Dinner And Good News

Posted on Wed May 26th, 2021 @ 8:25am by Commodore Keiben Haistro & Lieutenant Commander Melanie D’BrooNi- Haistro & Lieutenant JG Osil Haistro

1,826 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 3 - Fear Is Fear Itself
Location: Deck 1 - Captains Quarters
Timeline: Mission Day 2 @ 1800 Hours

ON

He had started to feel more like himself again. His brief visit to sickbay to see Peter, his encounter with Ilyas, his meeting with Nesha and Kotan and now the prospect of having dinner with his Brother, Mel and Charlie was boosting him no end. Plus this might be the right time let both of them know about the news Mel and he had. Lord knows they could all do with some good news about now. He also had some news for Charlie about her training and some news for Osil about their sister Ileyana.

'Osil and Charlie will be here in a bit... I'm glad you are home' he broadcast to Mel, sensing her in the corridor before she entered the living space. He also realised that he needed to speak with her about the quarters situation... perhaps it was time she moved in and they could find space for Charlie as well, or Acting Ensign Brooks as she would be very soon.

Mel smiled. 'What do we need to do for dinner?' she asked pulling her drs coat and jacket off and placing them in his bedroom so not to ruin his quarters with mess. 'Can I replicate something more appeasing on the eye?' she grinned. This was big. Meeting his brother. Telling him their news and Charlie too.

'You know me, I'll eat anything you put infront of me... Os is pretty much the same in that as well' he offered, starting to move from his comfy place.

It didn't take Osil very long to find his way to Keiben's quarters and he arrived not long after Melanie did. He had actually been thoughtful enough to bring the woman, who seemed to make his brother happy, some beautiful roses. He didn't know if she liked flowers, but it was the gentlemanly thing to do right? Putting on his most cheeky smile, the younger Haistro pressed the chime.

Mel answered the door having changed into a purple dress. "Hello Osil. Lovely to see you."

"Hello Melanie, my my aren't you a sight for sore eyes. You're a picture m'lady." He thrust the roses at her. "Here, these are for you," he added. "Beautiful roses for a beautiful lady."

"Trying to steal my girl again... Some things never change!"

Keiben called from his static posture on the sofa. He was on the mend but today, walking the ship to see Peter then Kotan had taken it out of him. Seeing his Brother however and knowing he would be working on Copernicus was heartening and the only thing, other than Mel that had lifted his spirits.

"Of course they don't!" He wrapped his strong arms around his older brother, drawing him tightly to his chest. "It's good to see you too Kei, have you been behaving since we last spoke?"

Keiben returned the hug heartily, suddenly feeling a wash of emotion. Perhaps this was the therapy he needed and he was grateful for it, grateful to Starfleet for sending him and grateful that his brother was the man he was. Warm, kind, friendly and the life of the party.
"I'm glad you are here!"

"Me too and thank you for the roses," Mel said with a smile. "May I get you a drink Osil?"

Charlie chose that moment to decide to arrive. "Mum, what are we having for dinner?" she asked then caught sight of the stranger. "Oh sorry. Hello."

"Wine if you have it," Osil replied, turning his dark eyes towards the girl. "And you must be Charlie...you're just as pretty as your mother," he beamed at her, though he kept a respectful distance from the girl as he released his brother from the hug. "Now tell me truthfully, has he been behaving? Listening to his doctor and doing as he's told?"

"These two gang up on me so take everything they say with a pinch of salt if you would!"

Keiben interjected before Mel could respond, Charlie still looking a little lost as to who and or what was going on. He grabbed the bottle of wine and began to ease the cork from the neck with the corkscrew but started to address Charlie.

"Charlie, this is my brother, Lieutenant Osil Haistro".

"Oh I see," she said. "I thought he had a look of you. You have the same jaw," she said simply. "Nice to meet you. And hes been hit and miss on the behaving. Im sure you can imagine," she added cheekily.

"Mum I'll go wash up," Charlie addressed her mother. She looked pretty fancy. This must be a big deal.

Mel nodded and brought some glasses over for the wine. "How do you take your steak Osil?" she asked.

"Rare," Osil answered, looking back at his brother. "Hit and miss huh.... brother dear you know better than to not listen to the women in your life. You should be glad our sister isnt here! She'd not let you have the end of it."

"Rumour has it that she's just been assigned to the Andromeda... The ship thats on the way to help us!" he looked pointedly at his younger brother knowing that they would be be in for it once Ileyana caught up with them both. As with all Betazoid women she was strong willed, a force of nature and not one to trifle with so it was always wise to keep her on side.

