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A piercing wail interrupted B'Elanna's reunion with her mother. She jumped when she heard it, took a moment to realize that was her daughter crying, and then hurried into the bedroom.
"Lights fifty percent," she commanded as she picked her way to the crib. Miral's fussing abated somewhat when she saw a person, but resumed again before B'Elanna could even pick her up. She heard footsteps behind her. Not knowing who was there was better than turning to see her mother of all people.
She never thought she'd see her again.
B'Elanna scooped Miral up, softly asking, "What's wrong?" on repeat. Not surprisingly, Miral didn't have an answer for her. B'Elanna pulled her to her chest and bobbed gently. It worked in Sickbay.
Miral's cries weren't loosing any momentum. And B'Elanna had an audience. What would they think?
They'll take her away.
The candle? Where was it? She couldn't find it with Miral crying in her ear. "Miral, tell me what's wrong?" It was ridiculous to think the newborn would have anything more to say than wail.
"She needs to be changed," her mother's voice cut over Miral's wails. For a moment, Miral's voice stuttered like she was as surprised as B'Elanna was to hear her mother. She spotted a table near the door that she'd missed seeing the first time. It had a low rail on four sides. Feeling embarrassed and still worried that this wasn't what Miral wanted, B'Elanna crossed to the changing table. She lay Miral down, finding it difficult to ignore the volume increase of her daughter's wails. Tom came into the bedroom with Miral's diaper bag.
B'Elanna couldn't shake the feeling that everyone knew what was wrong before she did. Removing Miral's tiny sleeper proved difficult with her waving her hands around blindly. Her face reddened with the effort. Just as B'Elanna was about ready to give in to the hovering Tom, her mother stuck the tip of her pinky into Miral's mouth and the newborn relaxed.
B'Elanna offered her mother a cautious smile as she returned to undoing her daughter's sleeper. With her mostly still, Miral's first changing didn't seem so grand an occurrence. In fact, it was comforting for B'Elanna, knowing how to do this successfully. Tom took the bundle of diaper and wipes away as B'Elanna redressed Miral. Her mother popped her pinky from Miral's mouth and a quiet moment lingered.
"Thanks," B'Elanna said as she picked up Miral, holding her to her chest. She turned her head to place her lips on Miral's cheek, humming a nonsense tune as she moved back to the crib.
"Give her to me before you put her down."
B'Elanna turned to look at her mother. In one hand was the blanket the Doctor sent home with Miral. As she debated what to do, her mother lay the blanket on the end of the bed. Curious, B'Elanna handed her daughter to Miral.
Miral paused a moment with her granddaughter in her arms as if she needed to get used to the sensation. After her moment, she set her down on the blanket and swaddled her. By the time she finished, the newborn was already yawning with droopy eyelids. It was Miral who set her in the crib. B'Elanna waited, but all her mother seemed to want to do was stare at the sleeping newborn.
B'Elanna spotted Tom standing in the doorway, observing. She narrowed her eyes as if to ask "How long have you been there?" and "Will you move out of the way?" in one look. Tom moved out of the way and followed her silently to the living room. Not wanting anyone to overhear, they spoke in subdued tones.
Tom asked first as he sat sideways on the couch, "What's going on in your head?" B'Elanna shook her head, not knowing how to put words to anything right now. She took a seat facing Tom and the open door of their bedroom. Tom answered his own question, "I wonder if she'll think it's weird we named our daughter after her."
B'Elanna tore her eyes from the doorway, "I think I wondered that at one point too. And also maybe..."
"What?" Tom asked when B'Elanna trailed and remained silent long enough to wonder.
She sighed, shook her head, and said, "She's really good with her."
"She's done it once before."
"It's not just that. ...What if she's not as awful as I remember her to be?" She could tell Tom had to work not to laugh.
"Wouldn't that be a good thing?"
"No." Her voice cracked unexpectedly. Her throat hurt. Her face hurt. Her whole body hurt. She wanted to be back to normal.
