An Afternoon with a Blueberry

Posted on Fri Jul 10th, 2020 @ 6:45am by Lieutenant JG Gallia Norris & Captain Gary Taylor

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Various
Timeline: Current
3266 words - 6.5 OF Standard Post Measure

Gary had some time off and he knew exactly who he wanted to spend it with since Lia was working. So with a spring in his step, he headed
for Gallia and Kara's quarters. He had a blueberry to see and a gift to give her that held behind his back. In a matter of moments, he arrived
at their quarters. He rang the chime and waited. Bouncing on his toes as he did.

Gallia walked to the door quickly, she hadn't been expecting company, but she was glad to have it. She opened the door and was thrilled to see Cdr. Taylor standing there, no doubt who he was there to see, "Oh, come in, Sir." She invited, standing aside for him to enter, "Ye'll find the blueberry in the livin' room wif her plushies an' her colorin' book."

"Thanks Gallia." Gary replied with a smile and went into the living room, where Tayalas was surrounded by her plushie friends busy coloring in her coloring book. "Hi there sweetie, got some time for me?" He asked as he knelt beside her.

"SANA!!!!" Tayalas squealed, getting up to hug him, "I albays has time for Sana! Wook, is Sana!" She informed her gathered plush friends, "Sana come bisit us."

He hugged her back. "And I always have time for you darling. Hi guys" he sais to the plushie toys. He had dropped his surprise as he hugged her but was able to pick it up before Tayalas saw. "I brought you something." He held out a baseball hat that had two holes cut in it for her antennas and a large yellow smiling face of a duck on the front. "This is for you."

"Is a ducky hat, I wub it!" Tayalas said gleefully, "Tank oo, Sana!" She handed it to him so he could put it on for her, "Hep, pease, Sana?"

"Sure thing sweetie." Gary answered as he took the hat and placed it on her head, so that her antenna popped up and through the openings. "Man, look at you!" Gary observed. "You look fantastic."

"Tank oo, Sana!" Tayalas grinned, looking at herself in the mirror, she didn't know what fan tas ik meant, but if that was what it looked like it must be a good thing. She loved it, seeing the ducky smile back at her from her forehead made her feel so happy.

"Now, for the reason I am here." He looked over to Gallia, "Would it be alright if I took Tayalas to the arboretum for an ice cream cone. Hear they had a merry go round there as well."

"Mommyy, wook, Sana bwinged me ducky hat." Tayalas grinned, "Can I goes wif Sana, mommyy, pwease?"

"An' is a lovely hat indeed, darlin." Gallia smiled back, "An' of course ye can go wif Sana, love. Jus' help ye friends get back to the bedroom first for mummy, please?"

"Okay, mommyy." Tayalas smiled, toddling away to collect her plush family and put them back in her room, "Doan go 'way, Sana, I be wight back."

"I will stay right here. Wild horse couldn't drag me away sweetie." Gary said with a smile as he waited for Tayalas to round up her plushie friends and get them back to her bedroom.

A few minutes later Tayalas returned to find her mommy and Sana waiting where she'd left them, "I back, Sana." Tayalas announced, her ducky from Auntie Stelle tucked under her left arm, as she took Sana's hand with her right.

"I see that and ready to go. You've got Ducky and your ducky hat. You are all set." Gary said as he gently took her hand in his. "Oh, kiss mommy bye and tell her you will see her in a little bit."

Tayalas handed her ducky to Sana and walked over to her mommy, hugging her with both arms and kissing her, "Bye, mommyy, we be back soon. Lub oo!"

"Right, well, don't eat te much ice cream, love." Gallia smiled, "I'm makin' yer favorite, chicky nuggies and maccy cheese, for yer supper tonight."

"Okay, mommy, we come back for chicky nuggies an' maccy cheese." Tayalas smiled, walking over and waiting at Sana's feet for uppies, hoping he would carry her at least part of the way.

Gary looked down at her, "How would you like to ride on my shoulders to get ice cream?" He asked the precious child. "Would that be okay?" He asked winking at Gallia as he did.

"Tha's gweat." Tayalas giggled, looking very much forward to it.

"I should say so." Gary grinned as he bent down to pick Tayalas up. "Ups a daisy." He said as he sat her squarely on his shoulders. "How you doing up there darling?"

"Is good, Sana." Tayalas cooed, she was very comfortable.

