Family Matters

Posted on Sat Apr 15th, 2023 @ 6:53pm by Lieutenant JG Jenna Jade & Ensign Rene Rouen

Mission: The Interim
Location: Starbase 614
Timeline: **Backpost to before leaving Starbase 614**

"Daddy!" Jenna shouted as she saw the familiar face exit the arm of the boarding tube and start looking around. She waved one uniformed arm to get his attention and he raised one in reply, reaching out to tug another woman in a yellow and pink sundress by their arm and gesturing towards where their daughter was waiting for them with someone next to her.

"Ah'll be right back, Rene, in fact, would you be a dear and head over to um..." She pondered a moment, "The Roadhouse? Ah'm gonna collect my parents and meet you there, all right? Table for four, 'cause it looks like they didn't bring any of my siblin's. Pity that, you've have loved to have met Marta or Natalie or Jessica. Good thing Carl ain't here though, he's a mite um... How to put it all delicate-like? Intimidatin'?"

Rene nodded as he gave Jenna's hand a light squeeze. He was a little pale due to the nervousness of meeting Jenna's parents for the first time. He could feel the courage slip as he looked at the parents stepping out of the airlock tube. [I]'How are they going to react to me asking for their permission to marry Jenna?' He thought to himself. He watched as Jenna moved away to greet her parents. He turned and headed down the Promenade to the steakhouse Jenna said they were taking her parents to for lunch.

Jenna detached herself from Rene and went dashing over to the older couple, throwing her arms around her mother and exchanging kisses on the cheek. "Mama! It's great to see you again, Ah mean it's been what? Three months or somethin'?"

"And that's far too long!" The older woman squeezed hard then held Jenna at arm's length to look her over, "You've lost weight! Again! Is that Captain of yours keeping you too busy? Thank GOD we're going to lunch with you so I can make sure that you're eating enough!"

"Oh, mama, it's all right, Ah'm not losin' weight, Ah'm actually the same, just replacin' some more of that baby fat with muscle!" Jenna released her mother and wrapped her taller father in bear hug that he reciprocated, rocking her back and forth in it.

"It's good to see you, Ladybug, how've you been?" Jason Jade looked down over his moustache at his middle daughter, "Keeping up on your practice, I hope? Never know when a good match of tennis could solve a problem!" He'd always been supportive of his daughter, and protective, "Or to beat off some suitor or the sort."

"Of course," Jenna rolled her eyes as she looked up at him, "The Captain," She gave a meaningful look at her mother, "Is also another tennis player and she doesn't mind when Ah kick her butt all over the court. She has yet to beat me from back when she was recoverin' from an injury at the Academy, though she came a couple games from it once. Ah don't show her any mercy, or anyone else on the court, daddy, promise!"

"That's my girl!" He squeezed her tightly, then hooked her arm on one side, his wife's on the other and raised an eyebrow, "So, where are we off to? It's been a long flight and my arms are tired!"

Jenna smacked him with her free hand, "Now, you need to behave! We're gonna be meetin' my boyfriend here in a couplea minutes and you have to be on your best behavior! No 'dad' jokes or Ah'll, Ah'll, Ah'll do somethin' you'll regret!" It was likely a futile effort, but she wanted to spare Rene SOME of the torture.

A couple minutes and some small chatting later, they walked into the Roadhouse and she saw Rene already at a table and released her father to go back over to him, "Rene, Ah'd like you to meet my father and my mother, daddy, mama, this is Rene Rouen!" She gave her father a meaningful look, especially when his face had that serious look to it.

Rene immediately rose from the table and pulled out a chair for Jenna's mother. He nodded as he held the chair for her. "Madame Jade, please. Be seated."

"Oh why thank you." Kiera Jade said with a smile, seating herself with Southron grace and charm, "I can see that Jenna wasn't kidding when she said that you were the epitome of chivalry! But please, Rene, don't call me Madame, it makes me feel older than I already am. I can be Kiera to you, I didn't always come from South Carolina, I'm actually from the North, but don't get him started on that." She gestured towards Jason.

Rene slid the chair in for Jenna's mother before starting for Jenna's chair, but being beaten to it by Jenna's father. He was quietly observant of the elder Jades to try and gauge their first impressions of him.

"...And you know, Daddy, they're actually making me the Chief Engineer, at least for now, of a whole Luna!" She'd been babbling almost ever since she'd met them at the boarding tube, "It's just like no one wants the job. Ah know for fact the Captain has been tryin' to recruit people for it, but everyone's turned her down. It's like they think Chimera's got a curse on 'er."

Jason Jade had been holding her hand and paying attention to Jenna the entire time, "Perhaps there's a reason for that, Ladybug, now you hear me, I want you to be careful out there. I know you'll do your best, but your first priority is your safety.. And the safety of your people. You're the best thing to happen to Starfleet, you know. And this mook?" He lowered his voice and threw a thumb towards Rene.

