Jennifer Marshall awoke on the morning she was due to be released to see a plethora of get well gifts and cards. Among them, a shiny orange package. ‘From Drake & Nate.’ She opened it. It was a data tape labelled ‘Live Show - 2384.’ She had never heard her boys’ band play. And she had long since assumed there were no recordings.

When she and Nate were all packed up, medics came to take her to a shuttle. Drake walked with them. “We’ve got a lot of baggage to unpack, Nate.”
“Yep.”
“And we’ve never been very good at communicating.”
“Nope.”
“See you at the airing of grievances?”
“Festivus it is.” They both chuckled. “You both got your father’s sense of humour.” There was a peaceful pause. “It’s okay to still miss him, you know.” Drake wondered what sorcery she used to read minds. “It’s been 17 years.”
“He was still your father. And it was his father you wanted to be just like.”

They arrived in the shuttlebay in a somewhat comfortable silence. “So. I guess this is goodbye.” Drake said. “Oh, don’t say it with such finality.”
“You and I are still on for the airing of grievances, remember?” Drake laughed. “Yeah. I’ll put it on my calendar.”
“Don’t be surprised if you get a call or two.” Drake’s mother said as they moved her onto the shuttle. “Later. Old man.”
“One year. I am one year older than you.”
“Virtually an antique.” Nate boarded the shuttle.

As Drake walked back to sickbay, he considered the past little while. Things had improved. He was on speaking terms with his family. There were going to be a few ugly fights when the Marshall family ‘it’s all ok’ facade failed. But maybe things would get better instead of worse for once. If he played his cards right.

-Drake Marshall