"Alright, ye two, be sure an' lower your 'eads as ye leave the hoose." Gallia informed, though she did have legitimate concerns as the doorframe was now at the precise level where Tayalas' teeth would be.

"You heard mommy. Lower your head and we'll be on our way to get some ice cream." Gary told Tayalas whos was happily perched on his shoulders. "We're off to get some ice cream! It's good for you and me! Who loves ice cream! I love ice cream!" He sang.

Tayalas obediently lowered herself to where she was almost laying on Sana's shoulders, not wanting to kiss the wall, laughing as he sang to her about ice cream, "I wub icey cweam!" She sang along, laughing the whole time, nothing was as much fun as time spent with Sana.

"Tayalas loves ice cream! I love ice cream! We all love ice cream." Gary sang as they went to get some ice cream. One adult, one child united by the love they have for each other.

"Yalas an' Sana goin' get icey cweam." Tayalas sang, "We wub icey cweam."


As Tayalas sang, Gary bounced his shoulders along which in turn bounced Tayalas adding to joy of her ride. "We love ice cream." He sang, soon they had reached the arboretum. "Okay Tayalas, look for an ice cream stand sweetheart."

"There is!" Tayalas announced happily, pointing to an ice cream cart where a young man with his arm in a sling was working, "Sana, is Hawley! Hawley, is me, Yalas! Hawley, I missy miss yoos!"

Harley Richfield, taking this job temporarily until the cookie kiosk was rebuilt, wandered over to the source of the happy noise, finding it was exactly who he'd thought it was, "Well, hello, baby doll. How are you?"He asked with a smile, he'd missed Tayalas and Mrs. B.

"I's good, Hawley." Tayalas replied, "Sana an' me came fow icey cweam."

"Well, let's see what we've got for you then." Harley smiled, "What'll it be, sir? I'm pretty sure Tayalas will want chocolate, right, sweetheart?"

"Wight! Wub choccy." Tayalas answered with a joyous coo.

"I think I'll have a Drumstick if you have any Hawley please." Gary added.

"Yes, sir." Harley nodded, thinking it was cute that he addressed him the same way as Tayalas did, it would keep the little girl from being self conscious about her speech. He produced the requested drumstick and a small cone of Dutch chocolate for Tayalas, "Here you are."

"Thank you Hawley." Gary told the boy, "Say Tayalas, how would you like to send some ice cream to your mommy and mommy Kara?" Gary asked the child.

"Can we?" Tayalas asked, "An' Cappy Phoenix an' Enn-a?"

Harley heard who Tayalas was talking about, two very attractive single ladies, "Sir, I'm happy to deliver to them if you'd like."

Here's what I want you do do Hawley. Take the ice cream to the bridge crew as well as Cmdrs Norris and Hoffman. Then whatever ice cream is left even if you have to get more, make sure the crew gets ice cream." Gary said, "I'll pay for it all."

"Yes, sir." Harley replied with a smile, he got a percentage in this job, so he was happy to deliver for Cdr. Taylor, "Where should I start first?"

Gary looked up at Tayalas. "Sweetie, who do you want to get the ice cream first? Your mommys or Cappy Phoenix and the bridge crew?"

"Hawley pick." Tayalas answered, she trusted her friend to do the right thing and make sure everyone was taken care of, "He do good."

Gary looked back at Harley, "There you have it Hawley, time to make an executive decision. As long as everyone gets some we're good."

"Bridge is closer and I can cover the most ground there." Harley nodded, "Then I'll go to the Hoffman's house. What kind of ice cream do your mommies like, baby doll?"

"Mommy likey choccy like me, mommy Kara, I dunno." The little one answered honestly.

"It's okay, I got everything." Harley smiled, playfully patting Tayalas' cheek, "Okay, I'm on the way. You want anything else before I leave?"

"How do you want me to pay you son? I don't want you on the hook for this." Gary said honestly.

"I'll come with the bill when it's all done, sir." Harley answered, "And you and Tayalas, your ice cream's on me."

"Very good. Make sure you do. As for our ice cream Tayalas is okay but I'll pay for mine. You can't get rich giving away your product." Gary pointed out.

"As you wish, Commander." Harley smiled, "That'll be two credits twenty five then."

Gary pulled out his debit card and let the amount be deducted from his account. "There you Hawley." He told the young man, "Now Tayalas and i are off to find a merry go round and thank you for your help in this."

