Academy Mother
Chapter 7
'August'
Walking home from the first day of classes Jim was tired and sore. She'd had to work out for three hours straight first thing in the morning and was now exhausted. Until now she'd thought she'd been in good physical condition. True, she'd known during the obstical course she could be better but she'd been working out daily so this annoyed her.
As she walked she held the hands of two talking toddlers who babbled away. It was incoherent as parts of it were English, parts of it were Vulcan, parts of it were mental, and parts were their own language they made up. According to the therapists she'd taken them to it was normal for twins to come up with their own language. Being as they had a telepathic/empathic bond it was natural and actually quite healthy.
Walking up the stairs she limped, her ankle killing her. She was beginning to wonder if she'd done damage she hadn't realized when she fell.
Sighing she made her way through the crowd of students who actually moved for her as if she were important or royalty.
They smiled and told her hi. She returned the sentiments, figuring they were afraid of her or something. She didn't notice the smiles and the way couples looked at each other, glancing at the twins.
She purposely ignored one couple as they started arguing about having kids while still at the academy. It wasn't until she got into her dorm that she noticed something.
That something was smoke and swearing in Russian. You didn't even have to know the language to know he was swearing.
"Pavel!" she called while telling the twins to go to the hall and be ready to run if she told them to. Then she ran into the kitchen to see one of her pots smoking and small flames from inside. Acting on instinct she moved him toward the door before grabbing baking powder which she doused over the flames.
Once done she called to the twins who entered the apartment hesitantly. She then looked at Pavel who was hanging his head in shame.
"Sorry," he muttered.
"Next time use the replicator," she told him and he nodded while blushing. "Now help me open the windows to let this smoke out." He did just that while Jim told the twins to go to their room so the smoke didn't affect them.
"I am sorry. I don't know what happened," Pavel stated.
"It's okay, Pavel. We just have to remember to never let you cook again. So, besides trying to burn down the apartment how was your day?" she asked in a cheeky tone of voice which let him know she was teasing him. Otherwise that phrase could have been taken snide and she didn't want him thinking she was upset. After all, wasn't the first time somebody had scorched her pots and pans. She couldn't remember if she ever warned Adria about that.
"Fine," he told her. "I met Miss Uhura. We have a radio class today so I'll be seeing her twice a week. She was nice until she found out I was friends with you. Then she got all mean and started saying things. I almost hit her." Jim snorted.
"Don't hit her. I don't want to be accused by Leonard of being a bad influence on you," Jim told him.
"But you are⦠in a good way," Pavel stated and she leveled him with a glare. He just smiled as they both settled down. "Besides, I'd never hit her. I'd leave that to you."
"Hardy-har-har," Jim told him while handing him his PADD. Jim then relaxed, falling into a light sleep to the sounds of her children playing one room over and the hum of the world around her.
