Girls Night Out VII: Flowers and Codependence

Posted on Fri Apr 27th, 2018 @ 5:01am by Captain Charybdis MacGregor & Commander Fiona McCray & Commander Yuna Raza & Lieutenant Commander Selune
Edited on on Fri Apr 27th, 2018 @ 5:02am

0 words; about a 1 minute read

Mission: Operation: Risa!
Location: Risa, Roma Arcology
Timeline: 2265

The Language of flowers: From Fedepedia, the Federation encyclopedia

The language of flowers, sometimes called floriography, was a Victorian-era means of communication in which various flowers and floral arrangements were used to send coded messages, allowing individuals to express feelings which otherwise could not be spoken. This language was most commonly communicated through Tussie-Mussies, an art which has a following today.

The nuances of the language are now mostly forgotten, but red roses still imply passionate, romantic love and pink roses a lesser affection; white roses suggest virtue and chastity and yellow roses still stand for friendship or devotion. Also commonly known meanings are sunflowers, which can indicate either haughtiness or respect - they were the favorite flower of St. Julie Billiart for this reason. The Daisy means innocence or purity. The iris, being named for the messenger of the gods in Greek mythology, still represents the sending of a message. An Anemone signifies disappearance of hope. A pansy signifies thought, a daffodil regard, and a strand of ivy fidelity. Inevitably there are geographic variances; for example in Texas yellow roses represent true and undying love.



When the ladies returned to the penthouse from their poolside misadventures, they found a bucket with a large bottle of champagne chilling in it on the main table in the living room. There was also a large floral arrangement with a card attached. The lights were a nice mellow ambient gold and soothing music was playing over the speakers. A flashing message light on the room's main comm panel announced a message awaiting them.

Their packages from the shopping expedition were neatly stacked in the foyer, out of the way but clearly visible, while a pleasant herbal fragrance filled the main room. It was aromatic but not overpowering; a very clean scent. Evidently the hotel believed in aromatherapy, and the application thereof.

Fiona looked around, "Oooh, looks like the hotel elves have been busy!"

Indeed they had been. Fiona's pile of clothing and sundries had been neatly arrayed on a pull out rack. The jewelry cases were on the dresser in her room. Any towels and other debris had been cleared away and fresh items put in their place.

Striding across the room, Charybdis nibbled at her lower lip. The arrangement of flowers was exotic, spectacular and enormous without being ostentatious. She looked it over and sure enough, there was a card inserted on a holder in amongst the fragrant and delicate specimens of rare beauty. Gently she opened the small envelope and pulled out the card, only to raise an eyebrow at it.

"So... who is thet substantial piece of the forest primeval for... and who's it from?" Fiona asked with a grin.

"It says... 'From an admirer'... that's all. It doesn't say who it is from nor whom they are for..." Char said, examining the plain beige card.

"Hmm... how odd" Fiona frowned slightly.

Internally Charybdis was disappointed, but she did not want to show it outwardly. When she had seen the huge bouquet she had hoped that it might be from Patrick, and her heart had raced. It would have been considerable work for him to figure out where she was and make the arrangements to have such an amazing display delivered to her suite... but something told her that he would most definitely have taken credit for such an act had he performed it. She did not expect such things from him... after all, she had sent him off on his own adventures. If her memory served her correctly he was currently at sea in icy waters pitting himself against giant snow crabs or some similar activity that she hoped that he would find thrilling.

Leaving him to his activities she had not contacted him, instead letting him enjoy himself and be self-indulgent. The burden of command was hard for him she imagined, and this time off was likely a welcome relief from the burdens of the conversations he held in his ready room and the constant sexual demands that she placed upon him and the paperwork that she did for him...

As Char put the card down, her arched eyebrows began to knot together at their bases. For some reason this was upsetting her, and she wanted nothing to do with it. She strode off to her room to let the others figure out just who had an admirer and why.

Frowning with concern, Fiona watched the Vulcan's departure. It was a credit to her character that her first thoughts were not even to consider that the flowers might be for her, but to be concerned for her friend. She'd noticed the knotted eyebrows and the subtle slump of her friend's shoulders when she'd opened the card and it hadn't been from... him. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

The Captain just didn't seem to be the hearts and flowers type, but Chary certainly was. Maybe it was time for a little Scottish magic... or at least a pointed suggestion or two to the man. She had five brothers, enough to know the male of the species pretty well. "Scradch!" She stalked over and picked up the card then looked at the envelope. The paper was a heavy vellum. Expensive, the engineer thought as she examined the handwriting. It was a precise script with a slight flourish to it.

