"Are you sure that Tom is the father?" Sarah said. B'Elanna stood in the kitchen with Sarah as they put the finishing touch on a pasta salad. Tom and B'Elanna were having a BBQ to welcome the newest member of the family, Selena. "She is very beautiful."
B'Elanna laughed, as she held on to Selena. "Yes, I remember there was a pool table involved," Sarah laughed. B'Elanna looked down at Selena, who was looking up at her. "She does have Tom's eyes."
Sarah looked over at her niece and nodded. "That she does."
"But we know that I did most of the work," B'Elanna said as Selena started to make a fuss. B'Elanna started to bounce to calm the baby down. Sarah laughed.
"I remember," Before Sarah could continue. Xavier ran into the kitchen.
"Mommy," Xavier looked up at his mother. "I'm hungry."
B'Elanna looked out to the backyard to see if Tom had started the grill. It looked like he was talking to his brothers-in-law with a beer. "Tell Daddy to start to the grill," B'Elanna said.
Xavier nodded and was ready to run outside when the doorbell rang. B'Elanna and Sarah traded a look. B'Elanna was ready to hand Selena to Sarah when Xavier ran for the door. "Xavier don't open that door without with me," B'Elanna ran to the door after her son. She grabbed his arm just in time. She looked down at her son. "Stay right here," Xavier nodded. B'Elanna didn't know if she believed him. He was only two and already looking for trouble. B'Elanna gave him one more look before opening the door.
The person standing in the doorway was someone that B'Elanna hasn't seen in a few years. The last time she had seen this person was when she was pregnant with Xavier, and they had gotten home from space. "Dad."
John Torres smiled down at his daughter. "Hello B'Elanna," He looked down at Xavier. "Is this Xavier?"
Xavier looked up at his mom and reached for her hand. B'Elanna took his hand. "Yes. What are you doing here?" B'Elanna asked. Selena let out a cry. B'Elanna started to bounce her daughter again.
"I was in the neighborhood and thought I stop by say hi," John said. B'Elanna looked down and saw a bag there.
"Is very everything okay?" Sarah asked. B'Elanna looked at her sister-in-law.
"Yeah, my dad is here. Can you please take Selena and Xavier outside?" B'Elanna asked. She handed Selena to Sarah and told Xavier to go with his aunt. B'Elanna waited until she saw them outside before turning back to her father. "Can you come with me?" B'Elanna made her way to her office. She closed the door behind her father. He placed his bag on the floor. B'Elanna sighed and paced in from of the desk. "I haven't seen you in three years and you just show up."
"You are always inviting here. I was in Settle and thought that I come down for a few days." John said. He grabbed his bag and headed for the door. "I leave if you don't want me here," He stopped by the door. He looked at a picture on a bookcase. "I love this picture," He picked up the picture.
B'Elanna got closer to see the picture. It was of Miral and Xavier when Xavier was only a few mouths old. They were playing on the floor together and Miral was being nice to her brother. "It's a nice picture," B'Elanna and Tom had sent the picture to both of their parents.
"I'm sorry that I haven't been around a lot, but I read every letter you sent and kept every picture you sent. I love pointing out my grandkids to clients and telling them about what they are doing. I let work get in the way of seeing my family." John stepped out of the room.
"Stay," B'Elanna said from behind him. "We are having a BBQ and you haven't met Xavier or Selena." John smiled.
"Thank you, B'Elanna," John kissed B'Elanna on the cheek.
B'Elanna led John to the backyard where everyone was. B'Elanna saw that Tom had started the grill. She saw her family around the backyard. The kids were playing in yard while the adults were standing or sitting around the table. "Everyone this is my dad, John," B'Elanna saw everyone smile or wave at him.
"Everything okay," Tom had touched the center of her back.
"Yeah," B'Elanna turned to face her husband. "I never thought that he would just show up like this," She watched her father get a beer from her father-in-law.
"Me, too," Tom said. He saw his father-in-law reach to hold Selena. "Maybe he will be around more," John smiled down at Selena.
