Posted by Lieutenant Commander Jarred Alindor (Chief Engineer) in Kalani’s Quarters

Posted by Ensign Kalani Kāne (Scientist) in Kalani’s Quarters

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Jarred Alindor (Chief Engineer) in Kalani’s Quarters
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Jarred paced in front of Kalani’s quarters, he had just got off with his mom knowing the shuttle was a few days away. She and his dad’s visit signaled a large change in his life and he knew he couldn’t keep Kalani in the dark any longer. She knew many things, their trip and discovery of the bipedal sentients on the planet, the aquariums and romance had been a whirlwind for the last six months. He felt shameful as he thought of the face he hadn’t told her any of this, he didn’t expect to fall in love with her yet he had. Despite this, he feared his secrets could force her away. If that was the case, he needed to know before his parents arrived if he was newly single again.

Paging the door, he didn’t wait as he knew she would be okay with him just entering as he did. “Lani?” he said as he looked around, trying to find out where she was.

Alindor, CE

“Jared, you’re here early,” Kalani said coming out of the bedroom with a cup of coffee. It was then a small blur bolted from under a blanket and headed towards the familiar voice entering the quarters. “I thought you’d,” Kalani stumbled as Ralph ran between her legs and into Jared’s shins. “Ralph,” she groaned shaking the coffee off her hand that had sloshed on it.

“Hey little man .” Jarred said as he knelt down picking up the little fox as he held him close. “Did you miss me buddy? I know I missed you.” Jarred said as he began to scratch right behind the ear he knew would make the little fuzzball stop moving and just focus on the pleasure the small petting did to him.

Moving towards Jared, Kalani rose on her toes to give him a quick kiss. “You know you should do something about that,” she motioned towards Ralph. “He is only going to get older and more difficult to control. Can I get you a beer or something,” Kalani said moving towards the couch. It was not uncommon for Jared or her to stop by after a work shift. Today, however, he must have gotten off earlier.

Ensign Kalani Kane, science

“Me do something about it? He doesn’t live with me, and besides I like my buddy the way he is. Wild and cuddly, just like you.” he said as he flopped down on the couch and let Ralph down next to him. “And a beer is fine babe.” Jarred said, he was calm but he did feel a sense of apprehension as he kept playing his story through his head. His love for her had been sudden but so genuine. He couldn’t help but feel he made a major mistake waiting six months for this conversation. He knew this was coming the day he meet her, yet he didn’t want to give up knowing her better as time went on.

Taking the beer he waited, knowing she would want to curl up her body right next to his. Her dark skin contrasting against his as she often took his hand in hers, she could be a love sick puppy at times. If he was honest he was just as love sick. You will loose her when you tell her, this is your last chance. echoed a voice in the back of his head. He shook his head briefly knowing he needed to get the thought to flee his mind. The truth was, he trusted her greatly. As shocking as what he was about to say, he knew she would give him a chance to explain.

“You say you like him like this,” Kalani said laying her head on Jarred’s shoulder as she looked down at Ralph in Jarred’s lap. The fox was wearing a dopey grin that made him look like he was about to melt with happiness. “Don’t you remember last week when he,” she said and then noticed Jarred was very quiet. While she was the talker of the pair, Jarred always had a snappy come back to most things she said. Turning her face up she looked at Jarred and instantly saw something was wrong. “Baby,” she said moving so she was no longer laying on him but looking him in the eyes.

“I wanted to come by, there is a shuttle coming by soon… my parents are on it and I felt a need to prep you. They don’t visit more than once or twice a year, and they came with a very special purpose…” he paused as he looked at her, letting himself have a little bit of distance to gaze intently in her eyes. He knew by now she had to sense his nerves. One might think it was just cause his parents were coming but once he told her who else was coming he was certain she would balk if only a little.

