Thank you to everybody who read or reviewed the last conversation. You are all absolutely fabulous.
Day 132: Greetings from San Francisco
From: Elizabeth_Chen
To: Spock's_cuddlebunny
CC: Kevin KR
Time arrived: 7/03/2260 00:00:01
Subject: Happy anniversary
So, I was elected to send this email and let you know that we're back home safe. Mostly because unlike Kevin, I'm not spending eight hours a day interning in the office of the head of Starfleet. Nor was I asked to consult with the head of the engineering track at the Academy. So good news, Winona may be slowly dipping her feet back into the world of gainful employment. You know she's consulted before when she is healthy, but it hasn't been necessary because of Tarsus hush money. Now she's back at it and enjoying it. At least so far.
So, I should start this by wishing you and the husband a happy one year of marriage. Also, thank you for winning me 10,000 credits in my dorm betting pool. Yes, people bet against you guys lasting a year. Yes, they're all idiots and I am so happy that I've graduated to adult housing. Do cadets just gain common sense once they become officers or do all the really stupid people flunk out of the Academy before they get that far? Sue says it's just you are so busy once working that you don't have time for stupidity or pay attention to the stupidity. I'm not sure, even after my semester on ship.
Your mom and Kevin also say happy anniversary. Although don't be upset that I'm the one passing this message because we did give Spock your anniversary presents when we were in Yorktown. There may be some cards in there. We gave them to him because we completely trust him not to sneak a look before your actual anniversary. You not so much.
I hope you guys have something fun planned for the day. I am not sure if this email is going to get to you before or after your anniversary, but I hope it's good and no Klingons are involved.
I am adjusting to full-time motherhood. I'm also reading lots of articles on how soon potty training is appropriate. The self-recycling diaper genie just doesn't take care of everything. I think Ben is going to start again soon. He may also throw a couple of dirty diapers at his former in-laws. They're so horrible.
I've met a couple of Zach's friends and his sister Zoe. From all the stories I've heard, Zach was like the sweetest person to ever grace the halls of Starfleet, apparently. How did the guy end up with parents that are like the epitome of evil? Even their own daughter is on Ben's side. She carried baby K. She was even planning to be the egg donor for the next baby. Zoe hasn't talked to her parents outside of a court hearing in over two years and that was at her brother's funeral. I feel so normal now.
It almost makes me glad that my biological family was so caught up in their grief that nobody claimed me and I ended up with Sue and the Admiral. I haven't liked them on the few times we've met. Yes, my mom can be a little much, but I know she loves me even though she does question some of our decisions. She's kind of worried about me taking a lower-class load, but I have the Kobayashi Maru this semester so she is willing to compromise with my decision to spend less time in school. Besides, I don't want Desi to spend her life in daycare. I spent way too much time there as a kid. That is what happens with parents who are more into their careers than their children. Sure Tarsus is a great place to raise our kids. Can you tell I'm still bitter? I'm working through it.
Anyway, write me when you have a chance. We all miss you.
From: Elizabeth_Chen
To: SulxuHG2260
Time arrived: 7/03/2260 00:00:01
Subject: Greetings from your child's caregiver
Okay you are so adorable when you're writing to your daughter. It's just super cute. Also I like that you talk to her as a person and not as a baby or an extension of yourself. I still have some of the letters that my biological parents sent me when I was a kid and I was talked down to a lot and they also kept a lot of things from me. This totally explains why I put pictures of myself in the bag when my mom went to have Daisy. Yes, I know I have issues and mommy hood is kind of bringing them out a little bit.
Just so you know I am 100% team Ben. I love your boyfriend. Desi is team Ben as well. I think him being around is helping with Sue not being here. It's like she still has another one of her parents. I think once the court drama is dealt with, we will plan a few sleepovers.
I know Ben said he wrote you a couple of days ago so let me give you another update on the horribleness of the former in-laws. They refuse arbitration. They're suing for full custody again with their new lawyer who is been known for his homophobia and xenophobia. Really perfect lawyer for that family. They're completely trying to challenge Ben's parental rights and the legality of his marriage to Zach. Shawn is so ready to rip everybody apart.
Speaking of complicated family, apparently tomorrow I must survive a second one-year-old birthday party with more small children. I didn't know that your sister had kids. I thought Desi was the firstborn grandkid. I don't remember them at the family reunion. Anyway, the baby's looking forward to it. Probably because she knows there'll be more toys and cake. She's a little spoiled sweetie pie.
She's adjusting to Sue not being here. I think having a few extra days with you helped a lot, but the flight back home was bad. She did cry a lot, but it's been better since we've been back at home in the apartment. Also play group has helped. She is so much better at socializing than I am. Although little kids are still sweet and innocent. Only their parents are awful. Thankfully, the current play group is actually pretty decent. Everybody there loves my sister and I think they're mildly tolerant of me. We shall see what happens when I bring Kevin. Also I got three phone numbers, despite mentioning I have a boyfriend. I feel like play group is going to be fun.
Anyway, write me when you can. I want to hear about your space adventures.
