Judgement – To Suffer the Slings and Arrows.
by Commander Richard Dunham & Commander Chelsea Dunham
Post Details
On:
Paul, Erica and Kim Anderson sat in the Box of Delights moodily staring into their respective coffees and wondering just what the heck was going on. Erica had one arm around her daughter, who, having spent time with Rick and Chelsea on holiday couldn't quite understand what was going on, and why people were talking such uncharacteristic things like; 'Rick had done a runner' or 'he was in that state because of the stag do.' But Kim didn't believe it, she had seen the two of them together, and all though she didn't really understand the concept of love to its full extent, she did understand....no she *knew* that Rick and Chelsea were meant to be together. Kim stirred her coffee with a tea spoon and looked up at her mum, who gave her a loving squeezey hug.
"I don't like being left out of the loop like this" commented the Marine as he took a sip from his coffee. He was used to it when it came to working with the officer types, but amongst his own family.....the family that had taken him in because he didn't have one himself? It made him feel a little left at the wayside.
Erica rested one hand sympathetically on her husband's. She could read him like a book, that was one of the reasons she had married him, as it had been such a refreshing perspective on the universe from her 'honest bull' as she called him. So when he saw his look she said; "Honey I'm sure its going to be ok, Chelsea is one of the best Doctors in the quadrant, she will figure it out."
Also in the Box, sitting across the table from the Andersons were Rear Admiral and Eleanor Adams with Anata, their Bajoran step-grand-daughter. Peter was showing the same agitated impatience about being kept so long waiting to hear what was happening but he was not dealing with it as patiently as the younger Marine. Peter was pacing and blustering and generally being grumpy.
"You're better off sitting down mate" Suggested the Marine, who, it should be noted, was, along with his wife, still in full dress uniform. Paul pulled out a chair for the former Admiral, it was situated between the two parties, and formed part of a bridge between them.
"Thanks" grunted the former Admiral. His wife smiled at Erica and Kim, having some great memories of shopping with them both a day or two ago, although this now seemed like half a lifetime.
"I'm sure Summer will let us know as soon as there is any news on your uncle." Ellie said to Kim but not really sure if she wasn't reassuring all of them, most of all herself.
"A bit obvious that...." muttered Grumpy Grandpa who really, REALLY didn't do waiting well.
Kim looked up from her cup of tea which she had been drinking through a green straw, she gave the former Admiral a sympathetic look, but one that was also tempered with a frank, 'stop being grumpy' kind of look.
Peter watched the child and felt she was probably right, but he was in no mood to behave better. His precious Chelsea was... well, he didn't know what she was going through but he was not happy about it.
Ellie tried to make peace. "Peter, I'm sure we do all know this but it's such a horrible time waiting, that I just wanted something to say. Perhaps we could discuss something nicer until we have better news to talk about?" she tried to divert them.
Erica totally agreed with the sentiment, but even she found it difficult to get her head around an optimistic appreciation of the situation such as that. She felt isolated in this bubble they had created in the Box of Delights and her professional side was just itching to find out what was going on. Even Erica who was very good at pushing out her emotions, was finding it hard to keep away the worries she was having about Rick. "Perhaps we should just go and demand to know whats going on?"
"If it's a medically delicate situation we might make it worse." Kim suggested.
"If it were, the parents wouldn't still be in there." Paul suggested.
"Oh God, yes they would... if he's going to die!" Peter looked alarmed. "Sorry............ SORRY..... I'm sure that's not what's happening. Bad news travels fastest..... " he back-pedalled as he got a searing look from his wife and a sob from Kim, both of which shamed him into guarding his tongue better from now on.
Erica put both hands around her daughter, hugging her and making soothing noises to the young girl, sometimes it was difficult to remember with Kim that she was only fourteen as she often seemed older. Paul put his large muscular arms around them both, the burly marine was able to wrap them both in the comfort blanket that was his fartherly hug.
From amongst the folds of clothing, arms and love, Kim sniffed a little then said slowly almost defiantly "They are going to be OK"
"Of COURSE course they are" Ellie agreed, glaring ice at her husband.
