Everybody Knows This is Nowhere

Part 30 - Forever Lucky

To: Ms. Lili O'Day

From: Emily Stone, Esq.

My apologies for the short notice, but the estate was just recently settled. Kindly come to the Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco at thirteen thirty hours on March twenty-seventh in order to receive your share of the estate of Jay Douglas Hayes.

Very Truly Yours,

Emily Stone
Koenig and Brooks

"Holy crap, that's today!" Lili yelled to no one. She ran to the shower as soon as she'd sent a note confirming that she would attend.

=/\=

She got to Starfleet Headquarters early, and looked in on the captain, who was in between endless meetings. "What brings you here?" he asked, taking a look at her. She was out of uniform, in a denim skirt and a yellow boatneck top, her hair up in a slightly messy chignon tied with a dark blue ribbon.

"I got a message. I'm – this is weird – I'm supposed to be getting a piece of Major Hayes's estate."

"Huh, well that's interesting. Were you two close?"

"I don't know if close is the right word," Lili admitted, "But he, well, he came to the galley the night he passed. He just looked so tired and worried. I made him his favorite foods. It was the best that I could do."

"What did he like, Ensign?"

"He liked roasted potatoes, and a good steak, cooked rare. He liked a little side dish I would put together of wilted spinach leaves, softened Vidalia onions and sharp cheddar cheese." Lili paused for a moment, thinking of Jay. "The Major liked blueberries, sir. No one else knew that."

"Sounds like you knew him better than anyone."

"I, I guess I did. Did you know I bribed him once by making him chicken soup? Do you remember? It was January and he'd gotten a cold. He told nobody, but I saw and heard him coughing something fierce. So I told him I'd keep it quiet and I'd help him out, but he'd have to do something for me."

"Oh, and what was that?"

"I asked him to smile sometimes. And he did, but usually it was just when he was facing toward me, I noticed," Lili explained.

"I think he didn't just like your cooking."

"No," Lili shook her head.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure of it, Lili. I think he liked you."

"I dunno, sir."

"Well, I think your being in his will more or less proves it. Don't you?"

There was a chime and he checked his PADD. "Ah, there's a room available for your meeting. I'll take you there."

=/\=

They walked to a small room that was normally used for job interviews. There was a person in there already. "Lieutenant?" asked the captain.

"Sir?!" Malcolm got up quickly, knocking over a chair in the process. Then he noticed Lili. "Ensign?"

"I, uh, yeah," Lili confirmed, "you here for the will?"

"Uh, yes, yes, that's right. I got a notification at Kota Bharu this morning." He was still standing there, in a full-dress uniform. He bent over to pick up the uncooperative chair and right it. "Ensign?" He offered her the seat.