LtCmdr Jovenan – Please don’t cry, we’re all tired in here!
Jovenan
((Chief Science Officer’s office, Deck 9, USS Artemis))
Aven had remained calm in Jovenan’s arms so far, even if she had little experience in keeping newborns content. Meanwhile, Leera had shown some activity under Cole’s care, spitting her pacifier and giggling. Cole appeared to be more than qualified to handle such issues, however, so Jovenan had all the reasons to be happy that it had been the security officer offering Richards her help. The new mother had sat down while the two other kept the babies in their arms.
Jovenan: ::to Cole:: You seem to be doing great with Leera. Have you been taking care of babies before? Siblings, niblings, perhaps?
Cole: I have a younger sibling that I helped raise, while my parents were away on assignments.
Made sense. Jovenan and Richards had just talked about their younger family members, so it wouldn’t have been unexpected to find out that Cole, too, had experience with taking care of her siblings. In Cole’s case, there was also the aspect of raising them during her parents’ absences. It was hard work, but Jovenan had also read that those kind of people also grew up to be more responsible than their peers. She’d remember to keep that in mind when observing the Junior Lieutenant’s career.
As for the other junior Jovenan was tasked with observing, Aven was starting to squirm. Jovenan was uncertain. Did she hold him the wrong way? Was he uncomfortable? Or bored, hungry, did his clothes bother him, was it too bright in there? Her first reaction was to try and rock him, but then she turned towards a flower she had on a shelf.
Jovenan: Hey, it’s okay. Look, a pretty flower. Or are you missing your mum? ::turns towards Richards:: Mommy’s right there, see?
Richards stood up and extended her arms.
Richards: Come here you wiggly little tyrant.
The new mother took the baby back and held him against his chest. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, as Aven let out a disgruntled sound, which triggered Leera to wriggle as well. Jovenan brought her eyebrows together when looking at the two other women, expressing how sorry she was for causing this – or, at least, for not knowing what else she could do but to have Richards deal with this.
Cole: Shhh ::bouncing gently and rocking:: It’s ok, he’s probably just cranky because he’s tired.
Richards: Yes Leera, you are also a tiny tyrant. No need to make a point right now.
Cole: Say just making sure I’m heard, Momma. ::Natasha wrinkled her nose making a silly face::
Jovenan gave a half-hearted smile. It turned out she liked the babies when they were all happy and still, but the moment they started to express anything else, her already minimal amount of confidence in caring for them melted away. Perhaps it was just a matter of lacking skills – many parents-to-be got training before the children were born, or they just needed to learn by doing. Did Richards already know all of that? Probably. Maybe Jovenan would too if she spent time with the twins as she had promised.
Jovenan: Are they just tired? Do you need a place for them?
Richards: I should probably get them home for their nap. ::To Natasha:: Wanna help me lug them back to my quarters? ::to Jovenan:: Thanks for letting us stop by. I’ll bring them around again soon, preferably not so close to naptime.
Richards held Aven up. She waved his hand for a goodbye, even if the owner of the particular hand protested by clenching it to a fist. Jovenan waved back and smiled. Despite the crankiness, the babies were utterly adorable.
Cole: Wave goodbye Leera ::to Jovenan:: See you Jovenan
Leera wailed her hand in what was almost a wave. Jovenan waved to her as well.
Jovenan: Thanks for coming! See you again!
Even as the doors closed, Jovenan tilted a little and tried to make sure the babies could see her wave until the vision was completely blocked. When they were gone, she stood a moment in the middle of the room before walking back to her seat by the desk. It had been adorable, and heart-warming, too, knowing that Richards got help from the other crewmembers. Raising a child, not to mention two, was an enormous responsibility and a challenge, and she wouldn’t expect the civilian scientist to return to work for a while. Richards had deserved the help and love she’d get.
As for Jovenan, she returned to her book.
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Lieutenant Commander Jovenan
Chief Science Officer
USS Artemis-A
E239911J11