<snip>

Joe stood there unable to believe whatever this was going on with Hunter. It was all he could do to keep from laughing. Joe looked over at Cross and saw that she was taking him at least partially seriously. He decided then that he would be a good guy and try not to fall over laughing at least. Joe thought idly that only with Miri’s hand on his and with her taking Hunter seriously could he have gone to the lengths that he did not to laugh. All Hunter need do from the beginning was to do his job. And now here he was serenading them. Joe turned to Cross and merely smiled as he nodded his head. ’ What a crazy universe it is!’ he thought to himself.

Cross saw Hunter leaving the bar without saying a word to anyone ,she knew the doctor had just a few hours left before his shift started

‘’At least D’Nesh seem to have warmed up a bit to Hunter ‘’Miriam told Joe ‘’Can I now have some lunch please ?’’ .

*Maybe things will eventually fall into place * .

It wasn’t but a moment and Joe was back with Crosses sandwich . He smiled at Cross as he served it to her. ” Do you appreciate that I’m not laughing at all?”

She eyed the sandwich which to her seemed to be quite full ‘’I hope there is not every vitamin known to men in here ‘’ she said in an amusing tone before taking a bite ‘’Laughing ? Why should you laugh Joe, I think it was quite honorable for him to tell you and me not to listen to any one ,considering he had himself in mind’’ ‘’.

Cross said nothing more for she knew all too well Joe’s feelings for the male doctor.

After listening to Hunter sing, George said, “Well, goo’ness gracious, ser, is thay …err musician ta be given ayy regulaar gig here?”

‘’Just every now and then ‘’Cross replied ‘’ He’s not a musician but a doctor ,though I must admit he’s good and who knows maybe D’Nesh may decide to entertain the crew present with her dancing as well..if she so wishes ‘’.

’’ As the saying goes ...... all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy ‘’.
a
Joe cleared his throat then and said to anyone who was listening. ” No the doctor won’t be entertaining us. He is I’m afraid a very important doctor and is needed very much in sickbay . All one needs to do is to ask him. And as for D’ Nesh. I will not allow her to be put on display like that after she’s recently been traumatized. Perhaps later she can show you some of her people’s dance that are more art than dance.”

“A darn shame!” replied George. “He’s darn good!”

Cross listened as she quietly ate her sandwich with an ‘’Aww’’ here and there among the present crew ,now she noted another glimpse of his character to others, caring and compassionate towards the ex Orion slave girl ,though for Hunter it was more of an excuse but she did not mind after all what Joe said was true.

Yet someone in the bar who had entered just as Hunter had finished knew a different Joe …she remembered months earlier how the male doctor had asked for her help in decorating the Lounge , telling her this was not something he knew how to do but he had too cause the Cmdr had not minced his words in telling him ‘’Either do it or start thinking of yourself as an ensign ‘’.

Kate had silently sworn........ she would never divulge what was said to anyone.

Joe waved to Kate giving her a broad welcoming smile. ” Kate! he called. Try you something on the menu . My new protege has become as good at cooking as she is at serving and she wants to try more!”

Kate waved back and made her way towards the bar smiling ‘’Whats on the special menu for to-day?’’ .

Joe then turned to Cross and asked her, ” So Miri now that all the bruhaha is over how are you feeling love? And not to press the point too much but when are you going to accept that ring? I mean it doesn’t matter to me but I know how some women enjoy that sort of thing.

‘’I’m feeling just fine Joe ,in fact I haven’t felt like this for a long time ‘’ she then realized what he had just said ‘’Ring? What ring?’’ a puzzled Cross asked .

Joe just sighed and rolled his eyes back in his head. He smiled finally and then looked at Cross with an amused look. ” That, ” he began is one of the problems with far too many women. They would rather talk than listen. Especially when it’s a man talking.” He cleared his throat then and plunged ahead before she could interrupt. “Well, the other day when you became so angry I had laid a wedding ring on the bar for you and was wondering if you might be interested in something maybe like marriage?”

