t be in the way even if I had her here.” Samantha gave Patricia a fond glance. “We might appreciate a good meal after that.”
Patricia nodded as she chopped the tops off a couple of capsicums.
“Something hearty and homely. Do you have any dishes you both liked as kids?”
“Fried chicken and mashed potatoes.” Samantha grinned. “We always ate a bunch of it.”
“Done deal. I’ll do that for dinner tomorrow night then, it might help.” Patrica kept working on the capsicums. “They say sometimes food helps stimulate memory. A very wise woman told me that I think.” Patricia winked at Sam.
Samantha laughed. “The sense of smell is connected to memory. At this point, I’m going to try anything I can to help her, but because we’re related, I have to be careful. I can use my knowledge, but I can’t become her therapist. I know she’s tried things in the past, and has not had any luck.” she shrugged.
Patricia shrugged as she finished scooping out the insides of the capsicums.
“If anyone can help her, it’s you Sam.” Emma finished her carrots, along with Christie.
“Mummy, can we go play until dinner?” Patricia nodded in assent and the two girls got down and headed into Christie's room. Patricia paused and watched them go with a gentle smile on her face. Things were slowly coming together for her, and she was starting to feel a bit less lost.
“I hope so. It’s still hard to believe she’s actually alive. All those years...” Samantha shook her head. “I had given up hope.”
“Hope is a powerful thing Sam.” Patricia reached over and put her hand on Sam’s. “Look what that hope has brought you. You say you had given up hope, but deep down, I don’t think you did. She’s your twin, I think you would have known, deep down, in your soul, if she was dead.”
Samantha nodded and went to replicate the meat, then started work on their daughters’ dinner. “I suppose so. We were always very close.”
“There’s no ‘suppose’ about it Sam.” Patricia got some marinade ready for the meat and looked at her friend. “I think she appeared when she did, and coming back into your, and your families, life is just what is meant to be.”
“You may have a point there Trish.” Samantha agreed. “With or without her memories, it’s good to have her back.”
Patricia gave her a sad smile.
“Yes. It would be. Okay, meats marinating nicely. Do you want rice or noodles for the girls?”
“Rice, or we’ll be cleaning them up for the rest of the night. Christy always makes a mess of noodles.” Samantha shook her head.
“Ah, thanks for that tip. I haven’t tried Emma on noodles yet, so I’ll keep that in mind.” Patricia gave a small smile. “I have lots to learn, so please forgive me and tell me if I’m being a pest asking lots of questions.”
“No, it’s completely fine.” Samantha told her. “I don’t know how they do it, but kids can get noodles everywhere. Rice too, but it’s easier to clean up, in my experience.”
“Okay. Note made. Rice it is.” Patricia then gave a soft laugh as she passed Sam over the bowl with the meat in it. “Here you go.”
“Thank you.” Samantha took it and put it in the pan, starting the cooking process.
They cooked in companionable silence for a few minutes until the meat was done and then Patricia handed her the vegetables that she had cut up, and that Sam had helped finish off.
“Here we go. I’m glad Emma’s not fussy, neither is Christie thankfully.”
“Thank God.” Samatha said. “One of my sisters is. Replicators are a blessing for her. Christy’s eaten so much variety over the years, I think she’s developed a taste for the extraordinary.” She mixed the vegetables in and started stirring. “I try to give her food from all sorts of cultures.”
“Aunt Sarah was like that. She loved food from all over the world, and since we had all sorts of people coming and working over the seasons, it was good to make them something from their home country.” Patricia went back to cutting up some herbs to put in the stuffing for the capsicums.
“Christy was born in the Gamma Quadrant, and they had some downright strange food out there. Good though.” Samantha said as she stirred. “Some of it. Obviously, by the time she was eating solids, we were back on this side of the wormhole, but I still give her some of that food on occasion.”
“That’s good to know.” Patricia worked quietly for a few minutes, getting out a pan to sit the capsicums in and then moving off to one side to get some rice together for the girls and the capsicums.
The two women worked on cooking in companionable silence for a little while, only stopping when the stirfry was ready. “You want to dish up or go get them?” Samantha asked.
Patricia looked at her preparations, she had done everything, it just needed to cook.
“I’ll dish up. You go get them.”
With a nod, Samantha headed into the room the girls were playing in. “Dinner time.” she said. “Put your toys away and come eat.” she glanced at the crib where Aoife was lying, playing with the mobile that hung there, and smiled, while Christy and Emma put away the toys they had been playing with. Then she followed them out the door into the large main room and helped them settle at the table.
Patricia sat the dishes down on the table and smiled at the girls.
“All ready for you girls.”
“Thank you Aunt Patricia.” Christy said, grabbing a fork and digging in.
“Thank you Mummy and Auntie Sam.” Emma followed suit, eating everything before her.
“Enjoy, girls. We’re going to continue working on dinner for the rest of us.” Samantha said.
“Okay Auntie Sam.” The two girls kept eating happily, chattering away to each other between mouthfuls. Patricia stood at the kitchen bench and watched them fondly.
"You want my help?" Samantha asked, looking over at her friend.
Patricia shook herself out of her reverie and nodded.
“Yes please, would you mind peeling the sweet potatoes?”
"Not at all." Samantha opened a drawer and pulled out a peeler. "This is your meal, so feel free to tell me what to do." She added as she got the potatoes and started peeling.
Patricia nodded and they worked in silence while the girls ate. After a few minutes the two of them were finished, both holding up empty bowls. Laughing softly Patricia went over and collected the dishes.
“Okay, why don’t you go watch a vid now, you’ve both been good. I’ll bring you something for dessert in a little while, okay?” The girls nodded and got down from the table, going over to decide what to watch.
Taking the dishes back to the sink to clean them, Patricia felt a bit more at peace. This felt right, this little bit of domestic harmony, between her and Sam, and their daughters, felt right.
"This is nice, isn't it?" Samantha asked, sighing contentedly. "Cooking together while our daughters play together."
Patricia put the clean bowls away and walked to stand next to her friend.
“Yes, this is almost perfect.” There was a small catch in her voice. “She would have loved to do this, but she’s never going to be able to experience this. At least I got to have her for a while. And I know she would be watching over us, telling me to stop fussing and worrying.” Patricia leaned against Sam a little. “Thank you.”
Samantha wrapped her arm around Patricia. "You're welcome." She said softly.
Patricia accepted the comfort for a long moment and then taking a shaky breath, she smiled at Sam.
“Come on, this feast isn’t going to cook itself. Time to stop wallowing. Time to start living again.”
End