A visit with Mom continues (12/29/2019)

Jim was tempted to hold back from returning to the restaurant on Rigel 9 after his, fortunately, brief conversation with Admiral Fremont, just to see Spock sweat some more. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

But in the end, he just couldn’t do it. Spock’s body language was screaming how uncomfortable he was. Jim’s mom was great. She was. But he didn’t want to give Spock any ideas about leaving Jim alone with Sarek.

“Hi there. I’m back.” He stopped at the table with a smile.

Spock gave a very quick nod and was already sliding out of the booth. “In that case, Captain. I will leave you to it.”

Jim was almost mean enough to order him to sit back down, but he actually had a great deal of affection for Spock, so yeah, he let him slip away.

“It was wonderful to meet you, Commander,” Jim’s mom called out after the quickly retreating figure of his first officer.

Jim sat back down. Licked his lips. “Yeah. Um. Where were we?”

“Something about your love life.” She picked up her wine glass and sipped. “You do have one, don’t you?”

“Didn’t you grill Spock on that?”

“Not much time. He’s quite tight lipped. He was all ‘the captain this’ and ‘the captain that’. Didn’t give me anything to go on.”

“I’ll have to thank him,” Jim said with a smirk.

“James Tiberius.”

He laughed. “Well.”

“Is he your something or not?”

“He is,” Jim admitted. “But it’s very very recent, Mom. And he’s very shy.”

“How recent?”

“Nosey much?”

“It’s a mother’s prerogative.”

Jim leaned his chin on his hand. “Right before we got to Rigel 9.”

“You got here yesterday!”

“Yes. So it was the night before.”

“You weren’t kidding about being recent. So…have you…”

“Mom!”

She had the grace to blush. “Well.”

“And don’t say it’s your prerogative.”

“Well.”

Jim cleared his throat and reached for his own drink. “We have.”

She laughed.

“Several times.”

“Jim! I didn’t need to know that much.”

It was his turn to laugh.

She smiled. “It’s so good to see you. And happy.”

He returned her smile. “It’s great to see you too, Mom.”   

 Then he held his drink toward hers. “Cheers.”

“Cheers.”