Destined From the Start

Chapter Thirty-six - Year-End

Late December 2286

Grayson had his duffle out on the bed, with clothing piled up beside it, when the thought struck him. Where was Jilly going for the year-end leave? He had not thought to ask. Surely she would not be going to visit her parents, it would take far too long. And her only other relatives were the aunt and uncle on the same planet. He whirled about and stabbed an address into the comlink console, shifting from one foot to the other in a helpless urge to run while he waited for the screen to clear. When the smiling face of his grandmother showed on the screen, he did not even wait for her greeting. "Bibi! I need to ask you a question. Would it be all right if I brought a friend with me?"

M'Umbha took one look at her grandson's face and knew immediately that this was extremely important to him. "Of course, Grayson, your friends are always welcome here. Does he have no where else to go?"

"Um, it's a she, Bibi. And no, she doesn't have anywhere else to go. Her parents and only aunt and uncle live on another planet."

His grandmother smiled even more broadly, if that was possible. "Well, bring her right along with you Grayson. We will be waiting to meet her. Can you tell me her name?"

"Jilly. Her name is Jilly. Thank you so much, Bibi." And he closed the connection without even saying goodbye, and ran out the door and down the corridor and out the front door and down the path, headed for Jilly's dorm at top speed.

At her kitchen table, M'Umbha Uhura sat and shook her head as her husband came to see who had called. "That was our Grayson. And I think that boy's in love."

Alhamisi looked at her and wondered how she could possibly know that, but wisely said nothing.

/

When he reached her door, Grayson stopped, panting, and tried to calm himself, but it did no good. He pressed the chime button beside the door, and leaned one hand on the door jamb, trying still to catch his breath. When the door slid open, and Jilly stood there, he still could not talk. Her eyes wide, she caught his arm and pulled him inside, pushing him down into a chair. "Grayson, what's wrong?"

He looked at her, and panted out the words. "Pack. You need to pack, Jilly."

"For what?" She was bewildered by what he was saying.

"You're going to Africa with me for the long leave. I called Bibi and she said so."

She stood and looked at him, her mouth slightly agape. "To Africa? To your grandparents?"

"Yes. She says you're welcome there any time. So get busy packing. We have four hours until the time slot I reserved at the transit center."

"Grayson, are you sure?"

"Yes, yes! Absolutely." He rose up out of the chair and took her upper arms in his hands. "I won't leave you here all alone, Jilly. Come and meet my grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins. It will be loud and bright and hot and there will be piles of food. And music and stories and everyone hugging everyone. You don't want to miss it." He was grinning wildly now, excited.

"What do I need to take?"

"Summer clothes and toiletries. That's all." He was so excited now that he spun her about in a circle, and then pulled her against him and hugged her tightly. "It's going to be so much fun, Jilly."

She hugged him back, and then tilted her head back to look up at him. "It sounds like fun, Grayson. But can we maybe go eat lunch before I pack? I'm hungry."

He had no problem with that. He seemed to always be ready to eat these days. The physical conditioning plus running around all over campus kept his energy levels depleted. And from the length of his trousers, he was growing again, as well.

/

Three and a half hours later, he was back at her door, his duffle slung over his shoulder. When he rang the chime, she answered immediately, and he reached out and took her duffle from her, slinging the strap over his other shoulder. His father would have recognized that move immediately. Off down the path to the Academy transit station they went, and lined up in the correct line for the hemisphere they were headed for. When they stepped off the lit disks at the other end, Jilly noticed the heat right away. If Grayson hadn't warned her, and told her to wear summer clothes, she would have been in her wool uniform, much too hot. He put one hand lightly in the small of her back, and directed her towards the exit to the outside. And there in the door, he saw his Babu, waving at him. He grinned and ducked his head to tell her to wave back. Shyly, she lifted one hand and waved, and the man in the doorway bounced on his toes, so excited to see them.

When they had made it out of the crowded terminal, Grayson introduced them. "Babu, this is Jilly Colcannon. I have known her since she was six months old. Her parents were assigned to the Enterprise for nine years. And now she's at the Academy, like I am, training to be a nurse on a starship. Jilly, this is my mother's father, Alhamisi Uhura."

Alhamisi reached out and took Jilly's hands in his. "None of that formality here, young lady. You will call me Babu, just like all the other young ones. Now come along, the car is this way." And he swept her along the street to the ground car that Grayson remembered so well. Jilly exclaimed over it, never having seen anything like it, but the cool breeze that flowed in when they started moving was much appreciated. Everything was new and different, and Grayson and his grandfather kept up a running commentary, explaining everything to her. And then they pulled up into the yard of the house, and thirty people came running out to say hello. She found herself hugged and kissed and made over, and hustled into the house out of the sun. Sitting in the cool kitchen, with a glass of icy fruit juice in her hand, she tried to untangle everyone. She could see the resemblance to Grayson's mother in the three women that identified themselves as aunts. But there were so many others! How did Grayson ever keep them straight?

The days of their leave passed in a whirl of food preparation, feasting, story telling, and music. She loved the dancing, and learned it quickly, whirling about with her arms in the air while Grayson leapt and stomped around her. It should have been exhausting, but it wasn't. It was exhilarating. Having family was so wonderful.

When they were ready to leave, there were more hugs, and a few tears, and continual demands that she return. She thanked everyone, so happy, and said she would return if Grayson wanted to bring her. At this, he put his arm around her waist, and informed everyone that she would be back again whenever he came. And he had a big grin on his face when he said it. His grandfather drove them back to the transit station, and waved goodbye to them as they stood on the lit disks. They both waved back, smiling, and then they were back in cool, foggy San Francisco. Grayson took both duffels again, and they headed for Jilly's dorm.

"Oh, Grayson, I enjoyed this so much. Thank you for asking your grandmother if I could come along."

"And I enjoyed having you there, almost as much as Babu and Bibi and all the relatives did." He was grinning at her again. He set her duffle down on her bed, and reached out with his free hand, touching the side of her face gently. "Everyone was glad you came, Jilly."

She smiled at him, full of happiness. And even after he had left, and she had unpacked her duffle, and was preparing for bed, she had the same smile on her face, and the same feeling of happiness all throughout her being.