In the light of the new day

Posted on Wed Apr 17th, 2019 @ 6:33pm by Commander Torhild Jessen & Lieutenant Mark Jamison

1,985 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: The Sincerest Form of Flattery
Location: Tori's Quarters

Despite the fact that she had spent a large amount of time awake through the night, constantly checking on the girls to make sure they were sleeping peacefully, Tori found herself surprisingly awake when they both barelled into her bedroom in the early hours of the morning, their excitement bubbling over as they both bounded onto her bed, telling her fantastical tales about dreams of unicorns and mermaids and far away magical lands.

It was well over an hour later that Mark returned to her quarters, the chime of the annunicator alerting them to his arrival.

"Is that my Daddy?" Kinsley asked, her voice wavering indecisively. "Can I stay longer? Can we have another sleep over party tonight?" she asked, looking back at Tori questioningly.

"No, it's not your Daddy!" Astrid replied with a giggle. "It's going to be a handsome prince to kiss Mommy and live happily ever after, and then I get to be a real princess!"

"But I want to be a princess too!" Kinsley replied, looking back over her shoulder at Tori again. "Can I be a princess too?!"

Tori laughed and shook her head. "You are both already Princesses, but how about we find out who's at the door before we get too ahead of ourselves? Computer, who's at my door?"

"Lieutenant Mark Jamison," came the monotone reply.

"Computer, please open the doors and let him in," Tori ordered with a soft laugh. "We're in here Mark" she called to let him know where to find them.

That was how he found them, the three of them sitting on Tori's bed, still in their sleepwear, remnants of bowls of shared breakfast on the bed between them, Kinsley sitting in Tori's lap as Tori brushed out her hair and started twisting it into an intricate braid, Astrid sitting on the bed next to them still giggling about being a princess, going to live in a castle and having a pet dragon.

Glancing up at him as she worked on Kinsley's hair, Tori offered him a smile. "Sleep well?" she asked softly.

"Some what", Mark said subdued. He could not sleep for most of the night, thinking of Tori and what they had talked about. Yet it was what he said to her before he left that he struggled with. He wanted so bad to be happy again he was terrified he would mess it up, but he also had Kinsley to take care of and it seemed that both Astrid and Kinsley just might be the way things would help.

"Well, young lady, how was your night with Astrid?", Mark asked his daughter.

"Oh daddy it was wonderful! We had unicorns and slept together. We even had the same dream!", Kinsley said bouncing in the bed making it difficult for Tori to finish her hair.

"Kinsley!" Tori exclaimed, laughing. "Do you want these braids or not? I can't finish if you don't sit still, I just need five more minutes, okay? And then you can jump around all you like." She cast an apologetic glance at Mark. "We've not been very productive this morning, sorry. But do you think maybe you and Astrid could clear the last of these bowls and recycle them before I end up with yoghurt and fruit all through my bed?" Tori asked with a laugh.

Laughing, "Sure we can....come on Astrid let's clean up mommies bed while she finishes with Kinsley's hair", Mark said helping Astrid off the bed. "Astrid, here, you hold this", handing her the bowl, "and I will pick the other up and then you have how many bowls", he said.

Astrid perked up quickly, "I have....two!", she said squealing happily. "Mommy look I have one bowl", she said pointing to it, "Mark put another and now I have two!!".

Mark was laughing at Astrid's energetic glee. "Tori she is wonderful. You are truly blessed", he said as he put the bowls into the recycler.

"Yeah, we had a bit of a picnic," Tori said as she continued braiding. "All healthy, yogurt, cut up fruits and waffle fingers. It is one of Astrid's favorites and apparently Kinsley enjoyed it as well, the two of them devoured almost all of it!" She shook her head as she laughed again. Finishing the braids, she secured the last and leaned in, snuggling Kinsley from behind. "There you go my little love, how about you and Astrid go and find something to wear in her room while your Daddy gets a coffee and I can have a shower. I'm sure your Daddy doesn't want to see me sitting around in a tshirt," she finished with a laugh. "Astrid, I'll do your hair in a few minutes okay my little love?"

"Yes mommy.....come on Kinsley", Astrid said pulling Kinsley with her and disappeared into Astrid's bedroom.

Walking over to Tori putting his arm around her shoulder, he pulled her in for a quick kiss, "I kinda did miss you", he whispered caressing her face. All the while watching for the girls. Releasing her, "How you take your coffee Tori?", Mark asked as he fixed his own and two eggs, bacon, and toast enough for two as he waited for her answer.

"I don't actually drink coffee, but I would love a chai latte, made on no fat milk, no sugar," Tori replied with a smile. "Can you listen for them while I wake a quick shower, I really do need to put on something a little more appropriate for company."

"Sure chai latte coming up! Oh and don't get dolled up for me!", Mark said laughing as he looked in on the girls.

