Turmoil, Inside And Out

Posted on Mon Feb 15th, 2010 @ 3:55pm by

464 words; about a 2 minute read

Mission: A New Home
Location: Ten Forward
Timeline: Current

The lounge was almost cleared out. Ted was almost able to start with the cosmetic part of it: wall decorations, tables, chairs, a new bar... He smiled to himself as he continued to carry in the wood for the bar. Anders looked at him. "What is it? What has you smiling?"

Ted looked at the older man. He was very cheerful and Ted was starting to like him a lot. "The lounge is almost totally repaired. Then all that's left is putting things where they belong and I can start serving drinks again.

Anders grinned. He knew what that was like. He hated it when things were blown up too. "I hear that. Then again, if ships didn't get hurt, I would be out of a job."

Ted smiled. "Yeah, almost like if my best customers suddenly stopped drinking, right?"

"Yep. Exactly."

Ted put another piece of wood on the floor and headed to get another for the carpenter assigned to the bar. "On the bright side, I can redecorate this place the way I want."

"Yeah, but how much did that cost Starfleet?"

Ted shrugged his eyebrows. "Quite a lot. But they'll be pleased with it alright. Instead of having the working messhall, they'll be able to come here for dates with table linens and mood lighting."

Anders grinned as he put another piece of wood on the pile next to the bar. "That sounds really nice. I wish there was something like that on the base. Nothing like that is there yet. Pity. I'd be a regular customer with my wife."

Turner chuckled. "I know how that is."

Anders put another plank of wood on the pile. There were few left. "Do you have a family?"

Ted's eyes grew misty as he looked away. "Kelly died almost six years ago. I never forgot it."

Matt touched the guy's shoulder. "It's okay, you know. It's okay to talk about it."

Ted wiped away the wetness in his eyes and turned to his work again. "Yeah, easy for you to say."

Matt touched his shoulder. "I know what it's like to lose someone you care about--" he began but Ted cut him off.

"Have you ever lost your wife? Have you ever lost the woman you loved more than anything?" Ted was getting angry, not something that happened often.

Anders sighed. "No."

"Then shut it." Ted turned to his physical work in earnest, trying to fight back the tears. Except the tears in his left eye would not go away. He realized he wiped it with his fingers after he had been working with wood. He went to Sickbay, hoping the wood dust in his eye would disguise his inner turmoil.

OFF:

Ted Turner
Lounge Manager
USS Orion

MCPO Matt Anders
Engineer
SB Typhon

 

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