Page 94 of Totally Shipped
“I’m submitting a request for temporary travel documents, for you all and for the baby,” Mr. DeLong had told us. “So I’ll need her full name.”
“Oh.” Daisy had wrinkled her brow. “Gosh, I’d not thought of her full name. Obviously she needs to have all your names included, but in what order? And is that a terribly clunky name to give a baby?”
I could see Daisy was beginning to freak out over making the decision, so I suggested Thea just go by “Baby Jackson” on the official paperwork.
“Yes! Good idea, this is all so much…”
It is so much.
Phone calls and video conferences with officials in Samoa and Washington D.C. More conferences with the TV production company, the charter boat company, and what seems like dozens of insurance companies.
Malcolm Westhall has definitely won MVP of our return. He has hired us a lawyer and a crisis management team.
“Malc, the crisis has passed!” Leander laughed.
“Oh, little brother, you have no idea. The press are going to fucking hound you for years. If you want any semblance of privacy going forward, you need a team who will take control of your media, and spin the story whichever way you want.”
It’s hilarious to me that Hollywood types think some weird publicity is a ‘crisis’. Lord have mercy that they ever get put in a real crisis situation.
“We haven’t quite figured out Thea’s full name yet, Mam.”
“Never mind, I’ll just embroider Thea instead. In Ireland the name Thea is ‘Treasa’, and means Gift of God. That’s what our little Thea is. A sure gift, thank you Holy Mother. Now hold the line, your father wants a word…”
“Son.”
“Da.”
Silence for a second.
“I’m glad you’re alright, you put your mother through a real hella worry.”
“Oh, and you weren’t worried at all, Da?”
“Eh, I mighta shed a tear, but don’t go telling no one. Your sister, though, she had a hard time.”
Poor Molly. I love my little sister to bits; she’s a real softy.
“I haven’t spoken to her yet, it’s hectic here. Tell her I'll see her soon.”
“How soon, son? When does your mam get to beat your hide for worrying her so much?”
“A couple of weeks—there’s a lot to sort out, but it won’t be long. Now put Mam back on.” I can hear my mother in the background, and it’s obvious she needs to have another word.
“Yellow? Pink? What color shall I make the matching set?” she asks, her voice high with excitement.
“How about a green, the color of the rolling hills of Sligo?”
“Cheeky pup, I know when you’re making fun of me, but you know what? Just for that I will make it green!”
“Love you, Mam.”
“Love you too, Killian.”
“Everything alright at home?” Gray asks me.
“Aye, some tears and some scolding, but everything is good. What did I miss here?”
“Malcolm’s crisis team is holding a press conference in LA. They are saying we won’t be in the States for a while, but there will be a media day when we get back. That gives us a little breathing room.”
