Go Baby Grow
Chapter 18 – Paperwork
Sunday, May 2nd
"Olivia… wake up," Owen groaned as he stood at his daughter's door-less doorway at 7:00 am. She didn't stir and pretended to be asleep. Repeating himself with the same flat tone but with a raised volume, Owen stated, "Olivia…wake up."
She knew he would only become angry if she continued to play her game. Rolling over in order to face the door, Olivia yawned and opened her sleepy eyes, "Morning…"
"Get up. Get dressed. Meet me in the front yard. Five minutes," Owen ordered without emotion. More than anything, he was frustrated to have to be awake and ready to work so early on his day off. Even so, he knew what he and Amelia expected and the consequences when their expectations were not followed.
As soon as Owen was down the stairs, Olivia reached for her phone. She had left it on her nightstand the night before, surprised that Owen hadn't asked for it. Now, though, it was gone. When she glanced over at her desk, her laptop and tablet had also disappeared. With disappointment, she blew air toward her forehead and stood up. She threw on a pair of old jeans, a t-shirt, and an oversized flannel shirt. After throwing her hair back with a clip, she met her dad outside.
"What's the plan?" she asked, trying to be as chipper as possible without sounding sarcastic.
"Over by the property line between our house and Nolan's, there are a bunch of blackberry vines that need to be tamed. I'll help you until breakfast. After that, you can come back out here and finish the rest. Here's a pair of gloves that will keep the thorns out," Owen explained as he threw the gloves toward her.
"Shouldn't we wait until the summer, when the berries ripen?" Olivia proposed.
Owen scoffed and looked at his daughter, "Nice try. No."
The two walked to the edge of the property and Owen explained where he wanted the cut vines stacked. He showed her the large area he expected her to tackle and began pruning. As they snapped vines and eradicated the twisted mess, Owen mentioned casually, "It's too bad, you know? Earlier in the week, I had planned to spend a few hours with you providing driving lessons." Without catching Olivia's eye, he continued. "Now driving will have to wait until you've regained my trust," Owen shared with disappointment.
Clearly remembering that Owen never forbade her to go to the mall, Olivia was deeply tempted to argue. She knew, though, that his intent and his exact words were different from one another. Trying to push the topic would probably not help. Ready to cry about the delay in learning to drive, Olivia focused on the vines and hauled them little by little to the pile Owen had begun.
The only other person up so early was Nolan. He spotted Olivia and Owen through a window as he prepared a bottle for Molly in the kitchen. With Molly dressed in footie jammies and wrapped with a blanket around her shoulders, a shirtless and barefoot Nolan padded out into his yard carrying his daughter. "Good morning," he offered heartily as Molly sucked on her bottle, smiled widely, and dripped milk all over her chin.
"Hi, Miss Molly," Owen beamed as he set his clippers down and walked over to kiss his granddaughter. She reciprocated with a sloppy, wide mouthed kiss and a request to be held. "Sorry, Molly," Owen explained, "Papa's working in the yard. Look – I'm all dirty."
"What brings you out here so early, Dad?" Nolan inquired, guessing Olivia had crossed a line and been caught.
"Yeah, Olivia," Owen pushed, "What brings us out here so early?"
Trying to contain the boiling frustration deep within, Olivia glanced at Nolan and offered, "Dad and I misunderstood one another. I did something I thought was ok that he thinks he told me not to do."
Owen huffed and glanced Olivia's way before adding, "When I reminded someone it was an hour to dinnertime and that the mall wasn't on the agenda, that person found another ride, did not say goodbye, and texted us from the mail. Big misunderstanding."
"Ouch," Nolan winced. "Bummer, huh, Red?"
"Yep," Olivia stated in a word as she carried an armful of vines away.
Adding to Olivia's humiliation, Owen shared with Nolan, "If you need a babysitter anytime soon, Olivia will be available for the next seven days."
"Thanks, Dad," Nolan nodded, feeling sorry for his sister and the brewing anger being shot at her. Squeezing his daughter, Nolan voiced, "Well, Mols…shall we go check on those babies?"
"Baby," Molly repeated.
