Mrs. Uhura
"Hey girl, let me see it!" Charlene said when she came to visit Uhura the next day.
"See what?" Uhura asked as she raked her fingers through her hair with her left hand, which showed off her ring to perfection.
Charlene snatched Uhura's hand from her head and ogled the ring.
"Oh My God! Girl, it's beautiful," they both started giggling and squealing over the ring together.
"I know right," Uhura twisted her hand this way and that way so that the jewels caught the light.
"He didn't take my advice though," Charlene thought out loud.
"What do you mean?"
"Spock came to me some weeks ago asking how he could make you happy after your impromptu bonding and I suggested he put a ring on it," Charlene said.
"Oh, so that's where he got that expression? I should have known." Uhura shook her head. "But what advice didn't he take?"
"I told him to get you the biggest ring he could afford," Charlene answered and then asked with a gentle voice, "unless this was the best he could do?" She looked up into Uhura's eyes.
"Charlene, this ring is perfect. See these little aqua-colored stones? They are called Vokaya and they're very rare and valuable minerals found on Vulcan. And then the diamond represents Earth. This ring is our two worlds together on one infinite circle representing the universe."
"Oh, I see," Charlene nodded. What she really saw was the sappy look on her friend's face as she gazed lovingly at her ring. "It is perfect. It suits you and really says something about you and Spock."
"What does it say?" Uhura asked.
"I don't know, you have a rare, sparkly, indestructible kind of love I guess."
"Love?"
Charlene prepared for battle. "Girl, are you still pretending you and Spock are not in love with each other?"
Nyota shook her head. "No. I know I falling in love with Spock but..."
"Girl, but what?" Charlene asked.
"But does he love me?" Uhura wondered.
"Does it even matter? You're wearing his ring."
"It matters to me. I don't want to be in love by myself."
"Why? If you love him, maybe that's enough. Are you happy?"
"Yes. But..."
"Ny, don't overthink it. You met a good man, fell in love, got married, now you're about to..." Charlene caught herself, "to spend your lives together. That's more than some of us will ever have. Just enjoy it. Don't miss right now in pursuit of what you think you want tomorrow. Besides, if Mr. Spock ever mistreats you, there is a ship full of people who will kick his ass."
"Spock would never mistreat me. He cares for me, in his own way. I can feel it."
"Well, there you go. And look at all the trouble he's been through to be with you. He's stuck by you through all your tantrums, he even let me grill him when he asked me for help. If that's not love then I don't know what is. Just savor this moment. And how romantic was it for Spock to give you a ring in front of the entire crew?"
Uhura twirled around, doing a happy dance and grinning like a loon. "It was pretty romantic. I didn't think he had it in him."
"Well, he did. He planned the whole thing himself. He invited all your friends to the rec room and asked us to wait for you to arrive like a surprise party. I think he wanted our blessings. And while he was proposing to you, he arranged for some crewmen to move his personal stuff over here. He's so good to you." Charlene said with a dreamy voice.
Uhura saw the look on her friend's face and said, "You know I'm still working on a cousin for you?"
"Spare me your matchmaking Ny. Spock's good for you. Not all of us could handle a Vulcan."
"Charlene, you just told me you handled Spock fine. You just have to be yourself with him."
"Him who?" Charlene asked with suspicion.
"I don't know yet. They pair most Vulcans off as children, but more and more families are breaking that tradition. Younger generations flat out reject it. How do you feel about a younger man?"
"I don't believe in robbing the cradle."
"Well then, what about much older men? I bet there are some widows we could introduce you to. Vulcans live hundreds of years, so they'll be the ones robbing the cradle. I think Spock's father is like a hundred or something but his mom is middle-aged."
"Ny, thanks, but no thanks. Why is it that as soon as a woman becomes a matron, she decides all her friends need to be married too? I'm trying to focus on my career right now. I had to put my career on the back burner for a long time. I'm just trying to catch up to my peers."
"I'm sorry Char. I just want you to be happy. If you don't mind my asking, why did you have to put off your career?"
"Family stuff. It's a long story. I'll tell you about it someday."
Uhura sensed there was indeed an interesting story there, but she didn't press her friend for details. When Charlene was ready she would share. Until then, Uhura would be a good friend, just as Charlene had been to her.
"Okay then, what are your plans for MY wedding party?"
"It's a secret, but I assure you I talked Sulu out of the strippers."
"Thank goodness for that. But please make it something simple and understated. You know, maybe just our closest friends for a few drinks and some cake."
"Don't worry your pretty head about the party. Just get ready for the gifts."
"What gifts? I've already got everything I need." She looked at her ring again. "Tell people to keep their credits."
"Will you stop trying to sidestep all our traditions? There will be a party and there will be gifts. And you better be glad there will be no strippers from Argelius or Wrigley."
"Okay, I guess I have no choice but to leave things in your capable hands."
"Exactly. Now how have you been feeling lately?" Charlene changed the subject to something more interesting.
"I feel fine." Uhura dismissed the question.
