The Three of Us

Part 10 - A Not So Silent Night

Christmas brought with it a more subdued celebration than they had done the prior year. After all, things were different. Ethan Shapiro was still rehabbing himself, slowly. Sandra still had her virtual shingle out. Shelby was nervous about that, as were the other mothers and mothers to be. For now there were more of them. As Jay had predicted, Hoshi was also pregnant.

It was a few hours before dinner, so Lili had a little free time. She went to Sick Bay. "So, Ethan," she said, "are you going to the party? I mean, I know it's not your holiday and all."

"I ... am going," he said.

"Maybe I'll save you a dance," she said.

"I ... stank ... before, before this."

"That's okay," she allowed, "I don't mind if you step on my feet a little." She and Phlox helped to get him up, and she was about to hand him the cane when she felt the underside of the handle. "What's this? It's carved."

"Mark ... of the ... maker."

She turned it over. "JDH. Well, whoever JDH is, it was very nice of them to make it for you."

They helped him get up and walk a few steps. "See?" she said, "You just lean on me a little and we can dance."

"May, maybe."

"Maybe? You think your dance card will be all filled up tonight?"

"Dunno," he shrugged, more with the right shoulder than the left, and smiled, more with the right side than the left side of his mouth.

"We're having real cauliflower tonight," she told him, "and I know you like it. See ya then."

Walking into the hall, she tapped a little on her PADD. "JDH, huh?" She checked, and figured out who that was.

=/\=

Jay was in his quarters when his door chimed. "Uh, come in." He put down the old-fashioned book he was reading for, perhaps, the fiftieth time.

"Hi," said Lili.

"Uh, hi. You, um, you know your quarters are a few doors down."

"Yes, I know that," she said, "I just wanted to, um, I was in Sick Bay, and I was helping Ethan with his cane."

"Oh?"

"And I felt under the handle and I found the maker's initials. They're your initials."

"Really?"

"Yes, of course. Look, I won't say anything if you don't want me to. Although I'm not sure why you want to keep quiet about it. But, uh, I wanted to tell you; that was a really sweet thing you did for him."

"Uh, thanks," he smiled a little, mouth closed, "I, uh, I gotta keep an image, yanno."

"Oh, I see," she observed, "You know, you mainly smile with your mouth closed."

"Yeah, I, uh, my teeth are kinda crooked. I got self-conscious as a teenager, and I guess that never really went away."

"My lower teeth are crooked, too," she admitted.

"I've never noticed."

"So, uh, are you one of those guys who had a whole workshop in your basement or something?"

"It was in my sister, Laura's, basement."

"Oh, well, I guess apartments don't have basements."

"No, I, uh, I didn't have a place that was off the base," he explained, "Just barracks."