Disclaimer - Please See Chapter 1

Chapter 34 - Crafting

Avarak had just finished his studies for the day and he was now sitting up at a table in his fathers apartment at the Embassy, quietly working on painting a card for Mimi.

"What is the purpose of the activity T'Amanda?" Sordd asked while looking over Avarak's shoulder.

"It's a get well soon card for Mimi." Amanda replied, a smile on her face.

Sordd looked up towards her, "How does a card help someone get well soon?" He asked without changing his neutral expression.

Amanda looked at him the way she sometimes looked at Sarek when he had been bombarding her with questions regarding human customs, "Well it might cheer her up, make her feel more positive about things. It can get boring being stuck in a hospital room."

Sordd contemplated the statement for a moment until he came to a logical conclusion. He would ensure that his Ashayam would not be bored...

"Fascinating." He said, "However, I can assure you T'Sai Mimi will not get bored. She has a wedding to plan." He said this as though it was an everyday occurrence.

Amanda threw up her hands in the air, "Sordd that's amazing!" she shrieked. If she was living on Vulcan she would have reigned the emotion in, however, they were not on Vulcan. Avarak and T'Shahel both looked up, surprised at their Aunt's reaction. Spock who up until this point had been quietly playing on his play mat began to cry. Amanda quickly went toward him, knelt down and scooped him up. "I'm sorry for giving you a fright kan-bu. Everything is ok." She stroked his cheek, which always helped to calm him down. "It's good news. Sa-kuk Sordd and T'Sai Mimi are engaged." She looked over at Sordd with a broad smile.

Amanda returned to the table with Spock hanging on her hip. "Sordd, that's really amazing, when did it happen?"

"0130 hours this morning." He replied.

"0130, you must be joking!" She retorted.

Sordd inclined his head. "T'Sai Amanda, you should know by now that Vulcans do not joke."

Spock interrupted the conversation, "Leitri Ko-mekh." He said, pointing to his play mat. Amanda set him down on the floor again and he crawled away...

"Tell me about it, did you give her a ring?" She asked.

Sordd though it would be best not to go into the detail. "It is ... complicated." He replied, "I have not given her a ring yet, but I intend to do so in the foreseeable future."

"What about a wedding date, have you set one?" Amanda asked excitedly.

"Mid September of this standard year."

"That's only a couple of months away!" She exclaimed. "There is so much to organise." Amanda was helping Avarak mix some paint while talking to Sordd, "I can help if you would like?" She looked up at Sordd again.

"It is logical and agreeable to have the wedding in September. It would also be agreeable if you can assist in the arrangements." He replied with a warmth in his voice.

"I will talk to Sarek about organising a bachelor party for you and I will organise a bachelorette party for Mimi." Amanda looked at him again, "Mimi comes from New Britain she will probably call them 'stag nights' and 'hen nights...'"

"Why would an evening be organised with male deer and hens? I do not see the connection with getting married." He asked intrigued.

Amanda smiled, although it could be exasperating she also found it quite cute how Sarek and Sordd sometimes misunderstood the meanings of words. Drawing from her linguistic background she explained, "In early 14th century English, the females of any species were called hens. That is where the expression 'hen night' came from, a female only night. Likewise, stag used to mean a male of any species, hence a 'stag night' means males only. I will discuss it with Sarek, you don't need to worry about the arrangements..." She winked mischievously at him.

"Vulcans do not worry T'Amanda." He replied matter of factly. It always amazed him that humans would use any opportunity for a party. He made a mental note to research stag nights and hen nights.

*'*

"Sordd can you bring Spock over while I mix this paint?" Amanda asked him.

"As you wish T'Amanda." Spock was currently playing with his bricks again. When his uncle approached, a broad smile appeared on his face.

"Hash-tor Sa-kuk" Spock grinned, he wanted to fly again.

Sordd shook his head, "Not at the moment pi'veh, your Ko-mekh wants you to help make a card for T'Sai Mimi." He stooped down and lifted up Spock in one fell swoop. Spock giggled with glee, partly getting what he had asked for.