"No more weird symptoms?" Charlene asked while watching her friend's face closely.
"Nope. Just a little tired. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, though." She smiled like a Cheshire cat.
"Mmm-hmm. I bet you didn't. You should tell me everything that happened." Charlene smiled.
"I don't normally kiss and tell, but if I did, I would tell you... none of your business."
Charlene swatted at her. "You're no fun anymore."
Uhura bowed her head like a Vulcan and said, "I am honored."
"Ny, please don't go changing to try and please Spock. You're perfect just the way you are."
"Thanks, Char, but.."
"But nothing. You're Mrs. Nyota Uhura, not Mrs. Spock. Don't try to be him. I'm sure he didn't intend to marry himself. He married you, flaws and all."
"What flaws?" Uhura spun around, looking at herself dramatically.
"C'mon Ny. Don't be silly. You know you're all that." Charlene pulled her down in the seat next to her.
"I feel all that and then some," Uhura patted her hips.
"What did McCoy say?" Charlene asked, leaning in for the answer.
Uhura rolled her eyes. "Char, I haven't gone yet. I just got married."
"You've been married for months."
"Well, we just had our honeymoon."
"You've been living together for months too."
"Well, I haven't had time. Spock just got home!"
Charlene could see her friend would try any excuse. "Okay, okay. Just go soon. You're on leave and Christine is off duty so there is no excuse not to visit sickbay soon."
"Okay MOM," Uhura said as a joke but Charlene didn't smile.
"You know I'm not nagging you for my own health or to be bossy? I love you. And speaking of moms-"
Uhura shook her head vehemently, "Uh-uh, Let's not talk about moms today."
"Why?" Charlene had not seen Uhura get so upset so fast before. She looked utterly terrified. "What's wrong?"
"Charlene, what am I going to tell my family?"
Charlene frowned. "What do you mean?"
"This trial of the century stuff? What do I tell them? Sooner or later they are gonna call seeking answers."
"So tell them the truth. Spock was exonerated. I'm sure they'll be happy for him."
"I'm sure they won't." She covered her face with her hands.
"Girl why not? Don't they like Spock?"
Uhura didn't say anything.
"Ny, do your parents not like Spock?" Charlene asked again gently. That would be a whole other drama her friend did not need at this time.
Uhura looked up. "Well... they haven't met him yet."
"Yeah, but what do they think about him so far?" Charlene had a bad feeling about this. Were they xenophobic or something?
Uhura looked guilty as hell when she said, "They don't know about him. At all."
"Girl, why!?" Charlene couldn't believe it.
"Charlene, don't start, please? I'm happy today, don't be a buzzkill."
"Buzzkill? Guurlll, you gonna be in trouubllle..." Charlene sang the words like they used to do when she was a kid in the playground.
"What trouble? I'm a grown woman and I can do what I want." Uhura folded her arms stubbornly.
"Okay then, get on the viewer and call your folks. Just let them know you're married. I'll wait." Charlene challenged her.
"If you're going to be a buzzkill you can get out. I'll tell them when I'm good and ready."
"And when will that be, at the christening of your firstborn child?" Charlene asked. It wasn't that far-fetched considering what she suspected.
"I'm going to tell them. Just not today."
"Then when? As you say, news travels fast. Even light-years away they're going to find out. Better they hear it from you than from the gossip rags. The longer you wait, the harder it will be."
"It's already too hard," Uhura whined. "Maybe you're right. I'll just call, say 'hey y'all i's married now' and cut the transmission." Uhura snapped her fingers. "My Bibi knows. I'll ask her to tell them."
"You will not. Bibi didn't marry Spock, you did. Since "you're a grown woman" you can tell your parents all about your new husband. And please record that conversation so I can see the looks on their faces."
The look Uhura gave Charlene caused her to cackle. "Girl you cause more unnecessary drama."
"If you're not going to be of use, then get the hell out," Uhura said.
"Oh, I'm going. I've got to plan this wedding reception. Should I invite your folks?" She burst into a new bout of laughter. "Oh my god girl, you're too much!" Charlene's stomach hurt from the belly laughs.
"It's not funny!" Uhura yelled.
"Oh, yes it is. You did this to yourself." Charlene said and then she tried to sober up. "But for real, you're not the first person to elope. Just tell them. Whatever you are imagining, it won't be that bad." She wiped away her tears of laughter.
"You don't know the Uhura's."
"Girl, if they are anything like you, I cannot wait to meet them."
"Oh?" Uhura smiled. "Well, in that case, I've got two older brothers, both single."
"Oh, no!" Charlene backed away.
"Oh Yes! Omari and Jabari. Twins." Uhura rubbed her hands together wickedly.
Charlene ran for the door. "Goodbye Ny!"
When Charlene was gone, Uhura sat back in her seat and sighed. She didn't know what was worse, going back to the sickbay for more pokes and prods or telling her family she had been married for months to a Vulcan that they never met. And she was having such a good day today.
"Buzzkill!" she yelled at the door, and she would swear she heard Charlene cackling down the hall.