A Little Chat

"What nerve ! He is going to learn he doesn't talk to me that way !" Sierra said to herself after another conversation with Marc. He isn't going to do this to me any more. Sierra finished making up the couch for her "beloved" husband. "I know he has work to do and is very busy, but he is going to have to learn that he isn't a single man anymore and that he has a wife who likes for him to come home for dinner !" She finished cleaning up the table and sat down on her side of the bed.

*Now what !* She thought.* I guess I could go through the files of our new arrivals. Of course that would give Marc satisfaction, but if I was still at my office when he came home, he just may take me seriously next time.*

Sierra put her uniform jacket back on and headed out of her quarters. Still quite upset at her husband, she walked in a "half-there" type state. On her way, she ran into Cadet McCaffee.

"Excuse me, Cadet." She said in surprise.

"No problem, Counsellor." He responded "You look like you have something on your mind. I can't fault you. I do as well, that is the reason I was looking for you."

"Really, I am heading to my office. Do you want to walk with me and tell me what is on yours ?" She asked.

"Yes, but it is a personal matter and I would rather discuss it in your office, if you don't mind ?" He replied.

"Not at all." She said "I would enjoy the company."

The two of them reached her office and sat down on her couch.

"What can I do for you ?" She started.

"First, I want this to be off the record. When I meant "personal", I mean I want to talk about our relationship. I want to discuss the relationship between you, me and the captain." He said

"Oh, okay. Let's do." She said, hiding her excitement.

"Where should I start ?" He started "First, I was very shocked when my mom, Admiral McCaffee, told me that you and the Captain were my birth parents. I didn't know what to think. I have always known that I was adopted, but that my birth parents were nowhere to be found. At first, I was upset because I wasn't told the whole truth. My mom knew about you, but didn't know about the Captain. But after she explain the "Beard Factor", I was a little more understanding. It's still a lot for me to handle." He stopped for a moment. "Do you understand that ?" He asked Sierra.

"Of course, I understand." She said "I was a little shocking for me as well. I can't lie and tell you that I didn't have "motherly instincts", of course, I would have had those with any child. That is the kind of person I am, but with you it was different. Before I found out you were the child I had given up, I thought about the child I had given up. That was confusing I know, but I was thinking of you before I knew it was you. Now did that make sense ?" She said chuckling.

"My mom. . ." Brayden stopped. "Counsellor., I have to stop for a minute."

"Okay." Sierra said in confusion

"This name thing is bothering me." He went on. "I know you gave birth to me, but Admiral McCaffee raised me. I call her mom. I call Steve McCaffee my dad. What would you like for me to call you and the Captain ?" He asked.

"Whatever you feel comfortable with." She said "What would you like for us to call you ?"

Brayden thought a moment. "For right now, I would like to call you Sierra and Marc, but maybe later on, when time has passed a little, I may call you mom and dad. You and Captain haven't been parents to me. I know that being here on the ship will change that feeling. But for now. You can call me Brayden, but I know for safety reason, you can't refer to me as your son in public, but in private you can call me son also."

Sierra smiled. "That would mean a lot to me. If I seem like I am smothering you, please let me know." She said. "You may want to have this conversation with the Captain as well, he may feel a little uncomfortable at first, but I know it would mean a lot to him."

"I will, but as I started earlier, my mom told me about the safety issue and I know the crew will told about it, after the war and how they will vowed to silence, but they are treating me differently now, just knowing I am the Admiral son. But I can't imagine what they are going to think when they hear I am the Captain's son as well." He said

"I can see that as well." She added "The new arrivals hadn't seen you in action and don't know that you are intelligent, they don't know you know your job. The others have seen your work and they don't seem to be questioning your abilities, but they seem to think you will get preferential treatment. Is that what you are feeling ?"

"Exactly !" He said

"Don't worry." She reaffirmed him "Trust me, you will get no special treatment from Captain Devore." She said sarcasm, hiding the true feeling of her comment. "As for them treating you differently because you are the Admiral's son, that is going to take some time. Give them some time to get to know you."

"I feel much better, Sierra. I will let you get to your work." He said

"Actually, I think I can work much better now. Thank you for coming to talk with me." She replied "And Brayden, you know that you can talk to me any time. . .about anything."

"I know." He said smiling, turning to leave.