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 5: Decisions
The silence continued. Outside the bright sunlight of the afternoon was beginning to fade away. Trip stared straight ahead, trying to clear his thoughts. T'Pol didn't try to talk to him, she just sat there with her hands folded in her lap. After a while she turned to the back seat and covered the sleeping Sam with a blanket, tucking him in tightly to keep him warm. Trip looked at the face of his little son in the rear-view mirror and suddenly felt a deep regret. Regret that he had brought them here, that he had neglected to tell his parents the truth and such had caused the whole situation. But most of all he regretted that he had hurt T'Pol who undoubtedly had heard every word his mother had said today. She might not blame him, but she didn't have to. There was no way Trip could forgive himself for what had happened.
He never noticed when they passed his old elementary school next to the only hotel of the town, he just kept his eyes fixed on the road. They passed the last houses on the outskirts of town and he kept driving on. On both sides of the streets there were meadows, glinting in the light of the evening sun.
After a while T'Pol turned her head.
"Where are we going?" she asked quietly so as not to wake Sam.
"Nowhere," Trip said. "I don't know."
"Maybe we should look for a place where we can spend the night."
There was no accusation in her voice, but her statement made him feel even worse just the same. It was his fault they had nowhere to stay. Pulling up at the side of the road, he stopped the aircar. Letting his hands fall in his lap, he leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.
"Charles," T'Pol said after a few moments of silence. "I am sorry."
He opened his eyes and looked at her, astonished.
"What do you mean?" he asked. She raised her eyebrows.
"It is my fault that your mother will not allow you to come into her house again."
"Your fault?" He stared at her, then turned his eyes away. "Of course it's not your fault."
"But I am the cause of the... disagreement between you and your mother."
Trip shook his head.
"Nonsense. This whole situation was caused by my cowardice and her prejudices. Not by anything you've done."
"If I was human - "
Trip looked up sharply at that. "No. Don't even think that, T'Pol. Do you think I secretly wish you were? Do you think I want you to be any different than you are? I admit, I was afraid to tell them, but certainly not because I'm somehow ashamed of you. It's just that I'm such a damn - "
She put a hand on his arm.
"Charles. Do not blame yourself. It is a difficult situation. I do not know what I would have done in your place."
He looked at her and smiled sadly. Suddenly he felt the need to hold her close, to feel her right beside him. Wrapping his arms around her, he pressed his face into her hair. The familiar spicy scent was helping him calm down, making him feel better.
This very moment Sam woke up from his sleep. He stirred restlessly, opened his mouth and began to wail. Reluctantly Trip released T'Pol. Reaching in the back he groped around for the pacifier.
"He's awake," he announced unnecessarily.
"I noticed," she said. "He needs to be put to bed soon."
Trip nodded, turning back to the controls. "There's this little hotel in town. We can stay there for the night."
"That is acceptable." T'Pol leaned back in her seat and Trip started the aircar. As he drove back, he looked at the peaceful scenery around them and somehow he felt relieved. No matter what had happened today, at least it was over now, and there was no need to keep any secrets anymore.
-###-
"One room, please. If it's possible with a couch or something, where we can make a bed for the baby."
The clerk at the reception counter, an elderly man with greying hair and pale eyes, looked him up and down, then nodded.
"As you wish, sir."
He put two key cards down on the counter and smiled thinly at Trip.
"Number 106 for the gentleman and number 108 for the lady." He glanced at T'Pol out of the corner of his eyes.
A sudden anger welled up in Trip.
"I said *one* room."
The clerk gave him a long look, reached under the counter and produced another card.
"Thank you very much," Trip said icily. Without another look at the man's derisive smile he grabbed the card and picked up Sam's carrycot.
When they entered their room Sam began to cry anew. T'Pol rummaged through her bag and pulled out a diaper.
"I can do that," Trip said, taking it from her. She raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. He smiled a little at her doubtful expression.
"I'll manage. I'm Chief Engineer, remember?"
"Very well." She disappeared into the bathroom.
