Shopping Trip

Posted on Sun May 31st, 2020 @ 1:03pm by Skye

796 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Episode 106 – Stalemate
Location: USS Mercy/SB23
Timeline: MD5 0800 hours

Opening the closet door, half asleep, Skye let out a startled yelp as all the shopping bags they had hidden away yesterday came tumbling out onto the floor. Kneeling down she began clearing up the mess, not entirely convinced the out of sight out of mind approach would do much to conceal how much they had actually spent ...

Precious Day

Impossible. Completely and utterly impossible. Like a force of nature, Skye had been left stunned by Kalani's ability to shop. Within minutes of arriving, the Orion had descended on a store specialising in baby goods and amassed an impressive haul. For everything the teenager managed to sneak back onto the rack, four more things took its place.

She really hoped Doctor Hades wasn't saving his credits for something.

"Do babies really need all this stuff?" she asked as Kalani handed some of the laden bags to her. While fit to burst, they at least were light. Peering inside she saw multiple shades of pale pink. She made a face. "Very... pink."

She laughed. "Oh they don't need it but it's nice to have." She paused. "But. You are right any more and your sister in law will kill me." She sighed. "Alright now let's get some shopping done for you."

"Me?" Skye squeaked. "But you already bought me loads of stuff..."

"Well let's go get more." She smiled. She looked her arm through Skye's. "Shall we start with clothing or shoes?"

"You don't need to buy me anything," Skye protested as Kalani tugged her along. As they rounded the corner they came face to face with an older woman who was arranging a display outside her store. She studied them intently before recognition appeared. Skye tried to pull Kalani in the opposite direction even as the woman finally spoke up.

"You! Do you have any idea the damage to my store? The ruined silks!" the woman screeched. Her perfectly styled hair escaping from the her hair clip to give her a slightly wild and insane look.

Skye glared at her, "question. Is this a recent personality shift or have you always been such a bi-"

She felt a slight tug on her arm as Kalani stepped between them.

"Now see here." Kalani said. "What are you yelling about?" She stared the mad woman down.

"This one, shows up, doesn't buy anything, not that she probably intended to either," the woman said haughtily, returning to her work.

"I still see nothing wrong in her showing up and not buying anything. Window shopping is perfectly logical," she said using a phrase that would have made Hades proud. "Your disrespect still is not warranted and she probably didn't buy anything because your wears are sub par." She took Skye's hand. "Come on. There are stores that have better quality goods. A Ferengi wouldn't buy this stuff."

Skye couldn't silence her laugh at the look of pure fury as the woman stormed off inside her store, letting Kalani pull her away towards the opposite side of the promenade. "You told her," she grinned.

"Well she's an old bat." She put her arm around Skye. “Now let's go get some good clothing." She looked at Skye. "Nobody talks to my daughter like that."

Skye stopped dead in her tracks.

Kalani noticed the stop. "Skye? Is everything alright dear?"

Skye nodded. Kalani was being kind. It seemed wrong to point out that she was daughter only to a woman who had not wanted her. That was her only experience of being a daughter. “Hungry I guess,” she lied. But she was so good at it, so practiced that it came with ease. “Do you like ice cream?”

She grinned. "I love ice cream." She linked her arm through Skye's. "Lead the way!"

Skye led the way into an ice cream parlour modelled after a 1950’s style diner. The found an empty table in the corner and within minutes had placed an order. There was a long silence before Skye spoke up, “are you always so happy? To, you know, have some random person crash in on your life?”

She smiled, "You are not a random person. You are family Skye and I am very happy you are here with us." She paused. "I know I'm only your step mother but I don't see it that way. You are Hades' daughter and thusly you are mine and I see you as a gift from the gods."

Present day

Kalani’s voice calling everyone to breakfast brought her out of her thoughts, realising how hungry she was. Kalani’s cooking was something else. Something she’d miss when it was time to go back to her version of ‘normal’. A conversation that had to happen. But not today.

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