Title: Family Affairs
Authors: Sita/ T'eyla
Genre: Angst/Romance
Rating: PG (for language)
Summary: When Enterprise is in Earth's orbit for a few days of shore leave, Trip, T'Pol and their newborn son go to visit Trip's parents. While on Earth they have to face the hostility and prejudices still existent in the human society of the 22nd century.
Disclaimer: Paramount owns Enterprise, we're not making any money from this.
Chapter 4: Unexpected
Susan Tucker opened the cupboard and rummaged through its contents. It had to happen, she thought, that she would run out of sugar now of all times. Charles had said they would be arriving at the Miami station at 1.15 pm. That left her with only two hours to get everything ready. She hoped Charles' wife liked pecan pie, but then, Charles would never marry a girl who didn't love pecan pie. Susan smiled. But without sugar there would be no pie. She grabbed a cup from the board, crossed the kitchen, opened the back door and stepped out into the bright afternoon sunshine.
I do hope it won't take too long, she thought, heading towards the neighbour house. I really don't have the time now to listen to Nancy's endless stories. She hadn't even knocked yet when Nancy already opened the door.
"Hello Susan! Isn't your son coming today?" she asked peering over Susan's shoulder. Without waiting for answer she continued: "Look at that! I bet Jake Miller came home drunk again yesterday night. Seems like he's still sleeping it off, the bedroom shutters are still closed!"
"Hi Nancy," Susan said, deliberately not turning to look. "Can I borrow a cup of sugar? I haven't had the time to go shopping yesterday."
"Sure. Come in." Nancy took the cup from her hand.
"No, thanks," Susan said, glad to have an excuse this time. "I don't have too much time at the moment."
Nancy raised her eyebrows, but disappeared into the kitchen without another word. When she came back with the sugar, she had a false smile on her face.
"I don't know why you're in such a hurry. Being on time was never Charles' strong side, was it?"
Susan took the cup from her hand. "Thanks," she said and turned to go. She didn't have to look back to know that Nancy would be watching her until the back door had closed behind her.
While she put all the ingredients for the pie on the kitchen table, she felt the familiar flutter of anticipation she had felt in her stomach all day come back full force. Only two hours until Charles would be home for the first time in over three years and - she still couldn't believe it - bringing his wife and son with him! It was strange to think of her son as a father. The news about the baby had been just as much of a surprise as the short message about his marriage he had sent over a year ago, and just as vague and impersonal. She really didn't know what to expect today. Charles' wife was probably a nice girl, she supposed, and quite smart, judging from the little he had written. Why Charles had so adamantly ignored all her questions about his wife and the baby, she couldn't understand. That was not like him, not at all. Maybe the great responsibility he had to live with as a Chief Engineer had changed him. She had never been sanguine about his decision to join Starfleet. When he had been assigned to that new warp five ship that was on the news all the time, she had been really worried. She had heard there were even a few aliens serving on that starship. She shuddered at the idea of having to interact with such people on a regular basis.
Shaking her head she tried to get rid of these unpleasant thoughts. In less than two hours her son would be here, together with her daughter-in-law and her little grandson! She smiled and got back to work.
-###-
After they had arrived at Miami Central Station, it took them only ten minutes to find a place where they could rent an aircar. With Sam safely stowed away in the child seat in the back they set off for the highway.
Trip was glad that the transport down from Enterprise hadn't taken as long as he would have expected it to. Together with the rest of the senior staff he and T'Pol had been on one of the first shuttles that had left Enterprise for the Houston spaceport. Before they had boarded the shuttle, Malcolm had quietly wished him good luck, which had only increased his anxiety.
His hands felt clammy and he had a hard time keeping them from shaking as he operated the controls of the aircar. He looked sideways at T'Pol, who looked very dignified and impressive in her light brown Vulcan robe. She didn't seem to be aware of his nervous restlessness.
He couldn't possibly keep it from her any longer now.
"T'Pol," he said, his voice sounding hoarse, "there's something I haven't told you..." She turned to look at him.
"Concerning what, Charles?"
He swallowed. "My parents.They..." He trailed off. He just couldn't bring himself to admit what he had done. Or better, what he hadn't.
"They do not know that I am Vulcan," T'Pol calmly finished his sentence.
Trip startled. "How do you know?"
T'Pol just looked at him, and Trip was astonished to see an amused glint in her eyes.
"You are my bondmate," she said. "Of course I would know."
Trip bit his lip. "And?" he asked after several moments of silence had passed.
"And what?"
"Well...aren't you angry?" He kept his eyes fixed on the road.
"I do not presume to judge your actions. I do not know enough about the terms of conduct in human families to know if it was possible for you to act differently."
"Oh," Trip said after a moment. "Well, I could have acted differently. I should have, actually."
"There is no need to explain. Kaiidth."