She must be really tired, she never let me do this before, he thought, spreading a blanket on the bed. He took Sam out of his cot and carefully laid him down on the blanket. While peeling off the third pair of socks he smiled slightly, remembering the discussion he'd had with T'Pol shortly before they had boarded the shuttle. Despite his assurances that in Florida the weather was indeed quite warm in May T'Pol had insisted on wrapping Sam up in all these layers of clothing ("It is cold on Earth and he has Vulcan body temperature," she'd said and there had been no use arguing).
"It's nice being able to move again, isn't it," he said to his son, taking off the dirty diaper, rolling it up and putting it aside.
After he had cleaned Sam up he picked up the fresh diaper and paused. He examined it, turned it over and frowned.
Now which part goes in the front, he thought, unfolding it.
"You have to seal the diaper in the front," T'Pol called from the bathroom.
Trip raised his eyebrows and looked at his son. "I hope someday you'll be as smart as your mother," he said.
When Sam was changed properly, Trip threw the old diaper into the waste basket and sat on the bed beside his son.
"Hey, little man," he said, watching as the baby happily kicked the air with his little feet, obviously enjoying his freedom. Sam's arms and legs had grown rounder in the last few weeks, and his face, far from being green and wrinkled as it had been on the day of his birth, reminded Trip of T'Pol's face more than ever, except for the bright blue eyes. If it hadn't been for the delicately pointed ears he would have looked almost like a human baby.
Trip looked up as T'Pol came out of the bathroom. She had already put on her nightrobe and the yellow light of the ceiling lamp softened her features. He watched her as she gathered two blankets and a pillow and made a bed for Sam on the couch. Then she came over and sat next to him on the bed.
"You alright?" Trip asked, putting his hand over hers. She nodded and silently they watched Sam who seemed to be getting tired. He had stopped kicking his feet and was now just blinking at them sleepily. Trip held out one finger and the baby's hand closed around it in a surprisingly firm grasp.
No, Trip thought. They can't take that away from me.
-###-
Susan Tucker sat at the bedroom window, staring out at the setting sun. It was now three hours ago that Charles had left, and she still couldn't think clearly. When he had been gone, her husband had come into the kitchen and had tried to find out what exactly had happened, but she hadn't been able to talk to him. There was no way she could have repeated the things that had been said. She couldn't believe that it had come to that, that she had told her son never to come back again. But still the shock of seeing Charles with that woman hadn't worn off. She was devastated when she thought of how her son was ruining his life and she couldn't do anything about it.
She turned her head when the door opened. Her husband came in.
"Are you feeling better?" he asked and sat down on the bed next to her. She looked away, wishing he would just leave, but of course he wouldn't. She swallowed, trying to hold back those damn tears.
"This whole thing... it's so bizarre!" she said and was surprised at how steady her voice sounded. "Tell me why he did that, Charles, because I don't understand. I really don't."
He didn't answer immediately. After a while he sighed.
"I can't tell you that, Susan." He paused. "You know, I talked to her while you and Charles were in the house. She seemed to be quite... nice."
"Nice?" She couldn't believe she had heard him right. "Nice? For God's sake, Charles, she's - "
"She's Trip's wife, Susan. Since over a year."
Susan shook her head, unwilling to think about that.
"What were you talking about, anyway?"
"I asked her if she'd been to Earth before and she told me she had lived in San Francisco for a while. She's working as Science Officer on Enterprise now."
Susan looked down.
"And did she... did you see the baby?" She hadn't really wanted to ask. The question had just come out somehow. He nodded.
"Yes, I did. I asked her to show me."
Susan swallowed.
"And?"
"I only looked through the car window, so I didn't see much of him. He was all wrapped up."
Susan forgot that she wanted to sound disinterested.
"He was wrapped up?" she exclaimed. "At this time of the year? He could get too hot, it's dangerous to - "
She noticed Charles' smile and broke off. "What's so funny?" she asked, not half as indignantly as she had intended to.
