Family Outing Part 2

Posted on Mon Apr 10th, 2023 @ 5:07am by Lieutenant JG Jenna Jade & Ensign Rene Rouen

Mission: The Interim

Fifteen minutes later, two teenagers were full with content expressions on their faces. Louis had opened up enough to tell Jenna about his desire to learn piloting and Amelie had expressed her ambition to become a writer, maybe even a holo novelists.

Rene had spent most of dinner quietly eating. Jenna was an important part of his life and she would become an important part of Louis and Amelie’s life over the next few years. He was happy to see the start of all of them developing a bond.

"Well, Ah know that Raven is a great natural pilot, gonna definitely have to have her help you with learnin' to fly! Perhaps she could help you get through your initial ground trainin' and simulations?" Jenna had said excitedly between bites when Louis had mentioned it, and "Then this is definitely the place for you out here with us, Ah can only imagine what we're gonna run into that no one has ever seen before! Have you ever handled a holo-cam? I can get one rigged up for you in the next couplea days, start you with somethin' a bit smaller to practice with."

Rene finished off his last bite of pizza and dabbed the corner of his mouth. He looked around the table at the others. "Not sure about the rest of you, but I am full." A sudden yawn escaped him. "Evidently tired too. What do you say we call it a night?"

"Ah presume Ah'm welcome to sleep over tonight?" Jenna asked Rene, a clear hint in her eyes of what the right answer was. Oh yes, there was definitely a correct and and incorrect answer to this question.

Rene smiled as he nodded his head. "Of course my amor. Consider it an open invitation." He glanced at Louis and Amelie. "Provided you both are alright with that."

Louis and Amelie both glanced at Jenna and nodded. It was easy for both to see that Rene and Jenna were deeply in love.

Jenna was the first out of her seat and reached out to grab Rene's hand and tugged him out of the seat, "Then, might Ah suggest? Let's go home."

Rene stood up and continued to hold Jenna's hand for the walk back to the family suite. He briefly walked Louis and Amelie to their respective bedrooms with instructions they get in pajamas and prepare for bed. He then returned to the common room and sat on the couch with Jenna. "That went rather well I must say."

"Ah dare say you are correct, Rene." Jenna leaned into him on the couch, "Ah'm sure this will all work out, Ah just wish..." She sighed heavily, "By the way, Ah got a message from my parents, they're comin' out to the Starbase for before we're scheduled to depart, supposed to arrive tomorrow in fact. You ready for that?"

Rene gave Jenna's question serious thought for a moment before answering. "I am. I do have an important matter to discuss with your father when he arrives."

"Oh God..." Jenna covered her face with her hand, "You aren't gonna talk about what Ah think you're gonna talk about, are you? That would just be so embarrassin'!" She squeezed his hand with her other one, "But Ah know you and Ah know that won't stop you, am Ah right?"

Rene studied Jenna's expression for a moment in wonder of what she thought he wanted to speak with her parents about. Rene had been rather reserved about discussing marriage with Jenna until he knew absolutely that Jenna would stick by him with his siblings now under his guardianship. "What do you think I want to talk about with them?"

"Ah'm a Southerner, Rene, what else comes into someone's head when their beau says 'Ah do have an important matter to discuss with your father.'? Ah certainly don't believe you're gonna talk sports or anythin' like that, that's for sure!"

Rene’s expression was of mild confusion. He brushed a stray lock of Jenna's hair back into to place. "Southerner? I thought you were born and raised in North America?"

"Ah was born in great state of South Carolina, which is yes, in North America, but we were on the right side of the War of Northern Aggression." She looked pompous, but burst out into giggles, "We call South of the Mason-Dixon line as bein' the South, Mexico and South America are just another place, but not the South. But you are changin' the subject, Rene and Ah forbid you to talk to daddy about that."

Rene gave Jenna a curious smile. "What do you think I want to discuss with your parents specifically." He did want to propose, but he felt obligated to do it the traditional way, by asking for her father's permission. He wasn't sure if she felt the same about him. She could be referring to their current arrangement in caring for his siblings.

