Growing Up
by Zanza
My darling baby girl is 18 now. She's going to go to
the Academy. I can still remember the day she was born
like it was yesterday. But it was 22 years ago... so
long, yet so short. B'Elanna is sitting next to me. I
can see a tear slip down her cheek. I know why. So
many memories. Captain, I mean Admiral Janeway is
looking around. I decide to go talk to her. I can hear
footsteps behind me. I recognize the pattern. It's
Miral.
"Daddy... I'm scared." I tell her she'll be fine. She
always is. She gives me a weak smile and walks away.
Admiral Janeway looks very proud of Miral, but nowhere
near as proud as I feel. I feel a tug on my sleeve.
Someone is pulling me down to their level.
"Daddy..." someone whispers in my ear, "why does Miral
want to live in a dorm room? She can come live with us.
We live in San Fransisco." I smile at the sound of my
14-year-old daughter's voice. My youngest of 4. She's
even 5 minutes younger than her twin brother, Harry.
Even at her age, I know she's the only other of my
children who'll become a Starfleet officer. Funny how
parents can tell these things.
"Because she's growing up... you're all growing up."
I know that Nelly sees the tear slip down my face. She
smiles at me.
"I'll stay with you and Mom." she says. "I won't make
you lonely." It's so touching to hear her say that. I
turn to her and hug her. She smiles at me again, then
disappears with her friend James Michael Janeway into the
crowd.
"They're growing up so fast," says B'Elanna from behind me.
Behind her is Bobby, our 16-year-old son. He's going to
be a musician, not a Starfleet officer.
"Yes," smiles Kathryn Janeway. Her daughter Katie, Miral's
best friend, is going to the academy too. "You know,
Admiral Janeway told me once that the Paris child she knew
was so resourceful that she wished there were more. I, for
one, am glad I got to know all four."
by Zanza
My darling baby girl is 18 now. She's going to go to
the Academy. I can still remember the day she was born
like it was yesterday. But it was 22 years ago... so
long, yet so short. B'Elanna is sitting next to me. I
can see a tear slip down her cheek. I know why. So
many memories. Captain, I mean Admiral Janeway is
looking around. I decide to go talk to her. I can hear
footsteps behind me. I recognize the pattern. It's
Miral.
"Daddy... I'm scared." I tell her she'll be fine. She
always is. She gives me a weak smile and walks away.
Admiral Janeway looks very proud of Miral, but nowhere
near as proud as I feel. I feel a tug on my sleeve.
Someone is pulling me down to their level.
"Daddy..." someone whispers in my ear, "why does Miral
want to live in a dorm room? She can come live with us.
We live in San Fransisco." I smile at the sound of my
14-year-old daughter's voice. My youngest of 4. She's
even 5 minutes younger than her twin brother, Harry.
Even at her age, I know she's the only other of my
children who'll become a Starfleet officer. Funny how
parents can tell these things.
"Because she's growing up... you're all growing up."
I know that Nelly sees the tear slip down my face. She
smiles at me.
"I'll stay with you and Mom." she says. "I won't make
you lonely." It's so touching to hear her say that. I
turn to her and hug her. She smiles at me again, then
disappears with her friend James Michael Janeway into the
crowd.
"They're growing up so fast," says B'Elanna from behind me.
Behind her is Bobby, our 16-year-old son. He's going to
be a musician, not a Starfleet officer.
"Yes," smiles Kathryn Janeway. Her daughter Katie, Miral's
best friend, is going to the academy too. "You know,
Admiral Janeway told me once that the Paris child she knew
was so resourceful that she wished there were more. I, for
one, am glad I got to know all four."
