Family Ties
POV of Senator Scott V. Wildman:
DATE: 3/14/2016
I used my day off to go to a doctor appointment with Annie. Most people would think it a trivial thing, going to the doctor. But for my family it wasn't. Mom asked Sam for the day off and came along with us to the hospital.
We had a 1:30 appointment and we weren't seen until about an hour later than the appointment. The three of us, confident that all three of the babies would survive, decided to take that time to name them. All were boys, we'd found that out at the last appointment.
After ten seconds, we were stumped.
"How about we name them after authors?" I asked.
Mom discarded that idea immediatly once I began give out the names of my favorites. What's so wrong about naming a kid Orson? Orson Scott Card did well with the name. Why couldn't my kid.
"What about actors?" Annie suggested.
"No. My kids are not going to have the names Kurt or Russel. Or Tom or... well, Cruise is kinda cool," I said. "But, No."
So we were no where. And, in cases like that when one train of discussion ends, we went into politics. "Who was the first person you voted for?" Mom asked me.
"Bartlet," I answered. "Second term."
She nodded. "I always liked him. Voted for him, too. That was Annie's first vote, too."
"Yeah," I said. "Then I voted for Daniels, didn't vote for Billings. I didn't like him. And then Sam. I don't vote stately. Except for Governor."
The two of them nodded, speaking well of Daniels and Sam.
"Well, there you go."
The three of us looked to where the voice had come from. We saw the doctor standing there. "Sorry about the delay, I was with someone else. And then I didn't want to interupt your brainstorming. If you're ready we can go in now."
Annie and Mom got up and proceeded to follow him but I said, "Wait. What do you mean, 'There you go?'"
"The names," the doctor said. "You voted Bartlet, you get Josiah. You voted Daniels, you get Leopold. You voted Seaborn, you get Samuel." He shrugged. "We had a family do that before, but Senators that came before the husband, not Presidents."
"Canfeld," I muttered, remembering him saying that a few years before. They'd had quints, a common risk when using fertility treatments.
We walked in with the doctor, he looked over Annie. I sat at her side, worried like I was every time. I'd gone to every appointment since the election. Everything had been fine, since she went into labor before.
The doctor placed the ultrasound equipment back on the cart.
"Alright... everything seems to be progressing fine," he told them. "Three strong heart beats... now, you're due date is April 19th. But don't expect to care to term. I want you on strict bed rest the moment you get home."
"Thanks, doc," I said and we turned to leave.
"Take it easy, Annie!" he shouted after us. "The closer to term, the safer it is for the triplets."
We walked out to the car and got in. "I think it's a good idea," Mom said.
"What?" I asked.
"Josiah, Leopold and Samuel."
Annie nodded. "It's the only thing we have," she said.
"I like it," I said. "Do you like it?"
"I like it," Mom chimed it.
"Then we're all in agreement," Annie said with a grin. "Sam, Leo and Joe."
"Jed."
Annie nodded then corrected herself. "Sam, Leo and Jed."
I started laughing.
Mom and Annie both looked at me.
"Sam's gonna get a kick out of that," I told them. "Those were the names of three people in the Bartlet administration."
"Should we change the names then?" she asked.
I shook my head. "These are the only names we have. If we change them, the kids could end up being named Aristotle, Tree and Ferguson."
"Hey! I like that!" Annie said, only half joking.
I shook my head and started the car.
***
POV of Caleb Lyman, son of COS Joshua Lyman:
Ezekiel Caleb Lyman. You know how much I'm made fun of for that name? That's why I go by the name Caleb. I hate Ezekiel and I hate Zeke. Just like Bruce goes by Bruce instead of his real name Elijah. I wouldn't mind Elijah though. But Ezekiel... what were my parents thinking?
I hated going to Georgetown Academy. Every kid there belongs to some rich family or political family and they're all high on themselves. There were very few people there that didn't get on my nerves and even fewer that I saw more than once a day.
Simon and Donovan were my best friends, still are. But they were also a grade higher than me and I only saw them during out combined lunch time. Plus, they were always followed around by John and Jake... or rather, Tiro for a while.
