“Are you sure you want to go back to the Academy for another semester?” Winona Kirk asked her son. She crossed her arms in front of her defensively.
She knew her youngest was going to do what he wanted. He always had. But the last couple of summer months with him at home with her had been so very precious.
Predictably. Jim just laughed.
“Of course I’m going back.”
She nodded. “Of course.”
He gave her a soft smile. “You know my decision to join Starfleet is no reflection on you.”
“I’m your mother.”
“Yes, you are. And I know you think given what happened to my dad, you don’t want me going out on a starship but—”
“You are.”
He nodded.
“You have absolutely nothing to prove.”
“Maybe a little something.”
“No,” she insisted. “Will you come home during the winter break?”
“I don’t know,” Jim told her. “Maybe. And if I do, I might not be alone.”
“You mean the Vulcan.”
“Spock, Mother. And yes. Spock.”
She gave him a look. “Why didn’t you bring him this time?”
“Because he went to visit his folks on Vulcan. And before you ask, he did invite me to go with him, but I told him I was spending the summer with you. Which was good, yes?”
She smiled despite her impending loneliness. “It was very good. I had a wonderful time and I hope you did too.”
“I did. We built some pretty good memories. And I’m happy. But now my hover taxi is here and I gotta go.”
She held him tight, not wanting to let him go, but eventually he gently dislodged her. He smelled like George. She didn’t know how, but he did.
She had tears in her eyes as she called after him, “Let me know when you get there!”
“I will, Mom.”
And he was gone.
She went into the house and had a very long cry. Eventually, she rose from her pity spot on the couch and went into the kitchen to make tea and to bake a cake to make herself feel better.
When the message came through, Winona smiled.
“I’m here. Love you.”
And he’d attached a selfie of himself with a Vulcan who looked very uncomfortable to be in the picture, but Jim was grinning from ear to ear, and she didn’t miss the soft affection in Spock’s eyes.
Winona smiled through her tears and responded.
“Thank you.” And with it, a heart emoji.
If I’m still doing this blog by December you might see that visit we shall see
Happy Labor Day Weekend
September 4, 2026 at 8:09 am
Aww. I love the relationship between them. Mother’s love knows no bounds. Well done.
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September 4, 2026 at 3:30 pm
❤️
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September 4, 2026 at 11:21 am
Bittersweet story, but I’m glad that Jim has a good relationship with his mom and also has Spock. 💕
This is me today! Just call me Winona. I’m home alone by the telephone! My twins, who have lived at home since they graduated from college four years ago, will be moving to an apartment in Brooklyn in October. ); They’ve currently gone away for a four-day weekend. They left a short while ago by train to head out to Long Island beaches, and meeting one twin’s boyfriend. (he lives out there). My husband took today off because he’s about to max out on vacation days and was going to lose a day. So he just left a short while ago also by train for the Mets game. He has season tickets. But we haven’t been able to take our car down to the game because our car has been having mechanical issues and it’s over an hour drive. And if I were to accompany him by train, I wouldn’t get home in time to make it to work. I have to work Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday nights. I’m just aimlessly working around the house right now. Maybe I’ll go to the gym. Maybe that will help.
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September 4, 2026 at 3:29 pm
So you are about to have major empty nest syndrome, that sucks, I’m sorry
What is even worse is the working every day of the long weekend. It’s called Labor for a reason.
Surely you have seniority there by now to earn at least one of those days off
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