<USS Avalon> "The Gift" Georgia Lewis and Melanie Redgrave

"The Gift"
Georgia Lewis & Melanie Redgrave

Having gotten permission to leave the secondary sickbay, the first thing on 
her mind was to check on Mel. It wasn't everyday the ship was boarded and that 
she was gonna be a granny. Georgia hurried back to her quarter's to change 
into something more comfortable and then proceeded to Melanie's. 

Melanie sat at her desk in her cabin, working on her report about the events 
that had taken place in her labs. While one hand typed out her report, the 
other rubbed her belly as she hummed softly. 

Georgia stood outside the door, one hand behind her back as she rang the 
chime. She hoped that Sunni was gonna like it.

Looking up from her work, Melanie leaned back and pressed her back against 
the chair. "Come in." She called out as she reached up and rubbed the ache in 
her neck. 

Georgia entered and saw Sunni rubbing her neck. "Now whys you settin up, 
whens yous should be layin down takin care of my granbaby. Nows lets gits you 
on 
the couch missy." 

Melanie beamed as soon as Georgia walked in. "I'm fine, Georgia. Anna came by 
this morning and everything's back to where it should be so I thought I'd get 
my reports done." She pushed herself out of her chair anyway, glad for the 
break. "Can I get you something?" She asked as she headed for the self frosting 
pitcher of orange juice on her table. 

"Is don't care what the Dr. says. Yous get on that couch now, I will fetch 
the drinks. 'Sides I gots sumthin for you and you aint gitting it til yous is 
settin on that couch." 

Melanie knew better then to fight with Georgia so she simply laughed, threw 
up her hands and the fell onto the couch.  

"Nows ifn I could onlys get Ms. Skyler to listen likes that." Grinning 
Georgia went and got the two drinks, returning to the couch she handed one to 
Sunni 
and kept one for herself. "Sos how is yous really?" 

"I'm fine, Georgia." Melanie answered after taking a sip. By the time the 
baby came she wasn't going to want to see another glass of OJ or milk again. "I 
still haven't heard from Eli since Sierria called him, but Skyler stayed with 
me last night, and V came by this morning, as did Anna, and now your here so 
I'm all caught up."  

"Ms. Skyler stayed heres wit you? Hows you git that too happen?" 

"She asked." Melanie replied. 

"Tain't possible." 

"Why isn't it possible?" Melanie asked as she sat her OJ aside and picked up 
her bottle of prenates. 

"She ain't never dun nutin liken that 'cept for when yous was little." 
Georgia was stunned. 

Melanie smiled a little. "She told me about how she use to put her hand on 
Mother's belly and fell me kick."  

Smiling wide Georgia replied, 'Yep, she dun that. Would giggle every time 
yous kicked her. She was scared at first, thinkin yous didn't like hers and 
yous 
wasnt even bornd yet."  

Melanie laughed. "Yeah that sounds like Skyler all right." The baby must have 
liked Melanie laughter cause she moved again, causing Melanie's eyes to go 
wide. Quickly reaching over she took hold of Georgia's hand and put it on the 
tiny thump. 

Feeling the baby kick put a grin on Georgia's face. "Thats a kicker alls 
right, jest likes yous were. Has you gots a name fors this youngin?" 

"Grace Lunette." Melanie answered.  

 "Thats sech a pretty name. Hows did yous come up wit it?" 

Melanie smiled. "Eli called her his saving grace and Lunette means little 
moon."  

"Child, Ms. Celeste would be so happy to hears that name. That 'minds me of 
sumthin." Getting up Georgia walked over to the table and grabbed her package. 
She handed the delicately wrapped gift to Sunni. "Heres, this is fors yous." 

"What is it?" Melanie asked beaming like a child. 

 "I reckon yous gonna has to open it ta find out, now won't ya?" 

Melanie picked the gift up carefully and looked at it before sitting it in 
her lap and opening it slowly.  

Georgia just watched as Sunni took her time opening the package. She had kept 
it for a long time, making any repairs to it that it had needed over the 
years. Now it was time to pass it on. 

The blanket was the most beautiful thing Melanie had ever seen. "This is 
Betazoid lace." She awed.  

"Yous like it then?" 

Tears welling in Melanie's eyes. "I love it."  

"It was your Mommas blanket, thens she used it for Ms. Skyler and nows I is 
givin it to you for your youngin. Is been trying to keep it in good shape so's 
yous could use it." 

Melanie reached out and hugged Georgia tightly. "Thank you so much." 

 "Is so glad yous like it. Is know Ms. Celeste would be so happy for yous to 
have it. Ms. Skyler will too." 

