B'Elanna picked up the picture that was on the table. She looked at the lines and color. This was something different than another five years old art. This was better.
"Hey, when did you get home?" Tom came into the family room where B'Elanna was. Tom leaned over and kissed her.
"Just now. Did Xavier do this?" B'Elanna asked.
"Yeah, we can't get him to learn his letters, but he is a good artist," Tom looked over B'Elanna to see Xavier picture. "His teacher sent that home with him today."
B'Elanna nodded. "What do you think about getting Xavier some art classes outside of school?"
Tom shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah," He looked around the room. "Where are our three children?"
"Tom, you were to keep an eye on them," B'Elanna hit her husband.
"I went to the bathroom, and they were right here," Tom looked around the room. He saw a lump behind the couch and wondered how they were this quiet. Tom tugged on B'Elanna's sleeve, once B'Elanna was looking at him, he pointed to lump behind the couch. Tom leaned forward. "Play along," He whispered. B'Elanna nodded. "I was thinking about dinner what should we do?"
"Well since we have no children, I was thinking that we could have salmon and rice with a glass of wine," B'Elanna said.
There was a light in Tom's eyes that B'Elanna loved. "I agree and I think we get to watch the movie we want."
"That sounds amazing," B'Elanna headed for the kitchen.
Tom followed her. "This must be what life is like without children." They made their way to the kitchen. Tom started counting down from ten. He was number five when they heard.
"We are here," Miral jumped out of the lump with her brother and sister. "You can't forget us," She ran to the kitchen with her brother and sister.
Tom looked at B'Elanna. "Where did they come? I thought that we didn't have any children."
"Daddy, we were under the blanket," Selena hugged her father's legs.
"Really," Tom picked her up. "What do you think we should have dinner?"
All three children had their idea of what to have for dinner, until Tom and B'Elanna decided on dinner. After dinner, the children got to pick out the movie until bedtime. The house was quiet when Tom and B'Elanna sat down on the couch to relax. "Do you think that it is a good idea for Xavier to take art lessons?"
Tom reached down for the picture that Xavier had done that B'Elanna had put on the coffee table when they had gone to make dinner. "I do. Our son could become a world-famous artist one day." B'Elanna rolled her eyes at him. Tom put the picture down and wrapped his arms around B'Elanna.
B'Elanna held on to Xavier's hand as they entered the art studio. The artist had seen Xavier's work and wanted to work with him. B'Elanna couldn't believe that they wanted to work with a five-year-old but as she was looking for art classes for Xavier, she had found this artist through a friend.
"Hello," B'Elanna called out.
"Hi," A tall man came out of the back wiping his hands on a towel. "You must be B'Elanna Torres," B'Elanna nodded. The man looked down at Xavier. "You must be Xavier Paris," Xavier looked up at B'Elanna and she nodded. Xavier smiled up at the man.
"Yeah," He said.
The tall man looked back at B'Elanna. "As you know I am Quentin Eldridge, and I would love to bring out the inner artist of your son." B'Elanna nodded. "Do you like to paint?" Quentin kneeled and looked at Xavier.
"Yeah," Xavier said. Quentin held out his hand and Xavier took it as he let go of B'Elanna's hand. B'Elanna watched them for a moment before stepping out of the room.
"Hello, Xavier," B'Elanna said to her son as he entered the house. He just mumbled something. B'Elanna watched as Xavier went to the kitchen and ordered a snack from the replicator. B'Elanna left her office and followed her son. "Is everything okay?"
Xavier looked up with his blue eyes. "Is Dad home?"
"No, he is in New York. He should be home tonight," B'Elanna said. Xavier nodded. B'Elanna watched him leave the kitchen and headed for the stairs. She knew that he was going to his room. She had to wonder what was going on.
"Hi, Mom," Selena said as she came in.
B'Elanna looked at her youngest daughter to see that she was happy. She greeted her daughter. "How was school?" Selena told her all about her day. B'Elanna listened to her daughter as she glanced upstairs. "Do you know what is going on with her brother?"
"No," Selena said. "We do go to different schools." B'Elanna nodded. "He was happy this morning when we left for school."
B'Elanna thought that it was best to leave Xavier alone until Tom got home. Xavier was usually a happy boy, but everyone was entailed to bad days. "Well, I think that it might be us for dinner," Selena nodded.
"Did I miss dinner?" Tom asked as he entered the house. He saw that Selena was cleaning the kitchen after dinner.
Selena smiled at her dad. "Sorry, Dad."
"Darn," Tom kissed the top of her head. "Where is everyone?"
"Mom is in her office and Xavier is his room," Selena finished wiping down the counter.
Tom nodded and went to B'Elanna's office. He knocked on the door before entering. B'Elanna looked up and smiled at him. "How was New York?"
Tom shrugged his shoulders. He always hated meeting with his publishers. "It was fine. How was it here?"
"It was fine, but Xavier has been locked in his room since he got home from school, and he only wants to talk to you."
