Circle of Life
Posted on Thu Sep 17th, 2009 @ 6:26pm by Commander Curtiss Drake
2,111 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
The Shining Truth
Location: USS Iowa, Senior Officer's Quarters
Timeline: Current
Fox smiled at his daughter, sitting quietly at the chair beside him at the table in one of the Senior Officer's quarters aboard the USS Iowa. George Winston, her new husband bustled about around them setting plates of food down from the small cooking area he had erected along the viewport side of the cabin. Constance had told her father that she and Winston had gotten married a few weeks back on Risa, she had insisted that she tell him in person which was why she hadn't sent him a subspace message. Somethings were just better done face to face. What was more though, was that Constance was expecting her first child. Cailean was going to be a grandfather.
He still wasn't sure how he felt about that, he'd just really gotten over the fact that his daughter had left and begun her own life, how was he supposed to handle having a grandchild? He didn't see much of his grandparents when he was growing up, both lived off-world and a few of them died while he was still young. Heck, his parents were still around but Shawna's has passed long ago. He smiled to himself at the thought of what his wife would have said to see their little girl having a child of her own.
"Pasta primavera." Winston announced, placing a platter of food on the table with a flourish.
"Mmm." Constance replied, sniffing at the air, "Smells delicious!"
"Hmph." Fox replied, arching an eyebrow at Winston. He'd heard a bit about him from is daughter over the last two years. He was an Engineer, supposedly one of the best in the Fleet, which would explain how he landed the gig on a Sovereign class such as the Iowa as their Chief. However, it was what he had heard from his contacts within the Fleet that kept him from protesting their, what seemed to him at least, quick relationship.
Winston was from a distinguished line of Starfleet Officer's, his father currently a serving Admiral and three of his brothers Captains of the Line. His education was exemplary and even as just a general acquaintance, he seemed to be a good man. Cailean knew the Admiral, they'd been at the Academy together, and he'd already spoken to him in person about the new... addition. He just hadn't told Constance that he knew her news before she told him. George, of course, was currently obsessed with impressing Cailean, but he didn't mind making the boy sweat. After all, he had knocked up his daughter.
"You always cook?" Cailean asked, offering the plate to his daughter before helping himself to some of the sumptuously smelling fare.
Winston blanched a bit but shook his head, "No no, it's a special treat." he said, taking a sip of wine to calm his nerves a bit. "You know, for special occasions and such. The fire control systems don't like it much when you start up a cooking fire in your quarters." he joked.
Fox smiled as he chewed but turned back to his daughter, who rolled her eyes at him. She knew that he had nothing on George and that he was just pushing his buttons because he could. Considering she had kept their marriage from him for a short while, she let him.
The meal was delicious and they ate the majority of it sharing only sparse conversation. Once all their plates had been cleared, and a particularly tasty Tiramisu had been consumed, Constance got up to clear the plates, pushing George down in his chair when he tried to get up himself. He smiled back at his wife and wiped his mouth with his napkin nervously before turning back to Cailean.
"You drink Scotch?" Fox asked.
"Sure." George replied, pushing his chair back. "There a particular kind you request from the computer?" he asked.
Cailean chuckled, but shook his head, standing up and leaving the table. He had left his bag near the doorway and squatted down next to it, rummaging inside for a moment before pulling out a dusty old bottle. He held it up to George so he could see. He immediately got up and got two glasses from the replicator and joined Cailean by the couch and set them on the table.
"Lagavulin, sixteen years old." Cailean said, pulling the cork with a flourish. He poured a small measure into each glass and recorked the bottle, setting it down on the table. He picked up his glass and held it up to George, who did the same.
"To grandchildren." Fox smiled.
George smiled broadly back, thankful that his new father-in-law wasn't after his head after all. "To lots of grandchildren." he smiled back.
Cailean chuckled and took a sip, and then a seat on the couch as he savored the flavor of the drink. Beside him, George took a sip and coughed a bit as the strong alcohol burned its way down his throat.
"A little ice, or some water might make it easier." Fox smiled, enjoying watching the young man try and then fail to impress him by drinking the potent beverage.
"No, I'm fi-." he paused, clearing his throat. "I'm fine." he corrected, now blushing.
Constance finished and joined them after a few minutes, taking a seat in the arm chair nearest to George with a glass of iced tea. She smiled at both of them as she took a sip.
"So, how far are you?" Cailean asked politely, smiling at his only daughter.
"Six weeks." she replied quickly, without having to think about it.
"Six weeks..." Cailean replied, arching his eyebrow. "Is my math off... I thought you said you were married three weeks ago?" he asked, just as George took a sip of his Scotch. He immediately choked on it and started sputtering and coughing.
"Dad, that's enough." she chided, patting her husband on the back. His face was turning red but Cailean couldn't quite tell if it was the coughing or his question that had done it.
"What?" Cailean smiled. "I'm your father, I have a right to know." he said innocently.
"Hush, we're both adults." she said shaking her head. "He's a good man, Dad." she added.
Fox smiled back at her quietly for a moment. "I know." he said finally, "If I didn't think he was we'd be having a different conversation." he added, winking at her and pausing a few moments before continuing on.
