5.2 - Whitney and the Babies

Whitney's Writings

So, in the Gentry tradition, I will introduce myself. I am Whitney Gentry, the great-great granddaughter of the famous Abilene Gentry and middle child of Victoria Whitney and some guy.

I have just rid the town of zombies and managed to figure out how to contain the ghosts. My older sister, Addison, is a doctor now and very close to restoring the water supply and medical services. My brother, Allen, well he is trying to discover some alien technology and has been working with law enforcement, the scientists and even with Whitney's coworkers to figure it out. He says he is close and it will allow us to have some pretty cool 'stuff'. Hah! I love him though. He helps a lot with the cooking around here.

Addison was supposed to be the 'mother' of this generation of Gentrys. I think she was just too consumed with her job and was afraid she would fail when I, her younger sister, had already eradicated the zombies. So she asked me to see to it that the Gentrys survived. It was noble of her to concede to me. I am thrilled and excited to oblige and know exactly what I will do next.

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I called Wyatt Galloway today.  Wyatt and I met in high school and became best friends. We, or rather HE, has kept in touch. He calls me all the time and keeps asking if we could see each other. He wants to be a part of my life and to be honest, I wanted him to be a part of it, a big part of it, but I had to get rid of the zombies. And I did!

I let Wyatt know what was happening and he came over immediately.





Encouraged by the fact that I actually allowed him into our home, he quickly put his arms around me and started telling me how much he loved me and wanted to make a life with me.

Feeling Wyatt's arms around me made my knees week. Then, he kissed me and the rest, as they say, is history. Feelings stirred in me I didn't know I had. I do believe I might be truly in love with him.

I took Wyatt into my bedroom so we could have some privacy. We lay on the bed for awhile and talked about what was getting ready to happen. We both knew this wasn't going to stop with a kiss and I didn't want it to anyway. I needed to conceive a child. 

He told me he wanted to get married right away. I told him I loved him, but I had to make sure I would conceive first. If he couldn't give me a baby, we wouldn't be able to get married. 

Wyatt was all too willing to concede to my plan; babies first and then we can discuss marriage. A bit backwards, but we are Gentrys and because of us, the world is a much better place. Wyatt made it special and it was the best night of my life. One I would love to repeat again and again. Who knows, I might be the first Gentry woman to be married! 

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Wyatt did good!  I am pregnant and my sister, well, she is going to help me with my prenatal care because she did it!  Because of Addison we have hot water - plenty of it. 

We now have bathtubs and showers and toilets. And we have medical facilities and medicines. We even have an electric clothes washer and dryer. Things really are better now. 

When I told my sister I was pregnant, I was a little surprised at her initial reaction. She seemed sad. Maybe she was thinking she had failed her family, but she didn't! She has helped me so much and I will get to have my baby in a hospital instead of at home. 

Addison gave me some vitamins to take and said they would help ensure a healthy baby. Then she told me I should continue to work out as that would make me feel better and make my delivery easier.  

I did as she told me and started my workout routines right away. I played children's music on the radio thinking if the baby could hear it, it would make it happy. 

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It seemed like my pregnancy flew by. I kept busy at home working out and cleaning house while my sister and brother went about their jobs. I had to quit mine because I was pregnant. That is just simply silly. Just one more ridiculous thing the underhanded employers are making us do. One slip up and you are fired!

I went into labor and no one was home but me so I grabbed a cab and headed to the hospital.










Thank goodness I was at the hospital. I had expected to come home with one baby but to my total shock, I had TRIPLETS!

When I we were released from the hospital, they sent me home with my tiny babies packed into a carrier.  Thank goodness because I still had no help. My brother and sister were gone when I arrived.  I began to take my babies one by one out of the carrier and placed them into the cribs that were waiting for them right outside my bedroom door.

First there was my son, Snyder. Once I had him in the crib, I went and picked up his sister Spring and placed her in a crib. Then I went back and got my last little girl, Rowlette and took her into the nursery with her brother and sister.

My next phone call was to their father, Wyatt. I wanted to introduce him to his children. He came over right away.

He eagerly helped me get all three babies settled down. Wyatt would be a good father to the triplets.

Once they were all settled we had time for each other again. He pulled me into his arms and told me that we should get engaged. Feeling his arms around me again loosened my resolve and I agreed to become engaged. He had certainly upheld his part of our pact and given me three beautiful children.







It was quiet and we were alone except for the three sleeping children. We sealed our promise to marry in my bedroom. I didn't want him to leave but no sooner than we had 'finished' sealing the deal, one of the triplets decided he or she was hungry and needed to be fed.  Sorta broke the mood, but I won't forget it. It was no less wonderful than before.