Tom nodded. "Do you want me to talk to him?" B'Elanna smiled at her husband. Tom knew that she did. He turned to the door and was ready to leave when he turned on his toe. He made his way back to his wife and kissed her. "I missed you," B'Elanna smiled.
Tom walked out of the office and made his way upstairs. He knocked on Xavier's door. "Good away, Mom" Xavier mumbled.
"Xavier, it's Dad," Tom frowned. This didn't sound like his son. He hoped that everything was okay with him.
"Come in," Xavier said.
Tom walked into the room only to find the single light on desk on. Xavier was lying on the bed. Tom had to wonder if he had done his homework. Tom took a seat on Xavier's desk chair. "Is everything okay?"
Xavier sat up. "No, I feel that everything is going wrong. I got my math test back today and I failed. I know that I study for the test and everything. I don't need that if I want to get in Starfleet. I asked out a girl today and she told me that she would never date me because I was not her type. There have been small things, but these are cherry on top."
Tom watched as he saw the emotion playing on his son's face. Tom knew that he could tell his son that everything was going to get better because he didn't know if that was true. Tom glanced over to the corner to see Xavier's art supplies. He had to wonder when the last time that Xavier drew or painted. Tom knew that when Xavier drew or painted, he was in a better mood. It was his way of releasing his emotions and it annoyed his sisters to no end. "I'm sorry about the girl and I know you are smart enough to do better on your next test. I know that you are popular like your father," Xavier smiled. "But there are going to be girls that turn you down. Xavier, can I ask you a question?" Xavier nodded. "When was the last time that you painted or drew?"
Xavier looked over at his art supplies. "It has been a few months. Between school and bat'leth lessons I haven't found the time. I just haven't been seeing anything."
"I understand," Xavier gave his father a look that he didn't understand. Tom smiled. "You remember that I am a writer, sometimes it is hard to find the right words. I must put something on the paper even if it is crap. I say that you put something on a canvas or paper even if you don't like it. You can always get rid of it."
Xavier looked at his art supplies and knew that it would help. "Thanks Dad," Xavier got off his bed and made his way to his art supplies.
Tom glanced at the door. "Take the night do whatever comes to you. I will call your school tomorrow so you can sleep." Tom stood and headed for the door.
"What about Mom? She only lets us stay home if we are sick," Xavier asked.
"I'll deal with your mom. We'll call it a mental health day," Tom opened Xavier's door.
"Thanks Dad," Xavier said. Tom nodded as he left. He closed the door behind him. He hoped that Xavier would find what he was looking for.
"What are doing in here?" Peata asked her husband as she entered his studio. It has been a while since he was here.
Xavier looked up from the large canvas and smiled. "Doing this picture," He held up a picture that Peata couldn't see. She made her way over to him and looked at the picture.
It was a picture of her in-laws. They looked very young in the picture. They were standing in jumpsuits, smiling at each other. They looked so much in love. Peata glanced down and saw two rings on their fingers. This must be the day they got married.
Peata looked back at the canvas and could see that Xavier was just getting started on it. "What is the plan for this picture?" She handed the picture back to Xavier. She knew that her in-laws' anniversary was coming up. Peata had to wonder what her husband had planned up his sleeve.
Xavier smiled. "Selena found this picture in my parents' things from Voyager and my sisters, and I thought that it would make a great 50th anniversary for them. So, I'm painting it for them," Xavier pointed to the picture. "That was their wedding day."
Peata looked at the picture one more time and knew that her in-laws were going to love it. Peata leaned down and kissed her husband's head. "They are going to love it." Peata was making her way to the door to give her husband some space when she heard.
"It was them that got me into art. My mom gave me lessons with one of the famous artists at the time and my dad helped get me through some things with art. I don't know how I can pay them back for everything they have done for me and my sisters."
Peata turned to her husband. "They don't just pay if forward and I think you have done that with our own children." Xavier nodded as he thought about his own two children. They were planning their futures. Riley was going to the college of her choice and Brice was thinking about following the Paris line and going into Starfleet. Peata left her husband in his thoughts.
"You have one more gift," Miral said to her parents. The whole family was here to celebrate her parents' 50th anniversary. Miral looked up to see if her brother was ready. She saw a nod from Peata. "Close your eyes," Tom and B'Elanna traded a look before covering their eyes.
Miral watched as her brother and nephew brought out the gift. They placed it right in front of Tom and B'Elanna. There were gasps from everyone in the crowd behind her parents. She waved them off. "Please open your eyes," She said.
Tom and B'Elanna opened their eyes to a large painting of themselves fifty years ago. B'Elanna saw how Xavier captured the love that passed between them. She also thought how young they looked in the picture. Tom had reached over and wiped a tear from B'Elanna's face.
"This is great," B'Elanna said to her children. B'Elanna reached for Tom's hand. "Who would have thought that we would make it this far."
Tom looked at his wife with the same look that was captured in the picture. "I did." He leaned over and kissed his wife.