From: SulxuHG2260
To: Elizabeth_Chen
Time arrived: 7/03/2260 06:20:49
Subject: Re: Greetings from your child's caregiver
Technically Desi is the first biological grandkid. My sister's kids are from her husband, Jie's previous relationship with the flaky. Their mom, Alicia, is a biologist on Devon. After Emily was born, she decided that motherhood and a long-term relationship wasn't for her and left. And when I mean left, I mean she left the hospital with baby still there. He met my sister a week later as she planned a baby shower blowout on behalf of his friends to cheer Jie up.
Alicia's parental rights were promptly terminated, which was how I met Shawn in the first place. He was still Starfleet legal at that point, but still had ties with the family law firm. We may have dated for a little bit, but it wasn't meant to be. I'm glad for that because now I have Ben who I absolutely adore.
I'm glad that you're team Ben. He needs all the support that he can get because I feel like things are even worse than what you're telling me. But I trust Shawn, he's good. At the same time, I'm worried. His daughter is his world and I think he would fall apart if he lost her. I just have this feeling that if his former in-laws win, he's not going to get to see baby K anymore. They just seem like bitter, vengeful people. I know they lost their son, but that is still no excuse for their behavior.
I'm also relieved that Desi is nowhere near as traumatized by both me and Sue being off working, as I initially feared. Even more grateful that being there supplies a little more continuity.
Fingers crossed the birthday party goes well. There may have been a cake fight at the last niece's party that I went to which may have been the first niece's party. One advantage to Starfleet is avoiding things like family gatherings. Of course now that I have Desi that feels like a disadvantage. I'm sorry that I'm triggering memories of your childhood. I don't want things to be like that. And yet here we are.
Give Desi kisses and hugs for me. The next parts just for her. Send me party pictures.
Dear Demora:
Hey baby. I heard you're getting a second birthday party. I bet you're going love all your additional presents and getting another shot at the cake. Please don't dive headfirst this time. Regardless, make sure Aunt Liz and Uncle Kevin take lots of pictures.
I know you've only been home a little bit, but I miss you so much. Hugs and kisses. Be good for your Aunt Liz and Uncle Kevin and especially Ben. He needs extra hugs. You have no idea how lucky you are that all your grandparents love and support us. Some people don't get that.
From: Spock's_cuddlebunny
To: Elizabeth_Chen
Time arrived: 7/03/2260 21:09:021
Subject: Re: Happy anniversary
I feel like it's a combination of everything. A lot of the stupid people never make it on to a ship. Although I feel like my ship might be teeming with the survivors right now. We're weeding out some of the really ridiculous ones. Of course I can totally see your mom's predecessor purposely stacking my ship with stupid people. You remember the nurse now serving time for drugging Nyota. We really had some winners on board. I can't wait for September transfer season. I'm looking forward to it so much. I'm going through personnel files right now and writing up some transfer recommendations. Along with a few other recommendations that might be disciplinary in nature.
At least the HR stuff gives me something to do during our next mission, which is apparently playing diplomatic fairy for a few days. I hate diplomatic fairy assignments with a fiery passion. After the Vengeance fiasco, apparently the militarization of Starfleet is a major point of concern. There's going to be a big conference on #$ $ and we have to drop off 30 different delegates that we will be picking up from Star base 18 later today. Fun.
Thankfully, the Mandela will be picking them up a week after we dropped them off so we don't have to stick around or provide security. The crew of Vista will take care of that. We get to move on to more star mapping and I can't believe I'm looking forward to more star mapping. Bonus my father-in-law will not be among the diplomats. I like my father-in-law, but in small doses and usually when Spock is heavily medicated with chocolate. Besides, these next few will be bad enough without him anyway.
We had a good anniversary party. And yes, I enjoy driving in the face of people who are betting on our divorce that we are still 100% happy together. I'm pretty sure Nyota planned the thing to not think about the miscarriage anniversary, but I planned your niece's birthday party to not think about Chris. We all have our ways of dealing with trauma and according to Margarita, this one's acceptable.
Thank you for the anniversary presents. You know I love vinyl. I also like chocolate body paint. However, I won't tell you what I do with the chocolate body paint so as not to traumatize you. Although maybe I should be traumatized for including the Spock "Toy" in there. I don't know if you are going full white elephant or just wanted us to know about our name being used for sex toys. Pike mentioned it earlier, which led to some interesting browsing of the red light district website. Lawyers will be consulted.
I'm glad Winona is working again. It's good that she's getting to the point where she can do stuff like that. I really do want her moving forward and keeping a job is always a good sign of that. If she's working that mean she's semi-healthy. It was good to see her happy and sober a couple weeks ago.
We are all working on our issues. You're entitled to yours. Really, it is a small miracle you didn't have more.
To be continued.
So when working on more recent chapters (I'm about eight chapters ahead). I couldn't remember if I gave Zack sister a name and decided to go with Zoe. Then I read through this chapter and realize I used Melissa and decided I like Zoe better. I don't think I use the name before this chapter but I think I'll have a better time remembering Zoe anyway so Zoe it is. Trying to remember the names of all my original characters is very hard.