She pulled her communicator out of her pocket as a reflex then swore softly and went to the hotel's com. A quick call to the concierge desk and she was in contact with the florist. "Yes, I wanted to thank the person who sent me the lovely flowers from your shop today! I'm staying in the Penthouse suite at The Empress..." The voice that she purred into the com speaker was pure, unaccented high end Federation Standard. There was a pause, "Do you have his cred ident? A com number? No?"

Making a face at the com unit, she stamped her foot silently but her voice never broke its rich purr. "Well then," she chuckled deep and throaty, "Could you at least tell me what he looks like?" The crafty engineer cocked her head as she listened. She nodded even though the shop clerk wasn't on visual, and said, "Thank you, you've been very helpful!" It was pretty obvious that she'd resisted the urge to pound a fist against the break connection button.

"Bollocks!"

The accent was back full force. The diminutive redhead flounced back over to the fragrant flowers and peered intently at the blossoms obviously looking for something in particular, "Star laces, Risan moon lillies, tudor roses, dinna ken what those are... Catmint?" Fi shook her head, then smiled and plucked a single ivory and rose tinged bloom from the mass and tucked it behind one ear after she sniffed it appreciatively.

"Plumeria," she declared with a fond and somewhat wistful smile. Memories of warm days and moonlit nights flowed through her. She hadn't thought of him in years. "On earth they grow in a place called Hawaii, they're used in leis...welcome gifts..." her voice trailed off and she shook off the reverie and dusted off her hands. If she hadn't known for a fact that the ship Leonard was stationed on was light years from Risa she would have been wholeheartedly tempted to see if he was on planet.

"Someone has an admirer with guid taste an deep pockets," she said to the two women remaining in the room. For a moment there was a glimmer of something akin to an aha on the engineer's face but she shook it off and pulled her PDD out of her purse. Her fingers danced lightly over its surface then she paused, glanced at the screen and hit send with a small sound of satisfaction.

Tilting her head, Selune had watched Chary leaving, looking so disappointed, with mild confusion. The way Fiona had acted suggested that the bouquet wasn't for either of them, and she was almost completely sure they weren't for her. At least there wasn't anyone she could come up that would have splashed out like this for her. That didn't stop her drifting closer and drinking in the mixed scents with a soft sigh.

While Selune wasn't a huge lover of flowers, she had to admit she missed the absence of their soft smells aboard a starship. Maybe she would have to get something for her quarters. Finally pulling herself away she glanced across at the Trill security officer with a shrug, "All yours I guess?"

"You two try to suss it out, I'm going to go check on Char," Fiona said with a smile.

"Gee, thanks guys" Yuna replied, watching Fi walk off, leaving her alone to sort out the mystery of the flowers. Seriously though - did they really HAVE to know? It could have been the fat guy by the pool for all she knew!

Watching the others leave, the cranky Trill sat down, glaring at the offending florals. No note, no number, no nothing. Who were they for and why were they here? Her inquisitive nature kicked in, driving her to seek out the finer details. She picked up her tricorder and detached the scanning wand. Now - to get some answers.

------------------------

Fiona padded quietly down the hallway to Char's door. Standing in the doorway for a moment, she watched the science officer sitting on the bed staring distantly out the window. Her sharp amber eyes took in the younger woman's slumped posture and the lack of vivacity.

Shaking her head slightly, the wee Scot walked over to just out of lunge range, then she fished in the bag on her hip and pulled out a small copper disk and tossed it with sure aim. It hit the Vulcan's bosom and rested there. "Penny fer yer thoughts?"

The femme fatale jumped slightly... she had been so completely lost in thought and had tuned out her surroundings so thoroughly that the redheaded spitfire's approach and subsequent wisecrack had caught her completely by surprise. She put down the pillow that she had been holding to her body and levered herself up onto her knees, turning around to face her friend, a pleasant smile snapping into place.

"Oh... hi! Is there something wrong, or something that needs tending to? Is someone here? Does the front desk need me or is something wrong with your room?" Is there something I can do to make you happy? was all it translated to Fiona's ear.

