Lieutenant Bridget Stapleton’s Personal Log -
Should She, Or Shouldn't She?
Log Details
Location: Bridget and Edward Stapleton's Quarters
Time: SD36 - 0810
Bridget toweled off as she stepped out of the shower, thinking back to the conversation she'd just had with Rick Dunham. It was great to meet her boss' intended in such an unexpected way - at an empty gym. But at the same time, the latter part of their discussion was still bothering her.
They'd briefly talked about the Box Of Delights, and it's owner. Some woman. Rick hadn't named her, but he'd certainly known more about her than he was telling, and he was awkward enough about what he did reveal.
She put the towel on the hook and quietly stepped into the darkened bedroom, a shaft of light from the bathroom being the only source of illumination. But it was enough to allow her to dress without turning on any more lights, and possibly waking Edward. He lay still, on his side of the bed, lightly snoring.
Her mind went back to Rick's comments about the woman who owned the Box being... what did he call her? An outrageous flirt? Well, that had Bridget concerned. Sexual harassment had no place in a professional environment. Not that the Box Of Delights could be considered a professional environment, she amended.
Rick had seriously backpedaled when she mentioned harassment. He seemed to give the impression that what the Box owner did was harmless fun. He said that if Ed could handle it, that everything would be fine. But Bridget wasn't so sure. The 'Fleet drummed it into their people, that it was inappropriate to make any sexual reference whatsoever, on the job. But could she apply the same principle to a place like that? Where did decency begin and tolerance end? She thought about the question as she zipped up her uniform jacket. There just wasn't a clear answer.
At the suggestion that she go see the lady, Bridget had instantly decided to do so. But now, thinking it quietly through, she was having second thoughts. Regardless of whether the woman would respond positively or not, was the question of how Ed would take it. Surely he'd just get defensive and tell Bridget that she was meddling. And, he'd be right.
She shut off the bathroom light and felt her way along the wall in the darkness, headed out into the main living area of their quarters. The bedroom door silently slid closed behind her, and she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
Motion sensor lights automatically came on. Making her way to the replicator, she ordered an omelet, bacon, and orange juice. While the little machine whirred away, she leaned a hip against the counter and folded her arms across her chest. Should she risk Ed's displeasure by going to see this woman? Would it jeopardize his job? Not that she was remotely happy about his job in the first place. She briefly thought it might be good to sabotage it. But it was a quickly fleeting idea. No way would she do that to her husband. She loved him and she wanted him to be happy.
The replicator beeped, and she took her steaming plate to the table and sat down, a sense of loneliness washing over her as she began eating, alone. This wasn't how she'd expected to be spending her mornings on the station. She had just assumed that she and Ed would breakfast together before starting their respective days. It hadn't even occurred to her that they might have totally different schedules. She'd so strongly wanted him to just retire and enjoy life on a busy space station, get a hobby, and all that. Was it too much to ask?
Yeah, probably, she told herself with a sigh. Suddenly she wasn't very hungry any more, and she began poking the fork randomly into the top of the omelet, feeling the slight resistance of the firm egg as it cooled. It reminded her of poking a needle into soft flesh, the way it dimpled before the surface broke and allowed penetration. Her appetite completely disappeared, and she rose to put the plate back on the replicator mat, and pushed the button.
What it really came down to, she decided, was what Ed wanted. And what he wanted was this silly job. What the reason was, she couldn't fathom. And they hadn't had a chance to talk about it last night when he got home, like she'd told him. She'd been more tired than she expected, and had fallen asleep in bed while reading. So if she made an appointment with the owner of the Box, she'd be doing so behind his back and blind to his thoughts on the subject.
She wanted to go back into the bedroom and kiss his cheek before leaving. Something just to let him know that she loved him beyond anything else. But at the same time, she might wake him, and that might make her late for work. In her lonely state, she didn't trust herself to resist his arms if they'd wrapped around her to pull her down on the bed.
She looked at the bedroom door as she passed it, but continued on her way out of their quarters. She'd leave him a message when she got a chance, or maybe go and see him at that place when her shift was done.