"Right," Nolan praised. "Can you say Emmy and Lizzy?"
"No," Molly declared as she popped her bottle into her mouth.
"They start early," Owen laughed.
"Guess so," Nolan chuckled. "See you both later."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~'
When Julie contacted Amelia on Saturday, they realized the next day was wide open for both families. Amelia invited Adam and Julie over for dinner and encouraged them to arrive at 3:30 to work on the Academy forms.
When he heard about the plan, Adam sent a text to Amelia and suggested they have a copier next to them. He offered to bring his printer, but Amelia insisted they could all use the one already in Owen's home office. Having a copier within reach made it easier to make copies as they processed the forms. Adam suggested two separate tables to eliminate the possibility of any paperwork mix ups. He'd obviously dealt with this process before.
Before the Caldwell's arrived, Amelia asked Owen to clear off his desk and asked Ryder to set up a spare table in Owen's office. Ryder moved chairs into the office and set his Academy paperwork pile on Owen's desk. Adam had offered to bring notebooks and a hole punch with him. Soon all the paperwork would be military-ready.
As Adam drove through the gate, he spotted Olivia and commented, "Isn't that Ryder's sister?"
Julie stretched her neck and answered, "Yes. That's Olivia."
"She must be trying to earn money for something, hmm?" Adam smiled, assuming the best.
"Actually, I'm pretty sure she's in trouble for something. Dr. Hunt likes to assign yardwork or deep cleaning when rules are broken," Julie detailed, almost hoping her father did the same rather than putting her in the minimum security prison known as her bedroom and desk chair.
"Hmm," Adam shrugged. "It'll give her plenty of time to think about what she did, I suppose." He parked the car and opened the trunk so he could grab the notebooks and supplies. Julie threw a bag over her shoulder that held all of her paperwork. With a smirk, Adam put his arm on her shoulder and the two walked to the front door.
"Welcome," Amelia celebrated when Adam and Julie arrived at the front door. She hugged Julie and explained they were going to be in Owen's office. Then she hugged Adam and whispered in his ear, "My sister told me you had a lovely date on Friday."
"She did, hmm?" Adam's face cracked a sly smile.
Folding her arms playfully, Amelia teased her friend, "And I have to say, Adam… you look more relaxed and happy than I've ever seen you."
"Sex will do that to a man," Adam winked as he walked past Amelia and toward Owen, who was standing in the kitchen. Amelia's mouth opened and her eyes widened before she burst into laughter.
"Ready for this?" Owen chuckled.
"This part is fine. It's I-Day that will be hell," Adam quipped. Owen offered Adam a soda and the two strolled into Owen's office. Julie and Ryder were already in there comparing notes about their police record check experiences. They, along with all Plebes, were required to obtain a background check at their local police station.
Everyone settled into a seat and Adam suggested a process that he knew would work well. Owen and Amelia, clueless about organizing the volumes of paperwork, were grateful for the assistance. Adam handed Amelia the Information Packet and encouraged her to start them out.
Amelia held the Information Packet in her hand and read portions of the Commandant's letter aloud, "Welcome to the Academy… blah, blah, blah. You are elite young men and women. Yada, yada, yada. In four years you'll develop into an Officer… yep, yep, yep. Specific Information included here… you're talented… blah, blah, blah. Only you can prove that you have the dedication. Vice Admiral M.H. Miller."
"Do you know him Adam?" Amelia questioned.
Owen scoffed tenderly, "Do you think everyone knows everyone in the Navy, Mia? There are quite a few people involved."
"I'm just pondering possibilities, Owen," Amelia shook her head and winked at Ryder.
Adam confessed, "Actually, I do know him. He was a classmate. Amazing man."
Glancing at Owen, Amelia raised one eyebrow proudly before flipping the page and commenting, "I like these people – they have a handy checklist off the bat. Any med student's dream. Let's attack it."
Amelia continued to read, "Where's the envelope addressed to the Commandant of Midshipmen?"
"Right here," Ryder and Julie both called out as they waved an envelope.
"The top two forms – set those aside. Owen, read this. Will we include these two in Ryder's envelope? I don't get the wording," Amelia inquired.
