<USS Avalon> "Confrontations in Mississippi" Georgia Lewis, Eliza Mae & Melanie Redgrave

 "Confrontations in Mississippi"
by:
Georgia Lewis, Eliza Mae and Melanie Redgrave


Georgia left Dr. Roan's office and returned back to her quarters to pack a 
bag. She needed to get away and try and sort things out. The only way she could 
do that was back in Mississippi, with Eliza Mae. She reached the transporter 
room and beamed down to earth. Once on earth, she would get a shuttle and 
return home. Hopefully being home would help her settle her mind. She sat in 
the 
shuttle with her bag propped on her lap. She wasn't concerned with anyone 
around 
her. She only had one thing on her mind. Home..

It wasn't hard to figure out where Georgia would head for her shoreleave. All 
her shore leave records for Earth showed the same thing. Mississippi. She got 
up extra early and beamed to the coordinates from Georgia's records. Once in 
Mississippi, Melanie started towards the address on her PADD. As she walked 
she looked around in awe, the land was breath taking and for the second time 
this week Melanie found herself enchanted by the North American south. Melanie 
approached the house slowly, listening to the sound of her heart beating in her 
ears, maybe she should have told Georgia she was coming but she didn't want to 
give the woman a chance to avoid her again. After taking a deep breath, 
Melanie knocked on the door and waited. 

Eliza Mae was working in the kitchen, cutting up the pecans she would need 
for her famous Pecan pies. She heard the knock but wasn't expecting anyone. She 
put her cooking supplies down and walked to the door wiping her hands in the 
process. She stuffed the towel into her apron and opened the door, hoping to 
find Georgia but instead found a stranger standing there. "Uh.. Hello Miss, is 
there something I can do for you?"

Melanie smiled warmly at the woman who came to the door. "Pardon the 
interruption, but I'm looking for Georgia Lewis. I was hoping to find her here."

Eliza was a tad taken back. She had never heard anyone with an accent like 
Melanie's. "Well, I am 'fraid she's not here. Is she expectin' you?"

Georgia's shuttle landed in Mississippi and she found transportation to Eliza 
Mae's. It was a simple bus yet she enjoyed the feel of the road beneath her. 
At least she felt grounded somewhat. 

The disappointment was clear on Melanie's face. "No Ma'am, Georgia's not 
expecting me. Actually I think she'd been avoiding me." Melanie gave the woman 
in 
the doorway a half hearted smile. "I apologize for disturbing you, Ma'am. I 
guess I'll just wait and try to connect with her on the ship."

Eliza could see the disappointment on her face. "Well Miss, I may not be 
Georgia but I do have a mighty fine pitcher of tea if you would like a glass. 
Please come in and I will get you some and you can tell me how you know 
Georgia. 
Has she been spreading tales again about Pecan pies? She better watch her words 
a'fore I set her straight."

Georgia's bus dropped her off at the beginning of the road to Eliza's house. 
She would have to walk the rest of the way. It wasn't a long walk and she 
liked the fresh air and the feel of the road beneath her feet. She was starting 
to 
relax bit by bit the closer she got to Eliza's. Little did she know what she 
was walking into....

"Pecan pies?" Melanie asked as she followed the woman into the house. She 
looked a little confused for a moment and then shook her head lightly. "No 
Ma'am, 
Georgia hasn't said anything, at least not to me, about pies." It was clear 
this woman knew Georgia, most likely pretty well, so she didn't see any reasons 
not to answer her questions. "Georgia and I are on the Avalon together, but I 
think our ties go deeper then that. That's what I'm here to find out." 

Now Eliza Mae was most interested in this young woman. She knew everything 
about Georgia and couldn't imagine how these two could be bound together. She 
reached into the cupboard and took two glasses out. She walked over to the 
Frigerator and took out the ice cold tea, two lemons and poured them into the 
glasses. She handed one to the young woman and took the other for herself. "Why 
don't we go an sit on the porch and you can tell me what be on your mind."

Melanie took the glass and smiled warmly. “Thank you.” She told the woman 
as 
she followed her out to the pouch. “My name is Melanie by the way.” She 
offered as she took a seat on one of the chairs near the swing Eliza Mae sat 
in. 
Not for the first time Melanie added silently, or at least it has been since I 
was adopted. She took a slow sip of the tea and smiled. “This is wonderful, 
Ma’
am. Thank you.” Then she paused again. “I’ve been looking for the truth 
for 
a long time and I think Georgia is the only one who can give me it 
completely.”

"Lordy Miss Melanie, I have known that cantankerous fuddy duddy all my life. 
I can't imagine something about her that I dun't know. That woman can't keep a 
secret to save her soul and what with Miss Skyler always on her mind, I don't 
think she has ever been able to hide anything from me. Skyler included. I've 
known them both fer years. Is Ms Skyler in trouble again?"

