A Good Lighter - Part Two

Posted on Fri Mar 31st, 2023 @ 10:35am by Grand General Paul "Caveman" Antilles

Mission: Mission 120: All Along the Watchtowers - Part Two
Location: Various Locations - Antilles family home - Earth, SOL
Timeline: 0605Hrs - January 4th, 2394

Paul Antilles smiled as he regarded the pizza. Rather the demolished remnants of the pizza. "Do you guys need any more? or are you all good to go?" he asked this question towards the end of every meal.

Katrina smiled. "I'm good over here," she commented as her twin nodded. "Thanks, dad, finished here."

Patrica raised her hand. "I'm good, dad. Thanks though," she commented.

Michael smiled. "Two slices left. One each." He took a moment before taking one of the two slices. Paul took the other. He rolled it in half before crunching through it quickly. He then lifted his drink to his lips. He smiled as he chuckled softly. "You guys have some excellent table manners," he commented with a gentle smile. "But, once Michael is finished. It's off to whatever you were all planning for today." he then smiled. "As for me. I'm going to take a short ten-mile hike through the woods." he paused. "But do make sure that you are ready for tomorrow. Back to school," he commented. "Being at a school on the ground should be a fascinating experience for all of you," Paul explained for his children's benefit.

Katrina smiled. "I've never lived on a planet before. It's always been on Starbases or starships," she commented. "Real gravity feels... A little strange." were the words the nine-year-old settled on. "Dad. How do you suppose mom is doing?" she asked her father.

Paul regarded his youngest. "I dunno. Kerrie should have gotten her assignment and be gone out of the system by now," he commented. "If all went as scheduled. Then she's gonna be gone for at least six months. Mostly handling an exploration assignment. It's one of the most ambitious of recent years but I was not informed of the full details about it." he explained.

Michael nodded his head. Processing what he was being told. Patrica regarded the gathering at the table as she heard what she was being told. She had always considered Kerrie Antilles as her mother, despite the fact that she looked nothing like her. "It's not the same without mom," she commented. "Sorry, dad."

"It's okay honey. I'm in full agreement with you." Paul admitted. "Okay, I'll get the cleanup. You guys head off to whatever it was you were planning on doing," he added after a moment.

The four children all rose and departed from the table, taking their time as they did so. Paul remained behind as he began cleaning up the small amount of trash, the table was cleaned up in almost no time at all. Paul then turned and went downstairs into the basement of their home. There were four bedrooms up on the third floor of this house. The main floor had the living spaces and the basement did everything else. Including most of the storage but had two living areas in addition to a laundry room. Each floor had a bathroom. In short, all the amenities that a three thousand square meter house could provide for five people.

Paul went into the laundry room when he felt something beep as he stepped on it. He looked down as he picked up a thirty-year-old combadge. He smiled but the feelings that came with seeing this old relic of the past were bittersweet at best. "Where'd you come from, old friend?" Paul whispered. "I've not seen you in years... Where'd you come from?" he asked softly. Hoping the walls would answer when suddenly he heard footsteps behind him.

"Sorry, dad. I..." Michael's voice interrupted his father's reverie. "I was just coming to collect my laundry." he regarded the combadge in his father's hand. "What's that?"

"No. It's okay son. I was... Just thinking of Andrea." Paul commented. "This combadge was hers when we graduated from the academy. She kept it during the seventies upgrade but had it deactivated. I kept it as a reminder of her." He smiled while he explained what it was and the value of this old keepsake. "I thought I'd lost it during our move." he added.

"Who's Andrea?" Michael asked his father, knowing that this was uncomfortable territory for the older man.

"She was my first wife... Well. The first woman I married. I married two women... She was the first..." Paul sighed softly. "I didn't meet your biological mother until later and Kerrie untill after that. I was about your age when I met her. Andrea was a farm girl." Paul smiled at his son. "Forget everything you know about the girls from farms. Andrea was something else, she was." Paul paused a moment. "She was special. She wasn't interested in mapping stars or charting nebulas. She wanted to protect the Federation."

"You've never said anything about her. Hell. I didn't know even know her name until now." Michael commented quietly.

Paul moved aside for Michael. The teen went into the laundry room and began gathering his laundry. "It's okay... You, you... Don't have to talk about her..."

Paul had a distant look in his eyes. "Had you said that on any other day. I would have dismissed it and politely carried on with my day. But today... No. It's time that I finaly tell you all about who Andrea was and what she meant to me..." as he turned to his son. "Finish your laundry, son. I'll be upstairs when you are ready." With that. Antilles turned and departed. Leaving his son alone.