Her eyes widened ‘’A ring ?’’ she asked ‘’For me!’’ she looked around on the bar her heart thumping ,she thought Joe would hear it .Since she did not see it the doctor opened her fingers in the hope that he would place the ring on one of her fingers.

‘’Was wondering if you might be interested in something maybe like marriage?”.

At the though of marriage Cross was at a loss for words and somewhat surprised ,in this time and age getting married was not the norm anymore , a couple could still love and stay together ‘Until death do us apart ’ but if it was what Joe wanted why should she object ?.

Miriam nodded ‘’As long as it’s a simple do and nothing fancy’‘.

As an engineer, George sat quietly wondering to himself, why do diamonds do that there to women. He could easily replicate some with the use of a Warp engine, some powdered graphite dust, and the wherewithal.

Joe shrugged acting nonchalant as he went once again to fetch the ring once again. He laid the small box on the bar. “It’s just a little something I picked up a long time ago and have been carrying around with me. ” He said as he opened the box. Inside there was a yellow gold ring with three diamonds all of different sizes He pointed to the largest at one end of the set. ” Here’s Malta . He then went to the next in line a tiny stone and said, and this little guy is Comino. Over here of course is Gozo. ”

Her hand flew over her mouth due to an unexpected, yet pleasant surprise .Cross looked at the three diamonds while listening to Joe’s words explaining what each one represented ,her thoughts went back to what now seemed to have been another life time while still at university ,at every chance she and her fellow medical students friends would head to the small island of Gozo and the things they got up too ,Comino was no different back then Cross did not have a care in the world ,she did not even know about the Federation, let alone that one day will join the academy …those were the days my friend I thought they’ll never end.

Looking at Joe she realized how much he knew about her past and where she came from. Without saying a word the doctor again gave him her finger ,she wanted him to slid the ring on himself .

There was no need for words her smile and happiness was evident, while her eyes appeared to harmonize her facial expression.

Joe watched as Miri extnded her hand to have him place the ring it. That ring had been with him for a long time now. It had been in luggage of all sorts . It had been in bags , in desk drawers , bunks , beds, and every tiny nook and crack that something of special value could be hidden. More than once he had been tempted to get rid of it. To toss it off a bridge or a building .

But he never had. Even though he didn’t know whether Miri still exhisted . It always bothered him . Something in his heart always seemed to stop him from getting rid of that ring.

Joe smiled at Miri . He looked down at the ring as he slid it onto her finger and said, ” Well here you are ring. It’s been a long wait.” Looking to Miri then he asked, ” So will you be mine Miri?

Cross was about to roll her eyes but stopped instead she whispered ‘’Have I not told you if you leave I’ll leave with you ‘’ she glanced at the ring ‘’Joe I never loved anyone until you came along ,actually I never knew what it felt to really love someone ‘’ then Miriam looked at the time ‘’Oh dear I have to go back to sickbay ..see you tonight Joe ‘’ and with that she turned to leave.

Kate had been next to the bar and saw and heard everything ,she felt a bit envious for no one ever seriously dated plain old Kate .Taking a deep breath she again asked Joe what was on the menu.

" Ah Kate. Perhaps a bit of something special for the lady who makes sure that the sick bay runs properly when all the doctors have their heads busy with something else. How about one of my own recipes Reuben sandwiches?  Corned beef, with kraut, melted Swiss cheese, Thousand Island dressing and butter toasted Rye bread?"

Kate nodded ‘’Sound impressive ‘’ she replied while thinking Cross had made a catch with Joe , he was polite with his clients .Being called a lady was not something she heard often .

The nursing officer had been present when D’Nesh was asked by the CMO what had happened between him and Hunter , so knew that Cross was with child.
‘’Joe I’ll take care of the mother to be and her baby ‘’.

• George, Engineer