"Nothing," he said. "I was just thinking how strange this is - Trip, a father!"
Susan flinched. She remembered what she had said to her son, only a few hours ago, and suddenly she felt ashamed. It must have hurt him bad to hear her say these things. She remembered the stricken look on his face before he had turned his back on her and left. Wrapping her arms around herself as if to protect herself from the memory she looked out of the window again. It was nearly dark outside now.
"Do you think they're back on their ship already?" she asked and the thought filled her with despair. If they were, then she probably wouldn't see her son ever again.
Charles shook his head.
"I don't think so. It was too late to drive back to Miami today. I think they'll spend the night somewhere in a hotel, then drive back tomorrow. After all, the baby has to be put to bed."
Then maybe it's not to late. The thought had suddenly been in her head, and although she tried to dismiss it, it lingered in the back of her mind until she had fallen asleep that night.
-###-
Susan woke up early the next morning and didn't seem able to go back to sleep. She dressed quietly, so as not to wake Charles, and went downstairs. She ate some breakfast and decided to go outside to do some gardening. Her roses needed a trim pretty badly, so she got out her shear and set herself to work.
Only a few minutes later she heard footsteps on the garden path. Resignedly she looked up.
"Good Morning, Susan!" Nancy waved cheerfully, coming nearer.
"Morning, Nancy." You're the last person I wanted to see now, Susan added in thought. She rose as Nancy came to stand beside her.
"What a gorgeous day, isn't it! I see you've finally found the time to take care of these roses! Alice asked me to come over yesterday, so I never saw your son coming. Didn't he stay overnight? I don't see his aircar anywhere."
Susan sighed inwardly.
"He didn't come," she said.
"He didn't come? How's that?" Nancy leered at her expectantly.
"Some problems at work."
Nancy's face fell. Hastily she covered it up with a sympathetic smile.
"Oh, that's too bad! Maybe he'll come next week?"
"Don't think so."
Nancy finally noticed that Susan was being deliberately curt with her. An indignant frown crossed her face.
"Well, then," she said, turning to leave. Susan was already getting her hopes up, but then Nancy stopped in her tracks. She turned back to Susan, excitement lighting up her features.
"Oh, I nearly forgot to tell you! Do you know what I heard just this morning from Lucy? Lucy Miller, whose cousin works in the hotel. She told me that yesterday night this guy checked in at the hotel and you won't believe who he had with him!"
Susan froze. She felt the blood drain from her face, but Nancy continued without noticing her shocked expression.
"It was a Vulcan woman! And do you know what? They had their baby with them! Can you believe that?"
Nancy seemed to expect some kind of reaction from her.
"Oh, really," Susan managed.
"Yes! Terrible, isn't it? It's a shame, really, that such people should even be allowed into a decent hotel! And a baby! Isn't that the most disgusting thing you've ever heard?"
Susan had heard enough. Suddenly she was very calm, the shock she had felt was gone. She pulled off her gardening gloves and picked up the shear.
"Excuse me, Nancy. I don't have any more time now."
Nancy gave her an astonished look. "Why? Where are you going?"
"I'm going to visit my son," Susan said. Nancy raised her eyebrows.
"I thought he couldn't come?"
"Actually, he's staying at the hotel. With his wife. And my little grandson. See you later, Nancy!"
She turned to go back to the house, not looking back at Nancy, who stood between the rosebushes, frozen with shock.
-###-
T'Pol was sitting on the couch feeding Sam. Half an hour ago Charles had said he wanted to go for a short walk before they would have to leave for Miami. She had declined when he had asked her to come with him, thinking it might be good for him to have some time for himself. Just when she had been done putting the few things they had needed back into their bags, Sam had woken up, demanding to get his breakfast.
When he had had enough, T'Pol got up and, walking around the room she patted Sam lightly on the back until he gave a small burp. Just as she had laid him back down on the couch, someone knocked and she went to open the door. When she saw who was standing in the hallway, she couldn't keep the astonishment from showing on her face.
