Decisions are the Worst

Posted on Sun Oct 13th, 2024 @ 2:22pm by Lieutenant Commander Toulaine & Lieutenant Muffy Harrington

750 words; about a 4 minute read

Decisions are the Worst Part 4
Joint Log
Lieutenant Commander Doctor Toulaine
Lieutenant Muffy Harrington

Toulaine and Muffy headed for home. Toulaine had left orders for Alice that would allow Ian to stay with her. She also left a soft food diet for the day should she wake and be hungry. But Alice was to rest and get as much sleep as possible.

At the farm house, Muffy helped Toulaine inside and got her something to eat and drink. “Did you want one of the wheelchairs to get to your room?” She asked, and poured herself a glass of apple juice.

“I don’t… It would probably be wise. My leg is cramping so bad right now, I don’t trust standing on it right now.” Muffy knew it cost Toulaine a lot to say that. She didn’t make a big deal of it, just pulled out the hover chair for Toulaine to use and helped her get seated in it.

Toulaine watched as Muffy fixed some fresh apple juice from their own trees and scrambled some eggs and cut some thick slabs of bacon and began to fry them up. She then checked on the fresh bread she had made the night before while waiting, and cut several slices and put them into the toaster and pulled out a tub of fresh churned butter. She also pulled out the fresh strawberry jam that Toulaine really enjoyed and set it on the table with the juice and when done, the lightly buttered toast, eggs, and bacon.

“What is on your mind, Muffy? I can see the wheels turning, but I can’t fathom the reason.” Toulaine asked as she bit into the crispy bacon and almost moaned with how good it was. Muffy had cured this pork belly last autumn and they still had a generous portion left.

Muffy played with her eggs with her fork and was churning over her thoughts. “You know that fertility thing I discovered from my altered blood chemistry? The first infants are being born now and they are…perfect. I was asked last night to stay on Earth for a time to move into the next stage, the continued health of the mother and infant. And then the next birth after this one. And, since we work so well together, they want you to stay with me and oversee the second stage here on Earth. We can be centered here, and they will build us facilities at the hospital to work in. You could also work in the hospital here. They want an answer by the end of the week.” She said and pushed her plate away.

“So what is the problem?” Toulaine asked. She nodded to Muffy’s untouched breakfast and Muffy nodded and Toulaine took it. She hadn’t eaten in almost 24 hours and was starving.

“I hate to leave the Roddenberry in the lurch like this. It’s a small crew, but it’s family and they count on us.” Muffy said, a little unhappily. “But I would be able to dedicate my time for the next couple of years to pure research.”

Finally sated for the moment, Toulaine leaned back a little to allow her food to digest. “I really don’t see a downside. You know they will send others to replace us on the Roddenberry. And they will be just as dedicated as we are. And I will get to teach this hospital staff a few things that they need to know. I honestly don’t know what has become of civilian medicine practices these days. It’s a sorry excuse for quality medical care.”

Muffy made a restless motion with her shoulders and then sighed. “Maybe I just need to sleep on it. I’m going to send Ravynn a care package from us. Some of this pork belly, half a cow as steaks and ground beef, a crate of fresh strawberries, and some of the mixed berry jelly, maybe some apple butter and fresh greens for salads, oh, and some of the butter. Did you want to put a message in there for her?”

Toulaine thought about it. “I’ll write something up after I get some sleep myself. Now that my belly is full, I am able to sleep. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

Muffy nodded and got up to put together the care package and then stopped. “I’m for some sleep too. See you in a few hours.”

End Part 4

RSS Feed