Owen read the form and hunched, "Since they are set apart from the next section, my guess is no. If it's anything like the Army, they'll lay out an outline and then go into details about each item. Set those first two aside, kids."
"Right," Adam offered. "We'll come back to those. They don't go in the envelope. As we go through each paper, keep copies and originals in the same order and put one of the copies in the stack for the notebook," Adam advised. "Each of you should keep a notebook with a copy of anything and everything you send in. If you need to make a copy for the notebook, it works best to make them as we go. Everything stays in order that way. Ready?"
"Yep," Ryder nodded. Julie smiled.
"Agreement to serve form, 3 copies," Owen read.
"Check," Ryder smiled, "Actually four copies, because here's a copy for the notebook."
"Same," Julie confirmed.
"Marriage/Dependent Declaration," Owen continued.
"Yep, no wife. No dependents." Ryder verified.
Julie echoed, "Same here. No husband either."
The families continued the process for the next fifteen items. The forms covered everything from agreeing to the Drug and Alcohol policy to Emergency Data to Immunization Records. When they came to number 10, Owen muttered with curiosity, "Personal Swearing-In Ceremony Form."
"You'll want to take advantage of that, Owen," Adam encouraged. "We can swear the kids in after the group ceremony. It's quite an experience."
"That'd be cool, Dad. You want to swear me in?" Ryder requested.
Ryder handed Owen the form and Owen read it. "Wonderful. I'd be honored, Ryder. Now I need to dust off my Class A and hope it fits." The servicemen laughed, knowing well the challenge of keeping fit enough for formal uniforms issued years prior. Owen added, "Mia, will you make a note about that?" Amelia wrote it on their master follow up list and smiled at the thought of Owen swearing Ryder in.
When Owen read about the Naval Credit Union, Ryder had no idea how to proceed. As the only banking on base, it made sense to have an account. However, Ryder knew his inheritance and trust were run through another institution. "What do I do about this one, Dad?" Ryder asked.
Owen studied the form and advised, "I'd sign up for the account, then you have money easily accessible."
"What about my other account? Should I ask Nolan how to deal with that?" Ryder wondered.
"You can have more than one bank account, Ry," Owen explained, realizing how naïve Ryder was in the ways of the world.
"Oh…cool. Ok, then give me a minute to fill this out," Ryder requested.
"Julie, is yours completed?" Adam inquired.
"I think so. Since I already have an account with them, did I fill this out correctly?" she asked.
Adam surveyed the form and confirmed, "Nice work, Itzy."
Amelia waited until Ryder had signed and copied the Credit Union paper and then handed him another. Ryder read aloud, "Standard Form Questionnaire." He read the first paragraph of the explanation and celebrated, "Sweet! This is for a SECRET clearance, whatever that is. Sounds cool."
"It's a second level security clearance, Ryder," Adam chuckled. "More than confidential clearance but less than Top Secret security clearance. Keep reading – the mid-level clearance includes access to data that, if disclosed, could cause serious damage to national security."
"Is that what you have?" Ryder asked Adam.
"One step further, but if I gave you details, well…" Adam joked with a playful grin.
"Yeah, never mind. Don't kill me," Ryder laughed. As he read the rest of the written information on the form, Ryder's shoulders dropped.
"What's wrong, Ry?" Amelia inquired as his smile faded.
Ryder studied the form and shared, "It says I can't possess a foreign passport." He read aloud, "'allegiance to the United States is paramount. Clearance will be denied or revoked unless the foreign passport is surrendered.' I think I have to give up my Canadian passport."
"Sounds like it," Owen nodded.
"Yes, Son, you do," Adam confirmed.
"I'd never thought about that," Ryder admitted. "I mean, it's no big deal, right? It just feels weird, like I'm denying a part of myself."
"Do you want to take a break, Ry?" Amelia offered.
With an audible huff, Ryder blinked away tears and looked down at the next form. He responded, "Nope. I'm good. It's all good. Will you write a note so we can find it and go through the process of returning it to the Consulate? It states here that we'll need confirmation from the Consulate that it has been surrendered."