Georgia was takin' her time walking to Eliza's. She was tryin to figure how 
to tell her about the mess she was in. She knew the ole' fuddy would cause all 
sorts of trouble for her. Nevertheless she was the best person to talk to in 
such a mess as this.

"No Ma'am." Melanie said as she looked at the lemon in her glass. "Skyler's 
not in any trouble." Melanie continued to look at the lemon as if it would 
suddenly start singing and dancing. She didn't want to tell Georgia's friend 
that 
Georgia was a lot better at keeping secrets then she knew. Then something the 
woman had said replayed in her mind. She's said she'd known Skyler for years. 
Melanie wondered how many years. "Did you know Skyler's parents?" 

Georgia was almost to the house when she stopped dead in her tracks. There on 
her friend’s porch was Melanie. "What is she doing here I wonder? Prolly 
tryin to get Eliza to tell her stories or somethin'." She quickly and quietly 
snuck up along side the porch as to get a better place to listen in. She knew 
she 
had to face Melanie and Skyler, but she weren't expectin' to have to do it at 
Eliza Mae's.

"Now Miss Melanie, I said I knew Georgia and Skyler, I don’t recollect saying 
I knew her parents. Actually I never had the pleasure of meeting Ms Skyler's 
parent's. From what I understand they were killed and left Skyler in Georgia's 
care. They have been inseparable for as long as I have known Skyler. Why do 
you ask? Just curious myself as to why you is askin so many questions?" 

Georgia was just about ready to have  a fit. If that biddy didn't keep her 
mouth shut she would never let her forget it.

Melanie knew better then to tell anyone her real reasons. She'd let it slip 
with Elijah but she'd be damned if she was going to again. But the hurt she 
felt when Eliza Mae said that their parents had left Skyler with Georgia was 
crystal clear in the bright green eyes that she shared with her sister and 
birth 
mother. "I met them both on the ship and Georgia's real hard not to like. I 
guess it really isn't my place to be asking so many questions. I apologize." 

Georgia didn't know what to do. She could face the truth now or hope for 
Melanie to leave so she could talk to Eliza. Taking a deep breath she made her 
way 
around to the front of the house and acted as if she was just arriving. She 
hollered out loud. "Eliza Mae, git your behind out here and help me with this 
bag. I ain't getting any younger. At least I ain't as old as you are." Georgia 
chuckled knowing that would get Eliza's goat and hoped it would distract 
Melanie.

Melanie jumped at the sound of Georgia's voice causing her to drop her glass. 
She bolted right out of her chair and quickly started looking for something 
to clean up the mess. "Bloody hell... I'm so sorry..." 

Eliza Mae started to laugh knowing Georgia was there. "Don't fret over it 
Miss. I will just make that ole goat clean up the mess, serves her right for 
hollerin' like that. It just ain't proper. Georgia you ole' hound, you got 
company 
waitin on you.”

“Now you can hopefully get answers to your questions Miss."

Georgia stepped up on the porch and was shocked to see Melanie sitting there. 
"Lt Redgrave, is there something I can do for you?"

"Now Georgia this youngster has been sittin here waitin on you, the least you 
could do is be polite."

Georgia just glared at Eliza...

The formality of Georgia’s greeting took Melanie aback, and the sudden battle 
of glares between Georgia and Eliza Mae made her hurt somehow. She quickly 
finished scooping up the ice and lemon back into her glass and set it on the 
small table. She moved to wipe her hands on her skirt but opted for a napkin 
instead. When she finally looked up at Georgia, who was still glaring at her 
friend, Melanie shook her head. “I’m.. I’m sorry I shouldn’t have come 
here. I 
wanted to talk to you.. I wanted to ask you why they threw me away.. But.. But, 
this was a mistake.” She said with a voice cracking from the tightness in her 
throat. “Thank you for being so kind.” She told Eliza Mae. “But I should 
go..”

Georgia was surprised at Melanie's response. Now she really didn't know what 
to do. If she let her leave it would just prolong everything. At least now 
Eliza was here. "Miss Melanie, please stay. I will get you a fresh glass of tea 
and then....we can talk. I 'spect that is what you are here for. No point in 
prolonging it anymore. You and Miss Skyler are both mad at me and to be 
truthful 
I ain't too happy with myself." Georgia went in and got everyone another 
glass of tea and returned to the porch. She sat down on the swing next to Eliza 
Mae. What would you like to know that I haven't already told you?"

Eliza Mae was looking at both of them with a look of utter confusion. She had 
know idea what was going on.

