January 23, 2014
I Just Really Miss You—Miranda Lambert (5:20)
Firefly
Zoe
"She's getting much better at landing, baby," she told the motionless dinosaurs littering the console. "And I hate to say it but her navigation skills leave you in the dust. She doesn't have your flare though."
Zoe sighed and eased herself into the pilot's chair. She didn't expect the dinosaurs to answer her. She didn't expect Wash to answer her anymore either. She still liked talking to him though.
She felt his presence here even more keenly than she did in their bunk. This was his space. Even with River now driving the boat it was still Wash's chair and Wash's space. Even River said so. Of course she said that Book haunted the kitchen so…
Zoe shook off the thoughts. The others were all in town leaving her alone on the boat for the night. She didn't mind. She hated leaving the boat anymore. And she had things to tell her husband.
"River and Jayne are getting' married. Soon as we reach Kerry. Cap and Simon were all crazy about it at first but we saw it comin' didn't we? Them two are peas in a pod. And what red blooded male wouldn't find River attractive? Course Jayne likes that she can kick his ass without breaking a sweat. And Riv likes that he isn't afraid of her." She sighed and sat back in the chair with one hand over her stomach. "One more week, baby. One more week and then we…I get to meet your son. Simon says there's no way to tell that it's a boy without tests but Riv says it's a boy. Me? I'm smart enough to trust the reader. Cap's been goin' nuts over names."
Zoe stopped and tilted her head to the side. If she held her breath she could almost hear Wash's indignation over Mal picking the baby's name. She let out a chuckle. "I'm not about to let Mal name him, baby. Don't worry." She paused. "I know you hated Hoban. Cain't say as I blame you, but I'm not namin' him Wash. River says he's not a Hoban anyway or a Junior." She drew in a deep breath and stared hard at the T-Rex. "River did give me one idea. Thought I'd run it by you: Remeny. It means hope in some Earth-That-Was language that only River knows. What do you think of it?"
Zoe fell silent again. A smile crossed her lips and she leaned her head back and closed her eyes. "Yeah, I thought so too. Remeny it is. Thanks for the talk, baby. I'll hang out up here with you till the others get back. I've missed you so much."
Zoe kept her eyes closed and as she was drifting off she thought she caught the scent of oak trees and summer and laughter. She didn't see the outline of the blond man beside her. He was grinning happily and talking to the dinosaurs and her stomach avidly.