Log Details
| Title | Should She, Or Shouldn't She? | |
| Author | Lieutenant Bridget Stapleton | |
| Posted | Fri Jan 21, 2011 @ 3:51pm |
Time: SD36 - 0810
Bridget toweled off as she stepped out of the shower, thinking back to the conversation she'd just had with Rick Dunham. It was great to meet her boss' intended in such an unexpected way - at an empty gym. But at the same time, the latter part of their discussion was still bothering her.
They'd briefly talked about the Box Of Delights, and it's owner. Some woman. Rick hadn't named her, but he'd certainly known more about her than he was telling, and he was awkward enough about what he did reveal.
She put the towel on the hook and quietly stepped into the darkened bedroom, a shaft of light from the bathroom being the only source of illumination. But it was enough to allow her to dress without turning on any more lights, and possibly waking Edward. He lay still, on his side of the bed, lightly snoring.
Her mind went back to Rick's comments about the woman who owned the Box being... what did he call her? An outrageous flirt? Well, that had Bridget concerned. Sexual harassment had no place in a professional environment. Not that the Box Of Delights could be considered a professional environment, she amended.
Rick had seriously backpedaled when she mentioned harassment. He seemed to give the impression that what the Box owner did was harmless fun. He said that if Ed could handle it, that everything would be fine. But Bridget wasn't so sure. The 'Fleet drummed it into their people, that it was inappropriate to make any sexual reference whatsoever, on the job. But could she apply the same principle to a place like that? Where did decency begin and tolerance end? She thought about the question as she zipped up her uniform jacket. There just wasn't a clear answer.
At the suggestion that she go see the lady, Bridget had instantly decided to do so. But now, thinking it quietly through, she was having second thoughts. Regardless of whether the woman would respond positively or not, was the question of how Ed would take it. Surely he'd just get defensive and tell Bridget that she was meddling. And, he'd be right.
She shut off the bathroom light and felt her way along the wall in the darkness, headed out into the main living area of their quarters. The bedroom door silently slid closed behind her, and she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
Motion sensor lights automatically came on. Making her way to the replicator, she ordered an omelet, bacon, and orange juice. While the little machine whirred away, she leaned a hip against the counter and folded her arms across her chest. Should she risk Ed's displeasure by going to see this woman? Would it jeopardize his job? Not that she was remotely happy about his job in the first place. She briefly thought it might be good to sabotage it. But it was a quickly fleeting idea. No way would she do that to her husband. She loved him and she wanted him to be happy.
The replicator beeped, and she took her steaming plate to the table and sat down, a sense of loneliness washing over her as she began eating, alone. This wasn't how she'd expected to be spending her mornings on the station. She had just assumed that she and Ed would breakfast together before starting their respective days. It hadn't even occurred to her that they might have totally different schedules. She'd so strongly wanted him to just retire and enjoy life on a busy space station, get a hobby, and all that. Was it too much to ask?
Yeah, probably, she told herself with a sigh. Suddenly she wasn't very hungry any more, and she began poking the fork randomly into the top of the omelet, feeling the slight resistance of the firm egg as it cooled. It reminded her of poking a needle into soft flesh, the way it dimpled before the surface broke and allowed penetration. Her appetite completely disappeared, and she rose to put the plate back on the replicator mat, and pushed the button.
What it really came down to, she decided, was what Ed wanted. And what he wanted was this silly job. What the reason was, she couldn't fathom. And they hadn't had a chance to talk about it last night when he got home, like she'd told him. She'd been more tired than she expected, and had fallen asleep in bed while reading. So if she made an appointment with the owner of the Box, she'd be doing so behind his back and blind to his thoughts on the subject.
She wanted to go back into the bedroom and kiss his cheek before leaving. Something just to let him know that she loved him beyond anything else. But at the same time, she might wake him, and that might make her late for work. In her lonely state, she didn't trust herself to resist his arms if they'd wrapped around her to pull her down on the bed.
She looked at the bedroom door as she passed it, but continued on her way out of their quarters. She'd leave him a message when she got a chance, or maybe go and see him at that place when her shift was done.