"Mrs. Tucker." Just in time she managed to control her surprise and took a step backwards. "Please come in."
Reluctantly the other woman entered the room and T'Pol closed the door behind her.
"Is Charles here?" Susan Tucker asked, obviously feeling very uncomfortable.
"No, he went for a walk approximately 32 minutes ago."
An awkward silence followed. As T'Pol watched Mrs. Tucker who was nervously shifting her feet, she remembered what Charles would have wanted her to do now.
"Do you want to sit down?" she asked, motioning towards the only chair in the room. Susan didn't answer. Her eyes had fallen on the couch where Sam was sleeping.
"Is that..." She blushed, although T'Pol could not see why. "I don't know his name."
"His name is Sam Jonathan."
Susan went over to the couch. For a long time she just stood there, looking down at the tiny face between the blankets. Then she turned to T'Pol.
"So you named him after Jonathan Archer?" she asked.
"Yes," T'Pol said. "Captain Archer is his godfather."
For the first time since she had entered the room Susan Tucker smiled.
"He is? That's wonderful. You couldn't find anyone who would make a better godfather than Jonathan Archer."
T'Pol raised an eyebrow at the sudden warmth in the other woman's voice.
"We are honored that Captain Archer was willing to accept this responsibility."
Susan nodded, looking back down at the baby. When she spoke up after a while, she blushed again.
"Can I... can I hold him?"
T'Pol hesitated. Only yesterday this woman had refused even to look at Sam. T'Pol didn't really know what to make of her sudden change of mind. But there was something in her voice which gave T'Pol the illogical feeling that she could trust her after all. She walked over to the couch, picked up the sleeping baby and carefully placed him in Susan Tucker's arms.
-###-
For about half an hour Trip had been wandering through the streets rather aimlessly, passing all the familiar places he remembered so very well from his childhood. He didn't really look at them though, his attention focused on his feelings of loss and guilt. This morning the full meaning of what had happened had come to him and he had realized that this visit had probably been the worst mistake he'd ever made, destroying the relationship between him and his mother completely. He doubted that she would ever speak to him again, and he didn't think he could understand or forgive the things she'd said yesterday.
Trip realized that brooding was only making it worse. He made his way back to the hotel. When he crossed the entrance hall he deliberately ignored the desk clerk and his collegue who had abruptly stopped talking when Trip entered, and headed for the stairs. He walked down the hallway feeling relieved that they would be leaving soon.
He opened the door to their room and stopped dead in his tracks. On the couch sat T'Pol, and beside her there was his mother, holding Sam in her arms. They both looked up at him, and Susan's eyes widened.
"Mom." Trip closed the door behind him. "What..." He trailed off, glancing at T'Pol who raised her eyebrows.
"Charles," his mother said, her voice sounding hoarse. He looked back at her and was surprised to see a tentative smile on her face. He walked over to the couch and hesitatingly he took place beside her. They both looked down at the sleeping baby.
"He doesn't look like you at all," Susan whispered after a while. Carefully she touched Sam's cheek and looked up at Trip.
"He's hot! Is he running a fever?"
Trip shook his head. "No, that's normal for him."
At that moment Sam opened his eyes and looked at her. She startled.
"His eyes... "
Trip smiled slightly. "Yes, that surprised me too. Thank God he's got his mother's nose, though."
Susan answered his smile, then carefully looked at T'Pol who met her eyes evenly.
"I think he looks a lot like you. You must be very proud of him."
A short silence followed.
"Yes, I am," T'Pol said quietly. Susan held her gaze for a long moment, then she nodded slowly. Looking back at Trip she said: "I know you have to leave today, but maybe you both would like to... come over later. Your father would be happy, I think." She paused. "And me, too."
Before Trip could react, she handed the baby back to T'Pol, got up from the couch and went to the door. Turning back she looked at them one more time, then she was gone.
Trip stared at the closed door for a moment, then looked at Sam in T'Pol's arms.
"Well, son," he said. "Looks like we're going to give it a second try."