"Hey, Caleb," Simon said and sat down at the outside picnic table with me, followed by Donovan.
"What's up?"
"Simon spit this huge spit ball in Daniel Patterson's ear!" Donovan exclaimed. "It was priceless. He told the teacher but from where he was spitting from, they couldn't pin on him."
Simon nodded. "It was great."
I grinned widely. Daniel Patterson was the meanest bully around. He was thirteen but in seventh grade due to his failing it the previous year. If it weren't for his father, Senator Frank Patterson, he'd be public school bound. But his father had made some "donations" to the school. So Daniel was still in.
"He can't come after us either," Simon said. "Couldn't you see the headlines? 'Sentor's Son Attacks President's Sons Unprovoked.'"
"That'd be great," I agreed.
After a fight I'd gotten into with him over his bumping into me, the three of us were always plotting revenge. Whenever Daniel came around, the two of them would walk close behind me like they were my bodygaurds. That added to the fact that the Secret Service agents walked behind them, always intimidated Daniel and kept him away. And in class, the twins would toss pieces of paper and spit spitballs at him.
Lunch wasn't long and that sucked. I'd have much rather had an hour or something for lunch. Because after lunch, I was stuck in class with fifteen other kids who hated me.
When I got home, it wasn't much better. All of our neighbors either hated me or were too little to play with. Sometimes I'd hang with Bruce, who was the coolest member of the family.
But then Bruce would go out and play for awhile and I'd be stuck with TV and the internet.
I felt more at home at school with the twins than I did at home with my family.
***
POV of Petunia Goshhook:
It took them a while, but the Leader and the others convinced me to go back to the White House. With me I took my son, Harold and my daughter Mary Ellen. Two cuter children there never were. It was after school, of course. My children would never miss a day of school unless they were sick. What good would they do the human race if they were stupid, illeterate beings?
The two of them are junior members of the Divine Order of Human Supremity. There were only ten junior members and my two were the best of the bunch. So much like Mommy. I was so proud.
We walked in with a group of tourists and were showed around. Because the Leader doubted Tymes would be walking around, it was Mary Ellen's job to seperate from the group and go looking for him and gather information about him and those around him.
We'd come to the blue room and I watched proudly as she slipped off to do her duty.
***
POV of Mary Ellen Goshhook:
I heard the recording Mother had made. It made me so mad. How could this man say such mean things? He himself was human. How could he hate them?
The Leader had drilled his name into my mind, not that I needed it. Gregory Tymes was all over the papers. It was all I could do to keep from jumping up in the middle of school and saying proudly that I was in the group responsible for his injuries.
It wasn't hard to sneak into the West Wing. The Leader had shown me some blue prints before I left for my mission. I was supposed to find out it people really knew that he was evil or not and if they accepted him despite our warnings.
"You're *evil*," a young man said to an older man.
I turned my head to immediately see Gregory Tymes. He was standing by his office with a red haired intern looking over a speech I suppose. Something in a black folder.
That was all I needed. That other man had confirmed that the staff knew that Tymes was evil and they didn't care. They still let him walk around like a normal human being despite the fact he wasn't. But I stayed a little longer to see if I could get any more information
Tymes shrugged and grabbed his crutch. He patted the man's back and turned to re-enter his office when he was plowed into by a little boy.
"Gweg! Gweg!" he shouted and dove behind him for shelter. "Save me!"
Tymes laughed as I watched two Secret Service men run up after the boy. "He giving you guys a hard time?"
One of the agents growled something in respose.
"Better watch it or those looneys after me will turn on you," Tymes joked. Joked! He thinks what we do is a joke!
Tymes turned and picked the boy up in one arm. "What are you doing here anyways, Toby?"
My jaw dropped. That little boy was Toby Seaborn? The President's own son was treating this man almost like an uncle or friend. I shook my head. They really did know how evil Tymes was. I almost burst into tears. I thought the United States Government was the best example of human supremity. But I found out that day that it wasn't. It was a sad day for me.
I snuck back out and told my mother and brother everything.
We all got in the car and drove over to the Leader's house, knowing full well what had to happen.
