Secret Shopping

Posted on Fri Sep 18th, 2020 @ 10:26am by
Edited on on Fri Sep 18th, 2020 @ 11:42am

1,085 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 10 - New Home, Same Pioneers
Location: Starbase Sirius
Timeline: MD006 1300 hrs

Ameri had an errand to run on the base to pick up something for her department. Since she would already be there she got permission from the captain to have the afternoon off to do something shopping. This was one of those rare times that she could shop for birthdays and Christmas for Quinn and Enya. They were both tenacious about finding out secrets. It was almost a game for her to see if she could surprise them since it rarely happened. She was determined that this time they wouldn’t have a clue.

Once she stopped and picked up what she wanted for Operations, Ameri took out her list for Quinn. He wasn't that hard to shop for it was finding what he liked that was the trick and she already had one thing in mind.

Ameri smiled as she walked towards the Promenade. They had been there for a few days earlier and Quinn had looked at some liquor in a store and decided against it but she could tell it was something he really wanted. Instead, he had taken Enya to get some computer game she wanted.

Walking in, Ameri looked around for a few minutes while the store owner waited on a few customers that were already waiting. She was glad that Quinn had looked there when they had been on the base because he had very discerning tastes and had he not looked at this particular one several times and then decided on something else she would not have known to get it.

She headed over to the counter and smiled at the owner, explaining what she wanted and waited for him to get it for her. Ameri knew why Quinn hadn’t bought it, the bottle wasn’t cheap but she felt like it was perfect for a gift on his birthday. They always made birthdays special with a gift and cake and ice cream.

Ameri loved spoiling Quinn. He worked hard both in command and at home to make sure they were happy. He put up with her moods, she knew when she was on a rant it wasn’t easy for him but he just let her blow off steam. She had loved him since the first time she saw him and had never looked back, loving every day of their life together. Life hadn’t always dealt them good times but having each other had gotten them through it.

Once he returned, Ameri asked to have the bottle boxed and wrapped. She headed on her way for her next stop, which was to get a caramel coffee with an extra shot in it. It was her one weakness anytime she had the opportunity she tried to get one.

There was a store that they had passed the day before that carried 21st century memorbilia and Ameri had an idea for something that was perfect for her husband. She entered the shop and started to look around.

Ameri’s eyes widened when she saw something across the room. She took her time heading over, not wanting to look too interested or excited. Both she and Quinn had learned that if you seemed over eager then price suddenly went up.

It was an in mint condition, limited editon copy of a Monopoly game. It looked to have never even been opened. They had played as a family on a virtual game before but Quinn loved having the physical game, as he owned several others. For as long as she had known him, he collected board games and had mentioned wanting monopoly. Ameri smiled to herself and wondered if Quinn would even play it or want to keep it as it was.

Ameri picked it up casually and kept looking around. She saw a chinese checker game that she thought Enya might like to play with them as well and headed up to pay for them. The store owner had a gleam in his eyes that Ameri recognized. She almost grinned but kept her face neutral. He wouldn't know what hit him, she was married to Quinn and raised with brothers who had all taught her the art of bargaining.

The store owner quoted a price and Ameri looked at him, shaking her head. They went back and forth for quite a while until she walked out paying just under what she had intended to. Ameri smiled to herself. She was having a successful day so far. She was looking forward to seeing the look on Quinn’s face when she gave it to him.

Ameri now turned to Enya. She had the Chinese checker set but she wanted to find something that her daughter would play by herself and yet it would make her think and use her intelligence as well. She decided to just wander a bit and see what she could find.

Enya loved playing computer games from the 21st century. She wasn’t obsessed with them but she liked to play for a while after her homework was done. And some nights were family night. Quinn and her both did their best to make life on the ship enjoyable for Enya.

Ameri browsed through stores and came across a selection of games. She finally found a game she thought she might like. It was a Lego style game where you started with a generated world and you turned it into a world of your own creation. Ameri thought it would be something Enya would really like and it would make her think at the same time. She couldn’t wait to get home and show it to Quinn. He would know for certain whether or not she would play it because some nights he ended up playing with her.

Ameri was done shopping for the day. This was how she likes to shop, picking up a few things here and there. It was time now to pick up something that she could take back and have for dinner for Quinn and Enya. Something they both really liked a lot and haven’t had in a while.

Ameri decided on tacos. Enya had been asking for them and Quinn had mentioned that it had been a while. Having made her decision she went off to get them dinner and then headed back to the ship looking forward to spending the evening with her family.

Lieutenant Ameri Ó Flannagáin
Chief Operations Officer, USS Pioneer

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