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4. Midwife for the Soul

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In his dreams, he saw the accretion disk of a proto-star greedily pulling gas into its core. He floated above the chaos, watching it spin. Then the pain started, and his body wrenched him back into reality.

Mora woke up feeling like he collided with a starship. A squirt of metorapan and a touch of dexalin steeled his resolve. He managed, after some struggle, to get into his bathroom and grab his straight razor. A hot towel, followed by warm shaving gel, briefly helped him forget his discomfort. Scraping the stubble off his chin made his body ache. He could barely remain standing when he relieved himself, and he frowned at the red in the toilet basin. Putting his rumpled hair in order was a simple matter- he washed his hands and wiped it back with his wet palms.

There is no way I'm going anywhere today, Mora groaned to himself. He knew these days were coming, but his physical inability to do what he used to still got on his nerves. He climbed back into bed with a sigh.

Then his nose decided to bleed. It dripped onto his black nightshirt.

Cursing under his breath, he replicated a handkerchief and pressed it to his nostrils. Blood in my urine, and now a bloody nose. My morning is off to a fantastic start!

The nosebleed didn't last long. Mora blew his nose to clear it and tossed the stained handkerchief into the replicator. He looked longingly at the thick gold and red quilt serving as the comforter on his bed. Leruu made it by hand. It was her gift to him on their first wedding anniversary.

"No more cold nights, my love."

"Oh, Leruu, it's beautiful!"

"Happy anniversary, Pol."

"Happy anniversary, my darling."

He smiled, running his hand over the silky material. Leruu always had an eye for color and decoration. The quilt matched both the red drapes on the window and the gold prayer mandala sitting just beneath it.

Mora lit the candles in front of the mandala. He prayed the same prayer he said every day since his diagnosis: Prophets, please just get me through today.

Finally, he eased himself back onto the bed and pulled the covers up to his chest, his face contorting at the constant tension in his lower back. Metorapan barely controlled his pain on days like this.

Oof, I definitely overdid it yesterday.

"Father? Are you all right? May I come in?"

Mora glanced towards the closed door at the foot of his bed. "Of course, Kejal."

The door opened. Sunlight flooded into the dim bedroom. Kejal carried a breakfast tray containing deka tea and a plate of groatcake dripping with syrup.

"Oh, how thoughtful. Let me just sit- " Mora's back twisted itself into knots. He collapsed backwards before he sat halfway up. "-urgh!"

Kejal set down the tray and hurried to Mora's bedside. His eyes were wide open, bordering on panic. "Father? What is it?"

"It's just my back," Mora grunted. "I'm fine. Honestly, son...this isn't the end. Shhh." He squeezed Kejal's shoulder. "Pain is part of this, Kejal. It's my own fault for exerting myself too much over the past three days. Now, bring me that tray. It looks good."

While Kejal's back was turned, Mora forced himself to sit up against the headboard of his bed. The pain left his expression in time for Kejal to turn around and set the tray on his lap.

"Thank you," said Mora. He used his first sip of tea to wash down an antacid capsule, but something seemed off.

Mora lowered the mug and peered inside. He found a deka seed pod floating in his tea.

"Oh." Kejal stared. "How did that get there?"

"You little sneak!" Mora chortled, fishing the seed pod out. "Get out of here and take your seed pod with you. Go bother your mother! Out with you! Out!"

"I'm going, I'm going!" Kejal echoed Mora's laughter.

From further away, Odo grumbled, "What are you two doing?"

"Bothering you."

"Hmph! How about helping me clean up this countertop instead? It's in complete disarray."

"Sure." A pause. "Mother...he isn't feeling well today."

"It's to be expected."

Mora ate his breakfast in silence. Kejal left the bedroom door open. From his bed, Mora could see the oval window. Beyond it, the deka tree's glistening branches rippled in the sunlight. Mornings after a storm were Mora's favorites- rain made everything new.

"I'd like to visit the market today. It's the right time of year to plant a new garden." Kejal rattled something when he set it down. "Father likes spiny basil plants, and crystilia grows really well right next to the house. Oh, and I know just where to put the Vulcan orchids, too. And, ah, I think I some pansies will look good in the pot by the door."

Odo grunted. "If you say so. Now, can we get back to organizing?"

There was a pause before Kejal said something too quiet to hear clearly.

Mora pushed the tray away once he finished his meal. He reached for the napkin Chalan gave him. Beside the name, she'd written a communications frequency and the name of an organization. Mora spoke the numbers to his console and commanded it to make contact.

The face of a graying Bajoran woman appeared. "This is Jann Rana of the Bajor Palliative Care unit. How can I help you?"

"Good morning. My name is Mora Pol. I was recommended someone who works from your location. Someone named Aleexa. Is it correct that she does home care?"