"It would mean it was my fault my dad left," B'Elanna admitted quietly. She leaned into Tom's chest, wanting to hide. He let her, wrapping his arms around her. She appreciated him not commenting on the sniffling.
When the shifting emotions settled to neutrally exhausted, B'Elanna lifted her head from Tom's chest. He cupped her face in his hands. "It was your dad's fault he left," Tom confirmed firmly. "You couldn't have done anything wrong. And you're going to be a wonderful mother whether or not you have your mom's help. Okay?"
B'Elanna nodded, "Okay." Tom lowered her head to kiss her ridges one at a time. When he finished, she lifted her chin to plant a kiss on his lips. She came away smiling, feeling somehow stable. The candle was there, flickering gently. Tom hugged her. As her head fell over his shoulder, she spotted her mother. She straightened right out of Tom's arms, embarrassed to appear so weak in front of her mother.
Yet, a lingering part of her wanted her mother to lecture her in the ways of being a strong warrior even as another simmered ready to lash out if she did so.
"Miral is sleeping well," her mother informed.
"How did you—" B'Elanna began.
"I overheard." It may have only been Tom's presence that gave B'Elanna the foresight to wait for an explanation. "I saw you with her. I saw you watching him. I worried. I see how you trust him. I see how he makes you happy. I do not worry."
Tom laughed softly, "Did I just get a blessing from your mother and not see it?" Despite knowing better than to encourage him, B'Elanna's gaze drifted to Tom as her smile grew.
"I think you did."
"Figures." He shifted around to stand. "Can I get you anything..." He turned to B'Elanna. "B'Elanna, what's Klingon for 'mom'?" Miral snorted simultaneously with B'Elanna. Only Tom seemed to notice and that knowledge made his grin widen.
"Look it up, hotshot."
"I am," he teased. "I'm asking you."
"Call me SoS." B'Elanna's mother suggested. "Miral may call me SoSnI' when she can speak."
Tom nodded and turned to Miral, "Alrighty, what can I get you, SoS?" A lingering air of playfulness tumbled around his words. Miral didn't seem to mind judging by the smile.
"Nothing now. I need to speak with Lanna."
Tom glanced at B'Elanna, but she didn't seem concerned. Curiosity colored her expression as she faced Miral. "Sure." She turned to Tom to ask for juice and then made space on the couch for her mother. They sat facing each other, Miral where Tom had been.
"I want to be Miral's grandmother," Miral declared.
"You are."
"I want to be part of her life, and yours."
"I don't want you teaching her how to use a batleth just yet." She laughed to diffuse the air.
Miral shook her head. "That is your job. Not mine."
B'Elanna laughed again before she realized, "You're serious?"
"Yes."
"I don't know if I want to." The part ready to lash out reared its head.
"Then it becomes the job of your mate."
"He's not Klingon." She wasn't ready to let on that he regularly cajoled her into sparring. The point remained that he didn't do so to teach her anything.
"Your father gave you your first lesson. You begged and pleaded, but I was ill that day."
B'Elanna leaned back, surprised, "I don't remember that."
Miral shrugged, "You were little."
"Alright, we'll teach her....when she can stand. Anything else?"
"Nothing now. I would like a drink, however."
B'Elanna didn't miss the parallel statement. In a year, maximum, Miral would bother B'Elanna about another item on the Klingon teaching agenda. She didn't hate the thought. Maybe hearing why she should teach her daughter something would help her understand her mother better. "What would you like?"
"Juice."
"You can come back, Tom!" B'Elanna called toward the kitchenette. "And bring another juice, please!" Too late, she realized her mistake as another sob rounded the apartment.
Miral stilled B'Elanna with her hand on her arm when she tried to stand. "Wait and she will learn to fall asleep after a little noise." Sure enough, the crying faded. Miral took her hand back. B'Elanna still needed to check on her daughter. She stepped inside enough to confirm that she had fallen asleep. Satisfied, she went out to join her mother and Tom for juice and quiet chatter.