Sordd walked back to the kitchen with Spock swinging under his arms happily babbling away, "T'Sai Mimi ... Sa-kuk Sordd." Sordd placed him into a high seat at the table just beside where Avarak was working on his card.

"What colour do you want to use Spock?" Amanda asked him while stroking his soft black hair.

Spock, who was kicking his legs with excitement desperate to get hold of the paint, pointed to the purple paint, "Gahv-kur!" The kicking action was making him bounce up and down.

"Be patient Spock." Amanda said, still stroking his hair. "Sordd, I'm going to put some paint on Spock's hands, then we are going to press them on the card, to make butterfly wings. Can you hold his free hand so he doesn't get paint everywhere?" She looked up at Sordd.

Sordd raised an eyebrow. "I believe that is within my skill set." He replied.

Amanda carefully placed one of Spock's hands in the paint, then quickly pressed it on the card. Spock tried to wrestle his hand free, however, Sordd managed to grab it before they all ended up covered in paint. Amanda repeated the process using his other hand, she then wiped Spock down. Afterwards she handed him some stickers which he placed randomly on the card. After he was finished with the stickers Spock clapped his hands in delight.

"Well done kan-bu." Amanda kissed him on the cheek, "T'Sai Mimi will love it! She set him back down on the floor and he crawled away...

*'*

"Sa'mekh, look! I've finished." Avarak spoke, holding up his card for Sordd to see. He had painted a beach scene consisting of a light blue sky and deep blue ocean. Golden sand was in the foreground with some beach grass, it looked very similar to the view Sordd had enjoyed from the balcony at the 'Four Seasons' hotel.

"Excellent work Avarak." Sordd looked at his son, admiring his handiwork. "I am sure that T'Sai Mimi will find it to be most pleasing."

Avarak smiled at the praise. "When can we visit T'Sai Mimi?" He asked.

"We can go this evening, after end meal." Sordd replied. "Perhaps you can give her the card then?"

Avarak nodded his head, "That is agreeable Sa'mekh."

"You need to write a message inside Avarak." Amanda interjected.

Avarak frowned, "Would it not be more logical to send a message via PADD. It is quicker?"

"Yes, but in this instance, it would be nice to write a message to T'Sai Mimi by hand. It can be seen as being more thoughtful than writing a message on a PADD." Amanda handed him a Vulcan writing stylus.

"What should I write Ko-kuk Manda?" Avarak asked.

"Well is there anything you are looking forward to doing with Mimi?"

"We are going to go on a hike." Avarak replied.

"You could say something like, 'I am looking forward to going on the hike when you get better.'" She smiled down at him.

Avarak nodded his head and started write. A short time later he looked up, "Can I play with Spock now?" He asked.

Spock!

*"*

At Avarak's mention of Spock's name both Amanda and Sordd became aware that Spock had become very quiet. This was not a good sign. They both walked through to the living area, the sight that they met was not pretty. Spock had somehow managed to get into a bottle of green paint. He was now covered head to toe and he was smearing it all over his play mat making lots of swirling patterns, using his toy Sehlat as a brush!

Amanda spoke first trying to get his attention, "Spock!" She knelt down beside him but refrained from scooping him up, not wanting to get her robes covered in paint. "Spock! Kroikah!" She said more firmly.

Spock looked up at her. "Painting." He replied in innocence, "I-Chaya Green!" He lifted up the now bright green furry toy for her to see. Amanda shook her head in exasperation.

"I deduce a bath would be more effective in this situation than a sonic shower. Would you like me to run one T'Amanda?" Sordd's voice was calm and steady. He had often had similar experiences with Avarak so was well used to dealing with these situations.

"I think that would be the best course of action…" Amanda looked down at the mess, not really knowing where to begin tidying it up. "Was Sarek mischievous when he was younger?" She looked up at Sordd with an accusatory glare.

Sordd hid his discomfort well, he did not want to betray his elder sibling. "As Sarek is a few years older than myself I do not have sufficient data to comment. It would be logical to ask my mother or father." He replied. "I will run the bath..." Quickly removing himself from the situation so there was no further questions concerning the misdemeanours of Sarek.