Her expression lightened. "Ah! Yes. Are you calling for yourself or someone else?"

"Myself," Mora replied. "I've been fighting Delfeya syndrome for the last ten years, and it's catching up to me. I have my medical record on-hand if you require it."

"Thank you." Jann rattled off a series of numbers. "Please transmit them through this secure frequency."

Mora did that.

"Got it. I'll pass this on to Aleexa. If she is available, she will visit you later today to assess your condition."

"That quick?"

Jann nodded once, her smile gentle. "Thank you for selecting our services. Feel free to contact me again if you have any questions."

"Oh, many thanks." Mora was relieved at not needing a long-winded conversation to get this started. "I hope you have a wonderful day."

"I offer you the same. Good day."

The communication screen went dark. Mora laid back with a heavy sigh. Now that he had that taken care of, he picked up the PADD holding all the new data about the Founders.

Changelings are biologically immortal. Mora remembered leaving off there. They all come from the same genetic progenitor, yet their DNA patterns have endless variations. How strange!

Odo appeared in the doorway. "Doctor Mora? Are you all right?"

Mora lowered the PADD. He smiled up at Odo. "Yes."

"Is there anything you would like me to do?"

"Oh, thank you. The breakfast tray can go."

Odo leaned over and lifted the tray without effort. "Kejal wants to take me to the market." Finally, he offered a small smile of his own. "You know how persuasive he can be."

"Mmhmm, all he has to do is open his eyes wide and plead, and you're through."

Chuckling, Odo shook his head. "I love to make him happy...it doesn't matter what it is. Who knows? I might learn something new."

"Learning...yes." Mora squinted at the PADD. He laid it in his lap and focused on Odo again. "There is always time to learn."

"I think a lack of it is what led the Founders to fear all solids, but we would be here all day trying to discuss that." Odo straightened, balancing the tray on his forearm. "Kejal and I will be gone for a few hours." He twitched his shoulder and a Bajoran combadge appeared on his vest. "Don't hesitate to contact me if you need anything."

"Thank you, Odo." Mora dipped his head in gratitude. "I'll be all right. Go on...Kejal truly comes to life when he has his pick of gardening materials."

"I look forward to it."

With that, Odo was gone. Mora heard Kejal loudly announce their departure. Odo's and Kejal's quiet voices passed the bedroom window and faded around the corner.

Mora dozed for an hour before his back complained about lying in bed. So much for resting. He forced himself onto his feet. Getting dressed was out of the question, so he put on his lightweight house robe because, as his father used to say, 'who wants to stare at an old man's leg veins?'

It was a nice day out. Mora hobbled into the living room and opened the front door to inhale the fresh morning air.

A Talaxian woman nearly jumped out of her skin. "Oh!"

Mora gasped. "Oh! Oh my! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

The woman laughed, and it sounded pleasant like a fast-moving brook. "No, no, it keeps me on my toes!" Her voice was quiet and low. "Hello, I'm Aleexa. And I already know you're Doctor Mora Pol."

"I see my reputation precedes me." Mora said. He smiled and beckoned for her to enter.

Aleexa politely wiped her feet before stepping over the threshold. She was a head shorter than Mora, her body plump and her smile jolly. Her large honey brown eyes twinkled kindly. Like all Talaxians she had brown and yellow spots all over her pale skin, and a small transparent barrette kept the plume of sandy-colored hair atop her head from falling in her round face. She dressed smartly in a dark brown Bajoran nursing uniform, and over it she wore a purple ankle-length travel jacket. A knitted white knapsack hung off her shoulder.

"I know about your work as a scientist, so when I got your records, I jumped on the chance." Aleexa extended her hand, "I'm honored to meet you, Doctor Mora."

"You may call me Pol if you like, since you might be taking care of me pretty soon." Mora accepted her offered hand. Warm, soft and strong in its gentleness- a good sign. "Please, let's go sit down. I'm afraid I overexerted myself yesterday, and I'm paying for it today."

Aleexa nodded. "Of course."

Mora showed her the way and slowly situated himself in the large chair by the oval window. Aleexa sat on the footrest right in front of him.

"I like to get right down to business when I assess a patient. I usually start with a baseline exam," she said. "I noticed you're having a little trouble walking."

"I have arthritis in my knee." Mora rubbed the offending joint. "It's not related to the Delfeya syndrome. Also, uh, I'm not at my best today. I'm not this limited all the time."

"That's fine. I prefer seeing people 'in the middle of the pond' like this. I get a better idea of what good days and bad days are like that way." Aleexa noted the arthritis down on the PADD she took out of her knapsack. "I'm going to need you to stand up while I run a scan. I can help if you need it."

