Sister

Posted on Thu Jun 29, 2017 @ 11:51am by Commander Caden Aldrex

875 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Rumours
Location: XO's Office
Timeline: MD 07 / 1300

[ON]

Cade Aldrex was at his desk, reading his personal PADD. At hand was a list of baby names that he and Amia had under consideration. It was a long list, and after thirty minutes of reading it was blurring together into a big, amorphous blob of words where nothing in particular stood out.

Still, he regrouped his thoughts and stuck with it. He had promised the wife they would make time to discuss it tonight, so he wanted to have some favorites in mind, plus some to suggest for elimination. He rubbed his eyes. They really needed to whittle this list down.

He tapped his commbadge. "Aldrex to Dr. Telamon?" Had to keep it professional on duty.

The computer replied immediately. "Dr. Telamon’s communicator is on standby. Would you like to be redirected to another member of the medical staff?"

"No. Thank you," Cade replied with a sigh. He was curious to know if she had looked at the list too, but he also just wanted an excuse to bother her. She was most likely busy with a patient.

Amia.

He thought of her smile and how it lit up the room. The brilliant glimmer in her eyes when she had something playful to say. Her surgeon's hands, soft and strong. The way her long, red hair perfectly framed her face. Now he was missing her. He wondered how long this patient examination or whatever it was was going to take. Maybe he could leave a message for her to call him back? He turned his desk monitor towards him and began thinking of the words to dictate. "Computer..."

No. Wait. He paused and thought it over. He could do it better. "Flowers," he mumbled.

"Please make your query in the form of a question," the computer replied.

"Stand by," Cade said to the computer, annoyed that it was interrupting his train of thought. Flowers. He had never sent her flowers. Well, that was something that would have to be corrected, wasn't it? He knew of a flower shop on the Promenade. It shouldn't be any trouble to get their recommendations. He wasn't sure what kind of flowers Amia liked. Maybe the same ones they had at their wedding? What were those called? He rubbed his temples as if to coax the answer out of the shadows. He was drawing a total blank. Finally he decided it didn't matter. If they were from him then she would love them. Right?

Now the message. He had to think of something that would go on the attached card. He was rolling ideas in his head when the incoming hail alert chimed on his desk computer. Its origin was the home world. Trillius Prime. Cade answered it quickly. Then smiled when he saw who was on the screen. “Hey, Kell!”

Kellinor Telamon, Cade’s nine-year-old sister, grinned back at him with one missing front tooth. “Cade, is Amia with you? I tried calling her but she doesn't answer.” Kell and Cade’s other sister, Janel, who was thirteen, adored Amia. They never passed up a chance to talk to her.

He shook his head. “I’m afraid not. Sometimes sickbay gets busy. When that happens the computer holds the comm traffic so the doctors won’t get interrupted in the middle of something important. I’m sure Amia would love to talk to you if she could. Would you like me to pass along a message?”

Kell held a drawing up to her monitor. Cade narrowed his eyes to study it closely. It was a smiling stick figure with tresses of reddish-orange hair. Amia, obviously. In her arms was a baby, wrapped up tightly in a swaddling blanket and sporting a big smile, too. Above them were the stars and a neon yellow sun.

“Hey, that’s great,” the big brother enthused. “She’ll love it!”

Kell removed the picture and studied it. “It’s for the baby, too. Do you think she can put it in the baby’s room?”

“Yeah, of course! That’ll be a great place for it. Maybe we can even find a frame for it down on the Promenade. Are you looking forward to meeting the baby?”

Kell frowned. “Yeah, but I wish we could visit you now. We have to wait.”

“I know. It’s still not for a several more weeks. I can’t wait to see you all.” Cade’s family had been planning a visit for a while now. It was supposed to coincide with the baby's delivery date.

Kell nodded. "When you see Amia can you ask her to-"

The comm suddenly erupted. “Commander Aldrex to Sickbay. Security to Sickbay.” It was Amia. The tone of her voice was strained, agitated. Instantly he was worried. With Kell still on the channel he resisted the urge to tap his own badge in reply.

"Was that her?" Kell asked. She had heard it on her end. "Is everything okay?"

Cade kept his easygoing grin in place. "I'm sure she's all right, but I need to go. I'll call you back later."

Kell sensed trouble but trusted her brother. "Okay. Bye."

The transmission ended. Cade immediately rushed out the door.

[OFF]

Cmdr. Caden Aldrex
Station XO

 

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