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Dr. McCoy looked out to his home, one last time. He used to have it all, a good practice, a loving family and a semi-quite and simple life. Oh, how he longed for that back. He had worked hard for his doctorate and set up a small successful practice in Georgia. He had helped so many people, minus his father, but this pain made him more determined to be the best doctor for others. A while after setting up his practice he fell in love as people often do, they were happy. Jocelyn Treadway was her name, and she was the prettiest southern flower that you’d ever seen, at least to him. Although she was high maintenance at times, with being a doctor he could support their lifestyle. Just a simple country romance turned to devotion. When they got married, she took his last name which made him very happy. It might have been an old tradition but it was one that she believed in wholeheartedly. Their marriage turned to years of bliss for Dr. McCoy. Eventually this turned into a little girl that was the light of both of their worlds. As is the natural order of things after all. The small family was happy and content for a while. It seemed like the perfect simple life.
Days spent at the office treating patients who knew you. They cared about how you were doing and what you've been up to in your spare time. Inviting you and your family over for dinner or tea time, so you all can catch up. Those days were pleasant. What made Dr. McCoy's love his life more than anything else was simple. He would trek out of the office tired and worn out from another satisfying day of treating patients. Coming home at the end of the day to a simple country house with a wife that loved him and a daughter that would greet him at the door, made all the weariness he experienced worth it. Joanna would see him coming down the trail that led to their home and sprint to meet him halfway. She would leap into his arms, causing him to drop everything and pick her up. He would carry her back to the house and listen as she rambled about her day and everything her and mommy did. Often when he would finally get inside the house, his wife would be ready for them both to sit down and eat. It was picturesque, but now he would never have that again.
With this thought Dr. McCoy shed a tear. He looked down at the ground to his hand that was grasping the handle of a suitcase and felt the weight of his duffle bag over his shoulder. How did it end up like this?
It was about a week ago, he came home like normal, his little girl came out to greet him. As she ran and jumped into his arms, she begged him to get ice cream, with a Daddy please. To emphasize this point she even batted her eyes at him. Well how can I say no to that he thought. He carried her all the way to the door, placed his bag inside and called
“Honey I’m taking Joanna to get Ice cream, do you want anything?”
He received a faint no from inside. Maybe if he would have gone into the house to see if his wife wanted to come with them. Well, you can't change the past, he thought. Scooping up Joanna he carried her out the door the sound of her laughter filled the otherwise eerily silence. It was the perfect summer day to get ice cream from the local creamery. Dr. McCoy decided to walk into town because their house wasn't that far away. He remembered asking Joanna which flavor of Ice Cream she wanted. Joanna excitedly launched into a fast paced explanation, something about peanut butter in the shape of a paw or something. To be honest McCoy wasn't really paying attention at the moment to caught up in the feeling of a perfect and simple day. He should have listened to his gut instinct saying otherwise. When they reached the shop Joanna practically jumped out of his arms trying to get into the shop. She pressed her face up to the glass and marveled at all the different flavors. He gave a small chuckle, everytime they got icecream Joanna would make a show of debating which flavor she wanted to ultimately settle on MooseTracks and then McCoy would order two bowls with rainbow sprinkles of course. He conversed and exchanged pleasantries with the couple that owned the shop while Joanna was engrossed at looking at the ice cream. The young woman working the counter was expecting it would be their first child. McCoy gave a chuckle as he made sure to lightly suggest that the amount of time spent working was limited.He felt a tug on his hand as he looked down at Joanna, clearly ready to make her ice cream order. It felt like his world shattered when he heard his daughter proudly order two scoops of panda paws with rainbow sprinkles and a cup of moose tracks for him. Shaking off the bed feeling that had been bubbling up, it felt like the wind was changing.
Taking the ice cream to sit outside, Dr. McCoy sat across from his little girl as she rambled about her day and what butterflies she caught. The uneasy feeling was bubbling under the surface of his calm facade. Something felt wrong but even using the best evidenced based practice in the world he couldn't diagnose what was so off putting about this supposed perfect day. When Joanna was done with her ice cream, Dr. McCoy checked his watch and realized that an hour had gone by. Cleaning up the table and Joanna from the excess ice cream that spilled everywhere, he decided that going home now was probably the best option.
Taking Joanna's hand he led the way back home. Joanna wriggled out of his grip to run ahead, stopping to collect flowers and rambling about whatever came to her mind. McCoy could only chuckle, and marvel at how much energy she had still. The air of wrongness seemed to fade with the walk home, and Dr. McCoy breathed a sigh of relief. Although they were going slower than on the trip into town, he didn't mind. Eventually arriving near the road going up to house Joanna gave a gleeful laugh and started running. He gave a chuckle as Joanna zoomed up the road. Lost in thought about what that feeling earlier could have been he accidentally bumped into his little girl, who had stopped to stare at something. Curious he turned his gaze to where she was looking, and then he saw it.
“Daddy? Who’s coming to visit us?”
Joanna innocently asked as he stared at the car unmoving for a while until he felt the sharp tug at his pants.
“Daddy??”
He looked down, he didn't think they were expecting company tonight. He could have just misread the calendar or forgot about something he or his wife had set up that was impromptus.
“Why don't you go find a few more flowers to make a bouquet to surprise mommy with, Darling?”
She nodded and ran off completely enthralled with her new mission. The uneasy feeling grew as Dr.McCoy neared the entrance to his home. He stepped inside, he could hear voices, not wanting to interrupt the conversation he trod silently to the kitchen. His pulse rate upon finding no one in the kitchen. The uneasy feeling was back and ten times stronger than it had been before. He tried to calm himself down before heading upstairs.
He shed a tear as he got into the hover car. The rest of the night he doesn't want to think about it.The only thing that mattered, he’d never get another perfect day like that again. He looked on as the house that he had so many wonderful memories in got smaller and smaller. He gave a wry chuckle, maybe the distance would help with the memory of what happened. When he looked up the long archway of Starfleet was coming into view a long time passed since the car had left the house but it felt like seconds. He thanked the driver and stepped out into San Francisco street. He hoped distance would be the cure to his heartbreak. Some people longed for a life that is simple or planned, but he couldn't not anymore.