Let Nothing You Dismay Chapter 6

Chapter Six: A Vulcan’s Curiosity

Spock wasn’t even sure what had possessed him to ask Jim Kirk for tea, except that he found himself very curious about the young man.

And attracted to him. Jim was extraordinarily attractive. There was simply no denying it. With his sandy colored hair, blue eyes, and engaging smile. It didn’t hurt that he had a very nice body and a cute butt too.

Yeah, well. Spock was a bit of a butt man.

At first, Spock had believed Jim to be only interested in females, but he hadn’t failed to notice the interest in Jim’s eyes when he looked at Spock, so he felt safe in asking Jim out. For just something as casual as tea at first.

The teashop was just a few store fronts down from Gad-Shen. Spock frequented it since coming to Riverside to open the restaurant.

In all honesty, opening a restaurant was not Spock’s dream or inclination. It wasn’t where he saw himself in a few years. But he’d made a promise to his one and only friend growing up on Vulcan. Another Vulcan named Solek. During their childhood friendship Solek had shared many times with Spock that he wished one day to open a Vulcan themed restaurant on Earth someday. Like Spock, Solek was only part Vulcan. Only a quarter actually, so he’d been bullied ever more than Spock. Solek’s father was from Riverside, Iowa, and it was there that Solek wanted to open his restaurant.

But less than a year ago, Solek became ill and had asked Spock on his death bed, basically, to open the restaurant Gad-Shen in his place. Spock knew he would not run it forever, but he would get it established, and successful, as Solek had dreamed of and was unable to accomplish.

And the fact that Spock chose to go to Earth to open Gad-Shen for Solek had annoyed Sarek no end.

Jim chose the holiday themed gingerbread tea and Spock chose orange spice.

There were only a couple of tables in the shop for two people and Spock chose one for them to sit.

“What is your daughter’s name?”

“Lily.” Jim smiled. “I call her my angel.”

“I saw her from across the street. She was precious.”

“Thank. She’s even cuter in person.”

It was quite clear how much Jim loved his daughter. And that, of course, made Spock even more curious. Or nosey his mother might say.

“Are you divorced from her mother?”

Jim put sugar and milk in his tea, then picked it up and leaned back in the chair. “Nah. There’s a bit of a story there.”

“I do not wish to pry but I admit I am curious.”

Jim smiled and waved his hand. “I don’t mind telling. I had a friend, Ruth. She came to me one day and said she wanted to have a baby and would I help her out. At the time, it was understood that Ruth would raise her on her own. She knew I like guys, so my role was just as the sperm donor so to speak. Ruth was inseminated in a laboratory.”

Spock blinked at him. “I had assumed…”

“Everybody does. You’re not alone. Well, unless you already know me, I guess. Anyhow, the procedure was successful, and Ruth got pregnant with Lily. During that time she took me aside and asked me if anything ever happened to her, would I take care of Lily?”

“That is a lot of responsibility when you thought you were just assisting her with having a child,” Spock said, musingly.

“Yep,” Jim agreed. “And I’ll tell you the truth, Spock, it didn’t really occur to me that she was asking me this because she already knew then that she was sick.”

Spock stared at him. “She what?”

“Uh-huh. Ruth found out she had a fatal illness in her second trimester. She didn’t tell me. I thought she was just asking, generally, you know if when Lily was twelve and she got hit by a hover bus or something.” Jim shook his head. “Not that I thought that would happen either. But I didn’t think she had asked me for a real reason. And Lily was mine, you know, because I donated. Ruth didn’t really have anyone else. Her parents had both died and she had no siblings. I think that was why she wanted Lily in the first place. To have a family when she didn’t have one.”

“But to hide the truth from you.”

“Yeah.” Jim nodded. “I agreed, obviously. And maybe that was my mistake. Should have asked more questions. I was young and stupid, and I wanted to help her. She was my friend. Anyway, after Lily was born, I learned the truth. Ruth only lived six months after Lily was born, and I’ve had my angel ever since.”

“That is very admirable.”

Jim smiled. “Not really. And what else could I do? I couldn’t have her go to foster care. Something like that? So, there’s nobody but me. And her. For a while, my mom helped me. And then she got sick too. Cancer. So…now it literally is just me and Lily. When the shipyard laid me off…” Jim blew out a breath. “Times are hard here. If not for seeing your sign, I guess we’d have to go somewhere else to find work. So, thank you.”

“It is my pleasure. And thank you for explaining. It all makes a lot more sense now.”

Jim looked at his watch then. “I really should go pick up Lily. But this was great, thank you.”

“I would like to have a formal date soon if you are able. Dinner at some point?”

“Sure, let me arrange for someone to watch Lily and I’ll let you know.”