“I’m not mad at you, Georgia, you didn’t even know I was still alive.” 
Melanie said softly as she retook her seat. Melanie was quite for a while and 
then 
got to why she’d come. “I looked into Celeste’s files. Not a hard thing 
to 
do with my new clearance. I know she’d left Skyler with you when she went to 
the outpost. What I don’t know is why she took me and why Skyler doesn’t 
remember me. Why you stopped looking for me. I guess I just want to hear 
something 
other then what my mind’s been coming up with.” Melanie kept her head down 
so 
they couldn't see the tears in her eyes. "I want to know if I was a mistake 
and why I wasn't wanted." 

Now Georgia was really in a bind. She had to face facts and tell the truth, 
but what was the truth."Melanie....you were not a mistake. I can't explain why 
your parents did what they did. I don't understand it myself, I could only do 
what was asked of me." Georgia was doing her best not to cry but remembering 
everything was just as hard for her as it was for Melanie. 

Taking a deep breath Georgia continued. "Skyler was older than you and you 
were very small. You needed to be with your mama. The last time I saw you, you 
were in a hospital and I had to get Skyler out of there. I tried to find you 
after the attack but they told us you were gone. You have to realize it was a 
real mess. There was fighting and shouting, phaser fire all that stuff. I know 
that's no excuse but it's the truth." Georgia got up and walked to the edge of 
the porch and stared into the tree's. She wrapped her arms around herself as 
an attempt to comfort herself. Meanwhile Eliza was sitting there with her mouth 
hanging open. "Old woman put your tongue back in yer mouth afore a fly lands 
on it."

Melanie sat there for a long time watching Georgia and trying to process 
everything she'd said. She could understand how everything had gotten mixed up 
in 
the chaos of the attack and why they couldn't find her. Her parents were both 
gone and Georgia hadn't the recourses to find where'd she'd been placed since 
Starfleet was perfectly happy with the happy ever after ending they'd gotten 
with her adoption. When Melanie finally came back around she got up and walked 
over to Georgia. "My sister would have been twelve Georgia, having a pregnant 
mother who ended up having the baby would have been hard to miss... Why 
doesn't she remember me?"

Eliza Mae was in shock. All this was new to her and she didn't quite know 
what to do or say about it.

Georgia turned and looked over at Melanie. "With everythin' that happened I 
can only imagine that her Betazoid part maybe....blocking the memory. She isn't 
doing it on purpose. She doesn't even realize....." Georgia was starting to 
choke on her words. She took a drink of tea and stared at her friend pleading 
for help. 

"Don't look at me old woman. I am in shock that you kept this from me."

"That's what T'Arah said." Melanie whispered. Melanie stood there and looked 
out at the trees, trying to get a grip on her thoughts and her emotions. It 
really wasn't helping. "Thank you Georgia." She finally said after what felt 
like forever. 

Georgia looked at Melanie, she didn't know what to say. "There is one last 
thing I suppose you have a right to know. Your birth name......"

A small very faint smile started to spread across Melanie’s face. “I’d 
like 
to know that.”

Georgia looked at Eliza and back at Melanie. "Your birth name is one word, 
like Skyler's. It is.......Soliel. It means Sun. You were sunshine in your 
parent's eyes. Unfortunately they didn't live long enough to see you grow up 
and I 
never had the chance to find you. For that I am sorry, you will never know how 
much. Do you think you can ever forgive me?"

Melanie smiled fully. "I was never mad at you, Georgia. It means a lot to me 
that you even tried to look for me." Melanie reached out and hugged the other 
woman lovingly. "Thank you for telling me, Georgia."

Georgia felt Melanie's arms around her and couldn't help but return the hug. 
Now she had two to look after. Life just got a little bit tougher but that was 
nothing new to her. "Now enough of this emotional stuff, time for some of my 
famous Pecan Pie!"

Eliza Mae stood up abruptly. "Your Pecan pies. Woman am I going to have to 
beat the truth into you again?" Eliza just laughed, she knew she had Georgia 
now.

Melanie was looking confused again but a whole lot less sad. "Pecan pie?" She 
asked as she watched the two woman. "I don't think I've had that before." 

"Well then it's time you had one." Both women replied at the same time that 
they started laughing. "Melanie you will get used to us if you stick around 
long enough. I hope you do, now that you have found Skyler I hope you wont let 
her stubbornness get in the way. Like I was sayin' she may just have blocked it 
out. She is a special person and once you get to know her you will realize 
that."

"I don't plan on going anywhere, Georgia." Melanie smiled brightly as she 
followed the two other women into the house for pie. Then she added, "Besides, 
I'm the younger sister, Skyler hasn't got a chance."

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