"Thank you, I've got it. Give me one moment." Mora frowned and struggled onto his feet. The crushing pain in his back almost wrenched his breath away, but it dissipated once he achieved a vertical base.

Aleexa held her medical tricorder near his feet and scanned upward. She passed it right over his head and retraced her path down his back.

"Your tricorder is so quiet," said Mora.

"It's less bothersome that way, especially near the end. I can verify that someone has died without disturbing the family." Her tone turned teasing, "But if you prefer a noisy tricorder, I can change it."

Aleexa's frankness was refreshing. Mora felt comfortable with her already. Everyone else danced around discussing death, and she mentioned it like an everyday subject.

"Actually, I like not being able to hear it. It feels less medical."

"There you go, that's the point. Oh, I see you have some gastric erosion, and your kidneys and posterior spleen are swollen. Is that new?"

"The stomach lining is from last night's hasperat. The posterior spleen and kidneys have been that way for months, and they're the cause of my back pain. Metorapan stops it on an average day, but today it's just keeping things bearable. Standing up is difficult...ooh- do you mind if I sit again?"

"Oh, go ahead! I'm finished scanning. Here, let me ease you down." Aleexa wrapped her hands around Mora's upper arms and gently assisted his descent onto the chair. To his surprise, the discomfort in his lower back hardly changed. "There, better?"

"Much...that was amazing." He smiled at her.

"Sometimes, touch just helps." Aleexa grinned back. "I'll see about getting some adaptive equipment for your house to help you get up and down, but I need to take a look around first."

"That's fine."

"Great!" She took an earpiece out of her knapsack and held up a small cup-shaped microphone. "I'd like to listen to your heart and lungs. Tricorders are great, but they don't tell me everything."

"All right." Mora admired her thoroughness. He sat up straighter, letting her place the microphone where she needed.

"Mm, your heart has a grade two murmur. It's been awhile since I had a growler."

"That's congenital...it never troubled me. It is interesting to note that most people with Delfeya syndrome have heart murmurs. Heh, heh...ironic. I went in for a checkup because I kept getting short of breath. I thought something was wrong with my heart, and after all the tests I learned the truth. My first instinct was to go back to work and pretend I wasn't sick. None of it felt real until I started the treatments."

"People usually react that way. It's not abnormal unless the denial interferes with the treatments or the end-of-life planning. I've seen that before...it isn't pretty." Aleexa moved the microphone lower.

Mora stayed quiet until he saw her write on her PADD.

"So how will this end?" He met her eyes. "What sort of death will I die?"

Aleexa didn't shy away from his gaze. "What happens to your body late in the disease depends on the organs most affected by the Delfeya syndrome. In your case, it will probably start with kidney failure, which will progress to multi-organ failure."

"Mm...what about pain? Will it get worse than this?"

"I won't lie. Yes, it will. There may be times where we have to play guessing games with herbs and medicine to get it under control, but it will be managed. I promise you that. I'll do everything I can to keep you comfortable."

"Can it be done without altering my consciousness?"

She nodded, her expression serious. "Yes, but towards the end your consciousness will likely be altered. During the last few weeks or days before death, as your brain receives less oxygen, you might hallucinate and you might get confused about time or place. Most people slip into a coma before they die. But..." She tilted her head to regard him again, "...with experience, I've learned that patients with unresolved issues suffer more than those who don't. Sometimes the pain of dying isn't always physical, although it manifests that way, and medicine can't control that. So if you have anything that needs resolving, you should do it sooner rather than later."

"I see..."

Aleexa stood and touched the microphone to his upper back. "It's all right. Breathe normally."

Mora did what she said while her words permeated his mind. Something inside him compacted into a tight ball. He thought of Odo and how they still had rifts despite the healing between them. He thought of Kejal, who seemed intent on pretending everything was fine.

"I have a lot of work to do." He squared his shoulders. "Thank you, Aleexa. Oh, I'm sorry, you're still trying to listen, aren't you?"

"It's fine! I'm glad I could help." She winked at him. "Deep breath, please."

Mora inhaled through his nose and exhaled from his mouth. She shifted the microphone lower and asked him to do it again, so he did.

"Lungs sound a little chunky."

"It may be the dexalin. I take it to help with the fatigue."

"Mmhmm, increased mucus in the lungs is normal. Do you ever cough it up?"

"Very rarely. Sometimes I find blood in it, but I'm not sure if it's from my lungs or residue in my throat from past nosebleeds. I never have trouble breathing."

"Then it's probably leftover blood. Nothing to worry about." Aleexa took the earpiece off and sat back. "All right, I think I can help you with the spleen and kidney swelling right now. Bajoran patients with this issue usually respond well to fruit smoothies with takeo herbs. Drinking one along with the metorapan might do you a lot of good. And, by the way," she playfully tossed her hair, "I make some of the best smoothies you'll ever taste. I'm a kitchen queen."

