Posted by James Sinclair in Officer’s Mess Kitchen- Food for a Crowd

Posted by Lieutenant Faye Calloway (Mission Specialist) in Officer’s Mess Kitchen- Food for a Crowd

Posted by James Sinclair in Officer’s Mess Kitchen- Food for a Crowd
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snips)

“I would hope so…” and he looked at Shara and smiled. He stirred the vegetables for a moment and then said to the room at large “So Faye… did you tell your mom about dinner?” and he grinned.

Daggum

Faye was watching, no studying, her mother as she began to knead the dough. It was such that his question hit her brain and sat in the queue for a moment before she looked up at Dag. “Hmmm, oh… uhhh, well, yes and no. I told her how pretty I looked and how amazing you looked in a kilt,” she said, flashing a thumbs up at him. “But the rest, I might not have dipped too deeply into the dinner, the wormhole- that was crazy by the way, whew good mind dump!- and the walk through the arboretum, and there is that whole part where we talk about the future and how ours seems to have collided and that we want a future together and well, I think we just sort of both, you know, drew the same conclusion. And with about as many words as I just said.”

Shara popped a bite of one of the crunchy vegetables into her mouth. “Does that mean you’re engaged?” she said idly, a smirk pulling at her mouth.

~The Calloway Women

“Not util she opens the basket.” Daggum said flatly as he stirred vegetables. “Oh yeah… I made one other stop on the way.” and this timenhe looked at Shara and smiled.

Daggum

Shara grinned but Faye stood there with her hands holding the dough. She hadn’t needed herbs at this point but had thought of a few ways to incorporate them at the end. And thus she hadn’t looked. Brushing off her hands, Faye went and washed them quickly and then moved back to the basket and lifted the lid…

~The Calloway Women

Inside was an assortment of fresh herbs: sage, basil, thyme, scallion, rosemary, garlic… and a small black box rested on top.

Inside the box was a ring. A silvery, almost mercurial looking metal was fashioned into vines with multiple small leaves and flowers along each of the three vines that were woven and twisted around each other. In the center of each flower was a small deep red, almost black, gem. And in the center of the ring was set a bright, teal-but-with-a-deeper-blue hue gemstone cut in the rectangular fashion of emeralds from Earth. The stone almost shimmered in the light, giving it a look that made it seem like the inside was almost made of liquid.

Faye plucked the box from the nest of herbs and opened it. And her lips parted in surprise. It was so delicate and changing, rooted in the things she loved.”It’s beautiful,” she whispered, looking back at him.

As she looked at it, Daggum moved close to her and, putting his hands gently on her arms said “Faye… I know what I want it to mean. But I also want you to have a say in it’s meaning too. So if this means I am going to marry you… or if this means simply that I promise myself to you and you alone… then that is what it means. But I do love you Faye… and I do want you to marry me.” and he looked at Shara and said “Someday… no rush.” and nodded once to her. “And I know that it may be fast, asking you, but I wanted your mom to be here when I did it… and I had no way of knowing when or if that would happen again.” He slowly lifted the ring out of the box and took her left hand. “Whichever it means, know that I will always be yours, Faye. Always and forever. Just say the word…” and he took the ring and held it just before the tip of her ring finger.

Daggum

Whatever doubts Shara had bout the relationship flew outright out the proverbial airlock. Daggum made a point of including her in this beautiful moment with him and Faye and while she couldn’t read his mind, she believed he understood why it mattered. Her and Faye had missed so much of each other’s lives, so many moments, and in letting her bear witness to this one, he was including her in his and Faye’s future. And it meant everything.

While her mother had her poetic moment, Faye’s mind was kicked into overdrive. And yet as overwhelmed as she was, it wasn’t detrimental, though if Tess were present, the young cat would likely be weaving in and out of legs right now trying to make sure her person was okay.

It had been one thing for them to proclaim their love and intent but it was quite another to have a tangible symbol of all of that. And as Faye’s mind understood what this actually meant, she already knew the answer. “Yes,” she said, her eyes finally moving back to meet Daggum’s. “I love you Dag, so of course I’ll marry you.”

~Faye Calloway

He smiled and slid the ring on her finger, then wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up and kissed her solidly while still smiling. He held the kiss until a soft pop issued form the skillet and he said “Oh s#!+ the vegetables.” and he pecked her lips once more and then set her down and went back and stirred and said “Whew… we’re okay! Nothing a little creative placement can’t hide.” and he looked at Faye and said while he stirred “You know… for all that we’ve gone through… I wouldn’t change a second of mine. Because it was all worth it for being with you.” and he winked and went back to the skillet.

Daggum

Gazing at him, the goofy smile that was for him returned. “I’m getting there,” she said softly. Did she believe it all worth it? Definitely. Would she really change nothing? Well, she wasn’t sure she could say that much.

Holding out her hand, she gazed at the beautiful ring. Shara moved over and took her daughter’s hand to see it better. “Oh Faye, it’s lovely,” she said before enveloping Faye in a long hug and looking over her shoulder at Daggum. “You did good there, Hammor.”

Vegetables were cooked to the right point and Faye’s spicy brine was added. The wraps were cooked off in batches and soon everything was set to the side to be rolled up closer to the wake. And as they had cooked, Faye told her mom and Dag about how Jaris taught her how to make hasperat for her 15th birthday and how his grandmother who died in the camps had taught him how to make it. It had been his gift to her. She also shared how she hadn’t taught anyone how to make it until she cooked with Alex and told him the full story of the end of Tracken. The first time she had, and every time since then it was getting a little bit easier.

Well and truly hungry, the trio was able to vacate the kitchen and grab some food. Not wanting to cook anymore, Faye just opted for the replicator and grabbed a chicken Ceasar salad. Flopping into a chair at a table by the windows, she sighed happily. “I know later will be hard at times, but I’m kind of looking forward to it. Not everyday you can say that about a wake.”

~The Calloway Women