Olivia's (first) Garden Party [open to all]

[dctr_mccoy]

When Joanna had been born, Leonard had been nervous, not just because she was tiny, but because she was a girl. He hadn't had much experience with them, being an only child, and not really close with his female cousins. But he'd laughed as Joce dressed her up, curling her hair and finding clothes with ladybugs and butterflies. When Jojo got older,

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[trek_npc]

They arrived fashionably late in their own sedan, not quite as shiny or sleek or expensive as the others in the driveway, but waxed and polished enough to be acceptable. She touched Stonn's hand once before he unbuckled the twins from the backseat, and she tookSolen in her arms while Stonn took Velas, both of them dressed in tiny, azure matching infant suits (though not too tiny; both of them were getting into their "well rounded" stages already). T'Pring herself wore a dress of a midnight navy, and Stonn wore a dress tunic of white and dark green coupled with black trousers, as per the colors of his clan

[dctr_mccoy]

"T'Pring," he said, offering her a short bow, best he could with Olivia in his arms. "Thank you for coming today, I know it means a lot to Spock." The little one in her arms was precious, though his outfit was very somber for a baby. The tiny pointed ears were adorable, and though he longed to touch one, Leonard was able to restrain himself.

Glancing around, he asked, "Is your husband here with you?"

[trek_npc]

She questioned whether this actually meant 'a lot' to Spock - surely it meant something, he was an emotional man, but after the last time they met she wasn't sure if his affections would hold. At least, towards herself.

"I believe he is talking with T'Reth and the councilmen by the agapanthus," she said, looking over towards them. Stonn held Velas securely in one arm, and their daughter's gaze wandered curiously over the rest of the garden while she gripped at Stonn's tunic. "I see your daughter is growing well since last we met."

At this, Solen peered back at McCoy, and then down at the squirmy pink thing in his arms, and there was a little wariness there.

[dctr_mccoy]

"She's gotten bigger, we're both happy to say. Growing and healthy." Compared to T'Pring's son, who seemed quite stoically quizzical for an infant, Olivia was a bit more obvious in her curiosity, though her attention seemed to be focused on Leonard and his face. Every moment or so she reached for his cheek, picking her head enough to blink her blue eyes at her surroundings. "Jim and I were happy to see you both here - all four of you, really."

Another glance at the strong baby boy, dark hair and dark eyes, and Leonard smiled, following T'Pring's gaze at her husband, holding another round Vulcan baby. "Are twins common in the Vulcan culture?"

[trek_npc]

"They have become more common, but there have always been families that tend towards them." Hers hadn't, but nothing about this had been characteristic or standard, but the only people who would know were herself and her doctor, carefully chosen for loyalties and discretion. "I am more concerned when they reach their disagreeable years simultaneously.

"Have you brought her off the estate?" T'Pring asked, shifting Solen from one arm to the other after he began to flex his fingers at colorful desserts on a table nearby. "Or is this as much danger as you will accept for now?"

[dctr_mccoy]

"At least they won't be able to play that game where they pretend to be each other. It's a favorite among Terran identical twins." The way she said the word danger, it wasn't as if she were mocking him, but perhaps they had been very careful with taking her out. "She and I have gone out in the mornings, walking in the gardens, but no, we haven't left the estate. Although," he admitted, "Jim and I haven't had much reason to go anywhere. I think we'll spend the next few days exploring the city before we all leave."

"Can you recommend any places that are child-friendly? There are so many children here on Natara," he mentioned, looking over at Solen, who was wearing a familiar expression. "I know another Vulcan who likes desserts," he chuckled, grinning at the little boy.

[trek_npc]

"They have cleared a number of natural parks outside the city limits to be safe for families with children," she recalled, ignoring Solen's silent, but more insistent, grabbing motions. "One of the museums caters to them as well, being very tactile and colorful. The subject matter may seem rather violent to Terran sensibilities, however."

And then, with McCoy's comment, Solen stared at him, as if quite uncertain what to do with this flagrant emotionalism, but at least it stopped his grabbing. Still supporting him with one arm, T'Pring smoothed his hair with the other, and coaxed him to rest his head against her shoulder. "Is Spock still gluttonous, then?"

[dctr_mccoy]

"Well, she's a little young to understand most concepts other than color and shape and sound," he said, moving her to his other shoulder, then brushing his lips against her cheek when she smiled at him, reaching for his mouth.

"When he lets himself," Leonard laughed, recognizing what he hoped was humor in her words. For a moment, Leonard caught something in Solen's face... "If you don't mind me asking, how old were you two when you met? You and Spock?"

[trek_npc]

"There is plenty to occupy them." She had forgotten how slow human development was paced. Maybe it was because they appeared so early, and then had to struggle to form on their own in the world. As Spock had said - they were so fragile.

"We went to the same child's academy in Shi'Kahr onward from four equivalent Earth years," she said, though she barely remembered those days after all that had happened. "But we were not truly acquainted until we were bonded at seven, since he spent half his time elsewhere."

[dctr_mccoy]

Solen's eyes captivated Leonard, the way they solemnly took in everything, but still curious, inquisitive. His own little girl's eyes were constantly on the lookout for new things, so maybe that's why he was so interested in T'Pring's children, making those natural comparisons that all parents did.

Looking at T'Pring's face, though, the physician in him began to ask little questions. She had lovely eyes, beautiful really, green and hooded and deepset. Leonard had only met Stonn a few times, but he appeared even more Vulcan to him, his eyes also almond shaped. In human genetics, almond eyes were dominant to the more recessive rounder eyes, like Solen had. In fact, the only Vulcan that he knew that had eyes quite like that was...

Leonard pushed that idea out of his head, silly. It was quite possible for two dominant genes to carry that recessive trait in there somewhere, No reason to think... no. It wasn't that. (Except that Spock had asked him about parenting, just a few days ago, acknowledging children, and what had that been

[trek_npc]

"Parted from me and never parted, Doctor McCoy; the bond enables you to feel as if your partner is never farther than the next room." Solen squirmed in her arms a little, whining quietly to her shoulder, but she only rubbed his back gently. "We had our moments of intimacy despite his absence, but neither of us would accept a binding agreement made without our consent. Spock confirmed this when he left for Starfleet, and I allowed him."

Solen whined again, louder this time, and she could feel his hunger. "If you will excuse me," she said, bowing her head to him, and walked off for the house.