The Time Has Come

Posted on Tue Jan 2nd, 2018 @ 10:04am by Lieutenant Renee Salchin

Mission: https://wellington.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/missions/id/4
Location: Thomas' Quarters
Timeline: During the Grand Opening

ON:

Thomas wasn't happy with what happened during the Grand Opening when Karen walked in dressed like a Whore. Sure it made every guy's head turn including his. But what got his goat was the fact that she presented herself as a whore and it was improperly dressed to be there. Renee punched him in the shins and it got her upset as well but he didn't care because he was not interested in her. His interest was in the woman he was with that night and every night before that when he asked her to be his girlfriend. Now the time had come to go one step further. Now it was time to pop the question and he had already had the ring in his quarters and it was just waiting for the question to be asked. He didn't care if the crowd thought what ever they wanted, he wanted to ask her to marry him and now was the time. They could be come engaged now and get married in a few months. The point was to become engaged and properly to ask her the right way.

"Come on Renee lets get the hell out of here and to my quarters. I got something to ask you and....well", he let the sentence die.

A cold pit in Renee's stomach formed, she thought she knew what he was about to ask her and without conscious thought, her thumb rubbed the bottom of the ring on her left middle finger, but her expression only slightly twitched and then for a fraction of a second, "Sure, that party was getting boring anyways."

What Thomas had done earlier that evening was to redo his entire quarters. He had the furniture moved around so that it looked like not quite a small chapel but something similar only, more of a research lab. In one corner he had a table with a beautiful dinner laid out with champane and wine, should she want it. The meal he had planned was similar to what he had while home, steak, the way she liked it, with potatoes made with sour cream and cheese, vegetables, the ones she enjoyed eating and for desert he had a special cake made for her. Chocolate with caramel swirls on the top. He had arranged several vases of red roses and white carnations in various places and on a small table he had laid out a small box with a gold and silver bow on the top. Around it there were two other longer boxes with red bows on top, and a small white pillow with red lace on it. He had a special use for that little pillow in mind. Before he left he made sure it was just as he wanted it, resembling the research lab on the Titan where she used to work.

Taking her by her hand he led her to his quarters and before he opened the door, "Renee I have something special to show you and there is no way in hell I would ever do this for anyone else. You are the woman I love and I want you to see and feel it for your self. Now close your eyes please?", he said.

Renee closed her eyes and smiled slightly, holding her hand up in his own so she could be guided, "All righty, just please don't run me into a wall or something." She chuckled from behind closed eyes.

Gently he guided her through the doors. "Ok now open them my love", he said.

She did and looked around, eyes opening wide, "Hole-ley shit..." Came out of her mouth as her eyes drank in the room itself. Her eyes filtered out what was on the tables and recognized the setup of the room, "If I didn't know you couldn't have, I would have thought you got someone back on Titan to send you pictures of my own lab... A couple things off, but a damned sight close.." The flowers filtered into her vision next and a smile came brightly to her face, "It's lovely, Thomas!

"I am more than happy that you love it. I tried to imagine it from what you told me and did my best. Can I interest you in some good old home cooked food?", he said as he led her to the table and pulled out the chair for her to sit.

Renee laughed, sitting and hiking as he settled her into the table, "Hell, as long as it isn't that fancy-schmancy stuff people want to eat when all dressed up, I'm happy. Good, home cooked and basic. Meat and potatoes, ya' know."

"A good meal and some good company is what we need now and not all that noise in that new lounge. I never saw such a disgraceful show of people, females, most notably one Karen Walker, who should be ashamed of herself, walking in like a whore, I never would have gone in the first place", he said, shaking his head in disgust.

"And at least this looks better than what she was wearing in any case." Renee readjusted her dress again just to make it behave even more, "It would have been fine if she hadn't been there. But there was nothing keeping it exciting, especially with that one just chugging drinks at the bar."

"I think that that new lounge is going to be just that. A place where...I don't know...things like that are going to happen. It is some place I really don't want to take you to again. It is not the kind of place where decent people go to have drinks or dinner. I prefer having it here with you. You look just fine and stunning with what you are wearing. You could't look better if you tried and that is what I love about you. You don't flaunt it like they did. You are conservative and decent. All of what I want in a woman that I want to spend the rest of my life with" he said, finishing up his dinner. "Before desert, I have something special I want to do and I want you to see", he added, getting up.

The smile on her face widened, "Oh, I flaunt it all right, but tastefully." She winked at him, "Not conservative, but yeah, decently." She took a deep breath and held it.

"Don't flaunt to much of it my love, you will have a very jealous fu...", he caught himself, "boyfriend on your hands", he said, as he helped to pull her chair from the table. "Now come, I want to show you something over here first", he said.