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 5: Decisions
The silence continued. Outside the bright sunlight of the afternoon was beginning to fade away. Trip stared straight ahead, trying to clear his thoughts. T'Pol didn't try to talk to him, she just sat there with her hands folded in her lap. After a while she turned to the back seat and covered the sleeping Sam with a blanket, tucking him in tightly to keep him warm. Trip looked at the face of his little son in the rear-view mirror and suddenly felt a deep regret. Regret that he had brought them here, that he had neglected to tell his parents the truth and such had caused the whole situation. But most of all he regretted that he had hurt T'Pol who undoubtedly had heard every word his mother had said today. She might not blame him, but she didn't have to. There was no way Trip could forgive himself for what had happened.
He never noticed when they passed his old elementary school next to the only hotel of the town, he just kept his eyes fixed on the road. They passed the last houses on the outskirts of town and he kept driving on. On both sides of the streets there were meadows, glinting in the light of the evening sun.
After a while T'Pol turned her head.
"Where are we going?" she asked quietly so as not to wake Sam.
"Nowhere," Trip said. "I don't know."
"Maybe we should look for a place where we can spend the night."
There was no accusation in her voice, but her statement made him feel even worse just the same. It was his fault they had nowhere to stay. Pulling up at the side of the road, he stopped the aircar. Letting his hands fall in his lap, he leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.
"Charles," T'Pol said after a few moments of silence. "I am sorry."
He opened his eyes and looked at her, astonished.
"What do you mean?" he asked. She raised her eyebrows.
"It is my fault that your mother will not allow you to come into her house again."
"Your fault?" He stared at her, then turned his eyes away. "Of course it's not your fault."
"But I am the cause of the... disagreement between you and your mother."
Trip shook his head.
"Nonsense. This whole situation was caused by my cowardice and her prejudices. Not by anything you've done."
"If I was human - "
Trip looked up sharply at that. "No. Don't even think that, T'Pol. Do you think I secretly wish you were? Do you think I want you to be any different than you are? I admit, I was afraid to tell them, but certainly not because I'm somehow ashamed of you. It's just that I'm such a damn - "
She put a hand on his arm.
"Charles. Do not blame yourself. It is a difficult situation. I do not know what I would have done in your place."
He looked at her and smiled sadly. Suddenly he felt the need to hold her close, to feel her right beside him. Wrapping his arms around her, he pressed his face into her hair. The familiar spicy scent was helping him calm down, making him feel better.
This very moment Sam woke up from his sleep. He stirred restlessly, opened his mouth and began to wail. Reluctantly Trip released T'Pol. Reaching in the back he groped around for the pacifier.
"He's awake," he announced unnecessarily.
"I noticed," she said. "He needs to be put to bed soon."
Trip nodded, turning back to the controls. "There's this little hotel in town. We can stay there for the night."
"That is acceptable." T'Pol leaned back in her seat and Trip started the aircar. As he drove back, he looked at the peaceful scenery around them and somehow he felt relieved. No matter what had happened today, at least it was over now, and there was no need to keep any secrets anymore.
-###-
"One room, please. If it's possible with a couch or something, where we can make a bed for the baby."
The clerk at the reception counter, an elderly man with greying hair and pale eyes, looked him up and down, then nodded.
"As you wish, sir."
He put two key cards down on the counter and smiled thinly at Trip.
"Number 106 for the gentleman and number 108 for the lady." He glanced at T'Pol out of the corner of his eyes.
A sudden anger welled up in Trip.
"I said *one* room."
The clerk gave him a long look, reached under the counter and produced another card.
"Thank you very much," Trip said icily. Without another look at the man's derisive smile he grabbed the card and picked up Sam's carrycot.
When they entered their room Sam began to cry anew. T'Pol rummaged through her bag and pulled out a diaper.
"I can do that," Trip said, taking it from her. She raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. He smiled a little at her doubtful expression.
"I'll manage. I'm Chief Engineer, remember?"
"Very well." She disappeared into the bathroom.
