[posted 5/11/97]

 This is a short piece I wrote in honor of Mother's Day.  It takes place a few months after my
previous story, 'Life'.

Some notes:

The name Benjamin comes from JoAnna's story, Love Is Blind.  It was the name of B'Elanna's
baby brother who died when he was a baby.  K'Ehyla is a name I made up. It's actually Kayla,
but I gave it a Klingon spelling.

Dedication:  This fanfic is dedicated to the Parisites.  Also dedicated to Robbie McNeill and
Roxann Dawson for bringing the characters of Tom Paris and B'Elanna Torres to life, and to the
writers for creating such terrific characters.

Disclaimer:  Tom Paris, B'Elanna Torres, and everything else in the Star Trek universe are
owned by Paramount, but the words, ideas, Benjamin Paris and K'Ehyla Paris are owned by me.
Comments, good and bad, are welcome and appreciated at: <Mara_J_Antilles@hotmail.com>.  Archive,
distribute, whatever, just keep my name and this disclaimer attached.

{{{;-) {{{;-) {{{;-) {{{;-) {{{;-) {{{;-) {{{;-) {{{;-) {{{;-) {{{;-) {{{;-) {{{;-) {{{;-) {{{;-) {{{;-) {{{;-) {{{;-) {{{;-) {{{;-)

The Locket
~~~~~~~~~~~
(c) 1997, By: Claire Daniels

    Tom and B'Elanna were sitting in bed.  The twins had been put to sleep, and they finally had a
few moments to themselves.
        "I'll be right back." Tom told B'Elanna as he got up from the bed.
        "Where are you going?" she asked.
        "I've got to get something.  You just sit here."
    Tom went into the living area of their quarters.  B'Elanna wondered what he was up to.
        "Close your eyes." he called from the other room.
        "Why?" she asked, her tone suspicious.
        "It's a surprise.  Just do it."
        "All right."
        "Are they closed?"
        "Yes, they're closed."
    B'Elanna felt the bed move as Tom sat down on it.  Being married to Tom had never been
boring.  He was forever doing little things to surprise her.  For their first anniversary, he had
programmed her homeworld of Kessik IV into the holodeck.  She had told him that she was a
little homesick and wished that she could see it again, and he had given her her wish.  She
wondered what he'd done this time.
        "Okay, open them."
    B'Elanna opened her eyes.  Tom was holding out a box to her.  She took it from him and
unwrapped it.  Inside the box was the most exquisite gold heart she had ever seen.
        "Tom, it's beautiful."
        "There's more." he said, "It's a locket.  It opens, and you put pictures in it."
        "Like what you gave Kes for her second birthday."
        "Yes, but this one is special.  Open it."
    B'Elanna opened the locket.  On one side was a picture of Benjamin and K'Ehyla, and on the
other was their wedding picture.  She looked at Tom, unable to speak, her eyes glistening with
tears.
        "Here, let me put it on for you." Tom said as he fastened the locket around her neck,
"Happy Mother's Day, B'Elanna."
        "Thank you," she said finally regaining the ability to speak, "but I already got the best
Mother's Day present I could have.  I've got the twins, and I've got you."
    Tom leaned over and kissed her.
        "I love you, B'Elanna."
        "I love you, too." she replied, kissing him back.
    She was lucky to have such a terrific husband and beautiful children. B'Elanna thought for a
moment.  She was a mother.  Five years ago, she hadn't been sure that being a mother was for
her, but now...Just then, two wails were heard from the nursery.  Tom and B'Elanna got up out of
bed to tend to their children.  *Yes,* she thought as she picked up her daughter, *motherhood is
definitely my thing.*

The End