A Precious Moment In A Difficult Time.

Posted on Sun Nov 20th, 2016 @ 8:20pm by

1,100 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: New Faces and Terror Beyond
Location: Bawden's Den

Ayla woke with start at the gentle shaking, thinking it was Marcie or Miracle. She looked up into her husbands face. "Squeee?" Eyes darted about the girl's room and then back to him. Just as she was about to continue to speak, the scent of food reached her. Her stomach rumbled as she put Marcie Teddy-bear back against the pillow. "Whot's cooking?" Knowing Marks had walked away from food cooking till it was burnt crispy and black in the pan.

She stood up and hugged him gently as it was nice to see him up and about. She looked up at him with soft concern and warmth of love for mate.

"I have cooked us something to eat, just don't blame me if I went overboard with it ok?" I spoke as I held on to her. Sometimes a simple hug could make the world seem a brighter place and to be honest right now, we both could do with it. "A mixture too, so you can to pick what you fancy."

Ayla smiled, just holding him in a hug. Liking the feeling of him pressed up against her and within his embrace as she held him. "Let uz go eat." She spoke softly, releasing the hug to walk at his side with an arm around his waist.

Good thing I set the table early, I really didn't want to let Ayla go. "I didn't know what you was in the mood for so I made a bit of a variety. Help yourself because I've made plenty, even for leftovers." I took a seat next to her instead of the usual opposite.

Ayla smiled at the choice of seats her love had chosen. She took it all in the food that had been prepped. She just gave a soft smile and took a sample of everything that Mark produced. Then she served his portion up for him. With her tail had wrapped loosely about his thigh.

I put my hand on her tail, brushed it slowly. Part of me felt helpless in a situation I could do nothing about, the biggest problem was accepting it. Marcie was a medical problem, my years of Marine training were useless, all the weapons on this ship equally so. I'd give my right arm if I felt it would make a difference, but it wouldn't. A perk of being married is that you open up to the partner, let them read you, get a feel for what makes you tick, read between the frowns and growls, grit teeth and tense muscles. Ayla knew me situation and I knew hers.

Saying it was going to be ok felt like a punch line to a cheap joke, I didn't know if it was going to be ok, I could only hope. It had been a very long time since I saw Ayla sleep on the bed of one of our children even holding a teddy bear of one of them. She worried, I worried, we both hoped.

"I hope it's ok, I uh,,,got distracted." The food was more than I thought once served. "Should probably take some to the marine deck, be lucky if we get the plates back."

"Not if Winters in charge." Ayla gave a smile laced with worry. "How are yooz feeling?" She looked up from her food at Mark next to her. She had eaten her fill and there was still lots of food left over. At least she had finished the food she had served herself.

"Felt better, could be better but just got to make the best of it I guess." I replied quietly. "I try and keep my head above water, keep calm which as we both know its easier said than done.....maybe I'm just getting too old the service. I've been thinking of retiring."

Ayla paused and remain frozen for a few long noticeable seconds. She then nodded slowly. "Where would wez settle? Sol-3 close to yooz brother? Or the Mousian Home world? Yooz could head up the Mousian Star League and Federation as Liaison."

"I'd stay here, with you of course." I answered. "No need to leave on my account, you are the First Officer here and you just got the role." I wasn't prepared to uproot Ayla just because I was thinking about retiring from service.

Ayla looked at Mark thoughtfully. "Yooz would get restless and feel useless. Being in the thick of things and then with nothing to do... Iz don't think yooz would like that." She reached out and took his hand in hers. "Iz sure that the Captain can get another First Officer. It would be good for the miceling to be on planet and not to worry about the hazards of space travel."

"Restless, maybe." That was a point for her. "Useless, I have kids and a loving Wife to look after and besides my career came first for a while until we had kids, you have a chance here, a step here towards you're own command now. First Officer on an Ascension class ship thats no small accomplishment babe." Resigning was still just a thought though but at least she knew I was putting her and the kids first. "Besides, I'm keen to see you sit a shift in the centre chair on this ship as First Officer."

"Iz rather be in Science. Helping Medical with Marcie's problem." Ayla spoke softly, showing worry in myriad of small body movements. Curling of the tail. Wilting of the ears. The glances towards the comlink and door to the Den. "Yooz feeling better?" She nodded towards his head.

"Felt better." That was only half of it. "A difficult time for both of us, we just have to stay strong for each other but especially Miracle." Sooner or later Miracle would start asking questions, questions that I knew would be very hard to answer.

"Wez tell her the truth." Ayla spoke softly, thankful at least they had one daughter still very healthy. "Iz will need to go and check up on Marcie. She's missing her mommy and daddy." Looking up at Mark. "Wanna come along?"

"Yeah, let's get changed first, look nice for her at least." I replied as I didn't really want to go there in my current attire since I'd slept in it and it was all wrinkled up.

Ayla nodded. "I'll clean up here, while you change." She stood and began gathering the dishes to be cleaned and or recycled as needed. Since she wasn't on duty, she wore a simple peasant skirt and blouse that seams to defy wrinkles.

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