The Three of Us

Part 32 - Various Gifts

"How are you feeling?" Malcolm asked.

Lili was sitting on the movable Sick Bay bio bed. "All right, I guess. I wonder what's keeping Phlox."

"I'll go check," Jay walked to another area of Sick Bay. "Doc?"

"Ah, Major! Can you help me with this?" It was an odd contraption, with all sorts of wires and tubing and an attached PADD screen.

"Sure thing." They brought the device over together.

"Now, give me several moments to get it started," said the Denobulan, "Crewman Torres did a marvelous job, but the machinery is a bit temperamental. Talk amongst yourselves."

"Well, this is it," said Lili, "We'll know if you're," she pointed at her own belly, "Madeline or Laura, or Jeremiah or Stuart."

"Laura?" Malcolm asked.

"It's my sister's name," Jay explained, "We decided on Laura Jayne for a girl, and Jeremiah Logan for a boy. My, uh, my father's name was Jeremiah, and my mother is Lena. Uh, was. Uh, she will be."

"Those verb tenses continue to be rather difficult for me as well," Malcolm commiserated. "Funny, we also decided to honor a sister. My sister, her name is Madeline. And my mother is Mary. My father's name is Stuart. Hence we opted for Stuart Mark, which is also for my friend, Mark Latrelle. A girl would be named Madeline Susan."

"Susan?" Jay asked.

"Is that bad?" Lili inquired.

"I got an ex with that name. She, uh, she was probably my most important ex, if that makes any sense."

"A bit like Rochelle is for me, I'll wager. No regrets, though."

"I'm ready," Phlox began spreading a gel on Lili's abdomen.

"Man oh man, that stuff is cold!" she complained.

"Is that decon gel?" asked Jay.

"It is," Phlox confirmed, "It makes a fine wave transmitter. Otherwise the probe – this wand I'm holding right now – the waves wouldn't traverse properly, and I would not get a very good reading." He flipped some switches. The machine hummed as he worked. "Ah, hmm, let's see." He moved the wand around for a few minutes. "There."

The display above Lili's head sprang to life as an image began to take shape. "What are we looking for?" Jay asked.

"A moment," Phlox then pointed the wand and turned a knob. The image changed to a profile. "There it is."

"There what is?" asked Lili.

"Right there," Phlox said, "it's as clear as day. You're going to have a boy."

"Hear that, Jeremiah-or-Stuart?" she asked.

=/\=

Later that day, Lili, Brian and Craig worked on decorating the Observation Lounge for the holiday party. The Ikaaran women looked on as they worked.

"And this is a gift-giving holiday?" asked Trenia.

"Yes," Craig said to her, "but I think just everyone being together, and being okay, is present enough for me."

"Will you get a living thing gift again, Bithara?" asked Minatka, smiling.

"I do not know. Ethan knows better now. He need not get me a thing," replied Bithara.

"We'll have music and dancing, and some alcohol if anyone wants. 'Course I can't have any now," Lili explained.

"We do not know your dances," said Preece Ti. "Are they man-woman only?"