Lt A Dewitt - A New Addition To The family
Emma Banin
((Dewitt Residence, Earth, After Wedding Ceremony, before dinner))
The air was warm, a gentle breeze stirring the palm trees, rustling their fronds as the sky changed from a deep orange to a soft purple. The horizon, still glowing from the fading suns was slowly giving way to a canopy of stars that shone bright in the dusk sky.
Ayemet, still in her wedding dress, walked barefoot to the riverbank drinking in the heady aroma from the flowers that grew everywhere. If there was a place on Earth that came close to heaven this was surely it.
Most of the guests had long since gone to change for the evening meal although there were a few dotted randomly across the Dewitt residence, finishing drinks or conversations before heading in to the main room. She smiled and some, waved at others as she made her way, shoes in one hand to the river.
She was happy. There had been no disaster, Connor had not run, and both her Mother and Quentin had been a emotionally rich addition to the day’s events.
C Dewitt: Mrs Dewitt…
She turned round and broke out into a beaming smile.
A Dewitt: :coyly: Hey sailor.
C Dewitt: ::chuckling:: Enjoying the Dewitt Residence?
A Dewitt: It’s endearing!
Ayemet laughed and walked up to Connor holding out her hand in invitation. She looked at him silently as they turned and walked towards the house for the evening meal. Her fingers rapped around his and she felt…complete..
C Dewitt: What are you thinking?
A Dewitt: How lucky I am.
C Dewitt: Do you sometimes wonder how we got to this point? What would have been, if they had not made me an Lieutenant junior grade that night? We would not have celebrated - you would not have taken me to the lake…
She smiled sympathetically. She looked into his big blue eyes. Eyes that shone with sincerity, searching for meaning for answers as if he didn’t believe that he deserved happiness or thought that it might be snatched from him. It made Ayemet love him even more.
C Dewitt: Do you sometimes wonder what could have been?
She stopped and looked up at him shaking her head in amusement. Ever since their shared dream at the lake they had a connection that even her capture by the Sheliak could not break.
Yet she wondered if he realised just how much he meant to her. She reached up and pulled him down towards her kissing him softly before realising him.
A Dewitt: :Pause for comedic effect: Yeah totally made the right choice.
C Dewitt: ::laughing:: Good… I’d hate to fight over the hairbrush’s custody.
A Dewitt: :smirking: Oh it’s your hairbrush now. Unless you want to defy centuries of tradition?
She winked at him. It was one of the strange incidents that the galaxy had provided them with; an argument over a misplaced brush that had morphed into a defining moment for their relationship.
To her it proved that even though they came from very different backgrounds and experiences they belonged together. There was something between them stronger than anything that could be thrown in their way.
C Dewitt: You know, sometimes I am thinking… how much of this almost didn’t happen.
She stopped and put on an exaggerated look of incredulity trying to quell his doubts and fears.
A Dewitt: Connor Dewitt you have to stop doubting your amazing luck in landing someone as incredible as me!
Connor chuckled as he shook his head.
C Dewitt: No, I don’t mean like that. I mean, all the little things that had to fall into place to get us here. One change, one different decision, and we could have just been two names in a duty roster, passing each other in the corridors, never knowing what we missed.
A Dewitt: You don’t think I would have noticed you without you sticking your hand in a console!?
Connor shrugged and Ayemet shook her head once more. There was this extraordinary man who truly had no idea of just how extraordinary he was. Perhaps that was why they worked so well together. They saw the beauty in each other even if they didn’t see it in themselves.
C Dewitt: I don’t know. I like to think it wouldn’t have mattered. That no matter what, I would’ve found my way to you. Maybe not in the exact same way, but somehow. It means that even if the universe tried to keep us apart, we would have told it to go to hell.
A Dewitt: Listen sailor, it was fate or destiny or whatever you want to call it that brought us together and I’m going to remind you every day that we belong together and always did.
C Dewitt: Well, as long as we’re dealing with it together, I think we’ll be just fine…
A Dewitt: :gesticulating with her hands as she laughs: Well duh! :Pause: It’s me!
They reached the table and Ayemet scanned it. So many names. Connor’s family was huge, at least to her, but as she glanced at her mother deep in conversation with an older lady whom she did not recognise, it was all one family, crew, the Dewitts, her mother united.
C Dewitt: Talking about the universe throwing challenges at us… My grandma asked me earlier about how many kids we plan and when it will happen and how to best have them grow up on a ship… You’re in for a treat later tonight.
