Unfinished Business
Chapter 56 : Did You Have to Remind Me?
May 2279
There were two ways he could go. He could completely ignore the event that was soon to occur, or he could anticipate it, and celebrate it. It was a quandary. He did not know with any certainty which she wanted to do. She was entirely silent on the subject. And if he did not wrong thing, she would be extremely unhappy. He sighed. This was not easy, not at all.
He went and found McCoy, and sat in his office, sipping the strong brown liquor that the doctor preferred. It took him twenty-four point three minutes to get around to the subject at hand.
"That's a tough one, Spock. Whatever you do is likely to be wrong. Some women just don't want to be reminded at all, and others don't seem to care." He took another sip of his drink, and sat there quietly, thinking. "Don't say as I ever remember her speaking of this particular topic. Or the subject in general, much, either. Can't remember that she ever had a party to celebrate. I would say not to go public with it. Something private would be better."
Spock nodded gravely. The doctor was supporting what he had thought himself.
The next day, however, he approached Jim, and got an entirely different response. "Oh, man, you have to really knock yourself out. I mean, this is a real milestone. You need to throw her a surprise party, and do it up right."
He supposed there might be some truth in that, but it just did not seem to feel right. He didn't think she would like to have this particular event celebrated all over the ship. And so, eventually, he went with the advice from Bones, and planned a private celebration. There were flowers, and chocolate, and candles burning, and soft music. He brought her to his quarters, and she stood and sighed, looking at what he had done. "Ah, Spock, you remembered."
"I cannot forget. I am Vulcan."
She smiled at him. "Yes, I know, and your memory is ever so much better than mine. But you didn't just ignore it as illogical."
"Celebrating the date of your birth is not illogical. If you had not been born, I would be alone. Your birth is an event of great importance to me."
"That is about the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me." She stretched up and kissed him, and then turned to investigate the flowers and the chocolate. And discovered the small cake, centered among the candles, the top covered in tiny spirals of scented wax. She exclaimed and began to count.
"There are exactly 40 candles there, Nyota. That is the correct number."
"Yes, yes it is." She smiled and sighed and leaned against him, all soft and happy.
"And now I shall bestow the remainder of my wishes." He bent his neck and began to kiss her softly, counting each one aloud, until he had given her the entire forty, and she was radiating joy over the link. "Happy birthday, k'diwa. And I hope there are very many more."