For all his medals and combat-experience, Rear Admiral Adams was a man who was hard on the outside but soft in the middle. Eleanor had held heart since as long as he could remember - overshadowing even his first wife - and in all their thirty years together, she had never looked at him with such uncharacteristic fury and disappointment before. He felt strangely naked and alone, just as he would if she ever left him, which was a thought that had never occurred to him before.
These were fraught times.
Paul looked at Erica
Erica looked at Paul
Kim looked at both of them, and with her characteristic Dunham tact (i.e. none) when it came to breaking the ice Kim said. "Grandma Dunham gives Grandad exactly the same look when she is cross with him too."
This seemed to say it all and it made everyone in the room chuckle, even Ellie. Peter looked crestfallen but he bore his punishment well and accepted that he asked for it.
"I expect Grandpa Dunham must have been a very thoughtless, tactless and grumpy person then, to have deserved such a look." he accepted graciously, his look speaking volumes to his wife.
Ellie knew that Peter Adams never apologised. He saw it as a sign of weakness but she smiled and nodded approvingly when she was pleasantly surprised to see him move towards Kim and say "I'm sorry, young lady. I have been behaving badly this afternoon. I could make an excuse that I'm worried about my grand-daughter but everyone here is worried about her too and Rick as well. Both of them are very special to us all and both of them are much loved. It was wrong of me not to consider all of you as well as my own unhappy self. I apologise."
Ellie kissed his cheek and he sighed with relief, feeling that he had averted some form of disaster that he only sensed, yet which hadn't actually materialised in the form of a threat as such.
It was at this point that, saving the day, the door opened and in walked the two people being discussed, Rick and Chelsea. Also the aforementioned Grandma and Grandpa Dunham and Summer.
The two families sat around the war table ( a small table in the bar) to discuss their next course of action and to update each other on the days events like the professionals they where.....This was of course after much teary eyed kissing, hugging and rejoicing.
Off:
Gunnery Sergeant Paul Anderson
Lieutenant Commander Erica Anderson
and Kim Anderson
Played By Rick Dunham
and
Rear Adml Peter Adams (Retired)
and Mrs Eleanor Adams
by Commander Richard Dunham & Commander Chelsea Dunham
Post Details
| Title | To Suffer the Slings and Arrows. | |
| Mission | Judgement | |
| Author(s) | Commander Richard Dunham & Commander Chelsea Dunham | |
| Posted | Thu Jun 23, 2011 @ 10:27am | |
| Location | Box of Delights | |
| Timeline | SD38 |
Paul, Erica and Kim Anderson sat in the Box of Delights moodily staring into their respective coffees and wondering just what the heck was going on. Erica had one arm around her daughter, who, having spent time with Rick and Chelsea on holiday couldn't quite understand what was going on, and why people were talking such uncharacteristic things like; 'Rick had done a runner' or 'he was in that state because of the stag do.' But Kim didn't believe it, she had seen the two of them together, and all though she didn't really understand the concept of love to its full extent, she did understand....no she *knew* that Rick and Chelsea were meant to be together. Kim stirred her coffee with a tea spoon and looked up at her mum, who gave her a loving squeezey hug.
"I don't like being left out of the loop like this" commented the Marine as he took a sip from his coffee. He was used to it when it came to working with the officer types, but amongst his own family.....the family that had taken him in because he didn't have one himself? It made him feel a little left at the wayside.
Erica rested one hand sympathetically on her husband's. She could read him like a book, that was one of the reasons she had married him, as it had been such a refreshing perspective on the universe from her 'honest bull' as she called him. So when he saw his look she said; "Honey I'm sure its going to be ok, Chelsea is one of the best Doctors in the quadrant, she will figure it out."
Also in the Box, sitting across the table from the Andersons were Rear Admiral and Eleanor Adams with Anata, their Bajoran step-grand-daughter. Peter was showing the same agitated impatience about being kept so long waiting to hear what was happening but he was not dealing with it as patiently as the younger Marine. Peter was pacing and blustering and generally being grumpy.
"You're better off sitting down mate" Suggested the Marine, who, it should be noted, was, along with his wife, still in full dress uniform. Paul pulled out a chair for the former Admiral, it was situated between the two parties, and formed part of a bridge between them.
"Thanks" grunted the former Admiral. His wife smiled at Erica and Kim, having some great memories of shopping with them both a day or two ago, although this now seemed like half a lifetime.