"Sure," Amelia stated softly. Sitting across the table from Ryder, Amelia reached her hand over and set it on his.
Ryder pulled his hand away quickly and began to read aloud, "What's this ACE Loan thing?" Amelia understood Ryder's clear hint not to baby him and Owen nudged her leg under the table. When she looked up at Owen, he smirked at her in an attempt to reassure her that all would be well.
"That is to cover the cost of clothing and equipment. They'll provide all of your uniforms and you pay them back over time," Adam explained.
"Here's mine, Dad," Julie said as she handed the notebook copy to her father.
Ryder opined, "$8,500?! You think they'd give me mink-lined clothes for that price."
"I had to do something similar for the Army, Ry. It is what it is," Owen commented.
Ryder grumbled, "That sucks. If they require the clothes, why don't they pay for them?"
"They're already providing you a free education, Son," Adam chuckled.
"I guess that's true," Ryder shrugged. "So should I do this or should I have Nolan withdraw the money from my trust?"
"It's an interest-free loan. Nolan would tell you to take it and keep your money where it's earning interest," Owen reported.
"Whatever. Lemme fill this one out, too, then," Ryder groaned.
When Ryder finished filling out and copying the form, Owen celebrated, "That's all for Section 1. Now on to Section 2."
"I'm kind of formed out. Let's take a break," Ryder decided. He stood up and walked out onto the back porch. As he strolled along the bricks, he stared at the water. Adam excused himself to the restroom, and Julie folded her arms atop the table and placed her head on them.
Amelia began to stand to follow him and Owen grasped her arm gently, "No, Mia. Let him handle this on his own."
"Did you hear him? 'Give up part of my identity'? That's pretty profound for Ryder, Owen," Amelia stressed quietly so only Owen could hear her.
"Yes, it is," Owen agreed. "And now he needs to deal with it on his own. You won't always be there, Mama Bear."
Amelia slumped into her chair. Her bottom lip began to quiver as she voiced her feelings."I don't want him to go," she admitted quietly.
Owen moved his chair next to hers and hugged her. "I know, Mia… I know." Julie could not make out what was being said, but she had the sense that Amelia was crying. While she wasn't jealous of Ryder, she deeply wished Claire were present to be shedding tears about her baby leaving for the Academy.
Adam walked from the bathroom to the back porch and lit up a cigarette. He sat at a table far from where Ryder was walking, not wanting to intrude.
As Ryder turned and spotted Adam, he approached him. "Thanks for your help today, Sir."
"No problem," Adam nodded as he took a slow drag and watched a bird that was flying toward the water.
Ryder sat a couple seats away from Adam and offered, "I hope I didn't seem unpatriotic back there."
"You seemed more patriotic – you love both of your countries and are being intentional. I'm impressed," Adam affirmed.
"I don't feel impressive," Ryder stated plainly.
"Good. Struggling over a tough decision will make you stronger," Adam declared. He stood up and stopped behind Ryder, adding, "Make your decision based on loyalty to a country, Ryder. Don't base it on flying with the Blue Angels. Canada has opportunities too. They'd be lucky to have you." He patted Ryder's shoulder and proceeded back to the office.
Ryder remained at the outside table, shifting between trying to empty his mind and trying to decide which passport best fit him. At some point, Julie came outside and called his name.
"Yeah?" he yelled back.
"The Rents are ready, RB. Let's finish this up," she encouraged. Ryder stood up and walked toward the door. Concerned for her friend, Julie inquired, "Do you want to talk later? I'm here."
"I'm fine, JJ. Nothing to discuss," Ryder grumbled with a gruff tone.
Everyone returned to their seats and Adam took a turn reading from the packet. "Section 2 includes three forms to take to I-Day and one form to mail in. Put the original and a copy in the notebook for the NCAA statement, religious programs, and sponsor program. The Alumni Association form can be placed in its own envelope – the instructions are on the paperwork. Just sign the NCAA statement and check the box that states 'no previous college enrollment.' Do you know about the sponsor program, Ryder?"
"Yes, Sir. It sounds like a great opportunity," Ryder responded.
