No 'Sprays!

Posted on Wed 6th Dec, 2017 @ 7:18am by
Edited on on Wed 6th Dec, 2017 @ 7:20am

528 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: A Phaser as Deadly as a Candlestick
Location: McCabe's Quarters
Timeline: MD 3, 1145

"I don't wanna go!" Bella crossed her arms over her pretty blue top and stopped her foot. "They'll gib me spways!"

"Sweetie, we talked about this yesterday. If you want to go to school with the other children, you have to have a tiny check-up and get the doctor to send an all-clear on your health," Janetta said reasonably.

"Don't wanna, don't wanna, DON'T WANNA!" the little girl screamed at the top of her voice.

With a tired sigh, Janetta got to her feet, and snapped, "Fine, then you won't go to school, and you will grow up to work on a garbage scow."

Bella thought that over. "You could teach me."

"No, I can't," said her aunt. "This argument is one reason why. I can't have an argument every time you don't want to do what has to be done. Besides, I have to find a job, so I won't be home to teach you. If you don't go to school, I'll have to find someone to babysit you."

"A wobot? Ellie had a wobot nanny. I want one, too." The child's voice turned into a wheedle.

"No robot nannies. They are too expensive for your dad or me," Janetta said firmly.

The door slid open and Anthony entered his way-too-small quarters. "Thought I'd drop by for lunch and see how things are going today," he told his sister as he picked up Arabella and twirled her around the room before depositing her back on her feet.

"How's it goin', Punkin?"

She stuck her bottom lip out in a show of displeasure. "Treble!" she said.

Tony glanced at his sister.

"She means terrible," Janetta translated. "The school is eager to have her, but there's this little matter of a physical that has to be done to make sure she is not going to give everyone plague, or something. She doesn't want to go."

"I don't hab to, right, Daddy? The doctor will gib me spways."

This time when Anthony looked to his sister for translation, she just shrugged her shoulders. He looked back at his daughter, and knelt down to her level. "What if we ask him nicely not to give you sprays?"

"You can make him do dat. Wite?" Bella asked.

"Not make him, but I can ask him, and I think he'll listen," her dad promised.

The little girl nodded her head once, "Awite, I go ... dis time." She slid a sideways glance at her aunt.

"Great! Good girl. Why don't I take you, and we'll give Janetta a break?"

Bella's eyes lit up. "Yes, Daddy, you go!" She held her hands up for a lift, and Tony obliged.

"Doesn't take much to make you happy, does it, Blossom? Just get what you want when you want it!" he laughed and nodded to his sister-in-law. "An hour's rest for you. Thanks for all you're doing, little sister."

"Not that little," she smiled at the old ritual phrase. "Go on. I'll clean up this place while you're gone."

"Nope. You'll put your feet up and have some replicated chocolate. That's an order."

"Yeah, Auntie Jan, dat's a order, and Daddy means it!"

 

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