"Maybe," B'Elanna watched her father and daughter. Tom wrapped his arms around her, and she knew that she wasn't alone in this. It was something that B'Elanna loved about this man. He was here when he needed her to be. "Now that you started the grill so we can finally eat," B'Elanna broke out of his arms. "Your son is hungry." Tom smiled as B'Elanna gave him a look.
Selena gave a cry and B'Elanna knew what that meant. She knew that her breasts were full of milk for Selena. B'Elanna went and grabbed the baby from her mother-in-law. B'Elanna took the baby and went in the house to Selena's nursery. B'Elanna sat in the rocking chair, pulled out a breast, and had Selena latch on.
B'Elanna loved these moments with her children. She had this time with each of her children. She knew this would be the last time she would be doing this. Tom and she both agreed that this would their last baby. B'Elanna knew the next time that she held a baby it won't be hers, it might be a grandchild that she held or a great niece or nephew.
Selena looked up at her with blue eyes, B'Elanna smiled down at her. Selena let go and B'Elanna lifted her up and burped her. B'Elanna saw Selena lower her eyes and B'Elanna pull her close to her and started to rock. B'Elanna knew it wouldn't be long before Selena was asleep. B'Elanna stood and put Selena in her crib. She watched Selena for a while before going to the window to look out to the front yard.
There was a knock on the door, B'Elanna glanced at the crib to see if Selena was still asleep before going and opening the door. B'Elanna saw her mother-in-law, Julia. B'Elanna let her in. Julia made her way to the crib and looked down at her granddaughter. "She is beautiful," Julia turned to B'Elanna. "How are you doing?"
"Fine," B'Elanna said. She knew where her mother-in-law was going.
Julia raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? Your father just shows up when you haven't seen him in three years."
B'Elanna looked at Selena. "Its just that Tom and I have invited him here over the years. And now he just shows up." Tears came to her eyes. "He tells me that he has pictures of my family all over his office, but never write or calls. I get more calls from my Klingon family from Q'onoS than I do from my own father. My cousin Elizbeth I get more calls from. We even meet up once a year."
"Have you talked to your father on how you feel?" Julia asked.
"I've tried. I thought when we reconnected that it would be different but isn't. I'm tired." B'Elanna said. She looked at the baby. "I have my own family to think about. I don't want my children to grow up with half grandfather."
"That is a decision that you and Tom are going to have to make about what is right for the children. But let me tell you something," B'Elanna wiped her eyes. "Your father is missing out on amazing woman you have become. You are working on your master's degree, a wonderful mother to three young children, you are the wife that my son needs." B'Elanna smiled. Julia wrapped an arm around B'Elanna. "The first time I met you when you got to call home, I saw how much my son had changed and I knew you had a lot to do with it. You were pregnant with Miral, and I saw how protective of her you already were. Then I got to meet you on Earth and at first you would only let either you or Tom hold her. I fell in love with that little girl even before she was born, because she was my granddaughter, and I wasn't going to love her any less.
"You make my son strong, and I love you like a daughter. I like you more than I do my sons-in-laws," B'Elanna laughed. "You and Tom balance each other out. You love each other and that is all I could ask about my daughter-in-law. You made a life for yourself in the Delta Quadrant, and it continued when you got to Earth. Now you have a son and another daughter." Julia kissed B'Elanna on the side of the head.
"Thank you and I couldn't ask for a better in-law family than yours," B'Elanna hugged her. "Come on, lets get back downstairs," They each took one more look at Selena before heading out.
Tom pulled off his shirt. B'Elanna watched from the bed. She was giving Selena a feeding. Tom was getting ready for bed. "That was a nice BBQ," Tom headed for the bathroom to brush his teeth. He poked his head out. "It was weird that your father just showed up," B'Elanna could see the toothbrush in his mouth.
B'Elanna looked down at Selena, who had a hand on her breast. "Hmmm," She said as she ran a hand along Selena's head. Hair was just starting to come in.