Trip concentrated on the controls again. He was still feeling far from confident, but T'Pol's wordless understanding was kind of reassuring.
-###-
Trip parked the aircar in the driveway. He looked sideways at T'Pol.
"Maybe it'd be best to leave Sam in the car while we...er...say hello."
T'Pol nodded and they got out of the aircar. The old farmhouse looked peaceful in the sunlight of the late afternoon. Nothing had changed since the last time Trip had seen it except a small tree on the front lawn which looked as if it had been planted recently.
The silence was interrupted when the front door flew open. Tears were running down Susan Tucker's face when she came down the steps. Before Trip could say anything she had her arms around him and was hugging him tightly.
"Charles! It's so good to have you home."
Trip stroked her back. "It's good to see you, too, Mom."
Looking over to the house he saw his father standing in the doorway. He had that familiar lop-sided grin on his face and when Trip met his eyes, he raised his hand in a silent greeting. Gently he released his mother, who turned away for a moment to wipe the tears off her cheeks. Trip took a step backwards and motioned for T'Pol to come closer. She had been waiting a few steps away to give them some privacy. Trip put an arm around her shoulders and faced his mother.
"Mom, this is T'Pol. My wife."
Susan turned to T'Pol, a smile on her face - and froze. T'Pol bowed her head slightly.
"It is an honor to meet you, madam."
Shock written all over her face Susan took a step backwards.
"No," she said, not taking her eyes from T'Pol. "No." She stepped back even further, stumbled and would have fallen if Trip hadn't caught her arm.
"Mom - "
"This isn't true! It can't be true! You wouldn't - " Her voice faltered. She yanked her arm free, turned and ran back to the house. On the way up the front steps she almost stumbled again, but caught herself in the last moment. Then she was gone. Trip felt the immediate urge to go after her, but then his eye fell on his father, who was standing there looking a little forlorn, a mixture of shock and surprise on his face. This was most unusual, since Charles Tucker II hardly ever showed any emotions. But at least he hadn't run away. Trip took a deep breath.
"T'Pol, this is Charles Tucker. My father. Dad, this is T'Pol."
For a long moment his father just stood there, looking at her. Then, as if he had come to a decision, he stepped forward and stretched out his hand.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, T'Pol."
T'Pol hesitated, then she took his hand and shook it carefully. Trip had never seen her shaking hands with anyone before.
"I am honored, sir."
A moment of awkward silence followed, then Charles Tucker turned to his son.
"Maybe you'd better go inside and look after her." He looked at T'Pol and there was a slight smile on his face. "I'll entertain the ladies in the meantime." That remark was so typical of his father that Trip smiled involuntarily. With a grateful nod in his direction he headed towards the house.
-###-
He found his mother in the kitchen. She stood at the window with her back to him. From the way her shoulders were twitching he could see that she was crying, although she made no sound. He stepped closer, but didn't dare to touch her.
"Mom," he said quietly. She didn't turn around.
"Go away."
Tentatively he laid a hand on her shoulder. "Mom, please..."
She shrugged him off. "Don't you touch me!"
He stepped back and sat down on a chair at the kitchen table. For several moments he stared at her back, not knowing what to say.
"Won't you at least talk to me?" he asked finally.
A short stretch of silence followed, then: "What do you want to talk about?"
Trip swallowed. "If you'd hear me out, maybe - "
She turned around.
"Why does it suddenly matter so much to you what I say? You didn't find it necessary to tell us anything, and now you just show up here with that... with that woman, and you have the nerve to ask me to hear you out?"
He forced himself to meet her accusing stare.
"Look, Mom. I know I should've told you, but I just couldn't find the right words to explain all this in a letter."
The excuse sounded weak even to his own ears. She just shook her head and turned away. Trip bit his lip looking down at his hands. After a few moments he raised his head.
"Won't you at least come out to see your grandson?"
She spun around again, eyes blazing with fury.
"That child is no grandson of mine! How can you do this to me, how dare you bring her here! You've brought shame over the whole family by marrying that alien, that unfeeling... thing!"
Trip jumped up from his chair.
"Don't you talk about her like that! You don't know her, or you wouldn't say such things! I love her, Mom!"
"You're crazy!" she yelled back through her tears. "How can you even bear to touch her, let alone-"
"Listen to yourself!" Trip was shaking with anger now himself. "What's wrong with you? Are you afraid of what will happen if the neighbours find out, are you afraid for your reputation? Is that what it is?"
Susan went white in the face.
"Go," she said. "Take your wife and your bastard son and don't you ever come back here again."
Trip stared at her for a moment. Then he turned away, walked out of the kitchen, out the front door and down the steps.
"We're leaving," he said to T'Pol and without looking at his father he went down the driveway to the aircar. With a last polite nod at Trip's father T'Pol followed him and got in as well. Neither of them said a word as he steered the aircar down the street, not looking back.
