A big thank you to Lindsay, as always, for being so lovely and saying such nice things. You certainly make this an enjoyable writing experience. Thank you again :). -Becca
I remember when Wes was born, I was still in my residency and I was working extremely long, tiring hours. Jack was never home and even if he was, childcare wasn't his first priority. He was heavily invested in his Starfleet career and tenacious in his goal to make command. I enormously regret that time; I regret that I was separated from my son so much. I regret that I didn't have much of myself to give my little boy.
There was a childcare facility at the Starfleet satellite hospital that I was positioned at. In the morning I would leave Wes with the childcare specialists while I went to work. The most I'd be able to see him during the day was for a maximum of 20 minutes over my lunch break, or whenever I wasn't being called to a patient. The only time that Wes and I really had together – and I mean really had - was when we were on the Enterprise. I think that our separation during his early childhood made it that much easier for me to leave him that year when I went to head up Starfleet Medical. I don't want that for Saoirse. I want don't want her to be separated from us. Luckily, now we're in a position where we can afford to be liberal and choosy with our schedules.
"So," he has is back turned to me as he stands in front of the kitchen sink. He's got the kitten buoyed in a tub of water as his washes her squirming form. I put my arms around him, savouring the nearness of my family.
"So?" He asks.
I've been taking holo-images of Jean Luc and Saoirse every chance I get. Every moment feels precious and I want to catalogue it. I want to savour the newness of being a parent with Jean Luc. He finds wonder in everything she does. His eyes used to light up in wonder when we'd encounter a new star, a new artifact, or a novel and undiscovered culture. But, those looks of marvel pale to transparency in comparison to Jean Luc seeing our daughter do the simplest things. She might just hiccup and Jean Luc feels the need to tell me all about it.
"So, I have to go back to work soon," I pause with dread, "the day after tomorrow type of soon. And I was thinking…" My thoughts trail off as I see him lift her delighted little squirming body out of the water and cradle her dripping form to his chest. I raise my eyebrows in amusement, "Towel?"
"Mmm, I seem to have forgotten one in my eagerness to give the kitten her first bath."
I rummage in the drawer for a suitable towel, "so as I was saying, both you and I have to get back to work soon and I don't want to put the kitten here in day-care."
"Mmm…Towel?"
"Oh! Yes, here," Big green eyes light up as the soft towel rubs against her wet bottom. Her tufts of auburn stand on end and I can't help but be drawn to attack her chubby baby cheeks with damp kisses. I kiss my husband's cheek before I pull away. Instantly, I feel his hand tenderly grab my arm and draw me back to him. The kitten is sandwiched between us as he kisses me soundly.
"Jean Luc," I tease, kissing him a second time and eliciting a delightful squeal from the baby between us. "When we put the baby down!" Ever-insatiable man that he is...
"Alright," he chuckles, "anyhow, as you were saying."
"Well, I was saying that we're lucky that since you break for summer term in two week-"
"Beverly – I'm sorry - the dean has been talking about having me teach summer classes."
"Will that be as big of a time commitment as a full semester's workload?"
"No. It would at most be one or two classes a day and perhaps a few hours of open office hours for the students. However, most of my research and writing, can be done from home."
"Well, then at least for the next two weeks, I'll take the kitten to work with me. She'll be safe and I'll have Betsey keep an eye on her and I can watch her in between patients. And then, I was thinking, when you get off for the summer or when you're done with classes, you can pick her up and take her home."
"Are you sure the office staff wont mind?"
"Mind! They're the ones who suggested it!" I laugh remembering how excited Betsey and Karla were they brought it up as a solution to my dilemma.
I'm coming up on one year since I started working with Hope and to commemorate the occasion, she's sold me half the practice. I never thought that I would own half a private medical practice. It's exhilarating. Hope and I are able to dictate our own precepts and treat patients as we see fit. I still can't get over how freeing it is to be able to work like this. I'm never called up for review. If I'm in the wrong, I'm answerable to the patient and the patient alone. It's very personal and I've been able to build my relationship with my patients and now I even call some of them my friends.
"Well it sounds perfect to me, Beverly. I wasn't exactly looking forward to putting Saoirse in any sort of daycare facility – even though I do like Diane. She's a wonderful caretaker, but I'm loath to let this little kitten out of our sight. Is that terribly overprotective of me?"
I laugh at my foreshadowing, "Yes, but I feel the same way."