What could possibly go wrong? (Part 1)

Posted on Tue Nov 10, 2020 @ 12:21pm by Commander Amia Telamon M.D. & Lieutenant T'Lul
Edited on on Wed Dec 16, 2020 @ 7:14am

1,761 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Things Past
Location: Counsellor's Suite
Timeline: MD4 1100 hrs

This post follows Check Up for the Counselor in Et in Arcadia Ego


Previously: "Thank you," T'Lul responded, taking the copy. "However, I wish to make sure that I have access to all the appropriate medical records and counseling records. Can you show me all the quirks of the system?"

"I'd be happy to." Amia enthused. "Would you like to go through it in your new Counselling Suite so that any settings you choose can be already installed right there and then?" she asked. "Or we could take a look at it in my Office?" she offered an alternative in case the Counsellor wasn't feeling at home in her new Suite yet.

"Logically, it probably would not matter; however, I think going through it on my console might make a slight difference as I will be there every day." T'Lul gave a small nod. "Lead on, if you would please."

And now continuing:

ON:

* * * * * * * * Sickbay * * * * * * * *

As the two of them attempted to leave Sickbay, Amia just stopped at Reception to ask if her ACMO River could take over for a little while, only to be inundated with a whole sea of questions on the "before you go, just a quick query" type of theme.

Amia turned to T'Lul with an apologetic shrug and asked quietly. "Would it be okay if you went on ahead and I'll catch up with you? I'll try not to be long." Before the Counsellor could respond the clamour broke out afresh as Amia was seen to be just staying for a brief time so each of the enquiring staff wanted to be sure that if time ran out, they would have got their own question in before that happened.

* * * * * * * * Counselling Suite * * * * * * * *

Amia presented at the door of the Counsellor's Rooms, trying to remember the names of the Junior Counsellors in case she bumped into them. She was relieved to hear the dulcet tones of T'lul answer as the door buzzed and opened to let her in.

"Sorry, I hope I wasn't too long," Amia began. "I didn't think so much would need doing before I could escape," she explained apologetically presenting T'Lul with some flowers in a nice bunch. "I thought these might brighten up your new space......." she added, glancing around as she held out the flowers to the Chief Counsellor who appeared to be alone in the suite as all the doors to all the Counselling rooms were standing open and clearly empty.

T'Lul took the flowers. "Ah, a housewarming gift. Thank you for your consideration," T'Lul replied easily. "I believe that my office is the one at the back. If you would accompany me to it...." She let the sentence hang as she had been taught by her mentors. Often times such dangling sentences led to more discussion and people revealing more.

"Hope you like flowers or it's not going to be much of an attempt at making your rooms feel welcoming." Amia smiled and stood to one side to let T'Lul lead the way.

"I have often wondered at the purpose of cut flowers," T'Lul responded. "After all, they can only be enjoyed for a short time before they expire. Would it not be wiser to have a flowering plant so that the flowers could be enjoyed more frequently?" At this point, T'Lul stopped, wondering if she had potentially offended Amia, who she knew was just trying to be pleasant and considerate, emotions that a Vulcan rarely tapped. "I am certain that my clients will find them to be very comforting and improve their moods. Thank you."

She then headed to the back of the counseling department to the Chief Counselor's Office. She walked into the room and allowed Amia to follow. "Here we are," T'Lul said obviously, noting that obvious small talk would probably make Amia feel better. "Now you can show me what I need to know."

Amia entered the office and admired some of the tasteful and calming decor. "It's very well done... this office.... if you don't mind me saying" Amia comment in a complimentary manner before sitting at the console on the main desk and moving to one side so that T'Lul could sit beside her to observe and participate as well.

They began the set up and soon had most of the system synchronised to T'Lul's personal settings and needs.

Amia looked over at the Counsellor and asked if that was everything or was there any other aspects of the computer's readily available tutorials or installations that T'Lul might want to initialise/utilise?

"No, the access is the concern. I think that you will find that I can handle the computer systems adequately," T'Lul told Amia. "And while you are doing that, perhaps you might wish to tell me more about yourself."

