Prodigal Son 2

Posted on Sat Mar 2nd, 2024 @ 6:14am by

1,005 words; about a 5 minute read

Vila sat in front of the computer in her quarters, cross-legged, as if in meditation mode. She didn't meditate, unlike a lot of Bajorans-she could never turn her mind off, and when she was too quiet, the memories came to haunt her. So she simply...didn't. Still, old habits died hard, and anyway, she needed to eat while they talked. They had a standing meeting to talk every Tuesday evening-his concession to her motherly panic at him leaving her to go to school.

She was picking at a tuna sandwich on rye with some sliced apples. She usually took her meals in the mess hall or lounge, but today was important, and she hadn't had time to eat at her usual time. She took a large bite when, sure enough, his blonde head appeared in her viewscreen.

"Benny!" She said, swallowing quickly. "Sorry, Mommy's hungry," she said.

Mom he said, sighing. haven't called you mommy since I was five he said. He looked at her. She looked tired. You look tired, Mom.

"I know. But *I* get to call myself your mommy even if you're 75," she said. "And I AM tired," she said. "Remember how I said that I was promoted up to second officer? There's been a change of plans. Remy was moved up to acting Captain, and me, to XO," she said. She took another bite of her sandwich-smaller this time, and then smiled a little. She chewed and swallowed carefully, but quickly. "What's new with you?" She asked him.

I am sorry I called when you were eating. I can call back later.

Vila shook her head. "No, this is fine. I don't have much free time, but Remy knows this is our hour, and so barring a war, here I am. I might not be available later." She indicated that he should answer her question.

Nothing much, he said. Except...I am thinking about changing from science to Engineering.

Vila nearly choked on her food. After a moment, she collected herself. "WHY? Do you want to have a miserable, frustrating life? Does your father know?? This is that girl's doing, isn't it? We didn't send you to the Academy to get your head filled with ideas, Benjamin," she said. She knew she sounded a bit crazy, but she and Ben were both scientists, and Benny had been practically raised to be a CSO someday. "I am sorry. I don't...if that's TRULY what you want, of course you should. You should do what makes you happy," she said, with a sigh. Ben was going to shit a brick. No doubt, this would be HER fault, too.

Mom...no. It's not because of Noxi, or Dad, or anyone else. Science is...I am not good at it. I am not like you and dad. My mind is in putting things together and taking them apart. I like my engineering classes more than my labs. And no, I haven't talked to Dad yet this week. So DON'T tell him if you talk to him before me.

Vila nodded, and, having finished her sandwich, set the plate aside on her desk. "I won't. I don't talk to him unless it's necessary about YOU, anyway," she said. It wasn't that she was bitter or something. She just had moved on and was fine with not knowing what her ex-husband was doing 24/7. "Though I expect I will get a call now," she said. She sighed.

"I get it, though. Really, I DO. You know your grandfather had big plans for all of us...I wasn't supposed to be a scientist on a starship. I was supposed to stay home and become the most famous scientist on Bajor," she smiled a little. Vila had always known that she would do something in the sciences, even when she was a tiny child. She'd always been fascinated by books and holoprograms about chemistry, animals, bugs, the stars, and so on. Still, she couldn't help but wonder why.

Sorry, Mom, Ben replied. I know you spoon fed me pears and the Periodic Table as a baby, but I am twenty years old now. It's time for me to live MY life. He smiled lightly. He knew that that kind of wording could either get through to her, OR send his mother to another dimension.

Vila raised an eyebrow. "Watch your tone. you may be twenty now, but you're still my child," she said. "But you're right. I can't expect you to be the same as me. That's not fair. It was only my plan for you to be brilliant in anything you do," she said. It was true. She hadn't ever been a perfect mother, but she had tried hard, and she loved him fiercely. "Anyway. I know you don't want to spend forever talking to your mommy," she said. "So I'll let you go. Besides, I need to go tell Remy," she said. "Same time, next week? If not before. You know, you CAN call me any other time, and I'll take it if I can," she said. Still, she remembered being twenty years old, and she DEFINITELY didn't want to be calling her mother more often than she had to. "I love you." She wished she could kiss him!

I love you too, Mom. Be safe out there, ok? I'll see if I have some free time later in the week, otherwise, yes. Same time next week. He smiled and held up his hand in a wave. In a moment, her screen was blank, and she sat there. She stared for a moment at the screen, and then shook her head before standing up. All she could do was blame herself; he was a perfect child and any aberrant behavior was her fault, she knew. She stood up, and the collected her things for recycling before stepping out of her quarters to see what Remy was up to.

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