She glared at him but didn't speak. It would be bad luck to tell him that he shouldn't ask her father for permission to marry her, because it might make him think she wasn't interested that way with him. It was just so.... Old-fashioned. Finally, she softened her look and leaned into him, "You know what Ah'm talkin' about and let's drop it. You've been gone far too long."

"Very well." Rene let out a sigh. He was unsure why Jenna seemed upset. He took her hand in his. "Tonight we get some rest. God knows I need some." He stood up from the couch and gave her hand a gentle tug. "How about we go to bed. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day for me even without having a duty watch."

"Ah think that's a marvelous idea." Jenna followed him without any sort of reluctance, "Besides, now Ah don't have to share you with anyone else for the rest of the night."

Rene led the way to the master bedroom. He stripped down to his skivvies and crawled into bed to await Jenna’s return from the bathroom. He just wanted to give the woman he loved a hug and kiss.

Jenna exhaled deeply as she examined herself in a mirror and shook her head. Was she sure about this? No, but she was going to do it. The silky pajamas she wore were comfortable and that's what mattered. She finally left the bathroom and into the bedroom, posing for a moment by the doorway before consciously putting a saunter into her step as she walked to the bed and sliding under the covers with Rene and scooted towards him.

Rene slipped an arm around Jenna pulled her closer. He had not seen her in couple of weeks and he had missed her immensely. It was simply nice to have her back in his arms again. "Thank you for making tonight...normal. I am sure Louis and Amelie needed it and I most definitely did."

"Ah'm just glad that you're back, Rene." Jenna smiled and caressed his cheek gently, "And Ah'll do anythin' I can to help. Ah promise."

Rene pulled Jenna into a close embrace and kissed her softly for a good minute. He drew strength from her positive attitude and he knew that in the coming days he was going to ask her to marry him. "Just promise to keep being you."

Jenna nodded at him, "Ah wouldn't change myself for the world." She said, "Ah am who Ah am and Ah don't think you'd want me any other way. Unless, of course, you do and you don't tell me and then you get all pissy when Ah don't change to how you want and get all resent-" She shut up as Rene kissed her again to shut her up.

Rene held the kiss for a full ten count, before breaking it with a gentle smile. He hugged her close. "I love you just the way you are. Now, are you ready for bed or do we have some *catching up* to do?"

“Now, Sugarcube,” Jenna admonished sweetly, “Ah just hope you aren’t all that tired just yet. Because it’s been a while since you were here and well, yes, a lot of catching up to do.”

Rene chuckled as he sat up and propped himself against the head board. He pulled her onto his lap. He planted yet another kiss on Jenna's lips, a very long and deeply passionate one. He broke it long enough to whisper in her ear. "So, you want to show me how much you've missed me?"

She was still somewhat timid, but she did truly want to show him just how she felt. Still in his lap, she stretched languidly, then reaching down pulled her pajama top over her head, "How much have Ah missed you? Let me count the ways."


TWO HOURS LATER

Rene slept in Jenna's arms. He dreamt of standing before Calypso Skyie with Jenna at his side, all of them in dress uniforms. The ship's company seated behind them, except for Minerva and Louis, who stood next to him.

Calypso beamed as she turned to Jenna, then glanced down at the book in her hands, "Do you, Jenna Krystal Jade, take this man to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forth, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

Jenna looked into Rene's eyes, "Ah do."

The Captain then looked over to Rene, "And do you, Rene Rouen, take this woman to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forth, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?""

Rene turned to Jenna with a loving smile and gave her a single nod. "I do."

Rene spoke too as he lay in Jenna's arms. "I do."

Jenna had adjusted on the bed after Rene had gone to sleep. It wasn't that she wasn't tired, but she had several things on her plate the next morning and she was looking over a PADD while he slumbered. She reached over with a smile and caressed his cheek for a moment at his words and she knew what he was dreaming about. "Soon, sugarcube, soon." She whispered, then went back to her work.