Mora folded his hands in his lap, smiling. "How about I test your skills and ask you to make me one right now?"

"Ever the scientist." She giggled. "Name any fruit you like."

Laughing, Mora said, "Alvas. I happen to have a bowl of them on the counter. The blender is in the corner."

"Ah, thank you." Aleexa glanced at the holograms near the window when she put her equipment away. "Oh, you had quite a long braid when you were younger."

"Mmhmm. I cut it off right after I was sent to work at the Science Institute. Leruu was so upset- she loved my hair long and braided it for me every morning- but she understood why I had to do it. She saved the braid. It's in the chest behind the holograms."

"Oh...how sweet. Where is she now?"

Mora licked his lips. "She died many years ago of a fever, and our unborn child went with her." His vision blurred. He remembered when he couldn't talk about her at all. Kejal coming into his life changed everything. He looked up, smiling faintly. "I look forward to seeing her again and meeting our baby."

"I'm sorry she's gone." Aleexa's warm hand settled on his shoulder. "It's good that you have hope, though. A lot of people are angry at this stage...you seem to be in a good place right now. But don't be afraid to talk to me if you need to." Then she moved away and rummaged in the kitchen. "Now, who are the other two people, and what is going on in that series under the window?"

"Thank you." Mora leaned back in the chair, chortling to himself. "Do you like long stories?"

"Oh!" Aleexa's whole face lit up. "Always!"

Of course. Mora almost forgot how Talaxians loved stories. He cleared his throat and watched Aleexa assemble the blender.

"Aha, I'm sure you'll enjoy this." He tapped on his cane and started to speak. "It happened less than a year after Leruu died. A Cardassian presented me with a beaker full of fluid. Nobody knew what it was, and they chose me to find out. Little did I know it would become..."

.o

Odo wondered, for the millionth time, where Kejal got his energy. He stood in the middle of the gardening section of the market, watching his offspring make his way from one end to the other. Kejal pushed a hover basket with his colorful selections arranged from largest to smallest.

"I thought you were coming for seeds," said Odo.

"No." Kejal paused, looking at a pack of Albanian rose seeds. "Plants grown from seeds can take up to two years to produce flowers. Some take even longer."

"Oh." Odo peered into the basket. "It looks like far more than we need."

"That's because it's close together. Wait until the garden is all set. Then you'll see." Kejal tapped the side of his head. "I already have it mapped in my mind. Now we- ooh! Alderbaran climbing vines!" He sprang towards a square pot with a small blue-green vine clinging to a metal rod in its center. "The trellis needs something. This is perfect! Fertilize it and it grows like crazy. These are bioluminescent at night and they don't need a lot of sunlight."

Odo smiled a little as he watched Kejal's eyes light up. "How long will it take you to plant everything?"

"Uninterrupted? About a day. I doubt I'll be doing it all at once. It's almost impossible to plant anything when it's raining. I'm hoping to get the spiny basil planted first. It likes wet soil and the rain made everything just right for it. I don't have to pre-water."

Odo's combadge beeped. He tapped it. "Yes, Doctor Mora?"

Doctor Mora's voice sounded amused. "Odo, are you and Kejal still in the market?"

"Yes, we are. You didn't tell me how picky he is about the plants he chooses."

Laughter on the comm line. "Isn't it refreshing? Anyhow, make sure he picks up a takeo plant, would you please?"

"All right. Anything else?"

"No, that's all. Thank you, Odo."

"You're welcome. Odo out."

"Takeo plants? I hadn't thought of those. Come on, they're in the herbal section. Ah, this place makes me wish I had a sense of smell."

Odo followed Kejal past a Bajoran peddling fruit. They stopped near a shelf of tall, potted shrubs, each one labeled in several languages. Takeo plants had four stems popping up off a thorny central stalk. Clusters of fat, juicy purple leaves grew along the length of the stems.

"Will this do?" Odo picked up a random plant.

"Let's check. They're not healthy unless you can rub the leaves without them oozing on you. Here's how you test it." Kejal gingerly took a takeo leaf between thumb and forefinger and massaged it. Viscous clear fluid welled up where the leaf joined the stem. "See? This one's no good. Its cell walls are too weak to sustain its needs. It'll never grow its leaves back after they get picked off. Takeo plants are herbs and you need them to keep producing leaves."

Odo tried a different plant. "I see...this one isn't leaking. Fascinating." He chuckled to himself. "You seem to know plants the way I know criminal investigations."

Kejal set the faulty shrub aside and put the one Odo just checked in the basket. "It takes practice. Gardening is so rewarding...seeing something you're taking care of grow into the world you brought it to- sometimes I think flowers are how plants thank us for giving them a chance."