Kalani stiffened a bit feeling the bottom drop out of her stomach. There was only one reason for Jarred to be acting like this after mentioning his parents were coming. He didn’t want her to meet them. The why didn’t matter in this second. The why might never matter. “Oh....well it’s too bad I won’t be able to meet them. My duty shift was switched. I only had like ten minutes so I will see you later,” Kalani said standing up from the couch. This might have sounded like she was giving him the easy way out but it was far from that. Jarred had effectively killed any future she had planned with his “special purpose” comment. She knew that was slang for “they are coming to see me and not us.”

“They, they are going to be dropping off my daughter, Lizzie.”

“You’re what,” Kalani said giving him a bewildered expression. She even cocked her head to the side visually showing how she was running the sentence over and over in her head. “Wait, whose daughter,” she said taking a seat back on the couch. She sat down not because her legs were weak but more that she needed every ounce of brainpower devoted to processing and understanding the words coming out of his mouth.

“I know that… I know that must be a shock, I have yet to mention her once… I just.” Jarred bowed his head down. He felt lately like he was letting everyone down. First he breaks up with Cori, then he felt angry at his mother for pushing his daughter on him, then the guilt for that feeling. Now on top of all those swirling feelings, he had lied and kept all this secret for Kalani even though he has plenty of times to tell her than a day before.

Alindor, CE

“A shock? A shock,” she said feeling her voice rise out of confusion. That was until she started remembering how one got kids and that Jarred had been married before and engaged twice. “Jarred Nikolos Alindor are you telling me you have a family or you have a daughter because there is a huge difference and I kinda need to know whether I am going to deck you and toss your arse out or continue this conversation with something stronger than arabica.”

Ensign Kalani Kane, Science

“Just the daughter, I’m not married… not anymore at least. That, that ended ages ago when I learned I had a child… I guess it’s been five years ago.”

“You guess she is five,” Kalani asked not so much for clarification but more to buy some time. This was a lot to take in. Everyone had skeletons in their closet and six months was about the time to start unpacking the crap you hauled from relationship to relationship; however compared to the semi Jarred was unloading in her quarters, Kalani’s was more of a pack like Santa carried around. Sure it was bottomless but it was not 80,000 pounds spread over 18 conventional wheels with a diesel engine. Her question was rhetorical and to be fair, Jarred seemed at rattled as her so Kalani did the only thing she could do. She walked over to the relicator and got two more beers.

“We might need these,” she said handing him one and taking a seat back on the couch.

” I am I know not a perfect father. I tried to give her the best life. Her mother left, and I had zero knowledge of the kid. It wasn’t until a year after Lilly left a man tracked me down, with a little six month bundle. I was angry, alcoholic mess unfit to handle that. My parents were thrilled to see their first grandchild and… I was a little too thrilled to no longer have that responsibility. ” Jarred lowered his head as he stood up and paced a little.

“Hey…hey,” Kalani said walking over to him. She reached over putting a hand on his arm stopping Jarred from walking aimlessly in her quarters. “This is going to change everything but change isn’t bad. It will just be an adjustment. So maybe we don’t get a lot of weekenders and you spend every holiday with her instead of always with me for a while. Jarred it is going to be okay. We got this.”

“This… this is going to be a very long story. I don’t want to have any more secrets from you, I want you to meet my daughter and my parents. I… there is circumstances that have changed. Elizabeth needs to live with me and, am scared to death of this. I want… I need you by my side but I know I am asking a lot and have no right to even begin to ask this of you.” Jarred said as he looked down at her, his eyes soft and tender. He needed her now but he was afraid she may still kick him out all the same.

Alindor, CE

“Wait liiiiiiiiiiive with you not visit. You mean live live as in every day from now until she decides to move out live with you?” Kalani looked at him a bit dumbfounded. It made perfect sense that a child would live with her father but for all his assets, Jarred Alindor was not father material. His quarters ranged from ‘let’s impress my girlfriend clean’ to ‘oh shoot I forgot you were coming over clean’. He was a bachelor. It was expected but now adding another human to the mix. Jarred was right. He was going to need help.

“Okay, how long do we have,” Kalani said pulling him towards the table. “Give me as much as you can in the time we have. We can fill in the blanks later if needed. What time are your parents....and Lizzie coming,” she asked.

Ensign Kalani Kane Science