Let's Go Thataway!
Chapter Twelve - Little Bitty Things
Enterprise
Apr 2264
Nyota
She sat on the couch with all the instructions spread out around her and the soft blue yarn in her hands. She could do this, she knew she could. She took a deep breath and thought of her Bibi, and began the laborious (to her) process of 'casting on'. Surely this would get easier as she practiced. Spock was at the com link, finishing up the last of the messages from the captain, and would be ready for relaxation shortly, but she could at least get this started. She concentrated hard on what she was doing, wind the yarn that way, flip this piece over here, tug. Wow! Look at that! By the time Spock came and moved some of the fragile leaflets and sat down, she had a long row of stitches on the needle. He bent his head to see what she had done.
"Very neat, even stitches. You are doing well."
"That practice session we had yesterday helped a lot. But surely this will get easier with time."
"I am sure it is similar to playing the ka'athyra. At first the fingers feel awkward, but with practice it becomes almost automatic."
"I think you're right. Did you get the protective sleeves for these leaflets?"
"Yes, they are on the desk. Would you like me to set them up for you?"
"Oh, yes, please. You are so nice." She stopped what she was doing and gave him a quick kiss. "And then, if you don't mind, you could play something nice and pleasant for me, to help me concentrate."
His lips quirked up. Just what he had intended to do.
He carefully arranged each leaflet in one of the protective sleeves, so that they would not need to be removed in order to read the instructions. Perhaps this weekend he would take some of them down to his lab and scan them, reprinting them so that they were darker and in larger print, so that they would be easier to read while she was working.
When he was finished, he took his ka'athyra down and settled on the other end of the couch to play. It was quite pleasant to watch her concentrate on the yarn and needles and instructions, attempting to create something small and blue for the expected child of their friends. And to think that one day she might be creating something for a child of their own. That thought filled him with pleasure that spilled out into his song, making her smile as she worked.
***
She worked on her project every evening, and also in the afternoons on days she was free. He did not complain about the amount of time it took, for he realized that she had only a limited amount of time to complete her project. He did examine her work from time to time, amazed at the tiny, precise stitches. After the first few days, she seldom unraveled any of her work to do it over, having arrived at a rhythm that kept the work even and aligned. He did notice that she had selected a pattern that was relatively simple, compared to some in the leaflets. That had been an excellent idea. Attempting something too complex would have been much more difficult for a first project with a time limit for completing it.
***
The night before the baby shower for Susan, she sat up late, sewing tiny seams, making little cords and patiently threading them through the tiny eyelets at the neck and wrists and around the face. And then she laid the garments out flat on one of the folded towels and steamed them carefully with the steamer that Spock had made for her, as she did not have a 'steam iron', whatever that was. She left the tiny garments there to dry, with the box and paper and ribbons laid out next to them, ready for wrapping up.
***
She picked up the small box, gave Spock a big hug, told him to enjoy the men's get-together, and headed out the door. He took the small certificate he had printed out, with the promise of assistance is assembling baby furniture (Nyota had had an excellent idea there), slipped it into the envelope, and headed out himself. He imagined the party he was headed for would be much louder and more unrestrained than the one he was going to. (He still had no idea what went on at the girls-night-in gatherings.)
There were many silly games that made the women laugh and giggle. And much food, but no alcoholic drinks. Susan sighed, yearning for a glass of wine or beer. Soon. It was so nice of her friends not to tempt her. And when the vigorous lad in her belly began to tumble about, there were many eager hands waiting to feel. And then it was time to open up the gifts. Tiny little shirts, and soft blankets, and rattles, and teething rings, and then she opened the box that made her gasp and brought tears to her eyes. A tiny blue sweater, with cap and booties to match, so soft and delicate, and so obviously made by hand with love. She pulled Nyota close and hugged her tight, whispering 'thank you' in her ear. Such a lovely, lovely gift, one she had never expected.
The gifts passed around the room to be exclaimed over, and all were appreciated, for all were wonderful, but the tiny set knit by hand was the one that everyone lingered over.