She turned, a quizzical look on her face. She knew how much Connor valued his post onboard the Khitomer, and the difference it made to him. The one time they had talked of family she thought it was clear from him that he saw it as a future goal and not an immediate concern.
A Dewitt: :cautiously: And what did you say?
C Dewitt: Response
A Dewitt: Connor I’ll not lie. I want a family. I want children.
C Dewitt: Response
She nodded her smile still sincere if a little dimmed. Looking out across the crowd she saw the crew; Talia, Ras, Ezra, Captain Shayne, and those she hoped to know a little better. She saw her mother laughing with Connor’s grandmother . She saw children playing bored with the antics of the grown ups and enveloping themselves in their own magical world.
A Dewitt: The Captain needs you. The Khitomer needs you. They’re my family but …
C Dewitt: Response
She smiled and placed a reassuring kiss on his cheek. Holding her hand on his face for a brief moment and losing herself in his eyes.
A Dewitt: I want a child, hey several children. I want to know that some part of me continues when I’m gone. That I won’t be forgotten.
C Dewitt: Response
A Dewitt: Connor our life together has just begun. Whatever time we have is going to be filled with love and happiness and adventure. We’ll figure it out somehow.
C Dewitt: Response
Ezra Zerva approached , placing something beneath their table that his faithful pet companion Foxy seemed very interested in.
Ayemet looked at Connor confused as to what was happening. Was Ezra leaving the ship? Was he leaving his luggage? No that wasn’t it. He seemed happy, excited even.
Zerva: ::smiling:: Again congratulations to you both. It was a beautiful wedding. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house.
A Dewitt: Thank you Ezra. :smiling: It meant so much that you were here.
C. Dewitt: Response
Zerva: You’re welcome. I realize the main course dinner meal is about to start, but I was hoping this would be a good time to give you your wedding gift?
Inwardly Ayemet breathed a sigh of relief. She had grown fond of the young trill ensign and had wondered how he had been since their counselling session. He seemed happy and relaxed and couldn’t help but smile because of it.
A. Dewitt: Oh err sure of course but you really didn’t need to get anything.
C. Dewitt: Response
Their conversation was interrupted by the bark of Foxy and Ayemet almost laughed managing to stop herself. Had he brought them food? Was it cake? If it was she wasn’t entirely sure that her new mother in law would approve if it was.
Zerva: ::sighing:: Foxy! ::whispering:: Shhhh. You’re going to ruin the surprise.
A. Dewitt: Is she okay?
C. Dewitt: Response
Zerva passed them something under the table and Ayemet found herself getting down on her knees which in her dress was not an easy feat to achieve, and looking at what appeared to be a pet carrier. Her heart skipped a beat.
Zerva ::smiling:: Surprise! I hope you like your gift.
She opened the carrier and looked in. A small sliver blue haired pup with grey eyes and wearing a gold and teal bow looked up and barked softly.
Ayemet gasped and put a hand on her mouth to stifle the sound.
o0 A puppy!! He’s got us a puppy!! 0o
A. Dewitt: Connor! It’s a puppy!! Can we keep it!? Please ! Please ! Please!
C. Dewitt: Response
Zerva: Response
Her hands shaking she reached into the carrier and gently cradled the puppy slowly and carefully rising and sitting down showing the dog to her husband.
A Dewitt: Oh Ezra he’s beautiful. I… I don’t know what to say.
C Dewitt/ Zerva: Response
Ayemet continued to stroke the puppy before handing him to Connor and coming around the table to hug Ezra firmly. Only releasing him at the sound of another soft bark from the puppy.
She made her way back to her seat and scratched behind his left ear as she took him from Connor and placed him back in the carrier.
A Dewitt: Ezra what breed is he?
Zerva: Response
A Dewiitt: Is that a good breed? Will he be okay on the ship?
Zerva: Response
Ayemet turned to face Connor and held his hands . She wanted a family. To have children to give them the love she had not had and knew no better man than Connor to be their father, but a family pet? Perhaps this was a sign from the Prophets that a family was her destiny after all. She saw her mother look over and laughed with excitement. She sensed the love from her Mother, after so many wasted years it was there and strong. She didn’t know how much better the day could get.
A Dewitt: Oh I know the perfect name for him.
C Dewitt/Zerva: Response
A Dewitt: Quentin!! We’ll call him Quentin!!
C Dewitt/Zerva: Response
TAG/TBC
Lieutenant Ayemet Dewitt
Ship Counselor
USS Khitomer
NCC 62400
A239810JA2Q