Amanda turned round again towards Spock. "Spock you shouldn't have...look at the mess you have made in Sa-kuk Sordd's apartment. You have been naughty!"

Spock shook his head. "Spock rom." He replied with a smile on his face. His big brown eyes were looking up at her, they always melted her heart... she couldn't be angry at him.

"You will now need to get washed, and I-Chaya as well! I do wonder if you do these things deliberately just so you can have a bath!"

"Spocks like baths!" He grinned, "Sehlats like baths!" Holding I-Chaya up again so Amanda could see.

Avarak had been standing quietly assessing the situation. "Can I help Ko-kuk Manda?" Walking towards his Aunt.

She put her hand around his waist. "Yes sweetie, can you get some fresh robes from Spock's room? His night robe?"

"Yes Ko-kuk Manda." He turned and sprinted out of the apartment.

*'*

Amanda knelt down on the mosaic floor at the side of the bath. She had discarded her outer robe, the one underneath having shorter sleeves. Spock was sitting in the warm bath, almost drowned by the number of bubbles. He was now happily splashing about, singing away to his heart's content. He alternated between squeezing the bubbles between his fists and playing with I-Chaya, and a yellow duck that Avarak had brought from his room.

"I-Chaya needs a wash Spock. Can you help?" Amanda asked while squirting some soap onto his hand and hers. "Gently rub his fur…" as she was encouraging Spock to do this she began to wash through his hair. Getting his hair washed was not his favourite bath time activity and any distraction was welcome...

"Lets rinse I-Chaya." Amanda spoke softly. Spock pushed I-Chaya under the water to rinse it off, however because the bath water was now a strange shade of green it had little effect. Spock frowned, "I-Chaya yar-kur!" he said in frustration.

"We need to rinse I-Chaaya with fresh water." Amanda took a jug and filled it with fresh warm water. "Hold I-Chaya up Spock." He lifted the sehlat in the air and Amanda rinsed it off. Spock giggled with glee.

Amanda set one of the towels on the floor, "I-Chaya needs to get dry Spock." He handed her the toy, watching his mother intently as she placed the toy on the towel and gave it a quick rub. "The number of times this toy has had a bath, it must be the cleanest sehlat that ever belonged to a child." She commented.

"Now Spock's turn." Spock liked this part of bathing, he tipped his head back in anticipation. Amanda filled the jug again with warm water and slowly poured it over his hair to rinse out the soap. He giggled again. She repeated the action a few times making sure his hair was clean, and restored to its natural colour.

"Spock's turn to get dry." She reached over to pull him out of the bath.

"Duck." Spock replied handing her the yellow duck.

"Ok kan-bu." She replied softly.

Once Spock was satisfied the toys were dry he lifted his arms up in anticipation. Amanda lifted him out of the bath onto her knee and started to gently dry him off as quickly as possible. She breathed in deeply, he had that clean baby smell. It was not long before he started to wriggle again, reaching for his toys. She dressed him in his night robe then they made their way back through to the living area. Spock began to feel sleepy, a warm bath always had that effect...

While she was carrying him thought Spock spoke, "T'Sai Mimi." He whispered.

"We can visit her tomorrow." She stroked his face, "It's bed time now, but you need to have your milk first."

Sordd, T'Shahel and Avarak had already cleaned up the mess and were sitting on the couches, quietly discussing the arrangements for the wedding. Sordd handed Amanda a bottle of warm milk which he had prepared for Spock. She sat down beside them with Spock cradled in her arms, he was trying to fight going to sleep, but was loosing the battle... He placed a kiss on his mother's cheek. He then took the milk from her hand into his and started to drink it while gently brushing his mothers face with his warm fingers. His eyes grew heavier and heavier... He leaned in, purring with contentment... then he fell asleep...

*'*

Notes

Ashayam - beloved

Kan-bu - Baby

Sa-kuk - Uncle

Hash-tor - Fly (a swinging game)

Pi'veh - little one

Gahv-kur - Purple

Ko-kuk - Aunt

Kroikah - Stop immediately

Rom - good