Ice Cream (Part 2, Conclusion)

Posted on Tue Oct 18, 2016 @ 5:20pm by Commander Caleb Ryan & Civilian Opal Oliver (Deceased) Dr

1,938 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Interlude - Day 3
Location: Promenade
Timeline: MD 1 1400

Sensing that however shy she might be feeling, someone had to speak, Opal searched what she knew about Caleb for something to say. "Can I ask you something personal?" she suddenly asked.

Caleb raised an eyebrow. “Ah guess it depends about what,” he said. “An’ how personal.” He gave Opal a reassuring smile, though. “But go ahead,” he told her. “Ah can always say Ah don’t want ta answer.” He reached over and brushed her hand before leaning back again as the waitress brought their ice cream.

His touch sent shivers through her. Good shivers. It had been a long time since she had felt this strongly about anyone in such a short time.

"I was just going to ask something mundane. As a doctor, I was wondering...you've had so much shrapnel in your leg for so long. Did you never want to be rid of the pain before now?" she asked him, watching his face intently, but not so much in anticipation of his reply as just because he fascinated her.

Caleb looked away from Opal’s eyes. He toyed his spoon in his hot fudge sundae as he considered her words. “There was concern about further nerve damage if they tried ta take it out,” he told her. “It might have left me lame in that leg.” He took a breath. “But it was also a reminder, ta me, at least. It was my fault. Mah fault that mah wife died. Ah feel...felt Ah deserved the pain, Ah guess.”

"Your fault?" She was surprised and a little shocked. "Are you sure? I mean, everyone who grieves goes through a stage of guilt. Could this be that?"

Caleb shrugged. “Didn’t say it made sense,” he said with a self-deprecating smile. “But the...man who shot down our shuttle was after me, wanted ta hurt me. Mika an’ Zandy were just...bonus. Further ways ta hurt me.” Caleb took a bite of ice cream to cover the crack in his voice over the painful memories, even two years out. “So if it hadn’t been for me bein’ responsible for puttin’ Dys in a Federation prison in the first place, then no, mah wife wouldn’ta died.” And Zandy wouldn’t have her symbiote inside of her.

"I'm so sorry," she replied. It was all she could really say.

"I'm sure he deserved to be in prison. It sounds like he was a very nasty piece of work," she offered. "I know that's no compensation, and I'm sure it doesn't help, but you had very good reasons to do what you did, and I can't imagine you could have known what the end result would turn out to be."

She so badly wanted to be some form of comfort, but there was so little comfort to offer a man so terribly bereft and deeply wounded. She had been concerned about the extent of his physical wounds up to now, but after this she now had reason to hurt on behalf of his heart. Getting attached to this man was already becoming very painful, but something inside Opal wasn't going to be pried away just to save her own self from a bit of heartache. After all, he had enough pain for both of them, and if she might be able to be his friend, perhaps she could ease some of it... just a tiny bit?

Who was she kidding, she wasn't going to be happy just to be his friend...although it was a start. "I wish I had known her. Your wife. If Zandy is anything to go by, she must have been a remarkable personality," she offered, at the same time as getting a sinking feeling that someone of that kind was not going to be easy to follow. In fact, she was depressing herself at the thought. But he was worth putting up a fight for. Right?

Caleb smiled. “She was,” he said. “Ah had to fight for her again after she was Joined, she had changed so much. But it was worth it. We had some good years together, an’ Ah got a beautiful daughter.”

Caleb sighed. “But Ah’m bein’ depressin’, an’ that ain’t fair ta you, now, is it, Doctor...Opal,” he said with a smile. “Ah should prob’ly change the subject.” He chuckled and ate some more ice cream. “Ah should be askin’ more about you, right? Ya got family? Someone special?” he asked her.

"No, it's fine. I love hearing about you, but…” She suddenly realised she was probably stepping on painful matters with him and she ought to let him change the subject for his own comfort. "I don't want to stomp about in hobnailed boots over your feelings. It must be difficult to talk about." She took in a breath and visibly changed gears in her head.

"Me? Well... " She hesitated for a second. It was only fair, she thought. He had told her very deep and personal things about himself. She should return that trust.

"No, there's no one special." She intoned it a little, but softly, so as not to make it sound too heavily emphasised.