***
POV of Senator Scott V. Wildman:
DATE: 3/14/2016
I used my day off to go to a doctor appointment with Annie. Most people would think it a trivial thing, going to the doctor. But for my family it wasn't. Mom asked Sam for the day off and came along with us to the hospital.
We had a 1:30 appointment and we weren't seen until about an hour later than the appointment. The three of us, confident that all three of the babies would survive, decided to take that time to name them. All were boys, we'd found that out at the last appointment.
After ten seconds, we were stumped.
"How about we name them after authors?" I asked.
Mom discarded that idea immediatly once I began give out the names of my favorites. What's so wrong about naming a kid Orson? Orson Scott Card did well with the name. Why couldn't my kid.
"What about actors?" Annie suggested.
"No. My kids are not going to have the names Kurt or Russel. Or Tom or... well, Cruise is kinda cool," I said. "But, No."
So we were no where. And, in cases like that when one train of discussion ends, we went into politics. "Who was the first person you voted for?" Mom asked me.
"Bartlet," I answered. "Second term."
She nodded. "I always liked him. Voted for him, too. That was Annie's first vote, too."
"Yeah," I said. "Then I voted for Daniels, didn't vote for Billings. I didn't like him. And then Sam. I don't vote stately. Except for Governor."
The two of them nodded, speaking well of Daniels and Sam.
"Well, there you go."
The three of us looked to where the voice had come from. We saw the doctor standing there. "Sorry about the delay, I was with someone else. And then I didn't want to interupt your brainstorming. If you're ready we can go in now."
Annie and Mom got up and proceeded to follow him but I said, "Wait. What do you mean, 'There you go?'"
"The names," the doctor said. "You voted Bartlet, you get Josiah. You voted Daniels, you get Leopold. You voted Seaborn, you get Samuel." He shrugged. "We had a family do that before, but Senators that came before the husband, not Presidents."
"Canfeld," I muttered, remembering him saying that a few years before. They'd had quints, a common risk when using fertility treatments.
We walked in with the doctor, he looked over Annie. I sat at her side, worried like I was every time. I'd gone to every appointment since the election. Everything had been fine, since she went into labor before.
The doctor placed the ultrasound equipment back on the cart.
"Alright... everything seems to be progressing fine," he told them. "Three strong heart beats... now, you're due date is April 19th. But don't expect to care to term. I want you on strict bed rest the moment you get home."
"Thanks, doc," I said and we turned to leave.
"Take it easy, Annie!" he shouted after us. "The closer to term, the safer it is for the triplets."
We walked out to the car and got in. "I think it's a good idea," Mom said.
"What?" I asked.
"Josiah, Leopold and Samuel."
Annie nodded. "It's the only thing we have," she said.
"I like it," I said. "Do you like it?"
"I like it," Mom chimed it.
"Then we're all in agreement," Annie said with a grin. "Sam, Leo and Joe."
"Jed."
Annie nodded then corrected herself. "Sam, Leo and Jed."
I started laughing.
Mom and Annie both looked at me.
"Sam's gonna get a kick out of that," I told them. "Those were the names of three people in the Bartlet administration."
"Should we change the names then?" she asked.
I shook my head. "These are the only names we have. If we change them, the kids could end up being named Aristotle, Tree and Ferguson."
"Hey! I like that!" Annie said, only half joking.
I shook my head and started the car.
***
POV of Caleb Lyman, son of COS Joshua Lyman:
Ezekiel Caleb Lyman. You know how much I'm made fun of for that name? That's why I go by the name Caleb. I hate Ezekiel and I hate Zeke. Just like Bruce goes by Bruce instead of his real name Elijah. I wouldn't mind Elijah though. But Ezekiel... what were my parents thinking?
I hated going to Georgetown Academy. Every kid there belongs to some rich family or political family and they're all high on themselves. There were very few people there that didn't get on my nerves and even fewer that I saw more than once a day.
Simon and Donovan were my best friends, still are. But they were also a grade higher than me and I only saw them during out combined lunch time. Plus, they were always followed around by John and Jake... or rather, Tiro for a while.
