If I owned Star Trek I'd be too busy to write fan fiction, and Myrtle would live in my garage!
Baby Blue Mustang Baby
Corenda sat on the sofa in Spock and Nyota's quarters. Janice and Christine had given Nyota the task of keeping Corenda occupied while they made plans for her surprise baby shower. Betazoids could not read a persons thoughts, but they could sense emotions and intentions. If she were close enough, she would know they were up to something.
Spock and Simon were working extra hours trying to workout a floor plan for the bio labs that would accommodate the new equipment they had just received from Starfleet. Both men were glad to have the very latest "toys," however the workspace was already tight.
Little Jeffrey was spending the night with a playmate, so the ladies were having a girls' night in complete with facials, manicures, and pedicures. Corenda was too pregnant to reach her feet any more, so Nyota was giving her friend's toes a coat of burgundy polish with gold glitter specks.
"So, Ny, you and Spock went to Minnesota to visit his mother's family. How did that go?"
"Oh Corri, we had a fabulous time. It was different than what I thought it would be, though."
"How so?"
"Spock had told me that we would be staying on a farm and that his mother's family was very informal. I expected country scenery and farm animals. However, I didn't know the Graysons had redneck tendencies or that they were such pranksters. I also learned a few surprising things about my husband, a very interesting family member named Myrtle, and a Grayson family tradition involving procreation."
"Okay, that I've gotta hear. Surprising things about Spock? Start at the beginning and don't leave any of the good parts out."
"Well, it all started when we got to San Francisco......"
"The Enterprise reached Spacedock slightly ahead of schedule. We caught the first shuttle to Starfleet Headquarters, then a ground transport to the air transport terminal. Neither of us had proper clothing for Minnesota. It can still be chilly there in the spring. We rented a locker for our luggage and stored it until the flight. Next, Spock hailed a taxi cab, which took us to Maxi's, a mid-priced department store."
"Corri, we were speed-shopping, and got all the items on the list, all except for a new pair of casual boots for Spock. Boots were proving to be a problem, as he wears a size 16 extra-narrow. His feet just seem to keep on growing. So we walked a short distance to the shoe store where Sarek always bought his footwear. The only boots they had in Spock's size were these hideous things with fake rattlesnake trim and silver tips on the toes. I couldn't believe it when he bought them and wore them out of the store! We made it to the shuttle terminal with about half an hour to spare and changed into civvies once we got on board."
"Oh, come on Nyota, rattlesnake boots? Can I see them?"
Nyota went to the closet, and pulled out the faux leather atrocities.
Corri giggled.
"Okay, continue."
"Spock's cousin Johnathan picked us up in Rochester and drove us to the family farm. The scenery was just gorgeous. Johnathan's wife Sarah is very sweet and they had three kids already. The fourth one was born after we got back to the ship. Johnathan manages one of the Mayo Clinic labs. Sarah is at home until Baby Becky can go to nursery school. I thought their farm would just be a few animals and a barn, but they actually raise dairy cows, goats and sheep for profit, along with vegetables. Their operation is all organic and it sure beats the heck out anything that comes from a replicator. Sarah evens cooks real food. I must have gained a kilo while I was there."
"Anyway, we had this fabulous dinner and while we're eating it, the adults, Spock included, were giving each other these sly looks and talking about how visiting Myrtle often resulted in a pregnancy. They wouldn't tell me who she was, though. "You'll just have to meet her in person."
"After dinner, they took us to our own little cabin. It used to be a residence for hired hands. Corri, it had a fireplace and a cast-iron tub big enough for two! After a nice, hot bath, I learned that the First Officer of the Enterprise is turned on by button-front flannel nightgowns."
"I got to sleep in the next morning, but Spock was up at the crack of dawn helping Johnathan milk cows. He brought me breakfast in bed, and then he and two-year-old Davey took me on a tour of the farm. We kept seeing these enormous footprints everywhere. Davey said they were "Bigfoot." Spock didn't contradict him, which I thought was really weird at the time. Then we went up into the attic of the farmhouse to retrieve some of Amanda's things and some family heirlooms that had been saved for Spock, including some antique musical instruments."
"Nyota, who's "Bigfoot?"
"To quote my husband, the Sasquatch or "Bigfoot" is a mythical North American creature, supposedly ape-like with incredibly large feet."
"Right. Keep going."
"In the afternoon, Spock and I took care of Davey while Sarah got a bit of a nap. Spock likes to color with crayons. I couldn't believe it. When we moved in together, I found a box of them!"
"Spock's other cousin, Jacob and his wife Lydia came for dinner that night. She was pregnant, too, very pregnant. Lydia almost spilled the beans about Myrtle, but they hushed her up. After dinner, we all had a nice visit. Then Johnathan handed us a blanket and a basket with wine and chocolate chip cookies and sent us out for our appointment with Myrtle."
"I thought I was ready for anything, maybe Myrtle was some sort of herbalist or faith healer. Imagine my surprise when Spock takes me to a barn on the edge of the property. Inside was this 125 year-old ground car, a baby blue Mustang."
"Wait a minute, Ny. Myrtle is an old car? What does that have to do with making babies?"
"Well, it seems that Myrtle belonged to Spock's great-great-grandparents. They conceived their first child in her and every one after that. It's been a Grayson tradition ever since. Myrtle doesn't run any more, but the family keeps her clean and painted. And they have all taken at least one turn in Myrtle's back seat. Even Spock's parents had a go."
