Dr. Cassie Mason - Works in Progress

[Tallera]

Such a simple, yet really effective piece from @Dr. Cassie Mason.  I think anyone who's ever felt even a little social anxiety will have no problem feeling that little twinge of discomfort, thinking about how it can be easy to become a role, rather than a whole person.  Fantastic work!

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(( USS Arrow, Deck 3 - Cassandra’s Quarters ))

 

Sitting reclined on her bed, Cassie smoothly maneuvered a crochet hook in hand. Expertly, her fingers continued the pattern of slip stitches on her half finished blanket despite her thoughts being elsewhere. Losing track of time she’d gotten farther along in her project than she’d planned, but the repetitious movements were helping her think. 

 

Laying beside her on the bed was a forgotten book, “Journey to the West,” turned open to a page Cassie had tried to read several times before giving up. Normally she’d have no problem crocheting and reading, especially a story she’d read to death. But as her blanket got longer by the row, she turned over what R’Ariel had told her earlier in their impromptu session.

 

oO Find someone to do something unrelated to being a doctor with. Oo 

 

It sounded simple enough. She had lots of hobbies. Though she didn’t know anyone else on board who liked to knit or sew. And the idea of starting a knitting circle maybe spoke too much of Cassie’s old soul. In spirit she’d always been a bit of an old granny and her hobbies certainly spoke volumes.

 

The steaming cup of fragrant tea on her bedside table was the proverbial cherry on top in that aspect. 

 

Though now that she thought of it, she’d even started knitting in high school because it helped with making her fingers more nimble and steady. In a way, it was another by-product of wanting to become a doctor all her life...

 

Weaving the beige yarn over and around her hook and through for a slip stitch, she looked over at her desk where her unfinished journal was sitting. The glue on the spine was still drying. The purple [...] leather was still plain, waiting to be embossed with the constellation themed design she’d drawn out.

 

No one would like bookbinding either. It wasn’t exactly a social activity and took a lot of meticulous detail. In a word, boring. In another, antiquated.

 

Letting out a sigh, she let the blanket she was working on drop into her lap, her fingers pausing after her last stitch.

 

oO Maybe this’ll be harder than I thought… Oo 

 

Thinking back, she tried to remember the last time she did something that didn’t start or end with her either advising a patient or her very obviously being only a doctor.

 

Even at the coffee shop on Risa, she’d gone in just to get a drink and find somewhere to read. When she’d spotted the Captain it had been a welcome surprise. With him busy commanding the ship and her in Sickbay most of the time, their meetings had been very limited. But even then she’d ended up as somewhat of a momentary confidant and offering advice in a medical capacity.

 

It wasn’t like she minded, she’d enjoyed that conversation. And in her experience, the Captain was always a kind, pleasant man. But she could see it on the man’s face the second he’d realized it was her of all people. Like a kid being caught drawing on the walls with crayon. She couldn’t help but to feel that if it had been any other officer walking into the small, out of the way shop, he wouldn’t have felt so cornered. 

 

Even Maria’s little stint at playing a time travelling version of herself had started in Sickbay. Sure it was out of character for Cassie to be pulled into such schemes, but she suspected part of it had only been because she was there when Maria devised the plan. It wasn’t like the other woman had sought Cassie out specifically. She was conveniently in the right place. Or the wrong one given what followed.

 

Even in the quarters around her, there wasn’t a single object out of place. Sure it was littered with a few of her possessions, but each one had a place and a purpose. A reason for being exactly where it was, just like Sickbay.

 

The books were all neatly lined up on the shelf in accordance with her own long since perfected organizational system. Her bookbinding tools and sewing kit were all neatly packed away while she didn’t need them, nothing strewn about or separated from its siblings. Even her African Violet seemed neat and tidy with its perky leaves and bright blooming petals.

 

Every last surface was free of dust. Clothes never left scattered around. It was all clean.

 

It was all as close to sterile and bland as a lived-in room could be. 

 

Letting out a huffed breath, she bit the inside of her cheek in frustration.

 

Picking up her blanket again, she held it up and examined the length. She still had a lot longer to go on this, but she couldn’t help the feeling of melancholy that seemed to wash over her.

 

Shaking her head, she went back to counting her stitches. 

 

With how close they were to the end of shore leave, it was probably best to try and get as much of this done as possible. Who knew when the next time she’d be able to pick it up again would be. Likely not until their next shore leave.

 

Mason: Even I know I’m procrastinating at this point.

 

Speaking to the empty room, her shoulders slumped. She’d never felt the weight of her own loneliness like this before. Maybe it was because she’d never stopped long enough to think about it. There had always been another patient, another essay, another clinical rotation to get to on time, or another test to study for.

 

Finishing the row of stitches she’d been working on, Cassie tied off the beige yarn and pulled out her burgundy from the overstuffed yarn bag that sat on the floor next to her. Beginning on the next section, she tucked her legs under what she already had finished. 

 

She could follow R’Ariel’s advice when she was in a better mood. For now she wanted to just disappear under the blanket as she made it longer stitch by stitch. 

 

NT/End

 

Edited November 8, 2021 by Maria Alvarez

[Dr. Cassie Mason]

Beyond flattered by this! ❤️