She must be really tired, she never let me do this before, he thought, spreading a blanket on the bed. He took Sam out of his cot and carefully laid him down on the blanket. While peeling off the third pair of socks he smiled slightly, remembering the discussion he'd had with T'Pol shortly before they had boarded the shuttle. Despite his assurances that in Florida the weather was indeed quite warm in May T'Pol had insisted on wrapping Sam up in all these layers of clothing ("It is cold on Earth and he has Vulcan body temperature," she'd said and there had been no use arguing).
"It's nice being able to move again, isn't it," he said to his son, taking off the dirty diaper, rolling it up and putting it aside.
After he had cleaned Sam up he picked up the fresh diaper and paused. He examined it, turned it over and frowned.
Now which part goes in the front, he thought, unfolding it.
"You have to seal the diaper in the front," T'Pol called from the bathroom.
Trip raised his eyebrows and looked at his son. "I hope someday you'll be as smart as your mother," he said.
When Sam was changed properly, Trip threw the old diaper into the waste basket and sat on the bed beside his son.
"Hey, little man," he said, watching as the baby happily kicked the air with his little feet, obviously enjoying his freedom. Sam's arms and legs had grown rounder in the last few weeks, and his face, far from being green and wrinkled as it had been on the day of his birth, reminded Trip of T'Pol's face more than ever, except for the bright blue eyes. If it hadn't been for the delicately pointed ears he would have looked almost like a human baby.
Trip looked up as T'Pol came out of the bathroom. She had already put on her nightrobe and the yellow light of the ceiling lamp softened her features. He watched her as she gathered two blankets and a pillow and made a bed for Sam on the couch. Then she came over and sat next to him on the bed.
"You alright?" Trip asked, putting his hand over hers. She nodded and silently they watched Sam who seemed to be getting tired. He had stopped kicking his feet and was now just blinking at them sleepily. Trip held out one finger and the baby's hand closed around it in a surprisingly firm grasp.
No, Trip thought. They can't take that away from me.
-###-
Susan Tucker sat at the bedroom window, staring out at the setting sun. It was now three hours ago that Charles had left, and she still couldn't think clearly. When he had been gone, her husband had come into the kitchen and had tried to find out what exactly had happened, but she hadn't been able to talk to him. There was no way she could have repeated the things that had been said. She couldn't believe that it had come to that, that she had told her son never to come back again. But still the shock of seeing Charles with that woman hadn't worn off. She was devastated when she thought of how her son was ruining his life and she couldn't do anything about it.
She turned her head when the door opened. Her husband came in.
"Are you feeling better?" he asked and sat down on the bed next to her. She looked away, wishing he would just leave, but of course he wouldn't. She swallowed, trying to hold back those damn tears.
"This whole thing... it's so bizarre!" she said and was surprised at how steady her voice sounded. "Tell me why he did that, Charles, because I don't understand. I really don't."
He didn't answer immediately. After a while he sighed.
"I can't tell you that, Susan." He paused. "You know, I talked to her while you and Charles were in the house. She seemed to be quite... nice."
"Nice?" She couldn't believe she had heard him right. "Nice? For God's sake, Charles, she's - "
"She's Trip's wife, Susan. Since over a year."
Susan shook her head, unwilling to think about that.
"What were you talking about, anyway?"
"I asked her if she'd been to Earth before and she told me she had lived in San Francisco for a while. She's working as Science Officer on Enterprise now."
Susan looked down.
"And did she... did you see the baby?" She hadn't really wanted to ask. The question had just come out somehow. He nodded.
"Yes, I did. I asked her to show me."
Susan swallowed.
"And?"
"I only looked through the car window, so I didn't see much of him. He was all wrapped up."
Susan forgot that she wanted to sound disinterested.
"He was wrapped up?" she exclaimed. "At this time of the year? He could get too hot, it's dangerous to - "
She noticed Charles' smile and broke off. "What's so funny?" she asked, not half as indignantly as she had intended to.