"I'll bring her home in it, and use it for her Christening." Melanie told her 
as she ran her hands over the fabric and lace. It was her mother's, and now 
it would be her daughter's.  

Georgia was beaming. "That would be nice. Wheres yous plannin this here 
christening? On this here ship?" 
Melanie shook her head. "Back home in England." 

"Whatch ya mean in England? Yous don't want it on the estate?"  

Melanie looked confused until it dawned on her, then she softly shook her 
head. "We're going to have it in Bath, at our family estate. Mum even said the 
Bishop would do it."  

"Bet Ms. Skyler werent none too happy wit that?"  

"She was worried about fitting in." Melanie admitted. 

Georgia had a slight frown on her face. "Is see. Jest give her time. Shes 
surely wont miss dis babies christening." 

"What's wrong?"  

"Whys yous think sumthin is wrong? There aint nutin wrong. Jest give Ms. 
Skyler sum time, she'll be there. Yous know that." 

Melanie looked at the older woman for a little while. "Just thought I saw 
something in your face is all."  

 "Like what? 'sides wit all these here wrinkles hows can you sees anything?" 
Georgia chuckled. 

Melanie shrugged. "Guess it as nothing." She replied, thought she knew 
Georgia would rather her have it all on Betazed.  

 "Dun't you be shrugging at me little miss.  Yous think Is not going to your 
fancy house in England. Wells yous wrong. Unless yous dunt want me there?" 

"Of course I want you there!"

'Is may not speaks the best and Is may not be the purtiest one, but thisin is 
my granbaby and them high tootin' folks is jest gonna has to listen close to 
what Is says. If'n they dunt like my talkin or looks well, well we jest won't 
go there. You understands me little miss?" 

Melanie laughed "Yes Georgia." 

 "Yous can count on Eliza Mae comin seeing hows shes gonna wanna brag to 
everyone back home hows she been to England. She ain't allowed to bring no 
Pecan 
Pies. Ya hear?" 

"Why not?" Mel asked, unable to help herself. 

"Cause they be mine! Thats why." 

Melanie laughed. 

"Yous think this is funny? Them is my pies and she knows it." Georgia 
couldn't help but laugh, it was pretty funny. 

"And damn good pies they are too."  

"Yous got that one right. Even the Captain agrees. Now, lets get them feets 
propped up. Gotta take care of that little one." 

Melanie didn't fight she just let Georgia fuss over her. "So what's she gonna 
call you, Georgia?" 

"Whats who gonna call me?" Georgia was the one lookin confused now. "Eliza 
Mae, most likely a liar." 

"Grace." Melanie replied. "What's she gonna call you?"

"Oh the little one. I dunt know. What you wants her to calls me?"  

 "I think Mum is leaning towards Nanna or or Grandmummy. So anything you'd 
like." 

"Yous let your Mum pick, seeing hows shes really the grandmother. I ain't 
really real family, just sorta adopted Skyler." 

"Georgia, you are real family." Melanie said softly. "Don't ever say your 
not." 

Georgia looked at Sunni with a tear in her eye. "Thank yous for that. 
Ms.Skyler's the onliest family I've had since my Henry died. Nows there be yous 
and 
this here baby. I couldn't be more proud ifn I had birthed you myself." 

Melanie hugged the older woman again.  

Holding Suuni Georgia whispered in her ear, "Ms. Skyler's proud of yous too. 
Shes jest to stubborn to lets yous know. She loves yous more then you'll ever 
knows. She would give up her life for you."  

"I know that Georgia." Melanie replied. "I can feel it." 

"Yous can feel it? How? She be to stubborn to show her feelings, even to me. 
I jest know how to git through to her thats all." 

Melanie tapped her head. "The more I'm around her the easier it is to read 
her."  

"Ya knows ifn yous ask her, she be more then happy to hep you learn that 
stuff. I jest never gots it. But I can still gits to her in my own way." 
Georgia 
laughed and took a sip of her juice.

"She has been when we have the time." Melanie replied. "I asked her to when I 
first found out about the baby, I wanted to be read in case she's gifted." 

"Yous look tired little Miss. Yous go to sleep now. I will see myself out. 
You take care of that granbaby ya hear?" With that Georgia made sure Sunni was 
comfortable, dimmed the lights, kissed her goodnight and headed toward the 
door. She stopped before the doors opened. "Jest one last thing Ms. Sunni. I 
and 
Ms. Skyler love you." That was the last thing Melanie heard as Georgia left her 
quarter's.

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