Special Delivery "
By: Giuseppe Silvio, Chief Engineer, [RNPC]
Patia Zoei, Chief Counselor, [PC]
Patia Zoei, Chief Counselor, [PC]

Stardate: 58206.25 1830

Trina stretched her back and swayed slightly from side to side. Her gaze swept the room, before alighting on Michelio's stiff back. Although the information he found was not anything that would indicate Guiseppe Silvio was a bad person, it was obvious to almost anyone Michelio was not exactly comfortable with the idea of his baby sister seeing him. He wouldn't say a word, but some times, thoughts didn't need to be spoken to be heard. She shook her head slightly. It was time for Patia to live a little. Silvio might not be a permanent addition to her world, but as long as he brought Patia a little sunshine and light, it was all right with her.

The door chimed as the man she had been thinking of entered the room. He appeared anxious, maybe even a little nervous. She smiled slightly as he approached.

Silvio smiled, "Hi, how are things going?"

She smiled softly in return. "Very well," her head inclined slightly toward Michelio. "The delivery man is almost ready to leave with your order. Were you concerned it would not be where you wanted it to be when you wanted it to be there?"

"N-No," stammered Silvio, "I guess I am just a little excited."

"That is understandable. It is not every day a man sends this many gorgeous blooms to a lovely lady," Trina smiled.

"I just want to make her smile," said Silvio, "Do you need any help?"

"No, Chel will be more than enough assistance," she nodded toward Michelio again. "Do you know if she is currently out of her quarters?"

"I saw her on the promenade," said Silvio, "I would say she is out of her quarters."

Watchfully, she nodded. "Do you know how long she plans to be out and about? We will be leaving here momentarily," she glanced at Michelio, who was now watching the conversation intently. "Would you be able to keep her away from her quarters for thirty minutes or so?"

Silvio nodded eagerly, a big smile spreading across his face, "I can do that."

"Somehow, I didn't think you would object to the assignment," she turned slightly as she heard Michelio set a vase down a little too hard on the glass countertop. "Chel," she called over her shoulder, "my counter isn't cracked, is it?"

A grunt was her only answer.

Her eyes shifted back to Silvio. She shrugged. In a voice that was low, but still able to be heard by the hunched figure across the room, she said "Men, they haven’t all left the Dark Ages."

Another slam and a louder grunt sounded. Her eyebrow shifted slightly upward and her eyes twinkled at Silvio.

Silvio looked at the delivery man and then looked back at Trina, "Is he having a bad day?"

She shrugged. In the same stage whisper as before, she said, "He is just being difficult. He has a hard job, delivering beautiful flowers, and it wears him out. I think he is trying to be fired so he can spend his spare time in Quark’s, causing trouble for the Chief of Security and his men."

Another grunt came from across the room. It almost sounded as though the man said, "Oh to be fired," but it was hard to be sure.

"I see," said Silvio, "Well, I am going to go find Patia." Silvio looked from Trina to Michelio and back again, "Thank you both, for helping me."

Again, the man grunted. Trina rolled her eyes. "It is my pleasure. We will be setting out to make the delivery when you leave. Please, come back and let us know what your lady thinks of her surprise." A rather strangled sound came from the man she called Chel.

"Well, now we know he has a vocabulary of more than one sound. Maybe, by the time you come again, he will be able to speak his first word." Trina snickered.

"Trin," the growled sounded a warning.

"Shoo, get out of here and enjoy your afternoon. The grizzly bear and I will handle your delivery." Trina smiled and gestured toward the door.

Smiling Silvio waved at them and left the shop. He needed to find Patia.

The door closed behind Silvio, and Trina turned on her heel to face Michelio. "Was that really necessary?"

He turned abruptly to face her. "I am not happy about this and don’t expect me to pretend to be."

"You don’t have to be happy, and you don’t have to pretend, but your behavior was appalling. It was not fitting a man of your stature and most certainly not the behavior of the man I married. I expect more than that from you, and I will not accept your petulant, childish behavior in my shop with my customers, regardless of your personal feelings, Mr. Zoei," she snapped.

A surprised look flitted across his face. "Trina, I am the Chief of Security, if one under my command spoke to me this way, they would receive a formal reprimand in their file."

"Considering you are working for me at the moment, I will take your advice under consideration, Zoei," she snapped again. Rushed movements gathered the flowers together as she prepared to leave the shop. "No matter your feelings for the man who purchased them, can you at least be happy your sister will be receiving such a lovely surprise?"

With her overflowing cart, she stalked toward the door. Michelio looked around the room. He gathered a few remaining bouquets in his arms, and followed Trina from the shop. He had the distinct feeling he was going to be even sorrier later in the evening. If only his wife didn't own the flower shop, he would be bringing them home for her.