Scandalized, Jenna slapped her father's hand sharply, "Don't you dare say that!" Of course, she knew what he was saying, "Rene's been... Special to me, he's just charmin' and really really nice." She flashed a reassuring smile at Rene, "Ah don't know how Ah'd've gotten along on Chimera without him, to be honest. Sure, Minerva's on board too and Ah'll tell her you said hello, the both of you, or maybe Ah should comm her to say hi in person?"

Kiera shook her head, "I think she'll be fine either way, despite that she was over every other day, whenever you two weren't over at HER house." She rolled her eyes and looked to Rene, "Has Jenna been staying out of trouble? I know we've been a bit worried about her, first time parents of a Starfleet officer and all. Her sisters and brothers all opted to stay at home instead."

Rene smiled and nodded. "She is one of the Chimera's finest officers. As a matter of fact she is outstanding in that regard. She is a tremendous role model for all the cadets and other junior officers." He gave a light chuckle. "She even has Minerva behaving...for the most part."

"I will believe that only when I see it." Kiera wasn't believing it for a moment, "Minerva Delacroix is nothing but trouble, but she's also a sweetheart. But I'm glad to hear that Jenna is doing what she's always done. Tended to be in Minerva's shadow when it came to attention, but I think it did her some good. So, how did the two of you meet?"

Thoughts of how he and Jenna first met brought a smile to Rene's face. Truth be told, every moment with Jenna brought a smile to his face. Though the holodeck date had certainly not gone as planned with him getting shot and almost dying. "Well the first time we met was on the bridge the morning after my arrival. I was finishing up diagnostics on all the bridge stations when Jenna stepped out of the turbolift. The crew was working hard to get the ship spaceport for the trip to Starbase 614. I had actually completed work that saved time on her day and she uploaded some software updates that fixed the problems I had identified. We ended up with some free time and went to breakfast. It was funny that I went to shake hands and she snatched her last piece of bacon before shaking mine. Guess she thought I was the infamous interstellar Bacon Bandit that has been plaguing this sector for the last year."

"The Bacon Bandit is here?" Jason asked, looking around as Jenna's eyes rolled an she looked at the ceiling as if wondering why she'd ever agreed to be seen in public with her parents, "I know he was at home a few days ago: We had a plate full of bacon ready for breakfast..." He leaned in conspiratorially, "I went into the kitchen to get some orange juice and by the time I got back, the bacon was all gone. No one had any on their plates, but there was no bacon left!"

"Daddy..." Jenna tried to get inbetween the conversation, but he didn't stop.

"Hold on one second, Ladybug," He patted her hand, "And then horror of all horrors, all of the backup bacon we had in the fridge had vanished!" He nodded knowingly at Rene, "Oh, some people will tell me that having two teenagers and another pair of young adults means that they're the ones that ate it, but no... It was the Bandit striking again!"

Jenna gave her mother a firm look, getting a microscopic nod in return, "Boys, Ah'm gonna go powder my nose right quick, did you want to join me, mama?" She got a full-nod in return and the two pushed back from the table, "We'll be right back. Daddy, Rene? Behave."

Rene half rose from his seat as Jenna and her mom, Kiera, left the table. He turned to Jenna's father after watching the ladies move out of immediate ear shot. "You have raised a remarkable woman sir. She is one of the most amazing persons I have ever known. Intelligent, kind and selfless in almost every way possible."

"Intelligent? Absolutely. Kind? Oh yes, she likes to make fun of her Old Man, but selfless?" Jason shrugged, "Making an old codger like me sit on a passenger liner for a week an a half with all the luxuries of home just to visit her on the edge of the frontier?" He stroked his mustache, which had absolutely no signs of greying to it in a contemplative manner, "I understand that the Fleet keeps her busy, I suppose it's one of the things she likes about it. She's remarkable, though, that's for sure."

Rene took a deep breath before taking a sip of water and wishing his glass was filled with wine for some liquid courage. "There’s something I would like to say to you sir. I am whole heartedly in love with Jenna."

"And hopefully you've told her that?" Jason responded with a smile, "Because I know I love her too, in fact, there are a few boys back in South Carolina that are the same, if I remember correctly. Though one of them says differently occasionally, but then I have to smack him upside his head."

Rene reached into his jacket and extracted a felt case, placing it on the table between him and Jason. "Jenna made me promise not to discuss this with you and it is my intention that this is the only promise I ever break to her." He took a deep breath. "Sir, I am asking you for blessing to marry Jenna. I know she believes it an outdated concept, but it is important to me that you and your wife approve."

"Put that away unless you're trying to marry ME!" Jason rolled his eyes with a glint in them, "And I think my wife might have something objections if you're trying that." His tone finally grew serious rather than the lighthearted way it had been going most of the conversation, "Look, son, chivalry and tradition will carry some people far. The Jades have been a part of South Carolina since before the concept of it was even contemplated. The family has done some stupid things along the way, been on the wrong side of a couple of conflicts, but in the end, we stuck it out. One thing we've realized over the centuries is that tradition is something you can't hold onto at all costs, but only if you're willing to. My daughter isn't one to cling to it, elsewise she'd have stayed out of Starfleet, though she put up with it for the sake of her mother, who loves the whole thought of it, bless her heart. My question for you is this: Do you plan on marrying my daughter without my consent?"

