Posted by Ensign Chloe Harland (Nurse) in Chloe’s Quarters - Guess who is coming to dinner

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There was no way Logan was going to leave the room. Pushing his mom’s leg to obey his dad, Logan hoped she would understand what he needed her to do and why. She was his mom though so, of course, Chloe knew what to do.

“Okay, buddy. I got this,” she stood up and walked to the bedrooms. She didn’t mind doing it but the larger she got, the harder it was to extricate herself from the cushions. First, she grabbed Mara’s pillow followed by Logan’s. Tucking them under an arm, Chloe made her way to her bed. As she reached across the bed, she caught an image of herself in the mirror above the dresser. The reflection was so strange. Chloe did not have the dark circles under her eyes nor the slight frown, that seemed to be her neutral facial expression for the past year. Having Nate around was going to be a huge help. The issue with having him around, meant that at some point, Nathan would see how badly she needed him. Chloe had no idea if Nathan was going to stay the night or not. To be on the safe side, she walked to her dresser. The bottom left drawer held something that could change the course of the night. Exiting the room she walked back into the living room as Logan and Mara opened the presents Nate had given them. She knew one of them was hers but it was more fun to see the excitement on the kid’s face. It had been a long time since Logan appeared this happy.

“So what did you get chief,” she asked taking a seat on the couch by him as slips of paper fell like large crumpled snowflakes over her lap and feet. Seeing the gift in the box Chloe let out a small laugh. “Of all the things you could have bought you chose that,” she gestured down at the top of the box.

“It’s a family activity… we can all play.” Nathan said with a wink, he knew Chloe had a disdain for curling and in reality he had little love for the sport as it was nothing like baseball, but it had become a fun joke to play on his wife and a inside joke with his son.

Logan nodded rapidly hugging the huge box to his chest as Chloe feigned silly annoyance flopping back on the couch with a palm to her face moaning. “Why why oh why should anyone want to curl,” she acted out a silly praying voice that was full of despair as Logan laughed hard clapping his hands. Somewhere Nathan had found an indoor version of the ridiculous sport of curling complete with balloon stones you slide over the surface.

“I’s gots a wellepunt,” Mara held a stuffed elephant tightly to her chest rocking it back and forth. “That’s because elephants never forget just like your daddy has never forgotten how much he loves you and Logan,” Chloe toyed with the oversized ear of the gray plushy. “A Mommy and Daddy never forget how much they love their kids.”

“Like Maddie,” she asked looking at her mom. Mara was so lucky at times, Chloe always felt. She was able to have a pure love for her sister yet none of the pain of missing her. Sure she might one day regret not knowing her as well as she could have but it would never be the empty loss Nathan and Chloe felt.

“We are not talking about that,” Chloe said firmly ending the conversation as harsh as a slap across the cheek. Instantly she added, “because mommy got a present. Help me open it,” she passed the box to Mara. Chloe was not in a place to talk about anything to do with Maddie. Logan being a selective mute stopped his questions by default but Mara needed to learn we did not bring up those conversations. Watching the excitement at which Mara opened the gift brought a smile to Chloe’s face. While Chloe thought it was a piece of jewelry based on the size of the box, she wasn’t sure until it was opened. Seeing the shining gold pendant made her look at Nathan like she did back when they were young and in love. “Oh Nathan it’s beautiful,” she pulled the cross from the soft padded box. It was not ornate but far more meaningful. It was three baseball bats making the shape. The first bat stood alone and independent. The cross-part of the two was two bats pointe tip to tip so they almost seemed to twist about each other. The more she looked at it the more her mind wandered. Was Maddie the solid bat in the middle and she and Nate curled around her to make the classic T-shape? Was the bat in the middle all thier kids? Was she supposed to be the bat in the middle with her two remaining kids curled around her? Chloe felt her chest tighten some. The gift was beautiful. She just needed to leave it to that. “Thank you,” she said softy looking at Nathan. “I have something for you,” she gestured to the kitchen table where the old pair of Pj’s were sitting. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted to get comfy or,” she shrugged. “You can change in either of the bedrooms if you want to,” she announced.

Chloe

Nathan looked closely at the clothes as a he felt a tug in his heartstrings as he stared at them. “You kept these?” he said softly as he looked up at her as he leaned in and gave her a kiss as he took them. “I will be right back, Logan…” he said as he looked over at his son. “Stay… not all things are a group activity.” he said as he grabbed the clothes as he stepped aside before coming back in his baseball jersey with sweat pants. It was a simple look, but one he felt comfy in.

“So lets get some horrible awful snacks… more junk the better.” he said with a wink to Logan as he walked to the replicator selecting a smorgasbord of items for them all to have.

Nathan Harland