"Nothing," he said. "I was just thinking how strange this is - Trip, a father!"
Susan flinched. She remembered what she had said to her son, only a few hours ago, and suddenly she felt ashamed. It must have hurt him bad to hear her say these things. She remembered the stricken look on his face before he had turned his back on her and left. Wrapping her arms around herself as if to protect herself from the memory she looked out of the window again. It was nearly dark outside now.
"Do you think they're back on their ship already?" she asked and the thought filled her with despair. If they were, then she probably wouldn't see her son ever again.
Charles shook his head.
"I don't think so. It was too late to drive back to Miami today. I think they'll spend the night somewhere in a hotel, then drive back tomorrow. After all, the baby has to be put to bed."
Then maybe it's not to late. The thought had suddenly been in her head, and although she tried to dismiss it, it lingered in the back of her mind until she had fallen asleep that night.
-###-
Susan woke up early the next morning and didn't seem able to go back to sleep. She dressed quietly, so as not to wake Charles, and went downstairs. She ate some breakfast and decided to go outside to do some gardening. Her roses needed a trim pretty badly, so she got out her shear and set herself to work.
Only a few minutes later she heard footsteps on the garden path. Resignedly she looked up.
"Good Morning, Susan!" Nancy waved cheerfully, coming nearer.
"Morning, Nancy." You're the last person I wanted to see now, Susan added in thought. She rose as Nancy came to stand beside her.
"What a gorgeous day, isn't it! I see you've finally found the time to take care of these roses! Alice asked me to come over yesterday, so I never saw your son coming. Didn't he stay overnight? I don't see his aircar anywhere."
Susan sighed inwardly.
"He didn't come," she said.
"He didn't come? How's that?" Nancy leered at her expectantly.
"Some problems at work."
Nancy's face fell. Hastily she covered it up with a sympathetic smile.
"Oh, that's too bad! Maybe he'll come next week?"
"Don't think so."
Nancy finally noticed that Susan was being deliberately curt with her. An indignant frown crossed her face.
"Well, then," she said, turning to leave. Susan was already getting her hopes up, but then Nancy stopped in her tracks. She turned back to Susan, excitement lighting up her features.
"Oh, I nearly forgot to tell you! Do you know what I heard just this morning from Lucy? Lucy Miller, whose cousin works in the hotel. She told me that yesterday night this guy checked in at the hotel and you won't believe who he had with him!"
Susan froze. She felt the blood drain from her face, but Nancy continued without noticing her shocked expression.
"It was a Vulcan woman! And do you know what? They had their baby with them! Can you believe that?"
Nancy seemed to expect some kind of reaction from her.
"Oh, really," Susan managed.
"Yes! Terrible, isn't it? It's a shame, really, that such people should even be allowed into a decent hotel! And a baby! Isn't that the most disgusting thing you've ever heard?"
Susan had heard enough. Suddenly she was very calm, the shock she had felt was gone. She pulled off her gardening gloves and picked up the shear.
"Excuse me, Nancy. I don't have any more time now."
Nancy gave her an astonished look. "Why? Where are you going?"
"I'm going to visit my son," Susan said. Nancy raised her eyebrows.
"I thought he couldn't come?"
"Actually, he's staying at the hotel. With his wife. And my little grandson. See you later, Nancy!"
She turned to go back to the house, not looking back at Nancy, who stood between the rosebushes, frozen with shock.
-###-
T'Pol was sitting on the couch feeding Sam. Half an hour ago Charles had said he wanted to go for a short walk before they would have to leave for Miami. She had declined when he had asked her to come with him, thinking it might be good for him to have some time for himself. Just when she had been done putting the few things they had needed back into their bags, Sam had woken up, demanding to get his breakfast.
When he had had enough, T'Pol got up and, walking around the room she patted Sam lightly on the back until he gave a small burp. Just as she had laid him back down on the couch, someone knocked and she went to open the door. When she saw who was standing in the hallway, she couldn't keep the astonishment from showing on her face.