Then Kejal went off ahead to pay the gardening merchant. Odo stood back, watching. He flashed back to the days when Kejal was just a rippling sensation in his chest. It amazed him how something so small could become the person he saw laughing and talking animatedly about mulch. Kejal often expressed his joy at working in a garden over the Great Link, but it wasn't the same as actually experiencing it first-hand.

Odo wanted to join that part of Kejal's life, to really, truly know him.

Everywhere I go, I feel like an outsider. Even with my own people. I don't want to feel that way around Kejal. I want to live inside his life the way Doctor Mora did. They are so close...

"Mother?"

Blinking, Odo turned his eyes towards Kejal. "Finished here?"

Kejal nodded. Behind him, the merchant collected the plants in a shallow crate meant to be carried aboard a hover tram.

"And that's how you buy plants." Kejal said with flourish while they waited for the tram to pick them up.

"You would make a fantastic botanist." Odo remarked.

"Maybe!"

The tram arrived and he helped Kejal settle the crate safely near their feet. Kejal told the driver where to go.

Odo watched the various leaves and blossoms shiver as the tram pulled away from the market. He didn't speak for almost an hour. Kejal had no problem filling the silence by joking with the driver. Odo jumped in during a lull in the laughter.

"Kejal..."

"Yes, mother?"

Mother... Odo smiled inwardly. No matter how many times he heard it, he found it sweetly amusing. "I'm sorry that I wasn't with you in the beginning."

Kejal took his hand and squeezed. "I've told you in the link and I'll tell you again now. You did what you had to. Father did everything you wanted him to."

Tingling sensations prickled Odo's eyes again, like his body tried to shape shift something. He blinked and it was gone. "I missed an important time in your life."

"I wouldn't be who I am if it weren't for you. You made the right choice."

Uncomfortable now, Odo leaned forward on the hard tram seat. "I wish I had the closeness with Doctor Mora that you have. When I see you two...I- ah, never mind."

"What?"

"Nothing. Look, we're almost home. Let's gather everything up."

Kejal raised a brow. "Right. I got the crate. You let father know we're home."

Getting out of a hover tram never felt so good. Odo hopped off before it completely stopped moving. He keyed the code to open Doctor Mora's front door and was greeted by the sound of quiet laughter.

"Doctor Mora? We're back." Odo said.

"Odo!" Doctor Mora sounded downright jovial. "Come in and meet my new friend!"

"New friend?" Odo ventured into the sitting room to find Doctor Mora seated in the large chair by the oval window, sharing some sort of fruit drink with a Talaxian woman. "Oh...hello. I didn't know Doctor Mora was expecting company."

"Good morning, Odo! I'm Aleexa. Pol told me all about you." Aleexa stood and extended her hand, and Odo politely shook it. She smiled. "Oh, look at those beautiful eyes you have. I'm sure women comment on them a lot."

Odo stopped himself from shying away at her compliment. "Um, sometimes...thank you." He cast a curious glance at Doctor Mora. The scientist was dressed in casual house clothing- a loose blue and brown shirt with an asymmetrical neckline and matching pants hemmed precisely at his ankles.

"I just hired Aleexa to be my palliative care nurse. She's going to attend to my needs from now on, and she's quite a sweetheart," said Doctor Mora.

"Pol, you flatterer!" Aleexa smiled at him and returned her attention to Odo. "And, Odo, if you have anything you need to talk about related to Pol's condition, please don't hesitate to speak with me. I don't just take care of a patient, I also tend to the family."

Now Odo really wanted to shape shift into a pebble and roll away.

"I'll keep that in mind, thank you."

"Now you," Aleexa turned to Doctor Mora, "Don't forget- you need to drink a takeo smoothie each time you take your metorapan. The batch I made up should last a week. Just pour and sprinkle."

"I'm sure my back will remind me if I forget." Doctor Mora replied. "I feel better already. I never would have thought to combine herbs and medicine."

Aleexa said, "Men usually don't- it's a funny phenomenon amongst Bajorans. Women are the ones who say the herbal remedies aren't working, and trying a drug does the trick."

"Heh, heh! Women...the universe's biggest mystery."

"Oh, we unravel if you're patient." She giggled and looked around. "Now where is the other fellow? I thought there were two of you."

"Right there." Odo gestured to the back door, where Kejal busily swept up the deka seed pods littering the ground. "We were out selecting items to plant in the garden."

"Well he looks like a darling." Aleexa clasped her hands together. "How adventurous is he?"

Odo looked pleadingly at Doctor Mora, who only shook his head.

"Aleexa is quite perceptive about people," he said. "Good luck hiding anything from her."

