Distant Shores - Marco Palmieri [101]
Reaching under his chair, he removed a wrapped package, roughly the size and shape of one of the dinner plates, and placed it on the table before her.
“What’s this?” she asked.
“With all of your research, I’m surprised you have to ask,” he replied.
She was still smiling, but he could see in her eyes that she honestly didn’t know what he was talking about, so he continued.
“Traditionally, when one is presented with a Bonding Box, it is customary to give a gift of equal significance, to show that you are willing to accept it.”
“Really?” she replied, gently picking up the package, but hesitating to unwrap it. “I guess I missed that part.”
“Open it,” he suggested.
“I feel bad,” she said, sitting back, still holding the package.
“Why?”
“I didn’t realize you would have to…” she began.
“Just open it,” he said, putting an end to any further discussion.
The battle between reluctance and curiosity that played across Kathryn’s face was brief. Smiling mischievously, she carefully pulled at the paper, opening one of the ends wide enough to extract what lay within. Her playful spirits were instantly transformed to genuine wonder. In her hands she held a mirror, large enough to reflect her entire face, edged with irregularly shaped stones polished to a high sheen.
“Chakotay… it’s beautiful.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
As her hands ran gently over the stones that surrounded it, she asked, “Where did these come from?”
Indicating an oblong translucent purple stone that sat near the peak of the oval he explained, “That one’s from Napinay.”
Janeway had to think for a moment before it hit her. “Wasn’t that the planet where Neelix found our first stores of…”
“Leola roots,” they finished together, smiling at the shared memory.
“And this green one,” he went on, “is from the Sakari colony.”
“Really?” she said, still marveling at the beauty of the mirror. Finally she asked, “How long have you been collecting these?”
“Since we began our journey home,” he told her. “Each stone is from a planet we’ve stopped at along the way. I hadn’t decided exactly what I was going to do with them, but I guess I was… inspired by your gift.” After a moment he reached for the mirror and turned it over in her hands.
He could see a hint of a tear welling in her eye as she read aloud the words he had inscribed on the back.
“When in doubt, look here.”
She didn’t meet his even gaze for a few moments. She was simply overwhelmed, not only by the beauty and thoughtfulness of the gift, but also the many layers of meaning it conveyed.
When she finally looked at him, she was smiling through her tears. “I guess that’ll teach me. For your birthday next year I’m giving you a toaster.”
“A toaster?” he asked, laughing.
“Didn’t you have a toaster, growing up?”
“No,” he replied.
“Well, my traditionalist mother insisted on one in our kitchen. They’re actually critical if you want just the right texture of the bread for a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich.”
“Then I’ll look forward to it,” he smiled.
She reached for his hand and, grasping it gently, said, “Thank you, Chakotay. I will treasure this, always.”
He nodded, basking in the warmth that radiated from her eyes.
“Would you care to dance?” he asked.
It wasn’t a difficult decision at such a moment. Rising from her seat and stepping a few paces from the table, she offered him her hand.
For a few quiet minutes, they swayed to the music, finding a gentle rhythm, his right arm guiding her in the motion with a slight pressure on her back, as he held her free hand softly in his.
Finally, she sighed deeply and looked directly into his eyes. “Why has it taken you five years to bring me to Venice?” she asked with a decidedly alluring hint of playfulness.
He wanted to answer her honestly.
Because I wasn’t sure you would say yes.
But as he stared into her eyes, wanting only to lose himself in their clear blue depths, he decided that since he had failed over the last three days to give her any sign that he understood and accepted her gift in the spirit that it was meant, this was as close to an invitation as