Delicate Matters

Posted on Sun Jun 21st, 2020 @ 4:57am by Captain Nycolas Temple & Emilie Temple
Edited on on Tue Jul 7th, 2020 @ 1:10pm

Mission: Into the Wild
Location: Senior Crew Quarters, Deck 3

A Mission Post by Commander Nycolas Temple & Emilie Temple
Mission: Into The Wild
Location: Senior Crew Quarters, Deck 3
Timeline:
Mon Jun 12th, 2017 @ 8:15am


Lunchtime on the Pandora had arrived and Nycolas managed to find some time in his schedule to eat with his family. Back in the Temple crew quarters, he entered to find his wife and child were in fact absent when he had expected to be there. He was sure that he had arranged to have this lunch together and was mildly annoyed they were not present. Shrugging off his jacket, he quietly moved over to the replicator and scrolled indecisively through the menu. He was deciding on a chicken parmigiana when Emilie and Katrine finally arrived, Katrine bounding into the room with her usual enthusiasm.

"Daddy!" She cried, running over to Nyx and wrapping her little arms around his legs.

Nyx leaned over and picked her up, giving her a sloppy raspberry on her cheek, causing his girl to giggle loudly. Meanwhile, Emilie had put down Katrine's school bag and jacket then also wondered over.

"Sorry we're late," Emilie sighed as she approached, "There was a lady making balloon animals at daycare today and the line was super long."

"Ooh," Nyx enthused to Katrine, "What did you get?"

Katrine just shrugged, burying her face into his shoulder.

Emilie grimaced a little, trying to be delicate, "It didn't quite make it."

Nyx tried to hide a smile, as he patted the back of Katrine's head, he whispered, "What happened?"

"It got stuck in the Turbolift doors," Emilie replied quietly, "And well... went pop."

"Oh no," Nyx sighed, "I'm sure I could get the balloon lady to come up and make you a new one?"

Katrine lifted up her head, the promise of a smile forming, "Really?"

"Of course." Nyx nodded, glad to have pleased his daughter, "But you have to take extra special care of this one, okay?"

Katrine nodded enthusiastically and Emilie smiled, "Go wash up and we'll make lunch."

Nyx placed his daughter down and she ran off towards the bathroom. Emilie turned to the replicator and sighed.

"You know," She spoke after a moment, "I was hoping it would teach Katrine a lesson already on taking care of her things. She can't get used to everything just being replaced for her."

Nyx frowned as he set the table for lunch, "She will learn with the next one."

Emilie sighed again, this time more obviously and tersely, as she began replicating some food. "We already had a big talk on the way up, she was accepting that the balloon was gone. Replacing it now kind of diminished that lesson."

Nyx walked over and leaned against the bench, arms folded, "I'm sorry, I didn't know that was the situation. I will ensure that my Intell department gets me up to speed first before I try to help my child."

Emilie retrieved two plates of fettuccine alfredo from the replicator and handed one to him, her face showing her displeasure. "I don't find that funny, Nycolas. I had to be father and mother to Katrine while we were apart and I established a lot of single parent responsibilities."

Nyx took the plate and walked it over to the table, waiting for Emilie to approach, and he shrugged, "It's a balloon."

Emilie looked to him and nodded, "We have to get back to normal, Nyx, start co-parenting again. We're never going to settle in if we keep treating this like a holiday resort."

Nyx reached out a hand and touched her shoulder, "Understood."

Emilie returned to the replicator to make something for Katrine as Nyx settled down and started playing with his pasta. He was mulling over the conversation in his head. He wasn't quite satisfied with being told how to parent but it was true that since his family had come onboard, he had been busy playing Cruise Director and not husband, so determined he was to please his wife and make his child happy.

Nyx knew there was a reason for his behaviour, something he had been holding onto for a while and hadn't yet been able to express in words. He ventured to bring up the subject now.

"Of course..." He began, clearing his throat, "I wouldn't feel like I needed to do that if -"

"Ready!" Katrine cried as she ran back into the room. Emilie approached with a smaller bowl of pasta for her, placing it on the table as she scrambled into her seat. Emilie gave Nyx a concerned look.

"If what?" Emilie asked gently.

Nyx just looked at Katrine and shrugged broadly, unwilling to continue, "If I didn't love you both so much." He answered with a smile.

Emilie put her arm around him and kissed his cheek before settling down at the table as well. Nyx sat in silence as he watched his wife and daughter eating, and he reminded himself to be grateful for what he now had and how close he came to losing it all. The uncomfortable thought still lingered in Nyx's mind but he decided to let it go for now. Like the balloon, some thoughts were better left unreplaced.

OFF