Not Suitable For Little Ears
Amanda was packing up her treasures, all the things that she would need for her new life on Vulcan. Even though her new husband Sarek was undeniably wealthy, there were certain Terran comforts not readily available on Vulcan. However, she also had weight and space constraints. Each person on the transport would only be allowed so much baggage.
She would take her Grandmother Grayson's hand sewing tools and the quilt they had made together, as well as the circular, IDIC-patterned wall hanging she had made when she became engaged to Sarek. Then there was her album of family photos and their wedding pictures. Next, she grabbed a few old hard-bound books written in English, not Federation Standard. There was no point in taking textbooks, as these were readily available via computer. Most of her clothing had already been given away, as it would have been inappropriate for both the hot Vulcan climate and Vulcan standards of modesty. Her husband had engaged the Embassy's dressmaker to ensure that she had some garments suitable for her new lifestyle. More would be secured for her when they reached their destination.
She added several packages of unsweetened baking chocolate, Sarek's favorite. He did not care for sweets, but Amanda loved the "amorous" effect chocolate had upon him. It caused him to lose his inhibitions. For their one-month wedding anniversary, she had given him chocolate-themed pajamas, the bottoms were an all-over print of candy kisses, while the top was a brown T-shirt that read "Save the Earth, it's the only planet with chocolate!" The gift was greeted with Sarek's usual lift of the eyebrow, but he sometimes wore them on "special" evenings. She almost felt wicked at the thought! Next, she added as much of her vacuum-packed fabric stash as she dared. Sarek would raise that eyebrow again if he knew the contents of this box. He saw no logic in quilting.
Finally, Amanda got to her music players. There was no need to load Terran classical music, as it was widely studied and available on Vulcan. However, Rock and Jazz were a different story, and these were her favorite genres. Most Vulcans regarded them as an assault to their delicate hearing. Amanda particularly loved Rock from the late 20th and early 21st centuries, especially the Beatles, AC/DC, KISS, and the Rolling Stones. This one aspect of his wife's behavior bothered Sarek somewhat. More than once he had informed her that "Such music is annoying, unsuitable and immoral. I would prefer that you did not play it in my presence." She did not want the family computer to retain a record of her downloading "forbidden" music! It would be better to do her downloads here on Terra.
Thank God for headphones. Honestly! Though she loved him dearly, she knew Sarek could be a pain in the tush! Hmm, tush... "I must load some ZZ Top." Altogether, she loaded over 300 hours of "annoying" music.
The trip to Vulcan was uneventful. Though she longed to break out her music, Amanda knew that in the transport's close quarters, sensitive Vulcan ears would hear it even though she used headphones. When they arrived on Vulcan, they were overwhelmed by visits with Sarek's family and colleagues, all regarding his Human bride to be a curiosity, much like a new zoo animal. "Look what Sarek brought home from Terra", thought Amanda disgustedly to herself. Oh well, she was with her husband and that was all that mattered. The Vulcans would just have to get used to her.
In those first lonely months, before she finally made a few friends, Amanda relied much upon her music and her sewing. When it was suggested that she might be qualified to teach Federation Standard and Terran culture to aspiring diplomats, she jumped at the chance. (In a very dignified manner, of course) "Might be qualified, indeed", she snorted. This was the very job she had held at the Vulcan Embassy at the time she met Sarek. The Vulcan "superiority "could be exasperating.
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After several years of marriage and a few unsuccessful attempts, Amanda was finally expecting a child. Her pregnancy was complicated, and she felt ill much of the time. During the last few months, she spent most of her days sitting in her sewing room with her feet up, making a baby quilt and listening to that "unsuitable" music. Occasionally she would put her headphones on her belly. Sometimes it seemed that her baby kicked in time with the music. "Oops, a Rock fan. I'd better not tell his daddy!"
After Spock was born, (a little bit ahead of schedule), and they finally brought him home, his parents often played soft music to soothe him. When Amanda was home alone with him all day, she would play Rock music and he would kick his legs and wave his arms, while seated in his little bouncy chair. Amanda felt for certain that he loved "unsuitable" music as much as she did, and that the exercise was good for his physical development, but she did not share this aspect of their day with her baby's father.
Amanda was a firm believer in "tummy time", placing her little guy on his belly on a blanket in the middle of the floor. Again, baby Spock would wave his little arms and legs in time with the music. At six months of age, he began to raise himself up on all fours, rocking back and forth to Joan Jett's I Love Rock 'N' Roll . At nine months, Spock started to talk and to crawl almost simultaneously. He also attempted to mimic his mother's singing Yellow Submarine.
He took his first steps one day before his first birthday. Spock's physical and mental developments were on a par with children who were fully Vulcan. This surprised the pediatricians at the Vulcan Science Academy Medical Center, and pleased his mother to no end. Her boy was no Forrest Gump!
At thirteen months, Spock was an expert walker. One morning he walked over to the household music system, pointed to it, and looked expectantly at his mother. She had her hands full of baby clothes that she was sorting, things he had recently outgrown. "I'm busy, sweetie. Just a minute." Spock waited two minutes, and then did an extraordinary thing. He hummed the first few bars of That Old Time Rock 'n Roll, and pointed to the music system again. Though she could hardly contain her laughter, she complied with his request. What happened next really sent her over the edge.
It was the middle of the Vulcan summer, so she had dressed him in just a T-shirt and a diaper. As Bob Seger sang, her little guy began to dance around the family room, looking for all the world like Tom Cruise in his tidy whities from the film Risky Business. Amanda had seen this several times, once with Sarek, who expressed his disapproval. She played him several more songs that he could dance to, and then explained that the "concert" was over. His father would be home for lunch soon, and did not like this kind of music. Spock seemed to understand. Mother and son got away with this little "deception" for several more months. However, all good things must come to an end.
One day Sarek came home a little early, with a headache. When he entered the living room, there was his son, singing I Can't Get No Satisfaction at the top of his lungs.
"My wife, please explain!"
A/NThis is what happen when you stay up late at night watching YouTube videos! Thanks again to my lovely Beta, dragonwitch250.
