A Mother's Wish

By Lao-ma

Lwaxana has a small request...

In Deanna's quarters:

"Deanna, please. This is something I've been thinking about for awhile, and it's important that you hear me out. I'm serious." Lwaxana Troi sat on the sofa, and gestured for her daughter to do the same.
Deanna let out a sigh of irritation, but gave into her mother's demands. "Alright, Mother. I'm listening."
Lwaxana took her daughter's hands in her own, and had a look of gentleness on her face. "Deanna, darling, I know for years I've been at you with this marriage thing, probably since before you can remember, but you have to understand, baby, you're all I have left."
She reached out and placed a loving hand to Deanna's face. "I know you're happy, and I know well enough by now that you can take care of yourself. But as a mother, and a single one at that, I want to see you taken care of. I need to know that if anything happens to me, there will be someone to see that can love you and care for you almost as good as I can."
At that, Deanna actually laughed. "Mother, I don't think anyone can possibly be as devoted to me as you are. And besides," she added with humor in her voice, "you've got a long way to go before the gods welcome you home with open arms."
She smiled. "True," Lwaxana noted with her usual aristocratic air, "but believe it or not, there is someone, on this very ship, as a matter of fact, that can take care of you in my place."

Deanna stared into her mother‹s eyes, waiting for her response. Somehow she knew exactly who her mother was talking about. "Deanna, love, I want you to promise me something, here and now."
"Of course," her face etched with concern, "What is it?"
"If it so happens, that I leave this world before you're married,and certainly, by the way things are going, I can easily see that happening."
"Mother..." Deanna sighed again.
"I want you to get married anyway. I want to know you're in good hands."
"Mother," frustration was in her voice now, "how many times are we going to have this conversation? I'm perfectly happy-"
"Deanna," Lwaxana insisted in a more forceful tone over her, "Listen to your mother. I know what is best for you." She rolled her eyes and thought, Okay. Fine. I might as well humor the woman.
Lwaxana gave her daughter a knowing glare, and sent I heard that through her head.

Deanna huffed, crossing her arms. "Okay. Alright, Mother, you win. What is it that you want me to promise you."
"Little One, promise me that if there is any man that you marry, let it be Will Riker."
It took a moment for her to digest. "What?"
"You heard me right, Deanna. I've been blind all these years to try and pair you up with someone other than who you are destined to be with. Will is your imzadi. As someone who married her own beloved, I should know, no one can love you any more, or any better than he can." She still couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"I know, I know," Lwaxana was saying, "I didn't exactly approve of him from the beginning, but you were young, and I couldn't believe the depth of your feelings for each other. Now that I've been around him, gotten to know him a little better since you both serve on the Enterprise, I can honestly say, I couldn‹t ask for a better son-in-law." Deanna laughed out loud. But Lwaxana was determined, "I trust him, Deanna. And I know he loves you with all his heart and soul, despite what you might be thinking. My being a telepath helps me sense more in people than just their thoughts, you know."
Deanna regained her composure, shaking her head. "Right. And to think. it only took you ten years to realize all that."
Now it was Lwaxana who crossed her arms in annoyance. "Me? Looks who's talking, missy. I'm not the one who decided it would be best for you both to remain strictly 'friends'" she mimed quotation marks at the word, "all this time." Deanna frowned.

Despite her sour look, Lwaxana took Deanna into her arms and cradled her as if she were still the baby she remembered. "Aw, baby, I'm just teasing. I have no problem with waiting a little longer for the two of you to get your act together," she laughed, hugging Deanna closer to her.

Just as she had earlier, Will Riker chuckled in Deanna's face as she relayed her mother's request. He couldn't believe it, either. "She said that? Your mother? Lwaxana Troi? Are we talking about the same woman who threatened to call Starfleet on me the first week I met you?"
"The same one," she nodded. Leaning back in his chair, he gave a satisfied smile. "Well, you can't say she made a bad choice."
Deanna picked up a pillow on the sofa and threw it at him. "You would say that." Shaking her head, she said, "I just can't get over it." She sat still in disbelief.

"You know," Will began, taking a seat next to her, "We don't have to wait until she croaks."
Deanna laughed, "What?"
"We don't have to wait 'til Mother Dearest kicks the bucket. We could always comply with her wishes for once,and give her the Betazoid wedding she's been dreaming about for you since the day you were born."
She looked up at him and grinned, "I don't know, that would all depend on if you're asking. Is that a proposal, Commander?"
He kissed her, and took her hand, "Yes, I believe it is, Counselor. Now,would you do us both a favor and agree to marry me?"
"Of course, but you better have a ring in your other hand, or my mother is never going to buy this."
As she desired, so there was. "Right here." He took the diamond solitaire he'd been keeping in his hand out, and placed it on her left index finger.
"Imzadi," she whispered, "you thought of everything."
"Just about. Now, if you would just be so kind as to summon 'Mom.'"
She smiled, "Already taken care of. She should be here..." There was a sudden ring at the door of Deanna's quarters. They laughed. "Looks like she got the message."

END