I told Wyatt that once the babies got big enough, that we could plan our wedding. I wanted to be with him always and forever. He seemed okay with the prospect. I think he was just happy I said yes. So am I!

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The babies are keeping me crazy busy. So busy I don't get to see Wyatt much.

I started having weird food cravings, grilled cheese to be exact. Addison said she thought it was strange and asked if there was any way I could be pregnant again.  So I admitted the whole story. That I was engaged to Wyatt and we had indeed celebrated our engagement so it was possible.

She gave me a pregnancy test and it was positive. I was going to have another of Wyatt's children. I hope it is just one this time like normal people, but then I remembered that every generation of Gentry's had a least one set of twins except ours. Maybe it skips generations.

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Before the new baby was born, the triplets were finally trying to walk and talk and spent a lot of time 'reading' the kids books we laid out for them. Two were blonde like me and Wyatt, but little Rowlette inherited my mothers black hair. My brother has been a huge help to me with the babies. He loves them dearly.

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It's been forever since I updated my journal. Wyatt gave me twins - bless his heart. A girl, Lindsey and a boy, Kyle. It is utterly exhausting keeping up with 5 babies that I have had no time to myself. I nap and eat and shower in between diaper and feeding rotations. The twins are now toddling around along with Snyder, Spring and Rowlette and miraculously they are all asleep right now at the same time. So I am taking this quiet time to update my journal.

The babies are getting older and so am I. My hair has gone gray. Wyatt stopped calling when I no longer had the energy to answer the phone.


Where did I mess up?  I just didn't have time to deal with him in between the bottles, diapers and potty training. And truly, I think maybe I was afraid too. Afraid if I saw him again I might kill him for giving me 5 children so close in age!!

When I look at my little Lindsey with her hands up for me, my heart melts. I had room in my heart for Wyatt - I truly love him, but I destroyed our relationship by not marrying him when he wanted. He has finally given up on me. I hope he has found someone to make him happy.

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The triplets started school this week and next year the twins will be joining them and then it will be super quiet during the day. I am looking forward to it. I LOVE my children more than anything, but I need to rest. My old bones are getting worn out and creaky.

My sister is going downhill really fast. I am not sure what is wrong with her. I tried to talk to her but she just keeps mumbling something about death and it not being fair.

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Finally - the day I have been waiting for arrived!  All of my children are now school aged! The new challenge is homework, but they are so close and such good kids that they come straight home and start working on it.

It's quite interesting to see who the leader of the pack is!  Spring always takes control and helps everyone with their homework. I just watch them with so much pride. And Allen, well he makes them dinner while they finish up.

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Last night, it happened! Aliens abducted my brother Allen. If I hadn't seen the ship from my bedroom window, I would not have believed it. 

He came back unscathed and immediately started making phone calls. While they had him, he got a view into how some of their technology worked. He made plans to take the space rocks he had collected along with the knowledge he had gained to the Military, City Hall and the Science Center. 

They would help him put the final pieces to the puzzle together and he would be able to create impressive contraptions that would make life much easier and speed the rest of the recovery in the Valley.  He was a happy man for having just been probed by Aliens!

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When Allen got home, he began to upgrade all of our appliances so they could never break and work better than ever.  

He told me we needed to talk. He said that Addison kept sabotaging the TV and Computer and anything else she could find. He thought she was trying to undermine his accomplishments. 

He couldn't understand why his sister would do this. He had just discovered something that could change everything and she was trying to stop him. What she didn't know was everytime he fixed something she broke, he learned more about the technology needed to make them work better. 

Yes, we were both worried about our sisters bizarre actions. 

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Sadly, Allen and I were right about Addison. She had lost her mind and started ranting about Death every chance she could. That proved to be the last thing she did in this life. 

Death himself came and took her for ranting about him. He was insulted and had had enough of her ranting. Everyone was sad but we honored her with a nice tombstone that we decided to keep in a plot on our lot. 

Behind it you could see the compound that our mother had created. It was fitting. 

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Time flies too quickly.  My babies are no longer babies. They are almost adults - all teenagers now and all have their own personalities. My sister is gone and I fear I will be gone soon as well.

Spring

Snyder

Spring, the self-proclaimed leader of the pack. She is all into keeping things clean and trying to figure out how to make nice clothes and just have fun. Frankly a little fun would be nice.

The oldest boy, Snyder, loves animals and is so curious about bringing back the natural side of things. His ambition is to tame some of the wild animals and figure out how to grow food and fish again now that the water is getting better.

