Thank you to everybody who read or reviewed the last conversation. You are all absolutely lovely.
Day 21: We really need to talk more.
From: Mommy_Susan
To: SuluHG2260
Time arrived: 3/11/2260 00:00:01
Subject: I really wish you had told me about your sister?
Why didn't you tell me your sister had a history of fertility issues? We are co-parents now. We are supposed to tell each other these things about our families, so the other one doesn't completely embarrass themselves or gets excommunicated from the other one's family.
Knowing that your sister may have had a trigger in that regard would've been good to know. I mean, you know that my baby sister watched her entire family get murdered when she was a little kid. That reminds me I must get her an 'I'm sorry your family died during the Tarsus genocide' gift. You also know about the emergency snack kit she keeps under her bed still.
Now I feel like a total bitch for the way I've been acting around her. I wasn't really bragging about my child, no more than any other new parent, but she's totally going to see it that way. Every baby photo was probably a jab in the heart. She probably thinks I'm rubbing it in her face that I have a happy and healthy baby, when she doesn't. She's probably thinking, "how dare that uppity bitch get pregnant without even trying".
I have been super careful around your friend, Nyota, for that reason. Of course in that case, everybody knows because there was a trial. Seriously, we need to share more. I want your sisters to like me.
Your little sister, AKA the one who probably doesn't think I'm a horrible person invited us (me, your boyfriend and our children) to the annual Sulu family spring barbecue. I'm not sure if I should even go because your older sister probably hates me. Also, your grandmother hates me because I gave birth to your kid out of wedlock and that I did not successfully turn you entirely straight. Seriously, she must hate your dad's parents.
Of course, if I don't go, it will probably be worse. Your mom really wants to see her baby girl and they are coming all the way from which ever colony they retired to, so I should be there with her granddaughter. This would be so much less awkward if you were actually with me. You're supposed to be with me for the meet the parent situations. Okay, I met them at Christmas, but that was awkward enough to last an entire lifetime.
I'm looking for a new playgroup. Not the Starfleet one because my ex-boyfriend has poisoned the well there and my mom is their boss. That will just lead to badness. Maybe I should talk to Admiral Barnett's wife, Jane. She knows everything.
From: SuluHG2260
To: Benjamin_2254
Subject: Re: I think our emails crossed in the night.
Time arrived: 3/11/2260 00:00:01
Even though Sue wrote you a few days ago, I feel like I should write you too. I kind of liked reading your old stories from when you were a teenager. It's like I'm seeing another part of who you were back then. I want to know all the things you were into as a teenager.
I should let you know that, apparently I've been invited to your family reunion by your baby sister. Is it weird that I'm going to your family reunion without you or that they even invited me? I only met them once at Christmas.
So how are things in space? How is your first mission going? Discovered any cool plants?
Anyway miss you.
Write me when you get a chance.
From: SuluHG2260
To: Mommy_Susan
Time arrived: 3/11/2260 06:08:31
Subject: I really wish you had told me about your sister?
Sorry, yes, you do have to go to the Sulu family picnic because it's really the Sulu family reunion. I haven't had to go for a few years because I've always been in space, but now that you are the mother of the grandkid, you are expected to be there. I will get angry emails for months if the baby is not there to be promptly spoiled.
Although I do find it odd that they invited Ben, but he was the hit of Christmas. And when I mean hit of Christmas, I mean that I got grandfather's engagement ring.
My mom's mother is just a homophobic bigot. She is very conservative. Allegedly, she cried for a week when she found out her Japanese daughter was marrying a man of Filipino, Korean, and Japanese ancestry with two fathers. Okay and she probably isn't that happy that the mother of my child is Chinese-American and she doesn't even know about your British sister yet. Sometimes, I think she should have been born 300 years ago. But hey, she's not going to be there so you probably won't have to worry about her until next Christmas, if she lives that long.
The grandfathers love you though. And hey, I have three grandfathers, so you'll do good in that regard. Okay grandma doesn't get along with the other grandpas which explains the divorce. She's still bitter about that. Okay, maybe I should give you a guide on how to survive my family. Right now just have Demora in your arms at all times and I think you will be okay.
I doubt my big sister is going to see you giving her baby pictures as you rubbing our baby in her face. I don't think so at least. I do think she's a little sad though, but she wants quality time with her baby niece as well. You do not want to know the email I got from her for keeping the baby from her for the first few weeks. Even though I didn't know. So that's another reason for you to go to a very Sulu family reunion.
Good luck on finding a playgroup. There is an LGTBPQ Starfleet parent playgroup that one of the new doctors told me about. Maybe that would be slightly less pretentious. Your daughter has a gay parent, so I think that counts. And you will have Ben with you.
Anyway miss you. Send me lots of pictures from the family reunion.
From: SuluHG2260
To: Benjamin_2254
Subject: Re: I think our emails crossed in the night.
Time arrived: 3/11/2260 06:24:21
Thank you for writing. I mean, I'm okay with joint replies from the two of you because obviously you're becoming the best of friends. I'm happy about that because when I first found out about my daughter, I was afraid you would leave me because you couldn't get along with the mother of my child. I'm glad that I don't have to worry about that.
Now, I'm terrified about how close you two are. You two will get in so much trouble together. Make sure Suzanne doesn't punch any of the other mommies out before you find another playgroup. There's an LGTBQ Starfleet one that may be a good fit. Sue got in a lot of bar fights during the Academy so I can totally see her getting in a playgroup fight, especially because you two keep smuggling in booze. If you have to drink to tolerate the playgroup you are in, you are in the wrong playgroup.
Work has been busy and this mission wasn't quite what we were expecting due to the coup d'état by the Queen, but it was a necessary coup d'état. We're still trying to figure out why the crops failed so spectacularly here. It looks like somebody tried to genetically modify the plants to increase production, but the opposite happened. I'm still trying to figure it out. I love a good puzzle.
Fencing practice has been going good. We've had two sessions so far, but I think she really has potential. Also one of the other unaccompanied minors keeps watching our sessions. Maybe if he joins us, he will stay out of trouble. One can hope.
Finally, unlike with Sue where it's mandatory she shows up because she's the mother of a Sulu, you don't have to go to my family reunion. I would like you to go for Sue's sake, but I don't want you to really have to go through the meet the extended family thing without me. You met a lot of the family at Christmas, but those were mostly the family members I like to speak to on a regular basis, except for the racist grandma. The extended family is worse, so much worse. However, the Japanese Filipino Korean fusion menu is fabulous and worth putting up with the crazy family alone. Kobe beef Korean barbecue.
Anyway I'll write when I can. I think we've got to the point where communications will be really sporadic. So just remember I care and really miss you, even if it may be like another month before you get another email from me. God, I hope it won't be that long.
Love you, always.
To be continued
I would just like to point out that not all of Sulu's email to his boyfriend will make it through because he accidentally said too much. See if you can guess which lines will end up being redacted.