"So, did you and Spock really do it in the back seat? This was something Spock wanted to do?"
"He couldn't wait to get me in that backseat, almost like a high school boy. It was pretty hot, though. We made several visits to Myrtle while we were there."
"The next day, we went shopping in a little town called St. Charles. We did errands for Sarah and I picked up some baby gifts and a blouse to wear to the barn dance the next day. Jacob and Lydia came and brought pizza. We girls watched old movies while the guys went up the hill into the woods to check on their still. They actually brew something called "everclear" in a big shed on the property."
Corri was trying to wrap her brain around this.
"A still like the one that Scotty supposedly doesn't have in engineering?"
"It's a little more sophisticated, especially since Spock made improvements to it. The stuff tastes better than Scotty's, too. The Graysons make their "product" with corn. Lord only knows what Scotty uses. I'd let you taste some, but it's not a good idea in your condition. Anyway, they brought several jugs back with them to take to the barn dance the next day. Johnathan and Jacob did some tasting and got a bit tipsy."
"The barn dance was fun and we did some dancing. The best part was going "parking" by the lake afterward, though."
"You and Spock should enjoy that stuff while it lasts. It will be much harder to find couple time once you have kids."
"Yeah, Spock and I got a demonstration of that the next day. Little Davey tried to pick up what he thought was a kitty in the barn, but it was actually a skunk. That's an animal that uses a foul odor as a defense. Davey and his brother J.B. had to be bathed in tomato juice. Spock and Johnathan had to milk the cows in a tiny little shed so the milk wouldn't absorb the skunk smell."
"The family had a sing-a-long after dinner and one of the songs was about running over a skunk with a car. It was really funny. Lydia laughed so hard that her water broke and she had her baby boy that night."
"Okay, you haven't told me about the pranks yet."
"I was just getting to that part, Corri. Like I said before, we kept seeing "Bigfoot" tracks everywhere. At dawn one day we saw a big, furry thing run across the path. And then one night while Spock and I were returning to the cabin after a "visit" with Myrtle, "Bigfoot" jumped out at us from behind some bushes. I hit him over the head with an empty champagne bottle and knocked him out cold before Spock could stop me. It was Johnathan in a "Bigfoot" costume with Jacob as his accomplice. Spock knew it all along. They play that prank on every new family member and then swear them to silence. Sarah scolded all three of them. Johnathan had a terrible headache, so Spock and Jacob had to do all the morning chores."
"However, Spock spent the next few days apologizing to me, frequently, if you know what I mean. We also got in a few more visits to Myrtle."
Corri's toenails were dry, so she got up and wandered around the room a bit. A basket of knitting projects caught her eye.
"Nyota, I thought you were strictly a crochet girl. When did you learn to knit?"
"Most of those are Spock's, except for the blue hat. He started teaching me to knit when we spent a few days in San Francisco at the end of leave. It's very erotic."
"Erotic knitting! You're going to have to explain that one!"
"Okay. Imagine if you will, that you are sitting on a bed wearing nothing but one of your hubby's t-shirts. He is only wear boxers when he comes and sits behind you in such a manner that you are cradled between his legs and leaning against his bare chest. He shows you how to knit by bringing his arms around you. The yarn goes over and under and the needles go in and out. A Vulcan's hands are very sensitive. We never get more than a row or two done at a time."
"I get the picture. It sounds like you two have really been working hard on "Project Baby."
"Not so much since we got back to the ship, Corri. We've been working different shifts and extra hours. I don't even think Spock has slept for the last four days. I know Vulcans don't need as much sleep, but he's half Human. Sometimes he rather conveniently forgets that until it catches up with him. It's definitely catching up with me. I've felt exhausted for the last few weeks, almost like I'm coming down with something."
"Well, speaking of exhausted, I'm going to head back to my own quarters and get some sleep. You should do the same. Good night, Ny."
"Good night, Corri."
Nyota was gathering up all the beauty supplies when a wave of dizziness and nausea hit her.
"Silly girl. You should have run the ventilator while using the nail polish." Nyota aired out the quarters and felt better within a few minutes. She was in bed sound asleep fifteen minutes later.
It had been five weeks since they returned from the Graysons' farm. Nyota had her suspicions, but attributed it to the adjustment period after stopping her hormone injections. She'd felt a little queasy a couple of times, but it had passed quickly, and there'd always been a plausible explanation.
This morning was different. She and Spock were still on different schedules. She was filling in for Smythe, who became infected with a parasite on an away mission. She ended her night shift and met Spock in the Rec Room for a meal. He was already there, sitting with Scotty, who was eating some kind of spicy meat sandwich. Nyota was suddenly overcome with nausea and dizziness. Spock caught her before she fainted. McCoy had observed all of this and rushed over. He had a few suspicions, too.
"Let's all go down to sickbay."
Spock was waiting in McCoy's office. He was concerned, trying to remain calm. Nyota actually looked pale! Something most be very wrong. McCoy walked into the room. His face gave away nothing.
"Go speak with your wife" he grumbled.
Spock found Nyota lying on an exam bed. She was grinning the biggest grin he has ever seen.
"Hi Daddy!"
He was dumbfounded. "You are pregnant?"
"WE are pregnant. Six weeks. It might have happened the second night of leave, our first night with Myrtle. The tradition lives on!"