Authors: Sita/ T'eyla
Genre: Angst/Romance
Rating: PG (for language)
Summary: When Enterprise is in Earth's orbit for a few days of shore leave, Trip, T'Pol and their newborn son go to visit Trip's parents. While on Earth they have to face the hostility and prejudices still existent in the human society of the 22nd century.
Disclaimer: Paramount owns Enterprise, we're not making any money from this.
Chapter 4: Unexpected
Susan Tucker opened the cupboard and rummaged through its contents. It had to happen, she thought, that she would run out of sugar now of all times. Charles had said they would be arriving at the Miami station at 1.15 pm. That left her with only two hours to get everything ready. She hoped Charles' wife liked pecan pie, but then, Charles would never marry a girl who didn't love pecan pie. Susan smiled. But without sugar there would be no pie. She grabbed a cup from the board, crossed the kitchen, opened the back door and stepped out into the bright afternoon sunshine.
I do hope it won't take too long, she thought, heading towards the neighbour house. I really don't have the time now to listen to Nancy's endless stories. She hadn't even knocked yet when Nancy already opened the door.
"Hello Susan! Isn't your son coming today?" she asked peering over Susan's shoulder. Without waiting for answer she continued: "Look at that! I bet Jake Miller came home drunk again yesterday night. Seems like he's still sleeping it off, the bedroom shutters are still closed!"
"Hi Nancy," Susan said, deliberately not turning to look. "Can I borrow a cup of sugar? I haven't had the time to go shopping yesterday."
"Sure. Come in." Nancy took the cup from her hand.
"No, thanks," Susan said, glad to have an excuse this time. "I don't have too much time at the moment."
Nancy raised her eyebrows, but disappeared into the kitchen without another word. When she came back with the sugar, she had a false smile on her face.
"I don't know why you're in such a hurry. Being on time was never Charles' strong side, was it?"
Susan took the cup from her hand. "Thanks," she said and turned to go. She didn't have to look back to know that Nancy would be watching her until the back door had closed behind her.
While she put all the ingredients for the pie on the kitchen table, she felt the familiar flutter of anticipation she had felt in her stomach all day come back full force. Only two hours until Charles would be home for the first time in over three years and - she still couldn't believe it - bringing his wife and son with him! It was strange to think of her son as a father. The news about the baby had been just as much of a surprise as the short message about his marriage he had sent over a year ago, and just as vague and impersonal. She really didn't know what to expect today. Charles' wife was probably a nice girl, she supposed, and quite smart, judging from the little he had written. Why Charles had so adamantly ignored all her questions about his wife and the baby, she couldn't understand. That was not like him, not at all. Maybe the great responsibility he had to live with as a Chief Engineer had changed him. She had never been sanguine about his decision to join Starfleet. When he had been assigned to that new warp five ship that was on the news all the time, she had been really worried. She had heard there were even a few aliens serving on that starship. She shuddered at the idea of having to interact with such people on a regular basis.
Shaking her head she tried to get rid of these unpleasant thoughts. In less than two hours her son would be here, together with her daughter-in-law and her little grandson! She smiled and got back to work.
-###-
After they had arrived at Miami Central Station, it took them only ten minutes to find a place where they could rent an aircar. With Sam safely stowed away in the child seat in the back they set off for the highway.
Trip was glad that the transport down from Enterprise hadn't taken as long as he would have expected it to. Together with the rest of the senior staff he and T'Pol had been on one of the first shuttles that had left Enterprise for the Houston spaceport. Before they had boarded the shuttle, Malcolm had quietly wished him good luck, which had only increased his anxiety.
His hands felt clammy and he had a hard time keeping them from shaking as he operated the controls of the aircar. He looked sideways at T'Pol, who looked very dignified and impressive in her light brown Vulcan robe. She didn't seem to be aware of his nervous restlessness.
He couldn't possibly keep it from her any longer now.
"T'Pol," he said, his voice sounding hoarse, "there's something I haven't told you..." She turned to look at him.
"Concerning what, Charles?"
He swallowed. "My parents.They..." He trailed off. He just couldn't bring himself to admit what he had done. Or better, what he hadn't.
"They do not know that I am Vulcan," T'Pol calmly finished his sentence.
Trip startled. "How do you know?"
T'Pol just looked at him, and Trip was astonished to see an amused glint in her eyes.
"You are my bondmate," she said. "Of course I would know."
Trip bit his lip. "And?" he asked after several moments of silence had passed.
"And what?"
"Well...aren't you angry?" He kept his eyes fixed on the road.
"I do not presume to judge your actions. I do not know enough about the terms of conduct in human families to know if it was possible for you to act differently."
"Oh," Trip said after a moment. "Well, I could have acted differently. I should have, actually."
"There is no need to explain. Kaiidth."