"Bet you didn't know this, son, but I know your Father; we were at the Academy together. The Admiral and I had a long chat a few days ago." he said, smiling broadly.
"Wait. What?" Constance exclaimed, leaning forward. "You knew?" she asked incredulously.
Cailean smiled back at her and leaned back on the couch.
Beside him, George laughed. "That explains a lot." he said, shaking his head and looking over at Constance. "I told you he didn't sound shocked when I told him. That's because he already knew." he said, swirling the contents of his glass and shaking his head in disbelief.
"So what? The Admiral told you?" Constance pressed.
"You know... I knew this young Doctor when we were on the Saratoga, you were still pretty young. He was a fresh-faced kid right out of the Academy that was ass over tea kettle for Medicine. Kid thought he could take on the Galaxy." he smiled, remembering that young man as if it were yesterday. "I took the boy under my wing and by god, he turned out to be a damn fine Physician." he continued, still smiling broadly. "How is Frederick?" he asked, looking at his daughter.
"Frederick?" she asked in a whisper, "Frederick O'Malley?!" she exclaimed, "Are you kidding me!!" she added, staring slack jawed at her father and turning slowly to her husband who was staring resolutely at the wall and shaking his head slightly, trying furiously to contain his mirth. The fact that her Father had trained their CMO and Constance's current boss was just too much to take on top of everything else. Constance slapped him on the knee, "It's not funny!!" she chided. It was more than George could take, finally breaking down and laughing hysterically. Constance couldn't help but smile.
"Isn't that breaking patient confidentiality?" she asked, tilting her head to the side in the exact same way her mother used to when he had gotten himself in trouble.
"Course not." he replied, smiling. "Information shared between Doctors." he winked.
Constance curled her tongue in her teeth and shook her head again. "You. Are. Maddening!" she finally exclaimed, now laughing openly. "I've been beating myself up for three weeks because I haven't been able to tell you and now you tell me you've known all along!!"
"Which makes sense why my Father wasn't surprised. You told him." George added.
Cailean shook his head, "No. The Admiral was already aware, though who told him is beyond me." he replied. "Fred wouldn't have shared this information with anyone besides me. One, because I'm a fellow Physician and two, because I'm your father." he said. "The Admiral must have gotten his information from someone else, or even from the data banks themselves."
"Doesn't surprise me." George sighed, still chuckling a bit.
"I can't believe you pop." Constance said, finally giving in to the fact that she had spent all that time stressing for nothing.
Cailean smiled back, but was prevented from responding by the door chime. With a strange look, George called out to it. "Come in." he said.
The door's slid open to reveal a tall woman in Science blues. She smiled politely at them. Her dark red hair was pulled tightly behind her head and her hazel eyes twinkled nervously. She was a good bit older than George or Constance, but not quite as old as Cailean. If he had to guess, he would say late thirties or early fourty's. What was clear though was that she was a beautiful woman.
"I'm sorry to interrupt you, Commander, but Lieutenant th'Pola asked that I deliver this to you in person." she said, waving a data PaDD.
George stood up quickly and accepted the PaDD, reading over it quietly. With a sigh, he looked up at the ceiling in frustration and then quickly snapped back to the woman as if something had just hit him.
"I'm sorry, would you like to join us?" he asked, "This is going to take me a few minutes." he added.
"Oh." she replied, tucking a lock of her red hair behind her ear. "Sure." she smiled nervously, stepping towards the chairs.
Cailean stood up gentlemanly and held out his hand. "Cailean Fox." he smiled, shaking her hand gently.
"Amy Hargrove." she replied, taking a seat and blushing slightly under Cailean's gaze.
"Constance Fox." Constance added, shaking her head at her father's apparent stupor after failing to introduce her as well. "Can I get you something to drink?" she asked.
"Oh, no. Thank you." Amy replied quietly. An awkward silence fell between them for a moment before Fox broke it.
"So, Mrs. Hargrove." he began, before she interrupted him.
"Ms." she said, smiling, "I'm not married."
"Oh, my apologies." Cailean smiled as Constance rolled her eyes. "What is it you do, Miss Hargrove." he asked.
"I'm a pathologist." she replied, "I specialize in the bio-neural circuitry that most new Starfleet vessels use." she added.
"Ah, so are you a Scientist or a Medical Doctor?" he pressed, setting his Scotch down. He was way more interested in the young woman than his drink.
"I'm both." she smiled.
"Very go-." he started before George interrupted.
"Here you go." he said, holding out the PaDD. "That should go back to him." he added.
"Oh, ok." she said standing up. "I'll take it now." she continued turning back to Fox and Constance. "Thank you." she smiled.
"Actually, I should probably be going too." Fox announced, standing up as well. "If you don't mind some company along the way?" he added, smiling at Amy.
She blushed slightly and looked away, but smiled nonetheless. "Of course not."
"Well then." Fox continued, hugging his daughter. "Keep me posted as to your progress." he smiled, "Don't make me have to call Freddy." he added, turning to George and shaking his hand. "Congratulations." he added.
He stowed his Scotch quickly in his bag and then lifted it up before walking out the door, a step behind Amy. As the door's closed he winked back at Constance before he disappeared into the corridor beyond.
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