He smiled faintly at his husband’s voice, already aware through the bond they shared that Spock was on his way to find him.
“Doctor McCoy said you left the celebration.”
Jim nodded even as Spock came up behind him and pulled him into his arms, wrapping his strong arms around Jim’s middle.
“Not really in the mood for all that.”
“You are sad.”
It sounded faintly accusatory and Jim supposed from Spock it kinda was. But he knew Spock meant well.
“Just a bit. Been a trying day.”
“I heard that Ensign Walker didn’t make it.”
Jim nodded. “I knew his mom. You know, back in the academy. She wasn’t his mom then.” He laughed. “God I feel old.”
“You are in the prime of your life,” Spock insisted.
“Mm. Thanks to evil maniacal blood.”
“Blood has no emotions or such characteristics. It is simply blood.”
“Well, in his case not simple.”
“I am grateful for what it has done for you. What else has you sad?
“I don’t know. Just…sometimes it gets to be a lot.” Jim turns and buries his face in Spock’s neck. “But you here with me is the best thing ever. I love you so much.”
“And I love you, my T’hy’la. If you do not wish to return to the party there is a massage waiting for you in our bedroom.”
“Now I really love you.” He kissed Spock. “You really are the best. Ever. Thank you.”
I have started what I think will be the last chapter of A Heart Needs a Second Chance, (if not the last then at least the second to last) but it’s slow going. I only write a few sentences at a time before giving up for the time. I’ll get it done but let’s be honest. I am going on a weekend cruise in less than 3 days, it won’t be done until I return. At least I can say that I am pretty certain this one will be called done in February.
I did get two short flashes up for February 02 and 05 (I will be on the cruise with no access to internet)
So…anyway, that’s where we stand. Me being lazy until I return.
So for anyone paying attention to my continuing saga of my kitchen redo…
The insurance company suggested someone who came in with a shockingly low bid, and basically that’s who the insurance company decided we should go with. Big surprise, I know.
We signed the contract. The “Project Manager” came today to go over it and even bigger surprise there were many things left off on the low bid estimate so he is redoing the estimate. The soonest they can get started is 3 weeks and since M intends to go see a very sick aunt, well, I’m guessing we are talking about February 19th.
Funny thing is when you google these things you can find that it can take up to 4 months to get your life back after something like this and it’s looking like the 4 months might be it. If you had told me November 07, 2023 when I first discovered water on the floor in the kitchen I’d be waiting for them to start rebuilding sometime in February…well…
There you have it. That’s the kitchen update. Such as it is.
30 years ago today was the so-called “Northridge Earthquake” at 4:31 AM
Most of us who were adults then remember where we were, what happened etc.
This is what happened to one of the freeways. A police officer, having no idea how bad things were that early in the morning, got on his motorcycle to go in, he never realized the road was gone. Very sad.
I have lived through two major quakes. The other smaller by a smidge and in the 70s.
Anyway, obviously this is a scary occurrence, though much more rare than the media and Hollywood have you believe.
I grew up here. There is much to love. It’s not for everyone, of course. Quakes happen worldwide, though to differing degrees. But we have fires and heat and we are absurdly expensive. No doubt about it. It’s hard to afford a house here. But I wouldn’t live anywhere else. Okay, not entirely true. There are two other places I would consider, Hawaii and Vermont. I’ve been to Hawaii and love it. I’ve been intrigued by Vermont since the 1980s when Bob Newhart set a show there. LOL. I might actually hate it.
But I’ve lived here my entire life and I expect to die here. Most people love where they are born and live all their lives. I think that’s all part of the Human experience.
In another 30 years, I won’t likely be around to see it. Such is the circle of life or something like it.
“Geez, I’ve never been so cold in my life,” Jim complained. He’d been fiddling with the heater controls in the farmhouse for what seemed like hours but was likely no more than twenty minutes. “What kind of moron decides to arrive in the middle of the worst blizzard to hit Riverside in decades.”
“When the plans were made, no blizzard was anticipated,” the robot replied.
Okay, he supposed that was unfair. The robot was Spock and he wasn’t really a robot. Still, Jim was mildly annoyed with him so at present he didn’t give a damn.
He eyed the Vulcan who wore a big woolen sweater as he gazed blankly back at Jim. He had been of no help whatsoever since they arrived. Jim had gotten the fire going in the living room and now he was fiddling with the heater to try to get it to go on.
His family had never switched to a computer-controlled heat apparatus. They’d been convinced an old-fashioned heater was “charming”. Charming his ass.
“If I’m this cold you must be freezing,” Jim said as amiably as he could manage under the circumstances.
“As a Vulcan, I am able to—”
“Blah blah blah.” If Jim didn’t have his hands full of instruments, he’d be sticking his fingers in his ears. Immature? No doubt. “You know you didn’t have to come with me.”
Jim was sorry he’d come with himself. Or you know, whatever. Stupid blizzard.
They’d barely made it there and he wanted to turn right around and leave except the weather got even worse and they’d been stuck.
“You did not want me to?” Spock asked, neutrally.
He had wanted Spock to. They’d just started a…thing…er a whatever. Prior to this shore leave or break, they’d maybe had sex. Okay, not maybe, they had. Even though they hadn’t had the conversation as to what that meant at all. Jim didn’t really want to have that conversation. It made him sick even thinking about that conversation. And as far as he could tell the robot didn’t either.
But instead of answering that loaded question, Jim grimaced. “If I can’t get this heater started we’re going to be in a world of trouble. That fire isn’t going to do it to keep us warm enough.”
“I could look at it,” Spock offered.
And it was on the tip of his tongue to ask what a stupid Vulcan would know about an old-time heater, because he was that irritated with the world, but what the hell. He wasn’t having any luck.
He stepped aside and thrust the tools into Spock’s hands. “Knock yourself out. Well, actually, don’t. I don’t think I have any medical equipment for that.”
Spock didn’t bother to comment on that and Jim didn’t blame him.
With a sigh, he rubbed his neck and said, “I’ll be right back. I gotta pee.”
So he trudged up the basement stairs, shivering madly as he made his way up to the bathroom. He was really starting to hate this place and he was going to have more than a few words with his mom over it.
In the bathroom, having to lower his pants to pee, he thought his dick was going to break off it was so damn frozen.
He was eying the faucet and wondering how cold the water would be when he washed his hands when he suddenly heard the heater kick on.
A moment later a triumphant Spock came up from the basement, looking altogether pleased with himself.
“How did you—”
“Well, scientifically speaking, I—”
Jim covered Spock’s mouth with his to shut him up.
I am working on the next chapter for Welcome to the Enterprise but I don’t want to rush it or force it so I likely won’t have it up until the earlish part of next week. Then the only other WIP I need to update for January is You Say, which will come after WTE.
Update on Kitchen Situation: Got an estimate way way less than the first one (using very cheap material of course) and it is likely that is the one the insurance will approve and pay for, but the HOA insurance is coming to do their assessment today to see if there is anything they will pay for. So hopefully we will get to the point they actually START putting our kitchen in. It’s now more than 2 months. We are beyond tired of it, obviously.
Should you need a little Spirk reading material (Evening did mention recommendations) while I work on updating AO3 and my break here continues, I am going to list some of my own favorites of my work and a couple of other non-me