"Yes, Sir." Harley replied, pointing down the way, "About a hundred meters that way and turn to your right, you'll find the carousel that used to be on deck 2. You'll need coins, sir. Here." He said, reaching into his pockets and pulling out a couple credits worth of quarters, "So you can go for a nice ride together. And, if she's not tired after that, you can take her down to the pond there are some just born b-a-b-y d-u-c-k-s down there."

"Thank you for your help in all of this Hawley." Gary said as he clasped the young man on the shoulder. He looked up at Tayalas, "You ready to ride the merry go round darling?"

"We wide mewwy go wound now, Sana." Tayalas said, joy dripping from every syllable, "We go now?"

"We're off." Gary answered, finishing his Drumstick and heading in the direction Harley indicated. "We're off to ride the merry go round." He sang .

"Mewwy go wound, mewwy go wound, mewwy go wound and wound." Tayalas sang along as they walked to the merry go round, turning her head and seeing Harley leave, "Bye, Hawley, I sees oo latew!"

"Sing sweetie sing." Gary encouraged her as they drew closer to the merry go round.

She wasn't sure what to sing, but she wasn't about to disappoint Sana, who wanted to hear a song, so she started Baby Duck as they got to the merry go round.

Gary smiled as Tayalas, sang she was such a happy child and that was due to the love she received at home from Gallia and Kara. "Okay precious what animal do you want to ride?"

Tayalas looked and looked, but there didn't seem to be a Ducky, but she saw the next best thing, "The ooni-cron!" She said, excitedly pointing to a unicorn with a pink mane that could even rival Miwaj's, "We wide the ooni-cron, Sana?"

"Sure thing precious." Gary said with a smile, as they walked to the unicorn and he placed Tayalas atop it. "Stay right there while I put the money in sweetie." As he stepped off and deposited some coins so they could ride. That done he stepped back onto the merry go round standing ride beside Tayalas as merry go round started.

"Yay!!!" Tayalas clapped and cooed, "We widing!"

"We sure are darling." Gary answered, just seeing Tayalas's smile and seeing her happy, you couldn't put a price on that. This was what life was suppose to be like at least for a child. No cares, no worries just happiness. He was glad he could do that for Tayalas.

"I wub it!" Tayalas giggled, the movement of the merry go round combined with the up and down motion of the unicorn was more fun than anything she had done lately, "Tank oo, Sana!"

Gary leaned in and placed his head against hers, "You are very welcome my angel." He whispered.

"We wide the mewwy go wound and wound and wound." Tayalas sang happily, "I wide a ooni-cron wif Sana an' eat icey cweam."

"Tayalas rides the merry go round , round and round up an down. Tayalas eats ice cream, yum, yum for her tum, tum, tum." Gary sang
back to her.

Tayalas giggled and clapped along as Sana sang to her, "Sana singy sing good."

Gary leaned in and kissed her forehead, "Why thank you Tayalas." He chuckled. As the merry go round spun them around and round. "Would you like to go by the lake and see if there is anything new to see?"

"We wide one mowe time?" Tayalas asked, though she was excited to see whatever the new thing at the lake was.

"Absolutely, we ride one more time." Gary agreed as he placed some more coins in to allow them to ride. "Here we go!"

"YAY!!!!" Tayalas didn't even bother trying to hide her immense joy, this ride could go on forever and she wouldn't mind.

Gary smiled broadly at Tayalas's happiness. This was how life should be. Making others happy. Especially a child and he was glad he could, As the merry go round came to a stop, he helped Tayalas off. "Ready to go to the lake?''

"We go wakey wake now, Sana?" Tayalas asked, she needed to know what was down there,

"Yes darling, we go to the lake now." Gary replied with a smile. "You want to walk or ride on my shoulders?" He asked her.

"I walky walk." Tayalas smiled, holding her duck under her right arm now and offering Sana her left hand, "You holes my han, Sana, peasse?"

"I will be glad to angel." Gary answered and took Tayalas's little hand in his. "Okay we're off to the lake, to see what there is to see. Me and Tayalas walking to the lake.''

"We walky walk to the wakey wake, hope thewre's duckies te see." Tayalas sang along, "Ow we go swimmy swim."

'Now, we won't swimmy swim in the lake sweetie, that's the duckies home. We'll swimmy swim in the pool very soon. I promise." Gary replied as the pair made their way towards the lake.

