You Won’t Leave Me WIll You Mr. Cuddles?

[Nijil tr'Korjata 0]

“You Won’t Leave Me WIll You Mr. Cuddles?”

Annisha and Nijil

 

Nijil stood just inside the door of his quarters. Annisha was playing with a creature in the middle of the living room. “What is that?”

 

“You mean who,” Annisha answered. “This is Mister Cuddles. Oh...!” He started to run his little legs off, scurrying to the far wall. She ran after him and caught him with both hands. “You naughty thing.” She nosed him. With his legs still running she brought him back to her new father. “See, he is a micro mini targ. Aunt Jen and I bought him on the midway, at that Klingon eatery.”

 

He raised a brow. “Bought him?”

 

“Yeah, but watch this.” Annisha put the targ down and walked to the other wall. The little guy snorted, then followed her. She picked up her pace. So too did the targ. Around the perimeter of the room they went. “See, he follows me all around.” The animal nosed her foot. “He tickles. I think he’s, oh, hungry. Let me find the cabbage.” She bolted to her room and sure enough Mr. Cuddles followed, at least until the door shut behind her. Cuddles let out a tiny yelp as he waited at the door.

 

Moments later the door reopened. “Who wants a tiny cabbage? Whoooo wants a cabbage.” Annisha teased Cuddles, but he’d not have any part of it. He hunched down and leaped into the air...a few centimeters. “Here you go little guy.” She dropped a cabbage into his mouth from high up and gave the others at this ground level. In no time he finished his dinner. Mr. Cuddles wiggled his tail and nosed her for more. “That’s all for now. Come here you.” She grabbed him and held him close.

 

Annisha’s attachment to Mr. Cuddles the targ surprised Nijil. She never mentioned having a pet on Romulus, nor close friends at all. “You know Annisha, you’ll have to care for Mr. Cuddles. Feed him, visits to the doctor, avoiding Klingon eateries, and picking up after him.”

 

She hugged Mr. Cuddles up to her face. “I know. I have a cage for him and I used one of your tools to vaporize the poo.”

 

“One of my..?” Nijil asked to the air. “What tool, wait, never mind. Remember, he is your sole responsibility. Not mine, not Jylliene’s.”

 

“Uh huh.” She said holding him tight. “Mmmmm. I’ll watch him like a raven hawk and he’ll follow me. Well, as long as I have cabbages.” She laughed. “You won’t leave me will you Mr. Cuddles?” Her grip tightened. The targ let out a snort and oink. She closed her eyes as she hugged him, rocking him back and forth. Nijil looked on, thinking maybe she will be a good caretaker. Then he saw it: a single tear running down her cheek.

 

“You’ll never leave me will you?” She kissed the targ on the cheek, her eyes closed. Her arms tightened around the targ, he squealed. Another tear, then another. Nijil watched as she rocked him back and forth, but with more force that the tiny creature could take.

 

Nijil approached the girl and targ. “Annisha, you are squeezing him too tight honey.” She looked into the distance as her tears continued. As did her grip. She began to sob as tears rolled down.

 

“Mr. Cuddles...you won’t leave me like,” she shut her eyes tightly, sobbing. “Mommy and daddy did? You’ll never leave me...” Nijil stooped down, something, some repressed memory had surfaced.

 

“Annisha...”

 

“Mommy, I want my mommy! Ah ha aaa,” she cried. Nijil reached out and took Mr. Cuddles out of her hands. Annisha released her grip on the tiny targ. Nijil placed him on the ground. He gave a snort and walked off. She continued crying.

 

“Mommy! Mommy, why did you go!” She sat slumped over, her tears falling onto her lap. Nijil placed his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. He rested his chin on her soft black hair.

 

“Annisha, e’lev...” He pulled her closer to him. “There’s nothing I can do to bring them back, nor the many others that died in the Great Fire. What I can do is be here for you now as a father. If all goes well soon with Jylliene as a mother.” Nijil closed his own eyes. Annisha’s sudden breakdown started to get to him. “We can’t hope to replace what your parents meant to you. We will do our best to see you grow up as they would have wanted. You’re a very smart girl, smarter than both of us.” A tear rolled down his cheek now.

 

Her muffled sobs continued and she cried in relative silence. Nijl spoke on. “I’m sorry I did not offer to raise you when you asked if I would before you were taken. I can only imagine the horror and pain. I feel so guilty. I promise I will do my best to make this place a home... and love you as I would my own.”