Setting the table for breakfast, Mark started humming a tune that he learned when he was a child. His mother would him it while she made breakfast for the family. As he made the latte he buttered the toast and replicated some jam for the toast. Finally looking at his masterpiece of a breakfast table, "Now that is perfect, fit for a princess to sit at", he said softly.

As she walked out from the shower, damp hair falling past her shoulders, wearing a clean uniform, but no jacket or boots, Tori smiled warmly. "That all looks amazing," she said lightly. "But you really didn't need to go to so much trouble." As she walked past Astrid's room, she leaned slightly in the door. "Alright my gorgeous girlies, finish up in here please, it's nearly time to go to school so Daddy and I can go to work..." Almost immediately as she had said the words she realized how they sounded.

"Sorry," Tori offered apologetically to Mark as she sank into one of the chairs and picked up her chai, sipping it slowly. "Mmmm, this is so good, thank you!"

"I liked the way you put that. It sounded really good", Mark said softly smiling at Tori. "Hey girls, maybe if we can how about we go see what we can find in.....the stations toy shop?", he said looking at Tori.

"Toys after school," Tori admonished with a laugh. "You have a duty shift and so do I. "Astrid, as soon as you're ready little love, put some shoes on your feet please so I can brush your hair."

With an exaggerated sigh, Astrid looked at Tori, a pleading expression on her face before she sighed again. "Okay Mommy," she murmured, walking across to lean in, wrapping one little arm tightly around Tori's neck and hugging her close.

Closing her eyes and savoring the hug, Tori was completely oblivious to the second hand sneaking out and taking a piece of bacon from the plate, holding it behind her back before she started backing away, smiling sweetly. "Lahboo Mommy," she said with a cheeky smile as she backed away.

Realizing what it was that Astrid had done, almost instantly Kinsley had rushed forward, simultaneously throwing one arm around Tori's neck, hugging her as Astrid backed away. In a near identical fashion, one hand snaked out, sneaking yet another piece of bacon from Tori's plate before she stepped back. "Lahboo Tori," Kinsley parroted not having any clue at all what she was saying as she backed away.

Waving the two girls away and watching them bolt toward Astrid's bedroom, giggling like crazy, Tori shook her head slightly, smiling at the way they had become so close.

Turning in her seat to pick up her chai again, Tori looked down at her plate, a look of mock surprise on her face. "Hey, what happened to my bacon?!" she called, trying to suppress a smile at the barrage of giggles coming from Astrid's bedroom.

Mark was laughing so hard he nearly fell from his chair. "Oh my god....Tori you have been had by both girls. I don't believe how they did it. Gave you hugs and snatched your bacon right under your nose. They are really attached to each other", he chuckled. Watching the girls bond was a good thing in Mark's life. It made him happy to see his daughter playing and giggling finally with another child. What made it even better was he had made friends with the child's mother and it felt good.

Tori looked across at him and smiled vaguely. "I knew exactly what Astrid was doing," she said softly. "She does the same thing to me every Saturday morning when we have breakfast. I just like that she hasn't realised that I've caught on... and to be honest, Kinsley following suit, well, that was a nice touch," Tori said with a smile as she glanced back at Mark, still smiling. "I don't care about a bit of bacon, but their memories are priceless."

"Yes I am realizing that for the first time in three years", Mark chuckled. "It made me happy to see Kinsley giggling and playing. She has missed out on so much I don't know if I can make up for lost time".

“Stop trying to fuss,” Tori admonished softly. “Live in the moment, the here and now. They are babies, don’t burden them with your issues. Be happy and let them live and have fun. Now, I don’t know about you but my calendar is wide open today and I am seriously thinking about playing hookey from work and spending a few hours on the holodeck having fun. Want to join us?” She asked, leaning forward with a challenging grin on her face.

"You don't have to ask me twice....", Mark quipped. "Let's take the day off!", he mused, "besides, I need some time off". "Where shall we go today", he said softly. He gave her a quick kiss before the girls came bouncing back, "Mommy, mommy.......do we have to go to school?" asked Astrid, bouncing into the couch on Tori's lap. "Yeah daddy..... can I stay home today?", Kinsley chimed in.

A notification appeared on Tori's console in her quarters, alerting her of a calendar appointment. She sighed heavily and looked back at the three expectant faces looking at her. "I have one thing to take care of," she said quickly. "I can't put it off, I have to do it this morning. How about you girls go to school for the morning and I pick you up at lunch and we'll go have some fun?" she offered with a quick smile.

Looking across at Mark she cast an apologetic glance. "Sorry, I really can't delay it, it's kind of an important thing."

"Oh I do understand that. Can I pick you up when your finished?", Mark asked smiling.

"Sure, I should be done by about lunch time. Do you want to walk the girls to school and I'll let you know when i'm finished?" Tori asked with a smile as she finished her toast.

=/\=

Lieutenant Commander Torhild Jessen
Chief Science Officer
Starbase Versailles

&

Lieutenant Mark Jamison
Damage Control Specialist
Starbase Versailles

 

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