"B'Elanna," Tom sat on the bed and looked at his wife. "Is something on your mind?" He asked. He knew something was going on with her. She was quiet after she put Selena down for a nap.
B'Elanna looked up in his eyes. The same eyes that their son and youngest daughter had. "Tom, I don't know if I want my father around," Tom raised one eyebrow. Her father was downstairs in the guest room. "He just shows up without notice. Xavier was scared because he reached for my hand. It has been three years since we saw him last," Selena was done and B'Elanna lifted her up and helped her burp. When Selena was done, she handed her to Tom. Tom took his daughter and started to rock her.
"Do you think your father would change if you talked to him?" Tom asked.
"I don't know. I thought things would be different after we came back, but it wasn't. I understand for the first three years we were back; we were on a ship in space. When we made the decision to stay on Earth, so I could continue my education and you to start your holodeck novelist career, I thought that we would see him more. The last time we saw him was at my grandmother's funeral in Boston. I want him to know our children, but not when he wants too."
Tom took the sleeping baby and placed her in bassinet at the end of bed. "I think you need to talk to your father and set some ground rules. If he can't follow those rules, then maybe he shouldn't come around. We can still write him and give him pictures of the children," Tom climbed in bed and wrapped an arm around her. "This is not about you, but our children." He pulled her down in the bed.
B'Elanna sighed. She knew that Tom was right. "I'll talk to him," She closed her eyes because she knew that they needed sleep because they could have two other children in their bed or Selena could wake them up and need a feeding or change. Tom kissed her before she heard him fall asleep.
B'Elanna finished cleaning up after a Sunday breakfast. Tom had taken the kids outside to play, they had too much energy sometimes. B'Elanna let out a yawn, she was tired. She tried to get some sleep, but she kept thinking about the conversation she was going to have with her father. B'Elanna glanced at the swing to see Selena sleeping. She might take a nap, too.
"Did this little one keep you up all night?" B'Elanna saw her father come from the basement. He had just showered.
"No," B'Elanna took a breath. "Dad, we need to talk."
"Please take a seat," B'Elanna took another glance at her sleeping daughter. She thought that she might give her to Tom, but maybe having a baby around might be a good thing. John took a seat.
"What is this about?" John asked.
B'Elanna took another breath before speaking. "Dad, I can't have you just showing up whenever you want. It is not good for the kids."
"I'm sorry. I didn't think about that. I'll you know the next time I come," John was ready to get up.
"There is more, Dad," John settled down again. "I don't want my children to have a part-time grandfather. Before you showed up, we haven't seen you for three years. This was the first time you met Xavier and he is two. You have to put more effort in calling us or coming to visit because I don't want you just showing up," B'Elanna didn't know where the tears were coming from. "I thought that things would be different when we reconnected. You were there when we returned, but it seemed like that was enough for you. I wrote to you about what was going on in my life and Miral's life. The next time I saw you, was at Grandmother Torres funeral. I had to hear about the funeral from Elizabeth, not you."
"I'm sorry, B'Elanna," John said. "I didn't think that you wanted me around."
"Of course, I want you around," B'Elanna raised her voice, but lower it when she looked at Selena again. "You are my dad. I want my children to know you, but not like this."
John didn't say anything for a second. B'Elanna thought that maybe he was deciding on being around more. "I love you all," He looked at Selena. "But I think I can't follow your rules," John stood and headed for the basement. "I'll go," B'Elanna felt the tears falling. Her father was leaving again. John came back up with his bag. "Tell Tom and the kids I said goodbye."
"Why?" B'Elanna asked. "Are you leaving again?"
John stopped by the door. "I don't want to hurt you anymore and I don't want to hurt those kids. I know I will try, but I going to put something before you and the kids. I should have been better father to you," John reached across them and wiped a tear away. "I love you, B'Elanna and I'm so proud of what you are doing. You are an amazing mother and wife." John opened the door. "Please keep writing to me," John walked out the door and B'Elanna had a feeling that would be the last time she would see her father.