[Tina's quarters - calling home]
Tina paced her room for a while. She took deep breaths. She had a glass of water, and then another, and then a trip to the restroom.
Finally, she sat down at her console and started recording a video message.
“Hi Mom, Dad.” Tina smiled at the camera and gave a little wave. “I don’t know if you would have been informed that I was kinda MIA for a week or so, and I know that if you were you would have been notified when I got back, but I thought I’d send you a message to reassure you that I’m okay, either way. And because it’s been a while. I always mean to respond to your weekly updates, but… Well, anyway.
“What happened is, I went on an away mission - which went really well, actually - but then on the way back we got… Um. Rerouted, kinda. We ended up crash-landing on this planet none of us recognized, and had to walk from the shuttle to a village we picked up on our sensors. There were some injuries, but everyone came out of it fine. It was an experience, as Grandma would say.”
Tina paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts and offering the camera an awkward smile. “But that’s not actually what I’m sending this message about, really. It should be. I should keep in better touch, and I’m really sorry I haven’t. But all things being as they are… The thing is that what I really need to tell you guys is… Well. I’m pregnant.”
She waited a moment, as though her parents’ reactions would reach her through time and space and she needed to give them a chance to stop gasping and shouting before she continued. “I know. I didn’t expect it either. And before you ask, no, the father isn’t exactly in the picture. I mean, he is as much as he can be, but… It’s complicated. Like, really, really complicated. There are alternate realities involved. I’m not even kidding.
“But the short version is that, yeah, I’m pregnant, and I’m keeping it. Her. She’s a girl, apparently. And I can guess what you’re thinking, that I’m being reckless again. That I just keep changing my mind and jumping into stuff. ‘Christine, first you want to be a researcher and now a nurse? You’re engaged and then not engaged and now heading off-planet all of a sudden?’ I know. I’m unreliable and flighty and I need to settle down and sort my life out. I’m not a kid anymore.
“And I guess… I guess this is me agreeing with you. I’m not going to promise that I won’t be making any more unexpected decisions, but from here on out, it’s not just me I’m deciding for. So. I think that’s really all I have to say about it right now. I’m still a little stunned, myself. But I promise that I’ll do better from here. I’ll send you another transmission as soon as I can.”
Tina waved again, and blew a kiss at the camera. “I love you both. Talk to you soon.”
She sent the message right away, before she could start to obsess over her phrasing and wonder if she could do better. And then she really wished she could have a drink.
She was starting to get a little sick of ice cream.
Finally, she sat down at her console and started recording a video message.
“Hi Mom, Dad.” Tina smiled at the camera and gave a little wave. “I don’t know if you would have been informed that I was kinda MIA for a week or so, and I know that if you were you would have been notified when I got back, but I thought I’d send you a message to reassure you that I’m okay, either way. And because it’s been a while. I always mean to respond to your weekly updates, but… Well, anyway.
“What happened is, I went on an away mission - which went really well, actually - but then on the way back we got… Um. Rerouted, kinda. We ended up crash-landing on this planet none of us recognized, and had to walk from the shuttle to a village we picked up on our sensors. There were some injuries, but everyone came out of it fine. It was an experience, as Grandma would say.”
Tina paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts and offering the camera an awkward smile. “But that’s not actually what I’m sending this message about, really. It should be. I should keep in better touch, and I’m really sorry I haven’t. But all things being as they are… The thing is that what I really need to tell you guys is… Well. I’m pregnant.”
She waited a moment, as though her parents’ reactions would reach her through time and space and she needed to give them a chance to stop gasping and shouting before she continued. “I know. I didn’t expect it either. And before you ask, no, the father isn’t exactly in the picture. I mean, he is as much as he can be, but… It’s complicated. Like, really, really complicated. There are alternate realities involved. I’m not even kidding.
“But the short version is that, yeah, I’m pregnant, and I’m keeping it. Her. She’s a girl, apparently. And I can guess what you’re thinking, that I’m being reckless again. That I just keep changing my mind and jumping into stuff. ‘Christine, first you want to be a researcher and now a nurse? You’re engaged and then not engaged and now heading off-planet all of a sudden?’ I know. I’m unreliable and flighty and I need to settle down and sort my life out. I’m not a kid anymore.
“And I guess… I guess this is me agreeing with you. I’m not going to promise that I won’t be making any more unexpected decisions, but from here on out, it’s not just me I’m deciding for. So. I think that’s really all I have to say about it right now. I’m still a little stunned, myself. But I promise that I’ll do better from here. I’ll send you another transmission as soon as I can.”
Tina waved again, and blew a kiss at the camera. “I love you both. Talk to you soon.”
She sent the message right away, before she could start to obsess over her phrasing and wonder if she could do better. And then she really wished she could have a drink.
She was starting to get a little sick of ice cream.