"Mrs. Tucker." Just in time she managed to control her surprise and took a step backwards. "Please come in."
Reluctantly the other woman entered the room and T'Pol closed the door behind her.
"Is Charles here?" Susan Tucker asked, obviously feeling very uncomfortable.
"No, he went for a walk approximately 32 minutes ago."
An awkward silence followed. As T'Pol watched Mrs. Tucker who was nervously shifting her feet, she remembered what Charles would have wanted her to do now.
"Do you want to sit down?" she asked, motioning towards the only chair in the room. Susan didn't answer. Her eyes had fallen on the couch where Sam was sleeping.
"Is that..." She blushed, although T'Pol could not see why. "I don't know his name."
"His name is Sam Jonathan."
Susan went over to the couch. For a long time she just stood there, looking down at the tiny face between the blankets. Then she turned to T'Pol.
"So you named him after Jonathan Archer?" she asked.
"Yes," T'Pol said. "Captain Archer is his godfather."
For the first time since she had entered the room Susan Tucker smiled.
"He is? That's wonderful. You couldn't find anyone who would make a better godfather than Jonathan Archer."
T'Pol raised an eyebrow at the sudden warmth in the other woman's voice.
"We are honored that Captain Archer was willing to accept this responsibility."
Susan nodded, looking back down at the baby. When she spoke up after a while, she blushed again.
"Can I... can I hold him?"
T'Pol hesitated. Only yesterday this woman had refused even to look at Sam. T'Pol didn't really know what to make of her sudden change of mind. But there was something in her voice which gave T'Pol the illogical feeling that she could trust her after all. She walked over to the couch, picked up the sleeping baby and carefully placed him in Susan Tucker's arms.
-###-
For about half an hour Trip had been wandering through the streets rather aimlessly, passing all the familiar places he remembered so very well from his childhood. He didn't really look at them though, his attention focused on his feelings of loss and guilt. This morning the full meaning of what had happened had come to him and he had realized that this visit had probably been the worst mistake he'd ever made, destroying the relationship between him and his mother completely. He doubted that she would ever speak to him again, and he didn't think he could understand or forgive the things she'd said yesterday.
Trip realized that brooding was only making it worse. He made his way back to the hotel. When he crossed the entrance hall he deliberately ignored the desk clerk and his collegue who had abruptly stopped talking when Trip entered, and headed for the stairs. He walked down the hallway feeling relieved that they would be leaving soon.
He opened the door to their room and stopped dead in his tracks. On the couch sat T'Pol, and beside her there was his mother, holding Sam in her arms. They both looked up at him, and Susan's eyes widened.
"Mom." Trip closed the door behind him. "What..." He trailed off, glancing at T'Pol who raised her eyebrows.
"Charles," his mother said, her voice sounding hoarse. He looked back at her and was surprised to see a tentative smile on her face. He walked over to the couch and hesitatingly he took place beside her. They both looked down at the sleeping baby.
"He doesn't look like you at all," Susan whispered after a while. Carefully she touched Sam's cheek and looked up at Trip.
"He's hot! Is he running a fever?"
Trip shook his head. "No, that's normal for him."
At that moment Sam opened his eyes and looked at her. She startled.
"His eyes... "
Trip smiled slightly. "Yes, that surprised me too. Thank God he's got his mother's nose, though."
Susan answered his smile, then carefully looked at T'Pol who met her eyes evenly.
"I think he looks a lot like you. You must be very proud of him."
A short silence followed.
"Yes, I am," T'Pol said quietly. Susan held her gaze for a long moment, then she nodded slowly. Looking back at Trip she said: "I know you have to leave today, but maybe you both would like to... come over later. Your father would be happy, I think." She paused. "And me, too."
Before Trip could react, she handed the baby back to T'Pol, got up from the couch and went to the door. Turning back she looked at them one more time, then she was gone.
Trip stared at the closed door for a moment, then looked at Sam in T'Pol's arms.
"Well, son," he said. "Looks like we're going to give it a second try."