Rene withdrew the felt box and looked squarely at Jason. "I sincerely hope not. May I have Jenna's hand in marriage sir? She means the world to me."

Jason Jade grimaced at the question, looking down at the table, inspecting something. “Ouch. There always comes a day that someone asks a hard question of you, and this is one of those.” He slowly reached out and picked up the steak knife and began to expect it, “Yeah, I suppose this would work.” He looked up at Rene, a bright light in his eye, “You want my daughter’s hand in marriage. I guess she could do her job with only one hand, but then I’ll have to call her stumpy!” He made a sawing motion as if cutting off a hand with the steak knife, barely holding back laughter at this point.

Rene began to wonder if everything was a big joke to Jason, but he decided to play the game for a moment. "Actually I was hoping that I would be able to have all of her in marriage not just one of her hands. Do I have your consent for that?"

“Oh thank the Lord!” Jason said a bit louder than he probably should have, then quieted down a bit, “I think that it would have gotten a bit bloody otherwise.” He winked at the younger man, then his accent came out, reminding Rene of where Jenna came from, “But in all seriousness, as long as it makes Jenna happy, of course. What Ah’ve been trying to get across to you is that Ah’m not the one that needs to be asked. Sure, Kiera’s going to love the fact that you asked me, which is why Ah’m not gonna tell her you did, she’d lord it over me for the next year or decade, but the only two people that need to consent to a marriage is you and Jenna.” He shook his head for a moment and his accent went away, “I will always support my children’s desires and there is always room at the table for one more. But I want you to do one thing for me, all right?”

Rene gave Jason a single nod. "Of course sir."

“Don’t propose tonight. If you do THAT, then my wife is going to demand we stay and plan a wedding for tomorrow overnight, which means I’m going to not be able to sleep.” Jason pondered another moment, “And don’t propose too publicly either, Jenna would hate that. She’d never tell you so, she’d tell you she thought it was romantic and gallant and everything, but she’d rather it be something more private, in a place with flowers and the sort.. Use your imagination there.”

Rene could do as instructed. He had planned on asking her in private any. He was about to say as much when he spotted Jenna and Kiera emerge from the ladies room.



MEANWHILE: IN THE LADIES ROOM

Kiera followed Jenna into the ladies room. She held a half smile on her face as they approached the sinks. "Rene seems quite smitten with you. I can also see the feelings are definitively mutual. So how long have the two of you been in love?"

"What could ever make you think we're in love, mama?" Jenna asked quietly, knowing that she wasn't even trying to hide her reaction to the truth of the matter, "Ah don't know when it happened, but you remember how you said that Ah'd know when it happened? Well, it did happen that way. Makes me even more happy that Ah didn't think all that hard about goin' professional with my tennis. Ah'd've found someone that Ah liked, no doubt, but it woulda been someone else and Ah don't think it would have been a better fit."

Kiera hugged Jenna close for a moment before pausing to place her hands on the younger woman's shoulders. She looked at Jenna with an expression that reassured her daughter of her full support. "Just promise me you will hold off two years before making your father and I grandparents. You will want that time for the two of you."

"Ah'm not gonna make a promise Ah might not keep, mama." Jenna said seriously, "Ah know you're thinking with your heart and you don't want me to make what you think may be a mistake, but Ah don't know if Ah really want to wait. We're goin' out there where no one's been before, not from the Federation at least, and he's part of Security, so he's gonna be between us and whatever danger we find out there. If he's gonna put himself at risk, Ah'm not gonna demand we wait if he wants kids."

Kiera wrapped her arms around Jenna and hugged her fiercely this time. She, like every mother, wanted nothing more than her child to know joy and love in life. "Then promise to love and support one another every day and never go to bed without telling each other you love one another. Will you at least do that for me?"

"Ah dare say that's a given, mama." Jenna squeezed back in a far more ladylike manner, "Ah couldn't do anythin' less! Of course, Ah'm afraid for Rene right now, Ah don't suppose Daddy's gonna stop bein' himself forever even if Ah asked him to behave, is he?"

Kiera shook her head with a slight chuckle. "Your father uses his dark humor to evaluate young men who come calling on his daughters. You know that. It is his way of protecting you girls. Only a serious suitor will pass your father's tests. Better to scare off scoundrels only interested in getting into your pants while testing true gentleman who want to win your heart."

“Ah know that, but that’s the problem.” Jenna sighed, “A lot of the actual gentlemen would get scared off too, because daddy takes it too far. Whether they get scared of him, or if they think he’s bughouse crazy and don’t want any part of that sort of family. Ah mean, WE know he’s safe and sane, just.. heh, who he is. Ah got his sense of humor, but thankfully your looks!”

Kiera smiled. "That is quite true." She looked at the door. "Perhaps we should return to the table. We stay in here any longer and your father may very well chase Rene off."

"You are right, as always." Jenna smiled at her mother, "But Rene is tough, Ah think he'll survive."