"I'm sure Summer will let us know as soon as there is any news on your uncle." Ellie said to Kim but not really sure if she wasn't reassuring all of them, most of all herself.
"A bit obvious that...." muttered Grumpy Grandpa who really, REALLY didn't do waiting well.
Kim looked up from her cup of tea which she had been drinking through a green straw, she gave the former Admiral a sympathetic look, but one that was also tempered with a frank, 'stop being grumpy' kind of look.
Peter watched the child and felt she was probably right, but he was in no mood to behave better. His precious Chelsea was... well, he didn't know what she was going through but he was not happy about it.
Ellie tried to make peace. "Peter, I'm sure we do all know this but it's such a horrible time waiting, that I just wanted something to say. Perhaps we could discuss something nicer until we have better news to talk about?" she tried to divert them.
Erica totally agreed with the sentiment, but even she found it difficult to get her head around an optimistic appreciation of the situation such as that. She felt isolated in this bubble they had created in the Box of Delights and her professional side was just itching to find out what was going on. Even Erica who was very good at pushing out her emotions, was finding it hard to keep away the worries she was having about Rick. "Perhaps we should just go and demand to know whats going on?"
"If it's a medically delicate situation we might make it worse." Kim suggested.
"If it were, the parents wouldn't still be in there." Paul suggested.
"Oh God, yes they would... if he's going to die!" Peter looked alarmed. "Sorry............ SORRY..... I'm sure that's not what's happening. Bad news travels fastest..... " he back-pedalled as he got a searing look from his wife and a sob from Kim, both of which shamed him into guarding his tongue better from now on.
Erica put both hands around her daughter, hugging her and making soothing noises to the young girl, sometimes it was difficult to remember with Kim that she was only fourteen as she often seemed older. Paul put his large muscular arms around them both, the burly marine was able to wrap them both in the comfort blanket that was his fartherly hug.
From amongst the folds of clothing, arms and love, Kim sniffed a little then said slowly almost defiantly "They are going to be OK"
"Of COURSE course they are" Ellie agreed, glaring ice at her husband.
For all his medals and combat-experience, Rear Admiral Adams was a man who was hard on the outside but soft in the middle. Eleanor had held heart since as long as he could remember - overshadowing even his first wife - and in all their thirty years together, she had never looked at him with such uncharacteristic fury and disappointment before. He felt strangely naked and alone, just as he would if she ever left him, which was a thought that had never occurred to him before.
These were fraught times.
Paul looked at Erica
Erica looked at Paul
Kim looked at both of them, and with her characteristic Dunham tact (i.e. none) when it came to breaking the ice Kim said. "Grandma Dunham gives Grandad exactly the same look when she is cross with him too."
This seemed to say it all and it made everyone in the room chuckle, even Ellie. Peter looked crestfallen but he bore his punishment well and accepted that he asked for it.
"I expect Grandpa Dunham must have been a very thoughtless, tactless and grumpy person then, to have deserved such a look." he accepted graciously, his look speaking volumes to his wife.
Ellie knew that Peter Adams never apologised. He saw it as a sign of weakness but she smiled and nodded approvingly when she was pleasantly surprised to see him move towards Kim and say "I'm sorry, young lady. I have been behaving badly this afternoon. I could make an excuse that I'm worried about my grand-daughter but everyone here is worried about her too and Rick as well. Both of them are very special to us all and both of them are much loved. It was wrong of me not to consider all of you as well as my own unhappy self. I apologise."
Ellie kissed his cheek and he sighed with relief, feeling that he had averted some form of disaster that he only sensed, yet which hadn't actually materialised in the form of a threat as such.
It was at this point that, saving the day, the door opened and in walked the two people being discussed, Rick and Chelsea. Also the aforementioned Grandma and Grandpa Dunham and Summer.
The two families sat around the war table ( a small table in the bar) to discuss their next course of action and to update each other on the days events like the professionals they where.....This was of course after much teary eyed kissing, hugging and rejoicing.
Off:
Gunnery Sergeant Paul Anderson
Lieutenant Commander Erica Anderson
and Kim Anderson
Played By Rick Dunham
and
Rear Adml Peter Adams (Retired)
and Mrs Eleanor Adams