The First Snow of Winter - Part One

Posted on Wed Nov 30th, 2022 @ 6:11am by Grand Admiral April Yamaguchi

Mission: Mission 116: All Along the Watchtowers - Part One
Location: Various Locations - Starbase 12
Timeline: 1715Hrs - December 11th, 2393

Raymond Durden was sitting in the den which he had more or less borrowed from its rightful owner as he wanted somewhere quiet where he could work on his homework with some semblance of peace and quiet. Brayden and Haiyan had been doing a very good job of driving him crazy over the last white with their antics. For his part, Durden knew that the term 'terrible two's was living up to its name.

His home was loud, noisy and full of demanding children. He let out a sigh as he jotted down some notes when he was interrupted by a female voice. "Yeah, my thoughts exactly." April Yamaguchi commented softly, a gentle smile on her face. "Working late?" she asked of Durden.

"Not any more than usual. The others make homework hard to do at the kitchen table... Kimora and Torilla don't believe in letting others work in peace so I came in here... I know you don't permit the kids in here so... I figured I could do my homework in peace and quiet..." he explained.

Yamaguchi nodded her head as she listened to him in silence. "I'm sorry Raymond..." she sighed softly. "I know you've been dealing with a lot recently and you've had to come to terms with a lot at the same time... That's commendable, really it is... You've also been a big help to me..."

"You guys took me in after what happened with Dad..." Durden commented quietly. "I've had time to... Think about what happened recently..." Durden and Yamaguchi both knew that all of this was a major understatement, with the passing of his father and the unexpected pregnancies of both April and Paige Yamaguchi.

"Oh?" Yamaguchi asked him in a soft tone of voice. "Do you want me to pull up a chair and sit down?" she asked. "Or do you still have thoughts and contemplations to consider?" Yamaguchi didn't want to bother him if he didn't wish to be bothered.

"No... While I do still have a lot to consider... I'd... Welcome a second perspective." Durden admitted softly.

Yamaguchi smiled at him. "Okay, honey. Let me sit down and kick these boots off... I swear that Starfleet can't design decent footwear to save their lives..." as she came into the room. She picked up a chair and then after placing it down onto the carpeted floor, she then sat down before kicking off her boots. Yamaguchi groaned softly as she closed her eyes, clearly, she hated her boots as she felt the cool air of her home begin to work at her overburdened feet.

"Why wear boots you hate?" Durden inquired of the older woman before him. "Don't you have... certain allowances to compensate for your feet mom?" It was strange calling her 'mom' as Yamaguchi knew she was not her son but she didn't treat him any differently than any of her other children.

Yamaguchi regarded the man before her, as she had not considered it. "Well. I figured that since I'm wearing skirts. I should be wearing the boots to go with it." What Yamaguchi left unsaid was that the uniform dress code prefered the boots to go with the skirt rather than shoes but then April was a Grand Admiral, she could in theory get away with it.

"But shouldn't you wear something that's comfortable rather than makes you look sexy." Durden regarded the woman before him.
"I mean it's..." he sighed as he now realized how he sounded. She knew he had said something she could take poorly in the right context.

Yamaguchi raised an eyebrow but she didn't say anything for a moment as she processed what he was saying and how he was saying it. "You're not wrong Raymond. I am not young and my hands are always full, with two very young children, three younger children and two adult children alongside you," she explained. "My workload at the office is always full and I'm told that a promotion might be in my future..." Yamaguchi paused before she huffed a sigh. "Can you believe it?" she asked, sounding unsure about the matter herself.

"You sound like you hate it, the rank, the work and the responsibilities..." Durden answered quietly.

Yamaguchi suddenly nodded her head. "I do, at times... The twins could keep me up at night... and I don't get enough sleep on most days..." she let out a soft sigh. "Daniel, Torilla and Kimora are demanding in their own particular ways but they aren't as much as Haiyan and Brayden..." she paused. "The worst part... Is if I end up getting another promotion. It means three things..." as she closed her eyes, while she let out a sigh.

"Go on mom... What does it mean?" Durden asked softly. He was curious as to what her concern was.

"You calling me mom..." Yamaguchi admitted with a soft smile on her face. "I had not expected, nor did I ever expect for you to call me mom," she explained. "I know it was always just you and your dad..." as she regarded Durden with a gentle smile.

"Why not... You and Franklin took me in after the incident on the Roanoke..." Durden commented with a nod of his head. The incident was not something that April would ever forget any time soon, she knew it was something that Raymond still struggled with and would continue to fight with for years to come.