"I don't think Mel will be long, might as well take your seats" the taller of the two brothers suggested as he started pouring the wine and a small portion of it for Charlie as well.

"Oh gosh, we're done for then," Osil laughed, putting on a dramatic flair, "woe us both and pray she's taking mercy on us!" As he put his hand over his forehead in an act of drama, he winked at the teenage girl.

“Oh you laugh but you have not experienced her cooking,” Charlie said darkly. Although she brightened to see she was being allowed what seemed to be a thimble of wine.

“Lucky for you all I have replicated the steaks and fixings. However dessert I did bake. No jokes about adhesives you,” she pointed at Keiben as she grabbed a plate of baked potatoes and a bowl of salad.

"Hey kiddo don't diss the hand that feeds you," Osil teased, "and what's this about adhesives? I bet you're a far better cook than he'll ever be. he should count himself lucky."

"You just wait!" deadpan... stoically so while sharing a knowing look with Charlie wondering if either one of them could find an excuse to escape before dessert... With luck red alert would sound!

"Well I hate to break the jovial mood but I have some news... Yeoman Brooks. As of tomorrow your training will start and given the need for an engineering presence on the ship I thought that you might as well start with Engineering. Chief Stoun will be expecting you from the start of Alpha shift tomorrow morning."

"Okay I will try learn what I can off old man Stoun. Mum I won't need breakfast through this placing. Minka says he's a feeder. There's always food. In fact I better not have dessert tonight ..... you know .... It would be rude to be too full and refuse his carb offerings on my first day," She kept her face deadpan as Mel rolled her eyes. Then as the Trill said "very funny and don't refer to the Chief as Old man Stoun" and went back to the replicator to ferry a bowl of spinach and sauted mushrooms over looked over at Keiben as if to say "Beat that."

"You are there as an observer and remember they have a lot of damage to fix so be as discreet as you can. I'm sure the Chief will get you stuck in somehow".
Keiben added before turning his attention back to Mel.

Mel handed plates out with everyones steak and finally sat down. Then she half glared at both Charlie and Keiben.

"Osil you are brave enough to sample my dessert aren't you? I mean one of the Haistro brothers has to be," she joked.

'If you do, I see sickbay in your future!' Kei sent to his brother telepathically, blocking Mel from picking up on it, or he hoped. How far had her ability grown he wondered?

That bad huh? Osil put on a brave face. "I will save some room for a little bit of dessert," he promised, "I'm a big eater, and I don't usually have dessert." He patted his stomach, giving them a cheeky grin. "Gotta keep this in shape now don't I?"

Mels eyes darted between both brothers suspiciously. She knew some telepathic communication had occurred between them no doubt Keiben joking about her cooking. She could sense it even if she didn't hear it.

"Lets eat shall we?" she said just giving up. I mean ok she wasn't the worlds greatest cook but he had asked her to marry him so Keiben was stuck with it. She reached out to serve herself some salad. No one had noticed her ring yet. Not even her daughter.

Once again he was sensing something approaching frustration on Mels part at her efforts to keep displaying the engagement ring on her finger without announcing it outright so he blocked out Mel from reading him but continued on eating as he broadcast to his brother only. 'Would you notice the ring already before she explodes!'

When she reached over to serve him, Osil made a show of grabbing her hand and turning it this way and that. "Oh my!" he exclaimed, "that's quite a rock you got there..." He smiled at her. "So...he's done it then, has he?"

Before Mel could answer Charlie grabbed her hand. "Mum .... mum ...." her eyes whirled round to Keiben's ...." Keiben you .... " they flew back to Mel ... "He proposed."

"Yes sweetheart," Mel said taking the sudden hug off her teenager happily. "And yes Osil," she smiled radiantly. "I'm to be your sister in law. I hope that's okay."

Osil purposefully said nothing for several seconds, as if to consider that question. "Of course it is," he finally said, after an insanely long silence.

"I knew you wanted to be my step dad," Charlie said clearly very excited. "Does Paddy know? You did ask his permission right? And Tay .. will we get to see them? Mum they will come back for the wedding right."

"I hope so," Mel answered grinning at Keiben while Charlie was clearly admiring the ring.

"You did good," she said after a moment in Keiben's direction.

"So I can see!" he laughed at the exuberant jubilation displayed by the teenager.

Mel smiled but felt uneasy on how long it took Keiben's brother to answer. She hoped this wasn't an issue.

END

 

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