Crew Cut

by Diane Klepper

Owen Paris tells his granddaugter a story about Tom's firat crew cut.

Crew Cut

By Diane Klepper

(Owen Paris tells his granddaughter a story about Tom's first crew cut.)

"
"Grandpa."

Owen Paris smiled. He barely closed the front door when Miral was in his arms giving him a big hug.

"What a nice welcome. Miral have you been a good girl from Grandma?"

"Yeah me and Grandma are baking cookies."

Owen smiled. "Did you save some for me?"

Miral frowned, "Grandma said we can't ear them until they cool off."

Owens smirked. "Miral lets sneak into the kitchen a grab one before Grandma sees."

Before Miral could answer Maggie Paris came out of the kitchen and said, "Owen Paris now I know where Tom got the idea to sneak into the kitchen to grab cookies."

Owen put Miral down on a big easy chair and smiled at his wife. "It's not our fault you make such good cookies."
Maggie smiled. "Okay Miral if you go upstairs and wash you hands you may have milk and two cookies."

"Okay." Miral jumped off the chair and ran towards the staircase and stopped. She turned around and asked, "Can Grandpa have cookies too?"

Maggie smiled. "Yes he can."

"Yeah." Miral shouted and ran up the stairs.

Owen walked closer to his wife and smiled at her. "I see the house in still intact. "

"It is the secret is to keep her busy I know it may sound selfish but I love teacher conference days I love having Miral for the day She reminds me so much of Tommy when he was little."

Owen wrapped his wife in a hug and said, "I know I see it too. Miral maybe one fourth Klingon but she is one hundred percent Paris."

Maggie laughed. "That's for sure .but I think she going to lean more towards engineering then piloting. She is so curious about everything."

Owen smiled, "I don't care what she wants to be I've learned my lesson with Tom. The more I pushed him towards a career in Starfleet the more I push him away from me."

"Owen that was a long time ago Tom has forgiven you maybe its time you forgave yourself Tommy always had a wild side maybe being lost in the Delta Quadrant was what he needed to be able to grow into the man he has become."

Before Owen could answer he heard small footsteps and heard a voice say. "Grandpa . Grandpa look what Grandma showed me."

Owen turned to see Miral standing next to him holding an old holographic photo album. Owen took the photo album out of Miral's hand and was surprised to see a picture of Tom when he was four years old. Tom was dressed in dark blue pants and a red t-shirt that was covered in spaceships. On his head he as wearing a blue baseball cap. Owen smiled at his granddaughter. "That's a picture of your Daddy when he was your age."

"Why is Daddy wearing a hat?"

Owen smirked. "That was after your Daddy got his first crew cut .he was a little sensitive about his hair after that."

Maggie cringed. "I was so mad you brought my baby home from pre-school practically bald."

"It wasn't that bad Tom was a little sensitive about his hair."

"Sensitive he wouldn't leave the house without a hat .I had to demand he take off his hat at meal time, bath time and bed time or he would of worn one all day."

Owen laughed, "I remember it didn't help that Kathleen and Moira teased him about his hair cut."

Miral looked confused. "Grandpa what is a crew cut?"

Owen picked up his granddaughter and carried her to the couch. He sat down on the couch and put Miral on his lap. "A crew cut is a very short hair cut Do you want to hear the story about your Daddy's hair cut?"

Miral smile. "Yeah Grandpa you're the second bestest story teller I know."

"Second bestest?"

"Yeah Daddy makes funny voices."

Owen laughed. "I guess second bestest isn't bad."

Maggie smiled. "I agree with that I'll prepare the milk and cookies and Grandpa can tell you the story."

"Yeah Grandpa tell me the story about Daddy's funny hair cut."

Owen Paris entered the pre-school to find that all of the of the children had already left. Tommy was sitting at his desk drawing on a piece of paper. Owen smiled at the brown haired teacher who was sitting at her desk doing some paperwork. "Hello Mrs.. Saunders I'm sorry I'm late."

Tommy hearing his father voice jumped out of his seat and ran to his father. He hugged his father's legs and said, "Daddy you're home from your mission. Mommy said you wouldn't be back until tomorrow."
Owen picked up his son and smiled. "I got back early I thought I would surprise you."

Tommy smiled. "I'm glad you got back early I missed you."

"I missed you too."

"Daddy put me down. I have a surprise for you."

Owen put Tommy on the ground and watched as he ran towards his desk.

Mrs. Saunders smiled at Owen. "Tommy has been talking about you coming home for the last three days. He's been making a surprise for you during drawing time."

Owen watched as Tommy was going through papers in his desk. "I swear every-time I go on an away mission he grows three inches."

"Every parent who has to travel for work feels the same way You should be proud of Tommy he is getting really good at writing his letters."

Owen smiled at that. "He tells me that he wants to learn how to write really well so he write letters to me on my away missions like his mother and sisters do."

"The way Tommy is working at it won't be long until he is writing letters to you too."

Tommy ran up to where his father and teacher was standing and pushed a piece of paper into Owen's hand. "Daddy it's a picture of your ship Do you like it?"

Owen starred t the drawing that was full of wavy lines. But he could still make out what appeared to be the saucer section of a spaceship. Owen smiled at his youngest child. "Tommy this is a really nice picture. I'm going to hang it up in my office at home."