Trip concentrated on the controls again. He was still feeling far from confident, but T'Pol's wordless understanding was kind of reassuring.
-###-
Trip parked the aircar in the driveway. He looked sideways at T'Pol.
"Maybe it'd be best to leave Sam in the car while we...er...say hello."
T'Pol nodded and they got out of the aircar. The old farmhouse looked peaceful in the sunlight of the late afternoon. Nothing had changed since the last time Trip had seen it except a small tree on the front lawn which looked as if it had been planted recently.
The silence was interrupted when the front door flew open. Tears were running down Susan Tucker's face when she came down the steps. Before Trip could say anything she had her arms around him and was hugging him tightly.
"Charles! It's so good to have you home."
Trip stroked her back. "It's good to see you, too, Mom."
Looking over to the house he saw his father standing in the doorway. He had that familiar lop-sided grin on his face and when Trip met his eyes, he raised his hand in a silent greeting. Gently he released his mother, who turned away for a moment to wipe the tears off her cheeks. Trip took a step backwards and motioned for T'Pol to come closer. She had been waiting a few steps away to give them some privacy. Trip put an arm around her shoulders and faced his mother.
"Mom, this is T'Pol. My wife."
Susan turned to T'Pol, a smile on her face - and froze. T'Pol bowed her head slightly.
"It is an honor to meet you, madam."
Shock written all over her face Susan took a step backwards.
"No," she said, not taking her eyes from T'Pol. "No." She stepped back even further, stumbled and would have fallen if Trip hadn't caught her arm.
"Mom - "
"This isn't true! It can't be true! You wouldn't - " Her voice faltered. She yanked her arm free, turned and ran back to the house. On the way up the front steps she almost stumbled again, but caught herself in the last moment. Then she was gone. Trip felt the immediate urge to go after her, but then his eye fell on his father, who was standing there looking a little forlorn, a mixture of shock and surprise on his face. This was most unusual, since Charles Tucker II hardly ever showed any emotions. But at least he hadn't run away. Trip took a deep breath.
"T'Pol, this is Charles Tucker. My father. Dad, this is T'Pol."
For a long moment his father just stood there, looking at her. Then, as if he had come to a decision, he stepped forward and stretched out his hand.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, T'Pol."
T'Pol hesitated, then she took his hand and shook it carefully. Trip had never seen her shaking hands with anyone before.
"I am honored, sir."
A moment of awkward silence followed, then Charles Tucker turned to his son.
"Maybe you'd better go inside and look after her." He looked at T'Pol and there was a slight smile on his face. "I'll entertain the ladies in the meantime." That remark was so typical of his father that Trip smiled involuntarily. With a grateful nod in his direction he headed towards the house.
-###-
He found his mother in the kitchen. She stood at the window with her back to him. From the way her shoulders were twitching he could see that she was crying, although she made no sound. He stepped closer, but didn't dare to touch her.
"Mom," he said quietly. She didn't turn around.
"Go away."
Tentatively he laid a hand on her shoulder. "Mom, please..."
She shrugged him off. "Don't you touch me!"
He stepped back and sat down on a chair at the kitchen table. For several moments he stared at her back, not knowing what to say.
"Won't you at least talk to me?" he asked finally.
A short stretch of silence followed, then: "What do you want to talk about?"
Trip swallowed. "If you'd hear me out, maybe - "
She turned around.
"Why does it suddenly matter so much to you what I say? You didn't find it necessary to tell us anything, and now you just show up here with that... with that woman, and you have the nerve to ask me to hear you out?"
He forced himself to meet her accusing stare.
"Look, Mom. I know I should've told you, but I just couldn't find the right words to explain all this in a letter."
The excuse sounded weak even to his own ears. She just shook her head and turned away. Trip bit his lip looking down at his hands. After a few moments he raised his head.
"Won't you at least come out to see your grandson?"
She spun around again, eyes blazing with fury.
"That child is no grandson of mine! How can you do this to me, how dare you bring her here! You've brought shame over the whole family by marrying that alien, that unfeeling... thing!"
Trip jumped up from his chair.
"Don't you talk about her like that! You don't know her, or you wouldn't say such things! I love her, Mom!"
"You're crazy!" she yelled back through her tears. "How can you even bear to touch her, let alone-"
"Listen to yourself!" Trip was shaking with anger now himself. "What's wrong with you? Are you afraid of what will happen if the neighbours find out, are you afraid for your reputation? Is that what it is?"
Susan went white in the face.
"Go," she said. "Take your wife and your bastard son and don't you ever come back here again."
Trip stared at her for a moment. Then he turned away, walked out of the kitchen, out the front door and down the steps.
"We're leaving," he said to T'Pol and without looking at his father he went down the driveway to the aircar. With a last polite nod at Trip's father T'Pol followed him and got in as well. Neither of them said a word as he steered the aircar down the street, not looking back.
