Posted by Lieutenant Ta’lahali Akera Beveres (Counsellor) in Awkward Conversation

Posted by Civilian Dakin Antos (Child) in Awkward Conversation

Posted by Lieutenant Ta’lahali Akera Beveres (Counsellor) in Awkward Conversation
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻

Antos looked at the counsellor as if his response should have been the most obvious one ever.

“Because Daddy does’t have girlfriends,” Antos said, “He has boyfriends instead.”

He looked down, “Vulcans are brainy. They’re never wrong, but I don’t understand how Daddy having boyfriends would mean he cannot be my real daddy.”

-Antos

Hesitation passed through the keen mind of the young Kenyan woman, but never once chose to grace her features with the telltale signs of apparent caution. For a moment, she considered his remark from several angles, attempting to decipher whether or not it was her place to speak, regarding this topic.

Well aware she was not in relation to the child, she chose to remain on a simplistic level, as not to overstep her boundaries as a counselor and as a person, in general.

“Vulcans are quite intelligent, yes.” Tal smiled, “But even the omniscient Vulcan can be wrong,” She winked, adding a playfulness to the conversation, which allotted her more time to think.

“Can they?” Antos asked, clearly shocked at this revelation.

“Has your dad every talked to you about your mother or about where you’re from?” She wanted to gage his knowledge, to determine the best possible course of attack, in simple terms.

Lt. Beveres
CNS.

“Grandad said that Mum & Dad were very good friends, but never expected to have children. They never got married, so that’s why Dad’s name is different to mine,” Antos said. Unlike human traddition, in Bajorian culture, the husband would have taken the name of their wife.

“I have a picture of them from the olden days, see?” he offered taking out a picture from his pocket. The picture was of Nevin as a younger Junior Grade Lieutenant and Dakin Tara (Antos’ mother). From the sunny backdrop overlooking a bright blue calm bay that they were on a holodeck - There was no other reason for Nevin to have worn a uniform in such a setting. Both were smiling broadly, their heads touching. Tara’s earcuff was the same elaborate design as the one that Antos wore now. In actual fact it was the same one. Nevin’s face was a lot thiner and his overall build in the picture was smaller than now, however if there had ever been any doubt about Nevin’s sexuality, just looking at the photo would dispell it.

“I know that Grandma and Grandad are not my actual Grandma and Grandad,” He said chuckling slightly before offering an explanation, “Everyone knows that Cardassians cannot have a Bajorian baby. That adopted Daddy when his real Mummy and Daddy died. Kinda like a pretend mummy and daddy.”

“Daddy and Grandad both used to be doctors, and when Mummy’s shuttle crashed, they were able to make me be born even though Mummy died,” Antos said, “But if I was adopted, I would not have Mummy’s name & shiny earcuff. I would have a likkle one like Daddy’s.” he said referring to Nevin’s single-chained earcuff with a completely plain and undecorated dome.

“What would Daddy having boyfriends instead of girlfriends have to do with him being my Daddy?” Antos said, “I don’t get it.”

-Antos

The sudden revelation of the information sent Tal for a new one, as she found herself uncertain to a plausible response to all of this. She did not know the history behind Nevin or his son, or anything beyond the fact that he seemed to present himself as a sexuality which was void of heteronormativity. She was not positive whether it happened to be homosexual or asexual, or anything in between, she merely knew there was a level of ability to love another who was of the same gender. Which, Tal could judge, as it would have been hypocritical.

“Antos..” Tal regained her composure, speaking in a tone that was strong enough to attempt to make the child feel as if he weren’t inferior, but soft enough to try and seem as if she had heard him. Which, undeniably, she had. “Sometimes, when two people love each other, they find that they cannot have babies. There is occasionally something wrong with their internal.. makeup, that prevents them from being able to.” She paused, considering the other half of those story that might have been the answer to his question. “And sometimes, two people cannot have a baby, because they are the same sex. Say, if a cisgendered male.. meaning they feel and look male, was in love with another cisgendered male, they wouldn’t be able to have kids, because they are the same sex.. does this make sense, so far?”

“Umm,” Antos said accepting the information even though he didn’t understand it, “So two boyfriends cannot have children, but a boyfriend and girlfriend can?”

“Yes! Exactly like that. Of course, two women and two men can have a child, but they need help from at least someone of the opposite sex.”

“That’s stupid,” Antos stated firmly, clearly not understanding the biological process required for having children, “If two people love each other, they should be allowed what they want.”

“You are correct,” Tal offered a smile of agreement, understanding where the boy was coming from. “Although, our biological processes do not allow for such a wish to be a reality- if that makes any sense to you?”

“Your daddy will always be your daddy, your Vulcan friend was wrong about that one.” She smiled, “Even if he is not your father, he will love you unconditionally. Blood does not equal love, dear. Just as your dad had Cardassians adopt him, you have been adopted by him. There is no difference in his love or devotion to you, because of whatever it might be. Adopted or his own blood, he will always be you daddy.” She attempted to make him understand that, while Nevin may not be his biological son, that didn’t mean there wasn’t enough ounce of love poured into him.

Lt. Beveres
CNS

“I know he loves me,” Antos said and he looked down it his dangling feet, “But if Daddy is not me real Daddy, does that mean my real Daddy is dead?”

-Antos

“No..” Tal, once more, found herself in an awkward position. Did she tell him his father might be alive, only to elicit more questions, specifically for Nevin? Or did she lie and just downplay it? She couldn’t lie, that was wrong. “Your father might still be around.”

Lt. Beveres
CNS

“But why don’t I live with him?” Antos said, “And why hasn’t Daddy, Grandma or Grandad said anything about him to me? They told me about Mummy and about her Mum & Dad not liking Daddy because he lived with Cardassians and that some Cardassians did bad things to bajorans in the olden days. They don’t keep secrets from me.”

-Antos

“A family may not keep visible secrets, but there is always something unsaid about them. Perhaps your friend was incorrect, and jumping to horrid conclusions. Perhaps your father truly did have a factor in your birth,” Tal hummed, attempting to achieve conclusions the boy might understand. “Or perhaps you were taken in under circumstances they don’t wish to speak of. You need not know everything to be able to live, Antos. There might be things you are not yet ready to hear, or things that simply don’t exist. Everything is subjective, it is just about whether or not the fact is there, or if everything is just misinformation.”

“Also, even if you knew who your real father way, would you want to leave your daddy to go live with him?”

Lt. Beveres
CNS

“No, but I want to know, because it doesn’t feel good not to,” Antos said.

-Antos