Holding up a hand, Fiona sighed and gently said, "Whist..."

The engineer walked over and plopped down on the end of the bed like a miniature flame tipped buddha then stared at her friend's face, "Nothin' is wrong, nothin needs tendin to, my room is big enough to host a calleigh in and it's been tidied by the hotel elves...." she smiled a somewhat sad smile, "Char, ye've done marvels and I for one thank you heartily for your wonderful effort. What I want is to know what's wrong. I think I ken boot I've nivver been mooch of a mind reader."

The smaller woman's feline gaze stayed trained on the younger woman's face, "Now yer' sittin there with yer company smile pasted on yer face an yer pretty company tea time manners in place... boot... I'm nae buyin it." For once the engineer seemed completely serious.

The cheerful alien tried vainly to keep the smile in place, but as the petite pundit pressed on, it fell apart slowly but surely until all she could manage was a chagrined sigh. "I'm just being silly, that's all. I'm glad that you are having a good time, I really am, and I am having a wonderful time myself, it's just... I don't know, I guess I got excited and I thought... well, I thought something that wasn't and it made me think and I really should just leave well enough alone and appreciate what I have is all, because it's more than I've ever had before, and I'm happy, I am, it's just..."

The young woman seemed to be reaching for something, a word, a phrase, but something that was obviously out of her grasp and as the seconds ticked by it was obvious that whatever it was would not be arriving on that train of thought.

"It's joost thet you came in and saw those pretty pretty flowers and thought they were from him and when you opened that card and didna see his handwriting and name... you were sorely disappointed?" Fi supplied.

"Welll... yeah. I know, I know, it's silly and I am setting expectations that are unfair in my own mind and I should just be happy for what he does and how he cares for me and..."

Fiona listened for as long as she could then said, "JAY-SUS Christ!" Both fists went to her hips "Listen to ye! "I shuid be happy with what he does"....what exactly does he do?" she demanded point blank.

"Well, he..." Charybdis began, but Fiona held up a silencing hand.

"Now I ken I haven't been on board verra long boot all I've seen him do is sit on his arse and boss people around a bit... throw out a couple of logs and announcements then run off tae his ready room... oh... and trash my bluidy gymnasium," she snorted "I see you tarnin yerself inside oot playin' den mum tae a bunch of merry misfits, holdin tha ship taegether, ye run and fetch, you go aruind ta tha departments and do what needs doin til yer aboot half ragged."

"He... 'captains'... and tries tae poke his long bony fingers intae my engine rooms... boot what does he do for YOU?" she spread her hands, "In public he has tae be circumspect I know boot... damn... I dinna see mooch warmth ahhhh, well... lets joost say I hope thet in private he's more caring to ya. And I'm nae joost talkin between tha sheets."

There was the intention for Charybdis to try to get a word in edgewise, to explain how it really was, but Fiona's dander was up, and she was not about to be interrupted.

"Does he thank you for what you do aboove and beyond that call oov duty? Did he thank ye for savin his ship when he was off poofin aboot and gittin his forst officer killed? Ah know he dinna thank me none, He didna even poke his head intae sickbay ta check on me wounded boyos and I'd wager he dinna say boo to Miss Kitty aboot it. Got me a message tellin me I got a medal, and I'd wager all he did was sign on the dotted line ye handed him, aye? Did he thank ye fer settin oop his shore leave for him?"

Fi held up a hand again, "Oh... like I don't know everythin thet comes an' goes on *my* girl. You've done all oov these marvelous things, so please tell me he at least said thank you... and not just with the mooch deserved promotion to the job ye were already doin for him innyways?"

"Jay-sus Char. You deserve more than crumbs here and there and tussles in the sheets, ye deserve a full on banquet, girlie."

As Fi wound down, an awkward silence stood between them for a moment. "He... he didn't say thank you, but he did tell me he loved me... and he showed me he was appreciative..." the pointy-eared temptress mumbled, unable to meet the gaze of the engineer.

The engineer threw up an eyebrow that a Vulcan would be envious of. "Showed ye he was appreciative....and did that appreciation demonstration take place between yer thighs?"

Those big violet eyes flashed up to meet the emerald and gold eyes of the Scot. "You don't know him like I do! He knows me... he knows all about me, and he accepts me and he protects... me, and... and..." the steam went out of the argument quickly and those flashing eyes filled with tears as she fell silent, unable to say any more, or hold the gaze of her honest friend.