Odo's hackles raised at Doctor Mora's condescending tone. He wanted to bark that he could read people too, but he decided against it. Starting an argument wouldn't serve any purpose. Besides, Aleexa came across as a kind individual.

Maybe Doctor Mora didn't realize his remarks rubbed wrong.

Forcing his annoyance aside, Odo ignored her question and asked, "How long have you been nursing?"

"Twenty years," Aleexa replied. "I consider my line of work as being a midwife for the soul." She exchanged smiles with Doctor Mora.

Odo couldn't help himself. He had to grill her. "Ah, so what adjustments will you be making to his care right now?"

"I've already ordered adaptive equipment and an adjustable bed." She gestured to the chair. "There will be grab poles next to every chair to help him get on his feet. The same goes for the bathroom- grab bars in the shower and next to the waste receptacle. The goal is to maintain his independence as long as possible."

"But I wanted to get used to the new bed right away, so it'll be arriving with the rest of the equipment. I can transfer my original bedding onto it without having to alter anything." Doctor Mora sipped his smoothie through a straw. "How did the market go?"

At that, Odo finally relaxed. "Kejal was everywhere. I never knew he had that kind of energy."

"He looks like a lively one." Aleexa patted Odo's forearm. "If it's all fine with you, I'd like to go out and meet him."

"You're welcome to it." Doctor Mora gestured to the door. "Please leave it open. It's a nice day...I'd like to enjoy the fresh air. I'll have Odo close it if I get chilly."

"You got it." She pressed a button to open the door and left it that way when she stepped through.

Odo eyed Doctor Mora. "You look better than you did this morning."

"That's her doing. Amazing, isn't she?" Doctor Mora's straw gurgled as he drank the last of his smoothie. "Takeo herbs mixed with metorapan...it's practically a miracle." He straightened and bent his normally limited leg. "Even my knee is less stiff!"

"Doctor Bashir said takeo herbs help with inflammation, but I never imagined them helping this much." Odo remarked. He liked seeing Doctor Mora showing improvement after the awful mishap on Deep Space Nine.

Then he focused on the holo-images he hadn't paid attention to last night. Kejal's birth, captured as holograms, shone in his eyes.

"Oh..." He knelt to examine them closer. Unconsciously, he laid a hand on his chest.

"Do those images bother you?"

"No. That moment was special to me."

Doctor Mora clasped his hands together. "Me, too." His expression softened. "So was the day you came into my life. I simply didn't know it at the time."

Something in Odo's substance fell inward. He sat down on the floor, unable to say how much it meant to hear that. Then he realized he was sitting exactly where he saw Kejal sit in the shuttlecraft.

And he said the first words that sprang to mind.

"Doctor Mora...you need to clip your toenails."

Doctor Mora burst out laughing. "Only you would notice that!" He examined his feet. "But it's true, and now I think I can actually reach them for the first time in six months. My clipper disk is in the chest. It should still be set on the measurements I prefer."

Odo opened the chest and retrieved the small, flat disk from its home beside an elongated gold box. He handed it to Doctor Mora. "If you find out you can't...I'll...I can do it for you."

But Doctor Mora didn't need any help, and he took such joy in the act of grooming his own feet that Odo wondered when he started taking life's little simplicities for granted.

.o

Kejal tossed an errant deka seed pod onto the sizeable pile he swept up against the house. The grass beneath his now bare feet felt soft on his toes. He heard the back door, but paid it no mind until an unfamiliar voice called his name. Only then did he turn. There stood a slightly chubby Talaxian woman with eyes a lighter shade of brown than his own. Nothing about her looked delicate, but she radiated a friendly warmth as soon as she smiled at him.

"You're Talaxian!" Kejal blurted out. He remembered his manners and straightened. "Sorry...hello. You're the first Talaxian I ever met." He focused until spots similar to hers appeared all over his skin.

The woman laughed, a sound as jolly as her appearance. "That's a greeting I've never experienced before. Pol told me all about you and Odo. My name is Aleexa. It's so nice to meet you, Kejal."

"Likewise," Kejal grinned, letting the spots vanish off his body. "So, what brings you here?"

"I'm a palliative care nurse. I came to help Pol with his end-of-life needs."

Kejal winced and went back to sweeping. He didn't let her see the smile drop off his face. "I see...um, whoops, I'm sweeping that way."

"Oh!" Aleexa hopped aside. She was more agile than her appearance let on. "As I was saying...I won't be just tending to him. I take care of families, too, since this is always a difficult time."

"I don't like to think about it." Kejal peered at Aleexa. "It's too hard."

She came closer to him. "What happens when you do think about it?"

He couldn't meet her gaze. "I feel empty if I imagine him not being there. He raised me for my first ten years." The push broom dropped from his suddenly limp hands. "Part of me wants to be angry with him for getting sick and making me feel this way. But that wouldn't be fair to him, would it? I'm angry at the disease, too, because it's the reason this is happening."