Rowlette

Lindsey

Rowlette, the last triplet is really into making the home constuction better. She saw what was done by her grandmother and wants to improve upon it. The homes are bigger, but they are still not as well built and appointed as she thinks they might be.

Kyle

Lindsey, my youngest daughter, is sick of the labor laws and is going to figure out how to infiltrate the last of the mob bosses and get the laws changed. When she has her 5 kids, she will be able to work if she wants to.


And then there is Kyle. He is my youngest child and Lindsey's twin brother. It's all about who you know and what you know. I guess he learned that at school. He goes around spying on people to try to figure out if they are friend or foe. With the communications opened up, it is easier than ever to find out information about others. He will better the communications system so everyone will feel more confident, make friends easier and thus travel without fear of their fellow man.

My children. I am so proud of them. I only hope that with these improvements, they will be able to have long, healthy and fulfilling lives. They should get married and have children with the mother or father of their babies and raise them together.  That is one Gentry tradition that I hope stops with my children. Children should know their fathers and fathers should know their children. They need each other. Maybe the circumstances of this world prevented it in the past, but things are better now.  The number of people that married at my mother's compound was an indication of better days to come.

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I can tell my days are numbered so I had a talk with my brother this morning after the kids were off to school. He had sacrificed to help me raise them when he wasn't repairing the damage done by our dear departed sister. 

I begged him to stay with the kids if anything should happen to me first. We both knew we didn't have much time left, but he was younger than me so presumably, I would be the first to go. 

He promised he would. I can only hope to live long enough to see the triplets graduate from high school, but the toll it took on my body to care for them as they grew was great and I am tired a lot these days. I am not giving up, I just needed to talk to Allen to reassure myself.  

Until tomorrow

Whitney

To be continued

<----Go back to Chapter 5.1

5.1 - Addison's Ambitions

Addison's Articulations

My name is Addison Gentry. I am the oldest of my family. My mother (Victoria) left me in charge of my two younger siblings, Whitney and Allen. Well, actually, I told her to leave. I had a job at the hospital and was earning some money. She had done what she set out to do and with Aunt Flo gone, well, we really weren't that close to her. There was no need for Victoria to stay around pretending to be a mother to us. She would rather be at the 'resort' she built.

Victoria gave me her part of the family journal to read and well, she does ask for our forgiveness, and so I guess I do, since our home IS a lot better now. But still...we never knew our father and Victoria doesn't even know what became of him. When I suggested she leave and go find him, she didn't even hesitate. Humph. Seems being a single mother is the Gentry way ever since our great-great grandmother Abilene set out to repair the damage to our society.

Actually Abilene was the strongest of all of the Gentry women. She went through so much and since her, all of the Gentry women have tried to live up to her example. Sadly, I am not sure I am that strong. I mean, I hope so, but I can't see past this job. Victoria didn't know us because if she did, she might have asked Whitney to do this thing. She is the most level headed and strong of the three of us.

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I am so glad I don't have to hunt and peck on that ancient typewriter to write this journal. That aside, I really love my job. But it is all work and no play for me.

Allen has taken on the task of making our meals for us. He is a great guy, but I have to say, he has some interesting theories about some of the rocks he has been finding around the house.  He thinks they are from aliens and if we can figure out some of their technologies....then what?  He has been reading too many of those books in the library I am afraid!

The other night at the dinner table, Whitney brought up the ghosts that have been haunting us. She thinks she knows a way to talk to them so we can finally have some peace around here. She said once she did that, even the zombie infestation might get better. I will believe that when I see it.  Really, am I the only sane one in this household? - Aliens and talking to ghosts?  Well, if Whitney rids us of the ghosts and zombies, I am turning this journaling of events over to her and SHE can have a houseful of babies, not me!

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I haven't written in awhile. My job is SO demanding. I am on call all the time, but I am making progress and will be the best surgeon this town has ever seen. Soon. But not soon enough. 

I looked at my last entry and I see I said I would turn this computer over to Whitney. Well, I may just have to do that. She has been taming the ghosts. Unbelievable. The full moon came and went and there were NO zombies. Damn, I gotta hand it to her. She did what she said she could do.  

We are close to opening the hospital again and being able to have clean water and vaccines and medicine. I can't let that go. I need to focus every waking and sometimes sleeping moment I have on my job or it won't get done.  And it had to get done. Even if Whitney hadn't proven to me she was a 'ghost whisperer" I was going to make her take over. Really, no ghosts or good medicine and clean water.  It's the latter, hands down. But now I don't need to force her. Better for our relationship I suppose. God, I sound like Victoria! Like mother, like daughter. 

Whitney was a little surprised when I told her what was going to have to happen. 