Tommy smiled. "Can we stop off for ice cream on the way home?"

"Yes we can. We just have one stop to make before we go get ice cream. Say goodbye to Mrs. Saunders."

"Bye Mrs. Saunders. I'll see you tomorrow."

Mrs. Saunders waved goodbye as Tommy and his father left the school.

Ten minutes later Owen and Tommy entered a strange room that looked a little familiar to Tommy. "Daddy where are we?

Owen looked down at his son and smiled. "We are at Starfleet Command's finest barbershop. All of Daddy's co-workers go here for haircuts I thought we could both get haircuts today."

Tommy frowned. "I like where Mommy takes me I get to sit in a spaceship and watch holo-
television."

Owen picked up his son and smiled at him. "Tom you're a big boy now don't you want to get a big boy haircut like Daddy."

Just then a blue skinned Bolian entered from a backroom. He saw them and smiled. "Admiral Paris it's good to see you again."

"Hello Mot how is business?"

"A little slow but business will pick up in two months when the new Academy class comes in to get their crew cuts."

Tommy seeing the big blue man got a little scared and hid behind his father's legs. "Daddy I don't like it here I want to go home."

Owen bent down so he would be eye level with his son and smiled at him. "Tommy .do you know that Mr. Mot has been the barber on many big spaceships"

"He has?"

"Yes. He has given haircuts to many important people is Starfleet."

Mot bent down to Tommy. "Yes and I often have given advice to many important people like Captains and Admirals."

"You have?"

Owen tried to repress a smile. He knew that most people just ignored the advice that the kind hearted but big winded barber gave his customers. "That's right Maybe Mr. Mot can tell you a story while he is giving you a haircut."

Tommy thought about it for a few seconds. "Daddy if I get a haircut today can we go to the Starfleet simulators over the weekend."

Owen gave a little smirk. For a four year old Tommy has a one- track mind. Since he let Tommy sit on his lap in the simulator two weeks ago that was all the little boy ever talked about. "No Tommy remember I promised I let you try the simulator when you turn five."

'But Daddy "

Owen frowned. "Thomas that's enough .if you sit in the chair and get you hair cut I will take you to the Starfleet Museum on Sunday."

"Can I get a new spaceship too."

Owen smiled. He knew the way to Tommy heart was anything that flew. "Yes but you have to sit in the chair know or we won't have time to get ice cream."

"Okay."

Owen picked up his son and put him in the booster seat in the barber chair. As Mot started his tall tale about how he saved a spaceship from certain destruction by giving the right advice to a well known Starfleet Captain Owen stood back and watched as the curls from his son's hair hit the floor.

Miral Paris looked at her Owen and said, "Grandpa does everybody at the Academy have to get funny haircuts?"

Owen laughed. "Girls don't have to get crew cuts. They just wear their hair up or in a pony tail."

"Mommy wore her hair in a pony tail at the Academy She showed my a picture."

Before Owen could reply a voice called out. "I see the house is still standing I guess Grandma got rid of Miral."

Miral ran to the door and jumped into her father's arms. "Daddy Grandma won't get rid of me .she loves me."

Tom smirked and gave his daughter a kiss on her forehead ridges. "I guess that's true I kind of like you too."

Miral giggled. "Daddy you love me you tell me that every night before you tuck me in."

'I guess that's true." Tom walked into the living-room and saw his Dad sitting on the couch. "Hi Dad I hope Miral didn't cause that much trouble."

Just then Maggie came into the living-room carrying a tray with four glasses of milk and a big plate of chocolate chip cookies. She smiled at her son. "Hello Tom just in time for milk and cookies. Miral helped me make them."

Tom smirked. He sat on the couch and put Miral in his lap. "You know when I was little I use to love helping Grandma bake cookies.

Maggie laughed. "Yes you like baking cookies because half the cookie dough ended up in your tummy before I was able to put them in the oven."

Tom laughed. 'It wasn't just me. Kathleen and Moira ate the cookie dough too."

Miral slid down her father's lap . She took a cookie from the tray and took a big bite. She turned to face her Grandmother and said, "Grandma you make the bestest cookies."

Maggie smiled and said, "Thank you Miral you were a big help."

Miral took another bite and then turned to face her father. "Daddy, Grandpa was telling me a story about your funny hair cut."

Tom looked at his father confused. "Funny hair cut?"

Owen smirked. "I was telling her about your first crew cut."

Tom laughed. "I use to hate those hair cuts."

Owen smiled. "I remember I had to promise to take you to the Starfleet museum and buy you a toy starship before you agreed to it."

Tom smiled. "You know Moral I told your Mommy the story about my crew cuts when we were on an away mission on Voyager."

"Did Mommy like the story?"

Tom smiled at the memory. "I think she did. She was feeling a little sad at the time and I think it made her feel better."

Moral smiled. "I'm glad I liked the story too,"

Tom smiled at his daughter. "You know Moral when Mommy and I found out you were on the way we thought we would raise you on Voyager But I'm glad we made it home so you can get to know you Grandpa and Grandma."

'I'm glad too Grandpa and Grandma told me they missed you a lot when you were on your away mission."

Tom looked at his daughter and then looked at his Mother and Father and smiled. He picked up Miral and gave her a big hug. "I missed them a lot too."