"Anger is a normal reaction, Kejal." Aleexa stepped into his line of sight. "May I suggest something?"

He nodded.

"The three of you are together." Aleexa spread her hands. "That wouldn't have occurred if Pol wasn't ill. There would be no reason for him to seek you out. He had infinite choices for his final journey off Bajor. Risa, Earth, Vulcan...so many possibilities, and he chose your planet. I saw his face glow when he spoke to me about you and Odo. He loves you both like his own." She touched his arm and he couldn't avoid looking into her eyes. "At this time in someone's life, the best way to show him you love him is to help take care of him. Watching his decline won't be easy, but you learn to look past it."

Kejal's internal fluids churned until he had to concentrate on holding his humanoid shape. "Father has always been so strong and active. I can't imagine him sick or weak."

"And he can stay active for a long time. Part of my job is ensuring his comfort. People who have their pain controlled remain out and about longer than those who don't. His pain is already greatly reduced- and he can't fool me either. I'm very good at picking up nonverbal pain cues." She gave his arm a squeeze and looked alarmed when she was able to close her fist completely. "Oh! Oh goodness! Did I injure you? I'm sorry!"

Kejal glanced between her hand and his arm. "I'm a liquid based life form. I don't have bones. You can't hurt me. Here, this is what I really look like."

He abruptly liquefied at her feet.

Aleexa knelt over him. She jumped back with a gasp as he reassumed his humanoid form. "Oh! How amazing! Pol said you and Odo are shape shifters, but it's another thing to see you do it."

Kejal's smile became genuine. "Oh, that's nothing. Watch this."

He hunched low to the ground and concentrated on becoming a large, crystalline stone. Getting the angles and colors right was a formidable task, especially when mimicking mineral deposits. He was proud of his ability to achieve several varieties of rocks.

"Kejal?"

Kejal perceived the vibrations of Aleexa's voice without actually hearing it. His ability to see, feel and hear varied depending on what he shape shifted into. Rocks were good for going numb and keeping people away.

Again, he concentrated, and his hard surface elongated as he shifted into an exact replica of the push broom lying on the ground.

After a moment, he proudly reclaimed his humanoid form. "I can take a lot of shapes, but I'm still working on this one." He gestured at himself. "Someday, I'll look more like my mother. Just, um...don't ask him to shape shift for you. He gets touchy about it."

"Yes, so I've heard. I'm glad you aren't." She glanced at herself. "I wish I could shape shift into a thinner body."

"Really?" Kejal cocked his head at her. "You look fine to me."

Aleexa's cheeks turned darker pink. "Thank you." She looked up at the tree. "Say, I have an idea! Pol mentioned your intent to rejuvenate this garden. Why don't the three of you do it together?"

Kejal's defenses almost rose. Gardening was very personal to him. He did everything a specific way.

It's the last time I'll plant a garden while he's alive, isn't it?

The sobering thought overrode his need for perfection.

"This is all wrong..." Kejal whispered. "Father can't die. Parents are immortal."

Aleexa placed a hand on his shoulder. "Letting go is the hardest part."

"Then he can't die unless I say goodbye. If I don't say goodbye, he won't die!"

"Oh, Kejal." She let her arm fall at her side. "Sometimes, it takes time. You don't think so now, but you'll just know when the time is right to say goodbye."

He clenched his fists, his eyes fixed firmly on a spot between his toes. "There isn't a 'right time.'"

"True. Losing someone you love never feels right. It hurts. But it hurts worse to lose them when you still have so much to say. This is a time where you should say the things you always thought you had the time to say."

"Aleexa, I'm terrified to look at him. What if he drops dead while I'm talking to him? What if I walk into his room tomorrow morning to wake him up and realize he died during the night?"

Aleexa cocked her head. "Is that what this is about?"

"Isn't that how it happens?"

"No." She sat down on one of the deka tree's roots and patted the spot beside her.

Kejal seated himself. He folded his hands in his lap. "I never saw a sentient being die before. Not in person."

She picked up a deka seed pod and rolled it between her mottled hands. "Dying is a biological process, just like birth. Both show signs that the end result is imminent. It may be hours or it may be minutes before, but I can assure you that you will know it's close by the time Pol reaches that point. He won't suddenly expire right in front of you."

He challenged her, "Is it going to hurt?"

"The disease will cause him pain. I'll make sure it stays controlled. He won't be suffering at the time of death. I promise you that."

Kejal chewed on his bottom lip while he absorbed Aleexa's words.

"Pol is on a journey that starts here and ends in the Celestial Temple." She touched his hand. "I'll walk with all of you through every stage of this if you want me to. If something bothers or frightens you, let me know. I'll be glad to explain what is happening. All you need to do is ask."

