B-L, Phone Home

Posted on Fri May 29th, 2020 @ 10:21pm by Lieutenant Bianca Lee

Mission: Around The World in 8 Days
Timeline: Mid Shore Leave

Bianca sat down in front of her console at the side of her quarters and sighed deeply. She'd been putting off this call for the last few days and she knew that it really was the wrong way to do things. She SHOULD have gone home for a day or two, but she knew what it would have meant. Lectures about how she wasn't a little girl anymore and needed to settle down and pop out a few kids to keep the Lee legacy going. Forget that she had a brother that already had a couple brats, though she did love her nephews, and that her sister was primed and eager for it herself.

She just didn't want the lecture.

Bianca keyed the comm code for the Lee house outside of Charleston, South Carolina and a few moments later a bright young face answered it, "Hello?" The eyes brightened, "Gracie?" She turned and shouted, "Dad, it's Bianca!" Then turned back, the response from the male voice muffled, "Gracie! How are you doin'?"

"Ah'm all right, Georgia." Bianca smiled softly at her teenage sister, the two of them using their middle names as they always had when 'Georgia', named Clementine, was growing up during Bianca's own teenage and adult years, "Ah'm in orbit at the moment, but Ah'm afraid Ah won't be able to come down while Ah'm here. Most of the ship is on shore leave, but since Ah just reported, Ah'm on duty a lot of the time." It was more of a little white lie, she could go down at any time, but... Reasons.

Clementine's eyes dimmed for a moment and it nearly broke Bianca's heart, "Ah was really hoping you'd be able to come down, Gracie, Ah've got mah debut in a couple weeks and Ah was hopin' you'd be able to help me with mah dress for it. Mama will help, Ah know that, but well, yer mah sister and it'd just be special that way."

"Ah know, Georgia, and Ah know just how important to you this is, too and you'd better get a bunch of pictures for me!" Bianca grinned, her sister was more the proper height, 5'9" and hair a long platinum blonde. She'd been dating a boy for the last couple years and knew that once he could 'officially' start courting him like her father desired, they would do it. "How's Artie doin'?"

"Oh him, he's fine, says he has a present for me for mah debut but isn't telling!" Clementine mock-pouted at Bianca, "Make him tell me? You know Ah hate surprises like that!"

Bianca grinned evilly, "Well, Ah'm gonna be sending my own present for you, Georgia, and Daddy's not gonna let you have it until then too!" She laughed at the mock indignation on her sister's face.

"Gracie! You, madam, are eviiiiiiil!" The younger sister broke down in giggles as well, "Bobby wanted me to say hello when we talked, oh, Dad's comin', want me to fetch mama too?"

Bianca nodded, "Thanks, Georgia." The image of the girl got up and flounced off even as a weathered man set him self down in front of the comm console, "Daddy, how's the farm doin'?"

"Bianca Grace Lee, more important, why aren't you coming down here to see us in person and get some hugs?" Jedediah Lee gave her a glare that wasn't mocking at all, "And when are you going to catch yourself a husband?"

Bianca resisted the urge to roll her eyes, this was why. "Daddy, Ah'm not lookin' to get married and have babies, not yet at least. Ah'm not shovin' everyone away, neither, and you, suh, have no say in it. Bobby's already got two sons and Ah've no doubt that once you give Arthur your permission to marry Clementine, they'll start giving you grandkids as well. Ah can be my own person and the Lee name will keep itself rollin' along."

"That's not why I'm asking, Bianca." Jedediah sighed, "Yer just workin' yourself to death, on your own. I was the same way before I met your mother, so I suppose you got it from me. Don't stay alone, Bianca, it's not worth it."

"Daddy..." Bianca sighed roughly, "Look, Daddy, Ah'm not going to just go out and hook some poor soul into marryin' me. If Ah find someone, Ah find them, and if Ah don't?" She shrugged, "Ah'm workin' on a career right now and it's important, my needs aren't as important."

"As your happiness?" Her father finished the sentence as a question, "Because nothing's more important to me than that."

"Then dear, you should probably let Bianca be her own woman." Another voice came from off screen until the face of her mother, whom she'd obtained her red hair from, poked itself into the screen, "Bianca, dear, don't listen to your father, you know he's a bit... Traditional, can you say?"

"Ah'd say so, mama." Bianca agreed and the man glowered at both of them in turn, "Don't worry, mama, Ah'm fine and Ah've got a bunch of duties that'll keep me busy."

"Well that's good, dear!" Her mother smiled broadly, "And I know you've probably got to run shortly, but I just wanted to make sure you're doing fine. Jedediah, dear, one of the horses is going into labor and it's Buttercup, I know you're really interested in her foal." As her husband rushed to get up from the chair, Jenna winked at her daughter, "You take care of yourself Bianca."

"You too, mama, give Bobby a hug for me? And the boys, of course."

"Of course, Bianca dear. And you're welcome."

OFF:
Lieutenant Bianca Lee
Chief Strategic Operations Officer
USS Astraea

And her family