Happy Memories

Posted on Wed Dec 11th, 2019 @ 5:57am by Lieutenant Olivia O’Riley

1,595 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 101 - Peace During War
Location: O’Riley Quarters
Timeline: MD03 1315 hrs

Having returned to her Quarters, Olivia sat down on the sofa and made herself comfortable. She’d collected the twins from the station nursery and was ready to give them their next feed. Sitting back with ten month old Joseph in her arms she let him feed whilst relaxing back on the sofa. She smiled as she looked down at him, memories of times on Heyerdahl Station and her wedding to TJ came to mind.

~ Heyerdahl Station, Just over a year ago. ~

Olivia stood in the holodeck looking out over the view of Niagara Falls on Earth, she'd replicated a beautiful cream wedding dress with lace bodice, although it was normally customary for the bride to arrive last she'd wanted to make sure the program would work how she wanted it so she'd arrived early via site to site transport rather than stroll through the station in her dress. To say she had butterflies was an understatement but she was looking forward to marrying TJ and she certainly wasn't going to change her mind.

Aella stepped through the holodeck's doors into the scene already in motion, the noise of the waterfall taking over the background of the setting. Aesthetically pleasing, yet everything appeared just a little damp from the mist that rose from the enormous waterfall. Earth had never held any interest for him, not having grown up there. When he had attended the Academy, it didn't occur to him to see the sights, his focus solely on his studies.

He strolled over to where Olivia stood dressed for the occasion. Having received no instructions otherwise, Aella had simply worn his dress uniform for the time being.

"You seem to be ready," Aella observed. "No 'cold feet,' as they say?"

"No, not at all" she smiled warmly, "I ran away once before I'll never do that to TJ again. He means everything to me."

Aella just nodded, not really one to have an opinion. Personal relationships seemed to come and go, the latter being more often than not. His own limited experiences had not given him a positive opinion on the supposed state of love.

"I hope you don't mind us asking you to do this for us Commander, we could have waited, but I wanted to do this before I'm too big to fit in a wedding dress!"

"Not at all," Aella lied, knowing the telepath couldn't read him anyway. "It is an honor to be asked."

"We appreciate it Commander, we have plans to visit Betazed for our honeymoon TJ is taking me to meet his grandmother so I'm looking forward to it."

She looked towards the holodeck arch as the doors opened and Tim arrived, she smiled warmly as she saw him he looked extremely handsome.

Tim pulled at his dress uniform, as he made his way to the holodeck he hoped that nothing was out of place. Looking around at the onlookers as he walked down the hall he smiled. He was going to marry the love of his life. Stepping up to the holodeck, he made one final adjustment before entering. The view before him was breathtaking. Noticing that the Commander and Olivia were already there he smiled, “I hope I haven’t kept you waiting long.”

"Not at all" Olivia smiled as she admired how handsome he looked, "it's normally the bride who arrives last but I couldn't wait any longer!" she grinned as she turned to look at Aella, "I guess now we're both here you can start Commander."

Tim looked at Olivia and smiled before taking his place next to her. Looking at the Commander he nodded as well, “I am ready, too.”

“Because you have elected to have this ceremony without witnesses, there are technicalities that must be observed,” Aella said. “Computer, begin recording both audio and visual records, as well as biological readouts from all present.”

He turned his attention to Olivia, “Please, state your name, rank, serial number, and the reason for which you are here.”

"Olivia Cayne, Lieutenant Junior Grade, serial number SL 231-426. My reason for being here is to marry my fiance Timothy O'Riley" she smiled warmly.

“You are here willingly, of your own accord?,” Aella asked.

"Yes Sir, I am"

“Very well,” he turned to Tim, “Please state your name, rank, serial number, and the reason for which you are here.”

“Timothy O’Riley, Junior Grade, serial number TJ 475-714. The reason I’m here is to marry my beautiful fiancé Olivia Cayne”

“You are here willingly, of your own accord?,” Aella asked.

“Yes, sir I am.”

“Let the record show that you both have agreed and consented to this proceeding with the intention of entering into a binding marital agreement with one another, without prenuptial agreement, under Federation law. I, Commander Aella Mar of Heyerdahl Station, have agreed to perform the honor of officiating this ceremony. If you have any objection to this proceeding at any time, speak and it will be discontinued promptly,” Aella said. After a pause, he added, “Let us begin.”

“The course of love never did run smooth,” Aella continued, quoting Shakespeare in his calm and deliberate manner. “For the two of you, that seems to have held true. Love isn’t found in the perfect person, but rather in the person you see most perfectly. Eyes can be blinded by beauty, and thoughts can be clouded by infatuation. Love looks beyond these things to find the truth, and the truth is found in the quiet moments that await. There will come a time when the whirlwind of life slows, and you will see each other in a different light. It is my hope that the clarity you feel now will still be as crystal in the years to come.”

“A philosopher of Earth, Ralph Waldo Emerson, once said: ‘The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.’ When bound together, your goal should not be for yourself to have gained, but to make the life of the other better. What good is it, if you are happy and your spouse is not? What good is it, if they are, and you are not? Sacrifice, compromise, communication, and understanding are the foundations of love. There will be roads ahead that will test and try your patience and understanding of one another, and there will be others that will bring only joy and elation. The former are the ones that will truly shape you, and put your love through the crucible of experience. As others have said before, love must be loyal and true in the best of times, but also in the worst.”

He turned his attention to Olivia, “Do you, Olivia Cayne, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to entrust and be entrusted with all of the rights and responsibilities that lie ahead?"

"Oh yes, I most definitely do!” she smiled the biggest smile yet as she turned to face Tim.

He turned his attention to Tim, “Do you, Timothy James O'Riley, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to entrust and be entrusted with all of the rights and responsibilities that lie ahead?"

Smiling Tim said, “”I do as well.”

"By the power granted to me by the laws of the United Federation of Planets, I hereby pronounce you husband and wife," Aella said, then remembered the last part. "You may kiss the bride."

Olivia grinned before wrapping her arms around TJ's neck and giving him a romantic kiss. "I love you TJ"

Getting lost in her arms Tim replied, “I love you as well Olivia.”

While the two busied themselves for a moment, Aella produced a data PADD from a subtly hidden pocket in his slacks, tapped in a few commands, then turned it over so that he held the top edge and the screen faced the two. The information on it was a form that was meant to be signed.

"If you would press a thumb print inside the square on the screen, and tap the 'submit' command, then the declaration of matrimony will be logged and fully legal, immediately," Aella said, waiting for the two to take the final step.

Olivia put her thumb print ready for Tim to do the same.

Tim put his thumb print on the pad as well.

"Congratulations to both of you," Aella said.

"Thank you Sir" Olivia looked at TJ it felt strange to be thinking of herself as married. "We appreciate you marrying us." She looked back at TJ "You have no idea how happy you just made me!! all I have to do now is change my details to Mrs O'Riley." she grinned before giving him another romantic kiss.

“Yes, thank you sir for marrying us, it’s a dream come true to be married to Olivia.”

"I have a surprise for you" Olivia grinned as she looked at Tim, "I arranged with Commander Mar..." she nodded politely in Mar's direction, "...for us to use the station honeymoon suite until we depart for Betazed." she took Tim's hands and led him towards the doors, "How's about we go and make some use of it...after all there is a four poster bed...."

~ Now ~

She grinned as she remembered all the good times they’d had since then. Family life was everything she’d ever dreamed it would be. TJ was a good father and husband, she was lucky to have him.

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