July 9, 2355

Aunt B'Talla died that day Mama and Uncle Koraith were gone. They had been called by the doctors early that morning because she was having trouble, more than before. The doctors had stabilized her by the time Mama and Uncle Koraith got there, cousin Mara had been there all night. Mama said all three talked it over, and questioned the doctors, then decided that even if Aunt B'Talla lived past this, she wouldn't even be a ghost of her former self, and the life support systems were turned off. Cousin Mara couldn't stay to watch her mother die, so she left, but Mama and Uncle Koraith stayed to take care of whatever there was to take care of.

The funeral was a week later, and I felt uncomfortable, since I hardly knew anyone, and most were giving us odd looks, probably because of the fact it was quite obvious we were half Trill. Mama's direct family were about the only ones who didn't look at us with disgust. Cousin Mara had a smile for me, and that made me feel better, even if it was a half hearted one, but then it was her mother's funeral.

Mama had us sent home to bed long before things were over, but I was happy to be away from the people who very clearly didn't like me and my brothers.

The next day cousin Mara asked me if I wanted to go with her. She needed to go to the town a little ways away to sign some legal documents about what was to happen to her mother's weapon repair shop, then she was going to stay for dinner and maybe shopping.

I told her I would like to but asked her if the people there would look at me the way most people did the day before. She thought a moment then told me that those people looked at me that way because I was different and they were scared of that, and I shouldn't let it bother me, they're just afraid of change from the old ways.

We had fun that day even though it look us three tries to find a restaurant that would serve us. I got my hair cut into a shorter style than where I'd had it down to my mid-back, then we had some holo-images made of us together. Getting home later than Mara had told Mama we would be, we got into a little trouble, but luckily Mama liked how my hair looked short and didn't get mad about that, she just asked Mara if she was going to do something big like this with me again, ask first. Mama then tucked me into bed, and said as she hugged me that she loved me and she was glad I was strong enough to handle the prejudices people were holding against me and my brothers. I wasn't sure exactly what she was talking about, but felt it had something to do with how Mara said they were scared of me for being different. I told her that I loved her too and I realized people were just scared of me. She smiled, and kissed my forehead, then said as she left the room that she was glad I understood.