Return to Valjiir Stories
Return to Valjiir Continum
“Hey, DelMonde…”
The engineer looked up at the sound of a familiar voice. He was sitting on a stool in a corner of the Rec Room on Deck Five waiting for a jam session his bandmates had scheduled without consulting him to begin. “Huh?
Lieutenant Commander Uhura put one hand on her him and gave him a smile that did not indicate that he was not in trouble. “I’m guessing you don’t hear this one much…”
Del blinked his eyes in their best approximation of innocence. “What?”
“You don’t seem like the shy type,” the Communications officer said, tilting her head to one side.
“No, ma’am.” Despite himself, the Cajun burst out laughing at the notion. “I definitively not be gettin' that one much th' fuck at all.”
“Then why are you always acting so shy around me, sugar?” Uhura asked pointedly, unfazed by his reaction.
“I…Well, I….” the engineer began, suddenly realizing that there was a great deal of undeniable truth in her statement that he had chosen not to examine too closely or discuss with anyone. “I.. jus'… well… damn… I guess I…”
“Oh, I’m getting scared now…” the Communications Officer replied, crossing her arms and not looking frightened at all.
“To tell th' truth, I…I… Well, I…” the Cajun began haltingly, looking around the near-empty room to see if they were being too closely observed. “It hard to explain.”
“Yeah,” Uhura smiled and nodded. “I’m getting that loud and clear.”
“An' the simplest way to put it…” Del could feel his cheeks growing warm. “It not something women like to hear…”
The Communications Officer gave a half-laugh. “Oh, now I am definitely scared. Spit it out sugar.”
The engineer sighed and admitted, “You remind me of my mother.”
Uhura’s eyebrows rose. “Now that’s one I don’t get too often.”
“Yeah, I would assume not,” Del replied with a half-laugh. “It not so much 'bout the way you look. It your voice. My mama was a coloratura soprano. We used t' sing together, before she… um…”
The Communications Officer nodded, her aspect changing as her understanding of the situation immediately shifted. “And hearing me sing brings back…” she replied gently.
“It do more than remind me,” Del confessed, hugging his guitar to him tightly. “I feel her wit' me sometimes. She speaks to me sometimes. So to hear you sing… to sing wit' you… It pretty intense ever' now an' them... In a good way, y’know, but…”
Uhura nodded again, with empathetic understanding. “Intense.”
“Yeah, mos' definitely,” the engineer confirmed, releasing a long, pained sigh as he forced himself to return his guitar to its normal position. “So, it not so much that I bein' all shy, but that a powerful t'ing fo' me, you know.”
The Communications Officer gave another nod and stood silently with him in a moment of shared understanding. She finally asked quietly, “What were you playing?”
Del gave a little laugh when he recognized the tune his fingers had been absently strumming. It was one from the Valley Collection that was quite popular with the crew and frequently requested.
As soon as his fingers hit the first three notes, Uhura recognized the song. Her eyes closed, her mouth drew into a smile, and she shook her head in wonder at the beautiful synchronicity of the moment.
She sang to him;
DelMonde replied;
Clearing himself of tears, he let his voice blend with hers as it had so long ago with his mother’s;
Clearing his mind of sorrow, he opened himself to receive the message being sent;
Thanking Providence for such incredible moments of unlooked for Grace that allowed him to somehow survive the devastating loss that was always on the edge of consuming his soul, he sang;
Del clung to his guitar, his eyes tightly shut, loathe to let the sacred moment end as a hand that was the touch of two women at once touched his head.
“In a good way, right, son?” Her musical voice asked gently.
“The very best,” he confirmed. “The very best.”
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When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be Let is be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be
And when the brokenhearted people
Living in the world agree
There will be an answer
Let it be For though they may be parted
There is still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer
Let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Yeah, there will be an answer
Let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be
And when the night is cloudy
There is still a light that shines on me
Shine on 'til tomorrow
Let it be I wake up to the sound of music
He felt the warmth of Her Love as Her voice joined him;
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom
Let it be, yeah
Let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah, let it be
Oh, there will be an answer
Let it be Let it be, let it be
Let it be, yeah, let it be
Whisper words of wisdom
Let it be The End