No Graceful God

Posted on Fri Oct 16th, 2009 @ 4:26am by Lieutenant JG Drew O'Connell

745 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Shoreleave - Welcoming Old Friends and New
Location: O'Connell Home, Galway Ireland, Earth
Timeline: Current

As was typical on shore leave, Evelyn had awakened Drew early and given him a list of chores he would be required to complete before the end of the day. Drew was used to being on a different time zone aboard the USS Archimedes, and so when Evelyn had knocked, he was already awake. The joys of living on the family farm included never sleeping in. This morning, before breakfast, Drew would have to heard the cattle into the barn and get them milking, collect fresh eggs from the chickens, feed the horses and pull their blankets before sending them out to pasture. It was hard, honest work and Drew loved every minute of it.

By the time Evelyn had called for breakfast, three hours of hard labor had already passed. The sun had crept up into the blue sky and shed some warmth on the frigid morning. Ian sat in the kitchen when Drew stepped through and Evelyn had a disturbed expression on her face.

"What is it, Ev?" Drew asked.

"Yer friend is gone," Evelyn responded, a strange worry in her tone.

"I'm sure she's fine. Just a bit much being around Andrew O'Connell all the time. Old tune, new words." It was the way Evelyn had described Drew's past friendships and relationships. People just didn't spend much time around the abrasive O'Connell. It was a tradition he was happy with.

Moving behind his younger brother, Drew wrapped his arm around Ian's neck, playfully pretending to choke the younger O'Connell. Whispering in his ear, Drew warned Ian, "You ever do something like that in front of Aunt Ev again and I'll choke you for real, kiddo. It's rude."

Ian whispered back, "Alright, point taken."

Drew mussed Ian's hair before sitting across from him. The warmth from the roaring fire in the hearth felt good on Drew's back. Stretching in the shadow of the fire, Drew wondered, "What's for breakfast?"

"Tis a good Irish breakfast this mornin' for my boys."

Ian's face screwed up with consternation. "Not with black pudding," he asked, concern in his voice.

"Aye. And you'll eat it too," Evelyn responded sternly.

A knock sounded at the door. Happy for the interruption, Ian jumped up to get it. When he swung open the heavy wooden door, he couldn't have been more surprised or happy to see the person standing on the other side. With a brilliant grin, Ian welcomed her loudly. "Well hello Katie Ryan! Come in, will ya?"
In the kitchen, Drew could hear his brother's greeting and nearly choked on his black tea. There is no graceful God he thought as he shared a look with Evelyn.

Evelyn nodded as she politely excused herself from the room, dragging a reluctant Ian in tow. Katherine Ryan, her curly brown hair and smiling green eyes, looked as vibrant and inviting as ever. Still, Drew could remember the torture he'd endured at her expense as children. Covered in mud as a result of her prank, hair pulled and arms bruised by repeated punches, standing in the rain beneath her window because she was angry with him for something he considered trivial. And yet she was so much more...she was his first...his first kiss, his first love, his first heartbreak. She shaped his life and continued to shape it even now. "Speak of the devil and he shall appear."

"Is that how you think of me?" Kate asked.

Drew stood from the breakfast table and moved to her. His blue eyes locked on her green eyes, a weight of history in both. He still loved her, he ached to hold her, to kiss her, and yet he fought every urge. Instead, he quietly admitted as much. "I think of you every day. I miss you."

Kate was the one to give in, wrapping her arms around him. "And I'll love ya til the day I die." It was the admission he longed to make to her.

"Why won't ya marry me then?" he asked with childish wonder.

"Ya know why, Andrew. You won't leave Starfleet and I won't leave Earth. I've still got two years before I finish my Master's. Maybe after, but not before."

Drew nodded silently, a motion she felt. "well, at least we can spend some time together before I have to go back," Drew responded gently.

She broke the embrace a moment. Looking at Drew with a growing smile, she agreed. "Aye, that we can."

 

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