"Oh... Char." Fiona sighed, "Pleeeeease, don't be that girl."

"I know I don't know him, but I do know human males. Truly, sweetie, you are a beautiful, intelligent, talented woman... appreciation shouldn't be joost sex. It should be in words and deeds... not joost him gittin his rocks off. A simple volunteered 'thank you' without any strings attached wouldna kill tha man. I kin thet yer kind oov new to yer relationship tagether boot do you do anything oother than work and... screw? I'm not talking pre sex and post sex build up and cool down. I'm talking joost... bein together?"

The tempestuous engineer sighed, "Laird, boot I thought Vulcans were more evolved. Sweetie, you deserve to be more than joost bed and bookkeeping." The tiny Scot was frank to a fault, "and you have every reet to feel sad thet those flowers weren't from him."

The emotional executive had been formulating arguments for everything that her friend was saying... but by the same token, there was the voice in her head that was laughing at her and pointing out how absolutely factually correct everything she was being told was, and just how accurate an assessment of her situation the little woman was detailing for her.

The recall that made her so valuable for her created purpose was now being turned inward, replaying moments and scenes from the past week for her in her mind, and sure enough, there were no thanks... ever, in fact. There seemed to be rather a large dam of tears pushing on her at the moment, but she was holding it back with a Herculean effort.

"I just... I've never had a boyfriend before, Fi. Well, not one that was mine, at least. I haven't had any friends at all since I was very little, and it... it is all just new to me, so I guess..." she sighed heavily. "And he knows... things. Things about me. When he asked me out I was excited... he seemed so romantic, and he was so fascinated by me and so handsome and dashing and... um... virile."

"But it has seemed to slow down, and things got weird, and I thought that when we got through that it would be even better... he accepted me and he loves me, so..." The look that she wore when she looked up was painful for the older and more experienced woman to see. "But he does... I mean, he doesn't seem to... we just... I guess I have been trying to convince myself that it is supposed to be this way...?"

Shaking her head, Fiona sighed, "Oh sweeeeetie." She closed her eyes for a moment, "Have you looked at yourself in tha mirror lately? You're drop dead beautiful, and if that wasn't enough to make you desirable, you're kind and bright and so good at practically everything it's downright scary. If he didn't," she made little finger quotes, "Accept you he'd pretty mooch be a daft cow."

"You don't know, Fi! I'm..." Charybdis was obviously struggling internally over what to say and what not to, and trying to pick and choose. She gritted her teeth and even Fiona could hear them grinding... whatever 'it' was, obviously it was something of considerable consternation to the vulnerable Vulcan "I'm not what I am supposed to be, Fiona... I will tell you, because you are dear to me and I promised you that I would but..."

"Whut... not a proper Vulcan?" Fi snorted, "Proper Vulcans make my teeth ache... shove a few lumps oov coal up their arses and in a couple oov weeks they'll crap you a diamond necklace."

That made the pointy-eared minx smile, however ruefully. "It's... something like that, Fi. I will tell you, I will, just... after this? Because I don't know what might happen if I do, and I just want us to have this weekend, this one good time, all of us, the girls of the Bonne Chance, together...?"

The engineer pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Char... I dinna ken what happened to you that convinced you that you're so damaged and unworthy, boot really loove... you're a wonderful person. You're you, and that is a right precious thing."

Padding silently into the room, Selune looked at both of the women and rolled her eyes, "You know," she muttered to announce herself while she continued inside, "I'm pretty sure I have to side with Fi on this and. You might want to close the door next time, otherwise I'm just going to walk in again," she finished, planting herself next to the Vulcan and simply hugging her.

"See there... two oot oov four battle babes agree thet yer Aces and deserve tae be treated like a goddess," Fiona said with a little nod of satisfaction, "I'll wager Dottie will agree too so no matter how thengs go yer basically oot noombered missy!"

"Okay... well... all I ask is that you remember that someday if the truth all comes out," she said, hugging the feline and pulling the fiery Scot in as well. "Because... well, because the truth isn't pretty, is all I'm saying."

Fi returned the hug and gave one to Selune as well " Silly cow... yuir me friend... Scots dinna befriend lightly, and once we befriend someone it sticks. I dinna give a tinker's damn aboot yer secrets!"

 

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