A Most Agreeable Arrangement

Chapter 19 - Like A Klingon

I woke with my arms stretched out towards the opposite side of my bed, as if reaching for something out of a dream.

It wasn't the first time I woke up with an extreme sense of yearning, and I got the feeling it wouldn't be the last, or even next-to-last.

I didn't entirely remember my dream, but I do remember one thing: the face of a baby girl with dark gray eyes and skin with a slight shimmer to it.

Slipping out of bed, I put on some of my more casual clothes in lieu of a uniform - I wasn't waking up for duty, but I did need to be mostly presentable.

"Cha Cha," I called as I was brushing my teeth, and he came bounding into the bathroom. "Do you wanna wear clothes?"

He tilted his head to the side, processing my question, then began spinning around in circles at my feet. I couldn't help the little smile that came to my lips, making me drool toothpaste down my chin. Grunting, I leaned over the sink and spat before wiping my mouth clean.

"Okay, buddy," I grabbed two bandanas - a yellow one with a pattern of white suns and a red one with black polka dots. "Which one?"

I don't think he really understood when we did this little game, but I still liked to play it with him. He booped his nose against the yellow bandana, wagging his whole butt with so much excitement, his little body just couldn't keep it contained. I put the red one away before stooping down to strap it around his neck.

"Cha Cha, do you wanna go 'bye bye'?" I asked, and almost immediately he began yapping up at me, jumping like he was trying to bounce directly into my arms.

Scooping Cha Cha up off the floor, I attached his leash and looped my hand through it for good measure before heading out, carrying him down the hall.

It wasn't a long walk to our destination; just a hop, skip, and a turbolift ride later, we were there.

Cha Cha had already figured out where we were going, and he was wriggling excitedly in an attempt to get down.

"Will you go where you need to if I put you down?" I asked him as if he could answer. He just huffed with the effort he was exerting while trying to hop out of my arms.

I yielded to the will of the ten-pound dog, placing him carefully on the floor.

The very moment his feet touched the ground, Cha Cha was sprinting straight for the door.

He stood on his back legs and tapped his front paws against the door. I was leisurely making my way there when the door slid open and he hopped back, his mouth hanging open in something that looked suspiciously like a smile.

"Why, hello, Cha Cha," Deanna greeted him, and he wiggled his whole body side-to-side.

She leaned down to pet him while he wagged back and forth and made it as difficult as possible.

"Good morning," I greeted, and she straightened to smile warmly at me.

"Good morning, Fae. How are you today?"

"Well," I shrugged, "it's still early."

She laughed a little at that before stepping to the side. "Please, come in and have a seat."

Cha Cha bolted past her and I walked at a much more leisurely pace into her office, taking a seat on the couch and removing my shoes before pulling my feet up. My handsome pup explored the room, sniffing around as if he hadn't been in there a million times already.

Deanna took a seat right next to me. "Now. What is bothering you this morning?"

I sighed heavily.

Back on Earth, I'd had a therapist after my step-grandpa died years ago. She was human and couldn't sense my emotions or thoughts like a Betazoid, so I could tell her whatever I wanted and she had to use normal things like body language and microexpressions to ascertain my true feelings. I kept all my emotions so close to my chest that she wasn't very good at it and couldn't really be what I needed.