She got up and followed him over, "Do I need to close my eyes again?" She teased him.

"No, not this time, come it is over here", he said as he led her to the table where the white pillow with the red ace was and the three boxes were laid out on the white table cloth. Surrounding them were several smaller flower holders of red roses and white carnations. Thomas picked up one of the larger red boxes and handed it to Renee and he picked up the other. "Go ahead and open it my love. It is a token of my dedicated love to you", he said. In the box was a gold chain with half a heart that had his name engraved on it. The box he had, had the other gold chain with the other half of the heart with her name engraved on it.

Her eyes opened, "It's beautiful, Thomas." Renee eyed the other, smaller box, eyes wondering what was in it, thinking she knew.

He leaned over and took her half and put them both together. "These are our hearts my love. We each have a part of each others heart always with us no matter where we go", he said. Now he took the smaller box and took the small pillow and turned to face her. "Renee I guess you already figured out what this is but before you think or say anything just listen", he said. Gettng on one knee and placing the smaller box on the small pillow, "I know a while back you said you would think about it and I prayed you have. I have never given up hope that you would be truly all mine and I would be all yours. From the moment I saw you and went out with you, I fell in love with you and not for your body my love but for the woman you are. Kind, loving, respectful, full of surprises, honest, and truthful. All these things are what I want in a woman but you showed me so much more and for that I adore you even more. In truth, I don't deserve you but I am hoping that you", he said opening the box, exposing a gold engagement ring that had a pure half carat diamond surrounded by blue sapphires, "...Renee please, would you be my wife?" he said, looking into her eyes.

Renee's hands went to each other, grasping hard, right thumb rubbing the bottom of the ring on her left middle finger and she looked down as if into herself, tears began to well in her eyes as she squeezed them shut, "I... I'm not sure what to say."

"Renee if you love me the way I think you do, you will say yes. We don't have to set a date for a while, just please say yes", he said looking at her tearing eyes.

"I want to... I want..." She turned away, "But I've said it's too soon a few times and you asked me to think about it when I've said it..." Tears ran down her face as her hands worked against each other, "We only met a few weeks ago, Thomas, a handful of short weeks and.." She swallowed hard, "No, Thomas, I won't say yes, because you aren't listening to me and if you won't listen about something like this, something this big, what else won't you listen to?" It was obvious she was hurting her own self with the words. "It's beautiful, but I can't, Thomas." She stepped back once, hands stopping their motion and she reached out and placed the box back on the table, a ring placed on it, centered perfectly just by feel. Her makeup was a wreck, mascara running in rivulets.

His own tears came down as he got up and hugged Renee. "Honey, please stop crying. I am hurting as well and I am sorry if I am rushing you but I don't want to lose you either. I love you to much to even think the maybe I might lose you", he said, still holding her tightly. He was hurting inside knowing he was pushing and maybe he was now pushing her away. "I am so sorry sweetheart, I won't ask you again. I will put the ring away but keep the chain please as I will keep my own", he said. Yes Thomas was deeply hurt by the events of what had happened but he did understand in a way and knew it would be at least maybe months before he would ask again if she was still his boyfriend. He prayed he would still be that man in her life.

She gently pushed away from him and backed out of reach, chest heaving as she fought to get herself under control, "Tom, I.. I.." She shook her head hard, "Big girl words, Renee." She muttered to herself, trying not to sob, then took another deep breath, "I need a little space... I don't hate you, Thomas, the opposite, but I need some space." She drew herself up as much as she could, "I'll see you tomorrow in Engineering, Lieutenant." She hated HERSELF for those words, but she knew she needed to draw on something to not be absolutely destroyed at this very moment, and work was what she could use. She turned and paused.

Thomas was hurt. Maybe she was right and they needed some space, yet he couldn't accept that and he wouldn't. Not now and not ever. He knew she loved him and he loved her because they still wore the chains. He looked at her..."Renee, if space is what you need to sort out your feelings...then I will give it to you reluctantly. I will see you tomorrow in engineering", he said, watching her leave.

Renee stopped as soon as she left the doors and they hissed shut behind her. Then slowly, oh so slowly, she made her way just several doors down to her own quarters, where her door kept anyone else from hearing her sobs.

After the doors shut, the normally quiet Thomas exploded! "How fucking stupid can I be to rush her", he yelled, grabbing the table and flinging it across the room hitting the wall. "I should have waited like she asked!", kicking the chair across the room. Then, crumbling in a heap on the floor, he cried tears of hurt for the only woman in his life he truly still loved


OFF:
Lieutenant Renee Salchin
R&D Engineer
USS Wellington

Lt. Thomas James
Propulsion SpecialisT
USS Wellington