Revelations & Farewells
Posted on Fri Aug 28th, 2015 @ 1:00pm by Major David Lorenz & Marine Captain Quentin Harrison & James Holbridge & 2nd Lieutenant Jordan Holbridge
Edited on on Thu Sep 10th, 2015 @ 9:19pm
Mission: Further Challenges
HOLBRIDGE FAMILY QUARTERS
0630 HOURS
Jim had rested in his own bed for the first time since the death of his wife two days earlier. A Mickey Finn slipped into his Fresca by David Lorenz had helped Jim sleep deeply, but his slumber had been plagued by visions of his wife boarding the doomed shuttle, followed by a serious explosion that killed her. "You need to know.....you need to know why..." his wife said before she boarded the transport....
Jim had woke up with a start, sitting bolt upright in bed in the darkened quarters. "Lights!" he snapped and the room lights came on. Throwing the covers to the side, he rose to his feet and put on his robe and slippers, presents from his wife. She had chided him about becoming an old man lovingly as she had wrapped the gifts for him. "I'm married to a fighter geezer!" she had joked.
Shaking off the memory, Jim went over to his replicator. "Coffee, Jamaican Blue blend, hot, half cream, half sweet." The replicator produced the requested beverage, which Jim drank with gusto. Raktijino was a popular Cardassian drink, but Jim was sold on Jamaican Blue coffee, having made the replicator code available to Sakkath a long time ago on board the Oppenheimer during a transit to Marine Base Heywood.
Opening the closet, Jim pulled out his old Starfleet undress grey uniform, reliving hundreds of memories from his time in Intelligence, none of them very warm or fuzzy. Jim replaced the uniform and pulled a dressy suit from the closet. He was in his underwear when his son, resplendent in his Starfleet Academy dress uniform, knocked. "Hey, Dad."
"Come on in, JD," the elder Holbridge waved his son into his room. "You ready for this?"
"We have to say good-bye to her, Dad. I don't want to. I wish she would come through that door and say 'Gotcha, suckers!' like she always did...." JD stopped short.
Jim crossed the space to his son quickly, wrapping the youth in a hug. "I know, boy! God knows I know. I would give my life for her to be alive, too!" Jim held his son in a firm hug, which the boy reciprocated. "How is your sister taking all this?"
"She's in a daze..."
"Dad, Uncle Dave and Uncle Quentin are here to see you!", Kim Holbridge shouted from the family room.
"Oh, Jesus!" Jordan shouted, trying to restrain his father, but was pushed aside easily.
Jim exited his room and quickly walked up to the big Scotsman and swung a haymaker that would have decapitated Harrison had it connected, but the big man easily blocked the punch and shoved Jim backwards.
"Ye dinnae wanna do that, laddie!" Quentin said stonily.
"Oh, but I do you home-wrecking sonofabitch!" Jim roared and launched himself again at the Scot, only to stop short as Quentin drew his 3p in a blinding move, aiming at Jim.
"Fucker!" Jim snarled in rage, trembling as he faced Harrison.
"I see your nomination for Mr Congeniality was received!" Dave said brightly calmly looking on. "Before you idiots start throwing punched, Quentin has some information you need, Jim. You need to hear what he has to say."
"Not what I have to say, what his missus had to say," Quentin pulled an iso-chip from his pocket and tossed it to Holbridge, who deftly caught it.
Jim lugged the chip into the wall viewer, as he was the closest. My darling husband; if you are seeing this, I am either incapacitated or dead. I love you with all my heart and what you are about to hear won't be easy for you, but you must listen to what Quentin and I have to say.
I was never going to leave you, James. I concocted the story of going back to Quentin in an attempt to shock you out of your lethargy, but it must have backfired. I hope you didn't kill me or him as you would be in serious trouble. You are my husband and I love you and the kids we have together with all of my heart. I could never betray yopur trust or faith in me like I did again. I am now, and always will be, yours. Farewell, my love.
Jim's head hung low and he slumped to the floor, tears flowing from his eyes. "What have I done?" he sobbed quietly.
Quentin knelt down to pick his friend up. "Ye didn't do anything, Jimmy-Boy. Twas an accident as sure as the day is long."
Jim grasped the big Scot's hand and rose to his feet, embracing the bigger man. "You are a brave man, Q," Jim said quietly. "I was gonna kill you."
"Ye were gonna try, Jimmy-Boy!" Quentin grinned at his friend releasing him from the bear hug.
Lorenz cleared his throat. "If you two idiots are done kissing, we have a funeral to go to!"
"Jesus, let me get dressed first!" Jim groused heading back into his room.
JD looked at both of his "uncles". "Thank you, guys!"
MARINE MESS DECK
There was a reception in the officer's mess after the reception. Jim, Dave, Tom Franklin, and Quentin were all knotted in a group. Cadet Holbridge had taken over the duty of supervising the mess stewards and was working them mercilessly, making the keep full glasses moving through the thirsty crowd. Lorenz waved the cadet over.
"Yessir?"
"Cadet, this is not your responsibility. Doyle will keep the kitchen weenies in line. You need to mingle with your family and friends and celebrate you Mom's life."
"Sir, I.."
"That's an order, cadet!" Lorenz snapped.
"Aye aye, sir!" JD spun on his heel, grabbed a glass from a passing waiter, and gunned down the champagne in a single gulp as he walked away.
"Remind you of anyone?" Lorenz grinned at Jim.
"His mom and me," Jim smiled
"Yep!" Harrison agreed, sipping his drink.
Jim Holbridge
Anger Management Flunkie
Major David Lorenz
Idle Observer
Quentin Harrison
Sel-Defense/Preservation Guru
&
Cadet JD Holbridge
Chip Off The Old Block