It didn't take long to get T'Lul set up and running and Amia was happy to sit with her and take a drink of tea and chat for a little while afterwards.

"About me?" she smiled. "I'm a widow. My husband was the XO of this station until he took on a special mission to CO a starship - which was one of his dreams. He was offered what was actually a suicide mission under the threat that if he didn't take it, he could probably wait another ten years for another shot at that promotion. It was blackmail and I objected of course but he went anyway and we never saw him again. I will never forgive Flag Admiral Charles for whatever he was trying to do as it left my baby daughter fatherless and me without my one love beside me."

Amia surprised herself by launching straight into such personal matters about herself but clearly either T'Lul was so Vulcan she inspired a lack of emotion in the Chief Medical Officer, or she was actually a really effective and good Counsellor, or perhaps both. Either way, it must have been the right moment because Amia poured it all out as if she were narrating what had happened so someone else and felt really relieved to get it out at last.

"I feel I have abandonment issues these days," she said, another surprise, it just came out and it was like another lump that had been in her throat which was finally choked clear.

"Sorry." Amia felt the need to apologise for what she thought must have been a bit of an outburst. "But that feels better out than in and I think I needed to put that into words.

If Vulcans laughed, T'Lul might have been tempted to do so at the torrent of speech that came from the doctor. "How old is your child and how long ago did your husband leave?" T'Lul threw in some inflected tones to mimic emotions of concern and care.

"Lianne is six months' old and Cade left when I was two months' pregnant so 13 months ago." Amia replied in a matter of fact tone now. She had blurted out something that she had needed to rid herself of and so now was calm and chatty again. Doctors, unlike some other humans, were trained to repress immediate reactions and keep their faces from giving away crucial information. Amia had been sitting on this for far too long, as was the downside to this training.

"Have you had a relationship since your husband's death?" T'Lul asked curiously. "Do you have difficulty raising an infant on your own?"

"No and yes" Amia laughed gently. "It's hard to start a new relationship with a baby on the way and then an infant that's just arrived and she's been quite demanding but I don't want anyone else. Cade was everything to me from the day we first met. There'll never be anyone like him.

T'Lul nodded, consciously showing Amia that she understood. "I see. So, do you have any support system at all? You have not isolated yourself, have you?"

"There's a brilliant Nursery here with some wonderful staff. Liana gets really excited when she gets there in the morning and they give her SO much to do and so much fun. I am really happy with their care. I find it a great support to have somewhere so educational, friendly, structured and fun for her that it really helps when i have to leave her." Amia explained.

"I suppose i might have isolated myself a bit..... i do make sure she gets a full social life though and after losing my best friend - which is what my husband had been before he lost himself into his career here on DS5 - It's not been easy to move on. I almost feel like I should never have agreed to come to DS5 then we'd still be best friends and still a team, but then again, how could I have denied him that step up to XO and I too was keen for the promotion I got as well, if I'm being brutally honest" she sighed.

"But he changed and i must have done too, or he never would have made that awful decision to up and leave us." she admitted thoughtfully. "I know it's no good regretting it all now and I can never regret whatever had to happen to give me my daughter. It's just hard not to look back and wonder."

"That is natural," T'Lul soothed Amia. "However, I am certain that you will soon realize that these coincidences have nothing to do with you. As long as you keep yourself open to new experiences and new people, these feelings of insecurity, abandonment, and reluctance to trust will go away in time." T'Lul paused for a moment and then after some consideration said, "I often hear that Vulcans are thought of 'wet blankets,' but if you would like the company, I have no objection. I have not yet developed any friendships on this space station."

Amia laughed softly at the description. "You're certainly not that, Counsellor! You've got me to take an impromptu counselling session without having to be surgically attached to the chair and you've helped me voice and therefore understand better, many things I was in denial over. I'd say it would be a great pleasure for me if you were to choose me to be one of the first friends you make. What do you say we get some coffee and you tell me something about yourself as I've dominated all the conversation so far!"

[TO BE CONTINUED]


Lieutenant T'Lul
Chief Counselor
DS5

and

Cmdr Amia Telamon
Chief Medical Officer
DS5

 

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