"I've never heard a Plebe regret participating in it," Adam affirmed. "Sam maintains close contact with his sponsors even today."
"Did you take a look at the Religious Program form, yet, RB?" Julie inquired.
"I'm not too worried about it," Ryder shrugged, even after ten years of attendance in an Episcopal school.
"It needs to be filled out regardless of your interest," Julie prodded. "Besides, Sam – Mr. Not-Into-Church – became pretty faithful on Sunday mornings while he was at the Academy. He even stayed most weeks for the Bible Study. He really appreciated knowing the chaplains and having a place to let down and talk. I'm going to join one of the choirs as an ECA. You should, too."
Just as Ryder, stressed about the passport dilemma, was about to say something about how he was not Sam and to stop telling him what to do, Amelia interrupted. "Ry, you can always change your mind. This isn't asking for a firm commitment – it's more like an information sheet for the Chaplains." Ryder browsed at the form without much interest, filled it out, and handed it to his mom.
Adam continued, "Section 3 is information to read before arrival. Let's look the Physical Fitness paper. Ryder, do your parents know how you're progressing?"
"No, Sir. We haven't had much opportunity to discuss that," Ryder stated blankly.
"He's solid," Adam proclaimed. He handed Amelia and Owen a chart showing Ryder's numbers in the middle or upper middle of each requirement. "He's worked hard, and I know that running pace will improve even more before Annapolis. Right, Son?"
"Yes, Sir," Ryder faked a smile, really wanting to be alone with his thoughts.
"Julie's holding her own on pushups and passing on her running pace, right, Itzy?" Adam pressed.
"Yes, Sir," she responded, bracing herself because she knew he was going to mention her inferior crunch score aloud.
"Crunches need serious attention. You're at 39 and have to do at least 65," he reminded her as if she didn't already know. "We'll get there, won't we?"
"Absolutely," Julie grinned although she was embarrassed.
"That's basically it," Adam announced as he clapped his hands and closed Julie's notebook. "Amelia and Owen, let me share one suggestion that I wish someone had shown to me. Kids, you can be on your way."
Ryder stood up and left the room without saying anything to Julie. He headed out the front door and over to Nolan's house. By the time Julie was in the Living Room, she had no idea where Ryder had gone. Left to her own devices, she fell onto the sofa and closed her eyes. She wasn't tired, but being called out by her father and blown off by Ryder didn't leave her feeling social.
Once Ryder and Julie had left the room, Adam closed the door behind them. He turned to Owen and Amelia and inquired, "What does Ryder have in place of a US birth certificate?"
"We have his Canadian birth certificate, adoption records, and his US Certificate of Citizenship," Amelia shared.
"All you need is the Certificate of Citizenship," Adam assured them. "I can't tell him this, but you can. Let him know he can look into reclaiming his dual-citizen status once he's retired from the Navy."
"I was planning to tell him that nobody can take away or erase his fondness for and connections to Canada," Owen pondered aloud.
"I'm not sure this is really about citizenship. My suspicion is that Ryder is coming to grips with the reality of his choice to attend the Academy over choosing the free-style life of a regular college student. They all go through this to one degree or another," Adam disclosed. "Sam went through a similar identity crisis. I'm sure he'd speak with Ryder if Ryder would like that."
"Thanks, Adam," Owen stood and extended his hand. "Shall we go fire up the grill?"
"Sounds wonderful," Adam smiled as he followed Owen out to the porch.
Amelia, heading to the kitchen, spotted Julie. Her face was buried in a pillow, but Amelia noticed the subtle rise and fall of her back as she cried. She quietly approached Julie and sat on the edge of the sofa next to her. Placing her hand on Julie's back, she inquired, "Want to talk, Julie?"
Twisting around, Julie faced Amelia and wiped her tears away. "I'm stressed. No big deal," Julie forced a smile.
"It is a big deal, Super Girl," Amelia insisted lovingly.
"Can we go somewhere more private to talk? If my dad sees me crying, he'll lay into me," Julie said.
"Yeah," Amelia smiled. "I know just the place. Follow me."