Bring the Bottle

Posted on Thu Dec 19th, 2019 @ 6:06pm by Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Corrigan MD

1,153 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 101 - Peace During War
Location: Promenade
Timeline: MD5, 1400 hours

Everywhere looked so...festive. Decorations adorned the promenade, shop owners embracing the opportunity to lift spirits and perhaps tempt more people to spend more time even if the repairs were not quite done yet. Personally, Elise Corrigan did not especially care for it. She was never overly fond of this time of year, when it was so frightfully cold back home and people were too distracted to work properly.

Ordering a pot of tea she waited for her guest. Eventually she saw her granddaughter moving through the tables towards the stairs leading to the upper level. It was quieter, with a better view. Much more to her liking.

“Carolyn, dear,” she announced, climbing to her feet to welcome her granddaughter. She had half expected the younger woman to show up in jeans but no, she was wearing a beautiful dark green dress. “You aren’t still on duty I assume?”

“No, Doctor Mendez took over,” Carolyn assured her, kissing both cheeks, “he can call if he really needs to.”

“Do sit down, you must be hungry. You are far too thin dear,” Elise sighed as she studied her granddaughter closely. “I hear the food is quite good here. Although on my last visit, I didn’t get to eat anything. That Doctor Hades can be quite - insufferable.”

Arching an eyebrow, Carolyn sat, fighting a smile at the idea of them both in the same room. Oh to be a fly on that wall... “I noticed your research proposal was approved,” she said, watching her grandmother sit herself. “It looks very promising.”

“Oh, it is,” Elise agreed, smiling as the food arrived. “I took the liberty of ordering your favourites. Which are mine too, of course. I do miss our lunches at La Vita.”

Carolyn watched as platters were set down. Her irritation at the food being ordered already fading quickly. For one the food looked mouth watering and she was hungry. And she remembered those trips too. Shopping on Grafton Street, ending with lunch at an old Italian restaurant. It was as close to being maternal as her grandmother ever got.

“Good times. And thank you,” she said finally, taking a bite out of some Garlic bread. It wasn’t as if anybody was going to be kissing her. “They don’t have a piano in here though.”

Elise chuckled, settling back in to her seat. “Perhaps but it isn’t without charm. I found the most adorable little cafe too. I can see why you like it here. And a delightful chocolatier. Which reminds me.”

From beside her chair she produced a small gift back, closed over with a ribbon but the bag was instantly recognisable. “Mr DeVere helped me pick out your favourites. Try not to eat them all at once.”

Carolyn was suspicious as she took the bag, offering her thanks regardless. “Is this to apologise for bringing a certain baby boy and his mother all the way here?” She asked before she could stop herself.

“Not at all,” Elise smiled, “they are because you have your mother’s sweet tooth. As for Mr O’Connor, it is better that he knows, yes? That he can be with his family. Isn’t that why you told him to go? So that he can be a father? Hopefully a better one than your own.”

“Did you walk up the stairs?” Carolyn asked suddenly. “I don’t see your broomstick...”

“Very amusing, dear,” Elise sighed. “And forgive me if I feel, in my heart, you can do better than a barman who marries everyone he meets. You know it too or you would not have asked me to arrange his quick exit. Although I hardly think trying to drink a Klingon under the table was a suitable way to deal with matters.”

Carolyn rolled her eyes. “You miss nothing, do you?”

“Rarely,” Elise confirmed with a nod. “Now, tell me. This Doctor Hades. You are friends?”

“Yes,” Carolyn nodded, biting into another slice of garlic bread. “He can be infuriating and yes, insufferable, at times. But he has always, always had my back.”

“Simply friends?” Elise pressed, “because he behaves -“

“God no!” Carolyn blurted out, stopping her before she could say the words out loud. “It is not, never has been and never will be like that. We are just really good friends. And his wife Kalani is an amazing woman. You’d like her. I think. She has overcome so much but she just smiles all the time. Hades is like a brother. Only he doesn’t hide me in closets for hours.”

Elise nodded, seeming to relax. “That’s reassuring. He made some very specific demands before he would approve my project. All of them about you. It seems he is your self appointed guardian angel. And he clearly feels I - and the rest of the family - failed you.”

Her voice broke on the last two words and she felt Carolyn take her hand. “It isn’t your fault. Or anyone’s fault but mine. I was angry and scared and hurt and a million things in between. I’ll speak to him. He should never have made this about you and me. I’m sorry.”

Elise patted Carolyn’s hand and offered a small smile, “don’t make a fuss. I can take care of myself. I suppose I am just mindful of how dreadfully your father behaved. And at such an awful time. I surely don’t need to tell you how awful he feels.”

Carolyn sat down the garlic bread, “I’m sure he does. Tell me, how is grandpa? And his garden?”

“Middle of winter and he is still outside, pottering away,” Elise confided. “He has no interest in listening to me and my research. He says he retired to escape it all! I hardly see him at all. If it isn’t gardening he is out on walks or checking in on the great grandchildren. Your cousin Rhône is expecting twins, isn’t that delightful?”

“Wonderful,” Carolyn agreed, her tone in stark contrast to her reply. She’d have thought five children was more than enough... as the waitress went by, Carolyn caught her attention. As for her grandfather, she could see the logic in him staying out of sight.

“I should also tell you, with the project going ahead,” Elise said, her smile apologetic yet absolutely unbelievable, “I will have more research staff joining me. Including Doctor Adams. It will be a couple of weeks before he will be able to join us.”

“Oh.” Carolyn said slowly, catching the attention of the waitress hovering nearby. With a bright smile she came to her side. “Could I have the best red wine you have?”

The waitress smiled politely, “of course. Just the one glass?”

“One glass,” Carolyn confirmed, before quickly adding, “but better bring the bottle. Just in case.”


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