"You are telling me I am going to have to keep the Gentry name going? I thought mom gave you that responsibility, to ensure that a new generation of Gentry's would be born to continue our legacy. And now, you want ME to do it instead?" she asked more to restate what I had already told her. 

So I flattered told her how proud I was of her and that she had done such an outstanding job of getting rid of the zombies and ghosts so quickly that she had earned the right to be the one responsible for having children to bring in the next generation. 

I told her I would give up my room so she could have the private bedroom next to the nursery that Victoria mom built.

Whitney agreed. I think she already had a secret relationship with someone from high school. I know she got phone calls all the time from some guy. I think she was secretly excited at the prospect of taking their relationship to the next level. Me, I couldn't care less. I saw Victoria's compound with the pool, bathtubs and showers.  I need to give that gift to myself family.  

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Well, well, well...not one day after Whitney and I had our talk than she invited her mystery man over to the house. I guess she didn't want to waste any time!

I suppose I am relieved. She will take over this journal from now on. I may be gray headed by the time I figure out the way to clean up the water supply, but if I do nothing else, mine will be one of the greatest contributions to the Valley that the Gentry's have made! 

Signing off to go read some more of the old medical journals. 

Addison 

<-----Go back to Chapter 4.2      Go to Chapter 5.2------>

4.2 - A Better Future for the Valley

Victoria's Viewpoints

I now have three children. It's amazing. Little stair-steps is what they are. And me, well I turned gray while little Allen was still but an infant. His birth was short of a miracle. 

I don't mind so much. I have Flo and my brothers to help me; all who are also now gray. But the good thing is, we are able to function normally although a bit weak still in our old age even with all of the workouts when we were younger. 

My experiment is still going well and soon I will be able to present it to the council. 

Garland

My surprise helper is Garland. He absolutely loves little Allen. Who knew.  

In between feeding babies, he managed to restore power. It was a glorious day! Power and soon to be rain...it was amazing. We could get lights and all sorts of electronic equipment. My secret sanctuary will certainly benefit from the electricity and no longer have to depend on the generator. Think of all the food we can cook now.  

Irving

Of course, Irving did what he set out to do as well. We can buy and sell our things with no restrictions. If someone needs something, we can order it - online! The internet is back thanks to Garland getting the power going again. You never know how much easier things are with internet access. So all of this is working together nicely. Communication is at an all time high and so much easier. 

Flo told Irving and Garland it was time for them to leave home. They had done more than enough and needed to spend their remaining years making the most of it enjoying the new freedoms they helped put in place through their hard work.  The two men left leaving Flo as the nanny for my three children. I could have never done it without her help.  

Whitney

Whitney was soon going to school with her big sister Addison. Flo was always there to see to it that they got their homework done on time and they were fed. She was busy between caring for them and little Allen while they were at school and she never ever complained, not once. 

While Florence took care of my babies, I worked hard at my compound. I repaired all the broken equipment and saw to it things were nice and clean. 

Thank goodness we had found an untainted water supply underground. I think the clean water, the cleanliness of the compound and the food...oh there was so much great food, is what drew everyone. Everyone helped too. That was amazing. 

My kids were growing up so fast and I was missing much of it. It seemed like I came home just to sleep and rarely had time to help Flo take care of any housework much less see to my children's welfare.

I hope they will forgive me. Where have I heard that before? Oh yes, reading these journals. But we can clearly see that the sacrifices the Gentry family has made over the years have helped - right? I mean I am lucid in my old age, we now have electricity, good food, communications, trade, we are stronger than ever before, we have a wonderful library full of information, our kids can go to school. All of this is because of my family. I am proud and I pray that my contribution doesn't fail, because if it does, then I will have failed the Gentry name. Well, everything except producing three awesome children that can pick up the pieces I may leave behind. 

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Allen

Addison

Birthdays were coming so quickly. Allen joined his sisters in school and Addison entered into her teenage years. Thank goodness she still has Florence at home to help guide her unlike me and my siblings who lost our mother at her age which put me in charge.

Thinking of getting put in charge, I need to decide who will lead the family when I am gone. I know it needs to be Addison, but I worry if she is strong enough. She is in her own fabricated world most of the time. But maybe that is a sign of her genius? One can only hope.

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My compound, I named Gentry Gardens because I thought it might one day be that, was very close to being where I wanted it to be before I presented my plan to council. We housed almost 100 refugees in our numerous buildings. 

The main building housed most of the amenities where the folks would come to chill out. We made good use of the water supply in secret. We managed to build a swimming pool and even a heated whirlpool tub. It was a guest favorite.