"I just have to ask?"

"Mmhmm."

The conversation made Kejal squirm. He studied the deka tree's branches and changed the subject. "Will you go get everybody? The spiny basil plants are father's favorite, and they need to be planted first. Do you want to help?"

Her eyes lit up at that. "Thanks, but I can't. I have to finalize everything on Pol's equipment before it arrives tomorrow. I'll be back in the morning. It's been nice meeting you, Kejal."

Kejal stood- Mora taught him it was always polite to stand when seeing a lady off. "Likewise, Aleexa."

She smiled at him and headed towards the back door. The sound of farewell pleasantries filtered into the not-quite-spring air.

Kejal brought the individually potted spiny basil plants to the swath of smooth rocks on the garden's eastern edge. They were nicer than fences for marking a property line. He retrieved the gardening equipment from the shed attached to the house.

Odo emerged first. "Careful, the ground is damp. Wouldn't it be better to put your slippers on?"

"I'll be fine. Leruu always gardened barefoot." Mora joined him. He gestured at Kejal. "And I'm not the only one."

"I'm afraid I'm at a loss here," said Odo.

Mora didn't lean on his cane as much when he walked across the grass. His whole demeanor was noticeably brighter. "You won't be for long. Kejal, how is the soil?"

"Wet, but good for planting." Kejal replied. "We're going to get dirty."

"Perfect! It isn't gardening until you're filthy. Oh, Odo, don't look so worried. Dirt won't kill you. Now, let's see if I can get myself down on the ground."

Kejal tossed the kneeler cushion in front of Mora right before he dropped awkwardly into a kneeling position. Once he got settled, he relaxed.

"There we go." Mora set his cane aside and rubbed his hands together. "Well, let's get started. Odo? Come on, you don't need shoes out here."

Grunting, Odo shape shifted his boots away and wiggled his toes. "If you say so." He eased onto his knees next to Kejal.

"First, mother, learn the tools." Kejal gave Odo the trowel first. After Odo examined it closely, Kejal showed him the small three-pronged cultivator. He explained each tool's purpose while Odo examined them.

"Hm." Odo nodded, taking it in. "It sounds easy enough."

"Great! Then let's dig in." Kejal transformed his left hand into a cultivator and pounded it into the mud to break it up. Beside him, Mora did the same. After a moment's hesitation, Odo reached from Kejal's right and mimicked their motions.

Kejal could tell the soil was ripe for planting by how easily it came apart under his cultivator tines.

"Ah, the smell of wet dirt." Mora sighed. "Are you going to crush the seed pods into mulch?"

"Mmhmm."

"I'm stuck," Odo said. He tugged his arm.

"Try pulling upwards." Mora replied.

"I did. I'm stuck."

"Hold on." Kejal grabbed Odo's wrist with his free hand and yanked.

Suddenly, Odo's arm came loose from the dirt. He almost toppled backwards. A huge root from a long dead plant clung to the tines of his cultivator.

Kejal burst out laughing. "Good one!"

"Ah. That used to be Leruu's Vulcan rose." Mora said fondly. "It stopped blooming after she died."

Odo shook the root off his cultivator. "I see."

"I think the dirt is stirred up enough." Kejal morphed his cultivator into a trowel. "Let's start digging."

Luckily, Odo needed little instruction. Kejal showed him how deep and wide to make the hole. Mora reached for the first spiny basil, lifted it free from its pot and ruffled up its roots.

Together, all three of them eased the first plant into its new home. Mora's hands felt strong around Kejal's. Their eyes met. They smiled at each other.

"We'll give Odo a green thumb yet," Mora said with a wink.

Kejal turned his thumb green and held it up. "Oh, like this?"

"Heh, heh! Kejal, you're too much!"

"It looks like rain again." Odo straightened, his hands covered in mud.

"Rain won't hurt the plants." Kejal gestured to the deka tree. "My old friend here is very good at filtering the rain. Everything should be fine as long as nothing floods." He sat down and felt a wet squish under his backside. "Woops!"

Odo sneered. "What now?"

"Uh...I found a mud puddle."

"Yes, it seems you did."

Playful moments from his mother were rare. Kejal capitalized on it and wiped his muddy hands on Odo's arm. "Here, I saved some for you."

"Didn't Doctor Mora say it isn't gardening until someone gets dirty?"

"Yes..."

Mud splattered on the side of Kejal's face.

Odo smirked, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Then we're gardening."

Kejal looked at Mora. Mora looked at Kejal. They erupted in laughter.

"Definitely gardening." Mora snickered. He glanced at the sky, squinted and heaved himself onto his knees again. "Come on, help me get these spiny basil plants into the ground before the next wave of rain hits."