"I mean, I don't have a family of my own, although of course I have brothers and a sister. My sister is in Starfleet Medical on Earth and my older brother is a civilian doctor on Beta Delta IV, which is a nice little M class planet in the outer arms of the Naurian Nebula. My youngest brother was also in Starfleet. He was on the USS Da Vinci when she was ambushed on patrol near the Romulan Neutral Zone. The Romulans blamed the Klingons, who claimed they were nowhere near there, and in the end the saucer section limped home with a loss of 358 lives. My baby brother was MIA and we have no idea where his remains are, if they aren't dust in space somewhere. It's very difficult, but I guess that's what we sign up for if we join something military like Starfleet." She looked a bit teary-eyed for a few moments, but then added, "My older brother says both his sisters are both in as much danger, whether we're civilian or Fleeters. And I think it could happen to any of us. No one knows when the next shuttle might fall out of the starry sky and explode in, on, or near where we are." She shrugged off the sad look and smiled at Caleb. "I guess it's a bit more dangerous if you're one of the officers in the direct line of fire though." She indicated towards his leg by tilting her head and broadened her smile with a cheeky sparkle in her eyes. ~A bit?~ she thought mischievously, hoping to lighten the mood again.

Caleb smiled. “Maybe just a little,” he agreed. “And Ah am sorry about your brother,” he said, touching her hand again, giving it a sympathetic squeeze.

Caleb ate some more ice cream and then asked, “So what do ya like ta do? Any hobbies?” he asked.

Opal blushed. "I...well, I like to play Parris' Squares and I love hiking and horseback riding, but I have to admit to one secret vice. I do love to play cards. I know I shouldn't... Well, not when it's for money, at least," she admitted, looking abashed and waiting to be told off for her bad habit.

Caleb smiled. “Nothin’ wrong with it, as long as ya know yer limits,” he said reassuringly. “Ah’ve been known ta put down a few strips on cards. Been thinkin’ of puttin’ together a weekly poker night myself.” He smiled at Opal. “And horseback riding? Really? Not much of that out here in the black.” He chuckled. “Though Ah may have a holoprogram.”

Opal's eyes lit up. "Really? I'd love to try that program out, if you would be kind enough to show it to me." She beamed at the thought. "What sort of a weekly poker night? I mean, are you talking about big stakes?" she went on, picking up on both points at once.

“Nah,” Caleb said. “Nothin’ big. Don’t wanna cause hard feelin’s an’ all. Just have a good time.” He finished his ice cream. “Let me know when you’re available an’ we can coordinate for our ride,” he said.

Opal took that to be closure on today's pleasantries. She had to admit she'd had his full attention for much longer than she had expected to, and it had been surprisingly special considering she hardly knew him. "I'm on 'earlies' all this week. Alpha shift rota. And then next week I shift to Beta, so anywhen you like outside those hours." She took the liberty of letting him know right away, just in case he hadn't really meant it and might forget he'd even asked by the time the opportunity came around. She was getting braver. Something inside her smiled.

"I'll wait to hear from you, if that's okay?" she asked, firmly resisting the temptation to push harder for a definite date and time. She finished her ice-cream as well, taking her cue from him and expecting to be leaving soon.

“Sure,” Caleb said, pulling out a small padd from his pocket. “Ah’ve got an away mission to the planet tomorrow,” he mused. “Guess we’ll have ta play it by ear. Ah’m sorry about that, Opal,” he said, looking up at her, feeling genuinely chagrined that he couldn’t put down something more definitive. “Ah don’t really have anyone ta go ridin’ with except Zandra these days,” he said with a smile. He put his padd away and got up, coming around to pull her chair out for her and help her up. “Ah had a lovely afternoon,” he admitted, a bit sheepishly.

"Yes, thank you. So did I," Opal replied, standing up but looking down. She didn't want to let him see how disappointed she was. She was thinking he was telling her he couldn't make a new date because he hadn't been as taken with the idea of seeing her again as she had done with the idea of seeing him.

"You've been very kind." she added, genuinely meaning that. "I hope your away mission goes well," she said as they began to walk away. She knew at the door they would both go off in separate directions and she desperately wanted to think of something that would impress him, but nothing offered itself and she felt all the more awkward and boring than ever. Sadly, she sucked in her breath and accepted that it had been a lovely afternoon, definitely, and she had that much at least to take away as a happy memory.

"Thanks again," she said, also meaning that too. She gave him a big, beaming smile and made her exit with as much grace as she could. She had really had a lovely time. It was true.

Caleb watched Opal go. She was a beautiful woman, but so different from Mika. Less confident and self-assured. A part of him wanted to just keep her safe and close. He felt a stab of guilt. Was two years long enough to be alone? Did he betray Mika with these thoughts? And what would Aleczandra think? Chagrined, he turned to walk away, confused by feelings he hadn’t had since the Academy.

FIN

Lt. Cmdr. Caleb Ryan
Chief of Security/Tactical

Dr Opal Oliver
Civilian Doctor
PNPC Amia Telamon

 

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