We also had a wedding arch so folks could publicly commit to one another. We had a lot of folks that took full advantage of that! I can't count the number of couples that professed their love of the other. Maybe the surroundings of my shelter helped them feel confident in a better future - even though a lot of them were gray headed like me!



I spent my time inspecting the grounds and making sure it was clean. It was important to instill a sense of pride in the surroundings. Everything has been so nasty for so long, that seeing things clean was a wake up call for a lot of folks.

But...my favorite part was the food! Such wonderful varieties of food. Everyone raved about it. I loved it for sure. And everyone knew it was a Gentry that made this even possible.

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Whitney

I was pleased to find that my children were working hard on their education and fitness in spite of my virtual absence in their lives. But the compound is so close to being complete. I just need to get that one last piece finished and then, hopefully it will be worth it.

Soon, my youngest daughter was a teenager. My girls reminded me so much of their father with their blonde hair.  And then there was Allen who got my crazy thick black mop of hair, well it used to be black!

Addison and Whitney are still bonding although I think Whitney is a bit jealous of Addison's place in the family. Sibling rivalry. Very normal. I think she works harder than Addison. She tries to outdo Addison in everything she does. Maybe that is the competitive spirit instilled in her by Flo. To be the best you can be. Maybe. 

It just seems like yesterday that I was their age and having to tell my sister that she cannot ever have children. Thank goodness they don't have to do that. 

At least the girls aren't the only ones that work hard on their studies. Allen is all about getting done so he can play. 

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Allen

I can't express how lucky I feel. I am living to see my children into their teen years. Addison is taking on more responsibility helping with meals and it was a total surprise when I looked at my Allen and he was all grown up. I know they will scoff at that. Mom, who is that? I thought Flo was our mother. I am close my children. I will make it better for you so that maybe you can spend time with your children and get to be close to them, but you did have Florence and that was a gift for her since she couldn't have children of her own and I know you love her.

I knew it was time. I spoke to Addison to let her know that I might not be around much longer. She was the oldest and should consider taking over as the head of the Gentry family. 

I knew Florence had been teaching them and reading them the journals. All except mine. I told Addison I would let her have mine and she needed to read them. She asked if that meant she could tell Whitney what to do...Maybe I will live a little longer...She is still a bit young, or am I making excuses for her. I certainly can't blame Flo, the blame is all mine if my children are clueless. 

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It was a joyous day today! My plan succeeded! My compound was a success and the council decided we could now expand our homes. They are now homes for real and not just shelters!!! I went to work on ours immediately and after just a few months, it was expanded to where we didn't have to live underground anymore.

We converted the top floor to an entertainment and work area. It is so nice to have so much room to move around. We have a working television. Well most of the time. The government still restricts the channels. But at least we get some good information. They have an amazing cooking channel.

The first floor has been expanded to include our bedrooms. It is so much better that we don't have to go into the dark and damp basement anymore. We have cordoned off one room for a nursery for future Gentry's. The kitchen is roomier and we even have a microwave. Amazingly fast meals. 

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I am so happy I could cry. Today is a milestone. I think I am the first Gentry to see a child graduate from high school! My mother died when I was a teen. This is truly remarkable and to make it even better, Addison seems to have been reborn at reaching this milestone in her life. 

It is time for another chat. 

I called Addison in and this time she wasn't being childish. I think being the oldest and the first to graduate has made her grow up. I had seen it even if I wasn't here all the time. She has it in her. I know it. 

As I spoke to my oldest daughter, she seemed to be very receptive. Then she told me that because she could see what the clean water did for people she wanted to go into the medical field and to figure out how to clean up the water supply. With the cleaner air that Flo had created and adding clean water to that, people may live even longer. Healthcare would once again be available. I was so proud of my daughter. She had certainly grown into a responsible woman in spite of me.

Then she surprised me even more. She told me I should seek out their father and try to make a life with him or maybe get a place of my own. I deserved a chance at happiness for all that I had done. I was certainly shocked at what I thought was a self-centered child. She insisted so I will not be updating my journal any longer. This is my last post. I will watch my children from the sidelines, pretty much as I have done their whole life. Having me at home would cramp their style. I asked my sister to move in with me. I hadn't heard from Randall in some time and was afraid of what I would or wouldn't find. 

Before I left, I had one more conversation with Allen. He was the youngest and would undoubtedly be hurt the worst if both me and Flo moved out. He was surprisingly nonplussed at the idea. I guess he expected it. Flo must have prepared them well. I will never be able to repay her.  

Thank you Florence for your sacrifice. Addison, Whitney and Allen, always do your best. If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well. 

Your loving mother

Victoria Gentry

<----Go back to Chapter 4.1    Go to Chapter 5.1----->