Morning Ritual

Posted on Thu Aug 16th, 2018 @ 8:20am by Maria Garabaldi

942 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 96 - A Visitor From the Past
Location: Above "Curious goods" Store
Timeline: MD1 Morning

The early morning on a starbase was different from back on Earth. One thing Maria did miss was sunshine. When she was back home she could see the sunrise off the back porch of her family’s home usually followed by Roberto coming down from his room, sometimes with an announcement he had, what her father had termed a ‘whoops’ when he wet the bed or something, but most of the time he was dry.

How small children stayed so happy was a mystery to her. Rather then replicated coffee the one thing she insisted on when negotiating their space, was an honest to sweet baby Jesus kitchen that had room to cook, eat and generally enjoy a meal.

Before Roberto or Jaca could join her she took the time to savor the fresh brewed coffee she had just made and was about to enjoy her first cup.

Jaca had pulled another all nighter, but was a little fuzzy as to if the others were up, so with the smith boots tucked under her arm as she padded up from the store, she sat at the table, “The floors here will give me frostbite.”

Maria looked at her, “Another all-nighter? You are going to burn yourself out.”

“I am a slave to the need to Create.”, Jaca said with a shrug, “I will sleep when I need to.”

Maria just stared, “At least pour some coffee, it’s fresh on.” She got up to check on Roberto, who’s adventures for the last few days had finally caught up with him. Normally she’d try to keep him on a decent schedule, but…. First thing was catching up on his sleep.

Jaca looked at the mugs, then looked in the direction of the door. In the Djabul version of drinking juice out of the carton, she drank from the hot pot, letting out a healthy burp.

Maria glared at her, but it was twinged with amusement, “All I need is Roberto to see that and he’s trying it too, you are a bad example.” She shook her head, “Can’t take you anywhere.”

“I try my best to not steer the Sweetling wrong.”, Jaca said, now grabbing a mug, “I know some of the things I can do, others can’t. I’ll try better.”

Maria nodded, “Fair enough, besides, keep being you, makes life better.” SHe got up, when she heard stirring, “Speaking of trouble…..”

“Wasn’t me, he was pantsless when I got there.”, Jaca said in mock seriousness.

That got a chuckle out of Maria, but she went to get Roberto who, thankfully had been dry through the night and he was still waking up as she brought him in to start his day but he was fussy.

“Bright Morning, Sweetling.”, Jaca said as she came over and gave Roberto a kiss on the head, “Hungry?”

“Yeah.” He looked at Maria, “Can I have cookies for breakfast?”

“Later, right now how bout some oatmeal.”

“Want cookies.”

“Oatmeal cookies, with chocolate and raisins coming up.”, Jaca grinned as she went to get them.

Maria sighed, again her friend was a bad influence, it was in some ways like 2 children, how did her mother do it with three?”

She paused, then exhaled, “Jaca, he needs a healthy breakfast, please just get the oatmeal and cinnamon down.”

Jaca’s eyes glimmered in that way that sent many a Vulcan physicist a sour stomach, “But they are healthy. Oats are a staple grain, cinnamon as flavoring. Raisins are from fruit grapes, and chocolate comes from a vegetable and milks.” She did pause briefly as she mulled it over, “That does sound low in milks. We’ll have to add ice creams.”

Maria sighed, it was early and she was already feeling the pain of a morning headache, she was trying to parent her son as best she could and in some ways Jaca was like her second child. The look she sent her friend was one of genuine annoyance, how could she actually be mom when Roberto felt that Auntie Jack would get mom to change her mind, first this, then what about punishments. “Ok, for today we can have cookies, but tomorrow we go back to healthy breakfast. Deal?”

Roberto nodded, he was getting cookies.

Unaware of the distress she caused, Jaca bustled around the kitchen and preparing a plate with three large cookies and a decent sized spoonful of ice cream.

Maria shrugged, she would talk with Jaca about backing each other up. But it would be a later discussion. Roberto however was singing happily about ice cream being great.

Jaca sang along with Roberto as she could, clapping a cheery beat. Itchi the sehlat lumbered in with a wide yawn and sat patiently waiting for his food.

She fed Itchi real quickly a tasty food for the large sehlat, then sitting down to prepare for the day.

Once the impromptu cookie party was over, Jaca went to help Roberto get dressed for preschool

Maria used the time to finish another cup of coffee then she turned to Itchi. “Let’s see what today brings Eh?

The Sehlat just ‘rurred’ in response..

Left to Jaca’s help, Roberto hurried over to his mom looking like a Djabul child ready for forge practice. Comfortable pants, sturdy boots, a simple sleeveless shirt, a waist apron, and a bandanna on his head. “Ready, Mom.”, he said with a big grin.

Maria sighed. Some days the battles weren’t worth fighting. “Let’s go.”

Maria Garabaldi

Jacaranda

Owners Curious Goods

Roberto Garabaldi
3 year old with interesting fashion sense. And he got cookies for breakfast.

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