Posted by Commander Shara Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Tennessee, Earth - Home Sweet Home

Posted by Civilian Micah Pikelsimer (Federation Security Agent) in Tennessee, Earth - Home Sweet Home

Posted by Commander Shara Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Tennessee, Earth - Home Sweet Home
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Nadine took in the landscape was they moved along as she processed Micah’s explanation. “Be a person,” she said softly. Nadine considered the woman she had been getting to know and yes, she could understand how that sort of disposing of self could have happened. Shara seemed to reinvent herself at intervals and she wondered how much of her own true self Shara was even acquainted with. “I’m going to ask a possibly odd question, and I hope you understand what I’m trying to get at, but… why now? why the big confessions and you coming out to see me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m extraordinarily grateful for this opportunity, but… she likes her secrets. It seems to me that she created a whole life where I didn’t exist and I get that maybe that was self-preservation. But I guess i”m not understanding what drove this whole reunion. Faye told me about her mental health challenges and I can’t pretend to know much about her disorder, but I guess i could understand if Shara just wanted to focus on rebuilding her relationship with Faye after all these years apart. Why bring me in and complicate everything now of all times?”

~Nadine

Micah chuckled softly and stopped walking, turning to face her. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked her right in the eyes.

While the man could be definitely scary, Nadine also knew deeply that he wouldn’t make such and effort with someone if he didn’t think it worth doing. So him grabbing her attention that way made her even more willing to give hers in its entirely in return.

“First off… you ever say that that woman created a life where you didn’t exist in it again and I will personally rip your tongue right outta your head. You have been in her mind and heart at every breath she has taken from the time she found out she was pregnant till this very minute. And if you can’t see that, you probably need me to yank those eyes out as well because they’re worthless. Second… why now? I just told you. Sha is trying to create a life for herself where she can have you and Faye in it. You lost your mom… that’s a rough one. But you lost your son, too. Now imagine losing two children. And then finding one was still alive? That feeling? That is the feeling that drove her to tell me about you. And I will bet you my metal arm that the reason she told me was because she knew not only that I could find you where she couldn’t… but that I would do it without her asking. I’m like a missle. You lock me on a target and press a button; I’m gonna go after it. She’s doing it now because she has a ‘now’. You? Faye? You are part of her… always have been. Losing you, losing Faye… it put a hole in that woman that will never really heal. But it will sure as hell get a lot smaller.” He dropped his hands and turned and started walking again.

“You may not have known it, and it may still seem weird to you… but you have always had two moms. No matter what.”

Micah

Nadine nodded as she fell back in step with him, her walking stick striking the ground softly every other step. “Yeah, a part of me always felt that deeply. It’s why I looked for her and kept this small part of me hopeful I’d find even one more piece of information about her. I’m glad she has a now, as you put it. And I’m glad she has you to help her ride all of this insanity out,” she said with a laugh.

As they walked, Nadine drew in a breath and exhaled is slowly. “I’ve been on a couple of dates, but it’s… hard. Feels very strange and I’m so out of practice!” she said with another laugh.

~Nadine

Micah laughed. “Last actual ‘date’ I went on before I met your ma was almost five years prior. Sometimes you just gotta wait it out until ya find someone you want to date, not just someone you think you should. Trust me… the right guy comes along and you’ll find your need for ‘practice’ will go right out the window. Snake right there, hun.” and he flicked the walking stick and lifted a meter-long snake off the ground less than two meters in front of her. It rattled and Micah tossed it away before it became more agitated. He looked back at her and smiled. “And I have anti-venom at the house.” and he winked and kept walking.

Micah

Nadine jumped back with eyes wide. She let out a short huff of a breath. “I like the outdoors and all but I’m not sure how much I’m going to get used to this. Very much a city and beach gal,” she said, side stepping the area where the snake was, even though she knew it was no longer there. “You both kind of amaze me. It’s hard to find people who know how to exist without replicators, and I have a set of parents who are all one-with-nature. It’s very different,” she said, grinning to herself as she caught up with him again.

~Nadine

Micah chuckled. “You just have to switch your mindset. Normally, folks want and take. They want chocolate cake, so they take it from the replicator. They use the energy and raw materials to reach their goal. Out here, though… out here you are given things. You just have to know what it is your are being given. Like here…” and he stopped at a fallen log. He slowly rolled it over to reveal mushrooms. “Shitake. Really good. and this here?” and he gestured top a frilly mound of fungus. “This is oyster mushrooms. Also delicious. Start filling that bag.” and he wedged the log so it wouldn’t roll.

“Out here, you accept what is there. You don’t go out thinking ‘I’m gonna have fried catfish for dinner.’ You think ‘I gotta eat tonight, so I’ll see if I can catch anything.’ Being ‘one with nature’ is more about accepting nature for what she is instead of forcing her to give you what you want.” he said as he pulled mushrooms delicately off the wood.

Micah