"DUCKIES???" Tayalas squealed with delight, "WE HAS DUCKIES???"

Gary laughed at Tayalas's delight. "We sure do sweetie, "You should name them." He suggested.

"I namey name the duckies wif Sana!" Tayalas said through a peal of laughter.

"It's a deal angel. Now what can we name them? Have you got any ideas?" He asked he wanted Tay to feel totally involved in this.

"We sees them first." Tayalas suggested, you needed to see a baby duck's face and learn what they were like before you named them.

"Sounds good sweetheart." Gary said as they came to the lake and just by chance the baby ducks were right where they could get a good look at them. "Look Tayalas! Baby duckies!"

Tayalas broke into a wide grin, nothing made her happier than duckies, "Duckies, come hewe, I wanna wub you!"

"Easy now Tay, they don't know you. Give them a chance to know you." he looked around and saw a machine that dispensed bread crumbs in a bag. He went and got a bag and came back to Tayalas. "Here darling, give them some bread crumbs. They will love you for sure."

"Come an gets it, duckies." Tayalas called, tossing some bread on the ground in front of her, pointing to a chubby duck, "This one Hungwy." She announced, pointing to another duckling, a light blue one, coming up, "An' this one Yalas, she a buberry, too!"

Gary knelt beside her, " Sure is! Those are good names, what about that duckie? " He asked pointing to one giving itself a bath.

"He Swimmy!" Tayalas said, giggling.

"That's a good name." Gary agreed. "Give them the rest of the bread, then we should get back to Mommy, she probably thinks we got lost."

"Wight." Tayalas said, dropping the rest of the crumbs for the gathered ducks, petting the blue one, who found her a kindred spirit as well, "Okay, duckies, we go see mommy now."

"We'll be back again duckies, very soon. I promise." Gary said as he picked Tayalas up and placed her on his shoulders. "Lets go see Mommy."

"We go mommy now." Tayalas said, laying her head against Sana's shoulder and waving to the duckies, "I wub oo, we be back soon to pway some more!"

"I love you very, very much too Tayalas and you know what? That will never change. I'll love you forever."

"Awww, I lub you too, Sana." Tayalas replied in agreement, cuddling against him and cooing, "We go my mommy now, have nuggies an' maccy cheese."

"Sounds like a plan precious." Gary agreed happily.

"I see oo, duckies!" Tayalas called to her feathered friends, waving to them as Sana carried her to the door, they'd be home again soon.

"Here we are, home again. " Gary stated as he rang the chime.

Gallia answered the door to find Cdr. Taylor holding Tayalas, who was happily munching on the remains of her ice cream cone, "Well, look'it ye two, back an' hungry are ye?"

Gary laughed, "I think Tayalas is hungry but I think she had a good time."

"Did ye, love?" Gallia asked, taking the tot into her arms.

"Uh huh, uh huh." She replied, bobbing her head excitedly, "We had icey cweam an' wode the mewwy go wound an' saw duckies at the wake, I named them."

"Aww, that sounds like fun, me darling." Gallia smiled, kissing her baby's head, "Mebbe one day yer mommyy can come wit ye te meet your ducky friends?"

"I ask Sana." Tayalas said, turning to him, "Sana, mommyy come wif us next time?"

"Absolutely mommy can come with us." Gary told her, "I bet she would like the duckies."

"I name one Yalas, she a buberry, wike me!" Tayalas recounted excitedly, "Sana saw her, she so pwetty!"

"Sure did. It's beauty, just like this blueberry." Gary said with a grin.

"Is a buberry duckie!" Tayalas said, her excitement not abating in the least, seeing anything that looked like her made her feel less alone in the world.

"Sure is, just as pretty as this little blueberry," Gary replied giving Tayalas a hug.

Tayalas giggled and cooed, finishing her ice cream, "Mommyy, we has nuggies now?"

"Would ye like te join us for Tayalas' favorite meal?" Gallia offered, "We got plenty a nuggets an' mac and cheese."

"Are you sure sure I'm not imposing?" Gary inquired.

"No at all!" Gallia replied, "An' I think the blueberry woul'd love te have ye company." She put out plates for all of them, "I'll even make us some drinks." A few minutes later they were all seated around the table with iced tea and nuggies, a delicious repast shared with beloved friends, Nothin' like a family meal.


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