Maat S'chn T'gai
Chapter Thirty-eight - Fluttering
New Vulcan
Mid April 2265
Elinor
She gave Sarek a good-bye kiss, and headed into her office as he went out the front door. She had the next issue of the newspaper almost finished. Her list of businesses that she had not visited was growing shorter. She was beginning to put more interviews, more small news items in. She always ran a piece about any new classes that were starting, and this issue had an interesting piece in it about some new crops that were being tried - plants which were not native to Vulcan, but it was hoped that would provide variety in the diet on New Vulcan. Not all normal Vulcan food crops had been salvaged - some had never been exported to other places, so that no seeds or rootstock were available. The Healers had done a very ambitious study on what substances were needed in the daily diet, and what deficiencies had been introduced by the changed substances in the water and soil of the new planet. A number of Terran fruits and vegetables had already been introduced, as well as a drought-resistant strain of wheat, and now they were expanding to those of other planets in the Federation as well. She thought this piece would cause much interesting conversation.
She finished proofreading the article and checked the layout. It looked like she needed just one more small piece to finish off. Maybe she would walk down to the social center and see if anything had been posted on the bulletin board there. She was just rising from her chair when she felt something very strange. She stopped, placing her hand on her belly, holding her breath. There it was again! So gentle, almost a tickle, tiny, tiny little movements. A happy grin spread over her face and she glowed with the feeling of intense happiness that spread through her. She felt Sarek's query in the back of her mind, and shared with him what had just happened. She felt his desire to be there with her, to experience this for himself. He would have to wait until end-shift, and he was not entirely happy about that. She almost laughed, it was so unlike him to be irritated.
She gathered up her carrybag, and walked down the dusty path to see whether Durra needed anything from the market. She got to hold Senek, and burp him, and talk with Durra for a few minutes before she headed out again. She had not told Durra what had happened, wanting to wait until Sarek had experienced it before sharing with anyone else.
T'Sura was just exiting the large house when she came even with it, and the two women walked side by side, talking with each other. Once again, she admired the lovely bracelet that Tarel had given T'Sura as a betrothal present, and T'Sura blushed, as she always did. Elinor could see how happy T'Sura was now, her face glowing with it. Tarel was certainly the right man for her.
They did their shopping, and T'Sura accompanied Elinor into the social center, to see what might be posted. Ah! There was something! A merchant was requesting to know who might have interest in imported yarns and other hand-craft supplies. There was a sheet to sign on, and Elinor and T'Sura both signed it, and then added the names of Durra, T'Boh, and T'Pau as well. It would be very nice to be able to buy yarn in the market, instead of ordering it all the way from Earth. Elinor made note of the merchant's name and the location of his business, and headed right there when they left the social center, bidding goodbye to T'Sura. This was exactly what she needed to complete this issue.
She managed to get back home, write the last article, finish the layout, and print off one copy before it was time to start end-meal. She laid the proof copy on the table, where Sarek could read it, and began preparations. She had the casserole in the oven, and two vegetable dishes as well, and was working on a fruit salad when Sarek walked in and embraced her from behind. She leaned back against him, her temple resting against his cheek, just as she felt those soft flutterings again. He inhaled deeply, and moved one hand down the soft curve of her belly, resting over the place where she was feeling those tiny movements. Together they stood here, full of wonder and joy, until they ceased. She knew that the movements would get stronger, and more frequent, as time went by, but today they were so new, so wonderful, that she was not sure how she could contain it. And he was there, supporting her, full of wonder himself.