"Hey, Caleb," Simon said and sat down at the outside picnic table with me, followed by Donovan.
"What's up?"
"Simon spit this huge spit ball in Daniel Patterson's ear!" Donovan exclaimed. "It was priceless. He told the teacher but from where he was spitting from, they couldn't pin on him."
Simon nodded. "It was great."
I grinned widely. Daniel Patterson was the meanest bully around. He was thirteen but in seventh grade due to his failing it the previous year. If it weren't for his father, Senator Frank Patterson, he'd be public school bound. But his father had made some "donations" to the school. So Daniel was still in.
"He can't come after us either," Simon said. "Couldn't you see the headlines? 'Sentor's Son Attacks President's Sons Unprovoked.'"
"That'd be great," I agreed.
After a fight I'd gotten into with him over his bumping into me, the three of us were always plotting revenge. Whenever Daniel came around, the two of them would walk close behind me like they were my bodygaurds. That added to the fact that the Secret Service agents walked behind them, always intimidated Daniel and kept him away. And in class, the twins would toss pieces of paper and spit spitballs at him.
Lunch wasn't long and that sucked. I'd have much rather had an hour or something for lunch. Because after lunch, I was stuck in class with fifteen other kids who hated me.
When I got home, it wasn't much better. All of our neighbors either hated me or were too little to play with. Sometimes I'd hang with Bruce, who was the coolest member of the family.
But then Bruce would go out and play for awhile and I'd be stuck with TV and the internet.
I felt more at home at school with the twins than I did at home with my family.
***
POV of Petunia Goshhook:
It took them a while, but the Leader and the others convinced me to go back to the White House. With me I took my son, Harold and my daughter Mary Ellen. Two cuter children there never were. It was after school, of course. My children would never miss a day of school unless they were sick. What good would they do the human race if they were stupid, illeterate beings?
The two of them are junior members of the Divine Order of Human Supremity. There were only ten junior members and my two were the best of the bunch. So much like Mommy. I was so proud.
We walked in with a group of tourists and were showed around. Because the Leader doubted Tymes would be walking around, it was Mary Ellen's job to seperate from the group and go looking for him and gather information about him and those around him.
We'd come to the blue room and I watched proudly as she slipped off to do her duty.
***
POV of Mary Ellen Goshhook:
I heard the recording Mother had made. It made me so mad. How could this man say such mean things? He himself was human. How could he hate them?
The Leader had drilled his name into my mind, not that I needed it. Gregory Tymes was all over the papers. It was all I could do to keep from jumping up in the middle of school and saying proudly that I was in the group responsible for his injuries.
It wasn't hard to sneak into the West Wing. The Leader had shown me some blue prints before I left for my mission. I was supposed to find out it people really knew that he was evil or not and if they accepted him despite our warnings.
"You're *evil*," a young man said to an older man.
I turned my head to immediately see Gregory Tymes. He was standing by his office with a red haired intern looking over a speech I suppose. Something in a black folder.
That was all I needed. That other man had confirmed that the staff knew that Tymes was evil and they didn't care. They still let him walk around like a normal human being despite the fact he wasn't. But I stayed a little longer to see if I could get any more information
Tymes shrugged and grabbed his crutch. He patted the man's back and turned to re-enter his office when he was plowed into by a little boy.
"Gweg! Gweg!" he shouted and dove behind him for shelter. "Save me!"
Tymes laughed as I watched two Secret Service men run up after the boy. "He giving you guys a hard time?"
One of the agents growled something in respose.
"Better watch it or those looneys after me will turn on you," Tymes joked. Joked! He thinks what we do is a joke!
Tymes turned and picked the boy up in one arm. "What are you doing here anyways, Toby?"
My jaw dropped. That little boy was Toby Seaborn? The President's own son was treating this man almost like an uncle or friend. I shook my head. They really did know how evil Tymes was. I almost burst into tears. I thought the United States Government was the best example of human supremity. But I found out that day that it wasn't. It was a sad day for me.
I snuck back out and told my mother and brother everything.
We all got in the car and drove over to the Leader's house, knowing full well what had to happen.
***