17 January 2025, @mariannewest's Freewrite Writing Prompt Day 2620: I need this

Image by John Hain from Pixabay

While packing out their apartment in Big Loft, VA, Col. H.F. Lee noticed that his wife, Maggie, stopped a moment to check a text message and then instantly cracked up laughing.

“It's your little Ludlow cousins again – they have all decided they and their grandmother
need nicknames like Robert Edward 'Hell to Pay' Ludlow, and Thalia sent the video!”

Mrs. Thalia Ludlow had captured the conversation between granddaughters eight-year-old Edwina, seven-year-old Amanda, and baby grandson five-year-old Robert Edward III, affectionately known as Lil' Robert, until –.

“We all need to get our own hero name, like Papa!” he said to his two sisters.

“Yeah, but, can we do nice ones, though?” Amanda said. “I mean, hell is not a nice place and probably a lot to pay. I mean, I know he has his Army stuff, but, yeah.”

“Mandie, these are the facts: to keep nice people like you safe, sometimes warrior people like me and Papa gotta fight!”

“But all the time, though?” Amanda said. “I mean, your name oughta be about something you can do every day, and nobody here is in the Army!”

“Not yet, because, see, I'm going to West Point just like Papa – next week, though!” Lil' Robert said.

“OK, how about this: I'll go from Edwina 'Breaking Bad' Ludlow to Edwina 'She Don't Play About Hers' Ludlow,” Edwina said.

“Well, that's fair – and you already know I'm going to be Amanda 'Keep 'Em Safe' Ludlow!”

“I'mma be Robert Edward 'Feed Me' Ludlow, because, see, I'm hungry,” Lil' Robert said.

“Well, I guess you can eat like a hero if you share,” Amanda said, “and you always are real good about sharing!”

“It's what heroes do!” Lil' Robert said.

“We already know George's is George 'Taking All Their Money' Ludlow,” Edwina said. “Hey, Grayson, what do you want your hero name to be?”

The six-year-old looked up from the Lego pile with no hesitation.

“I am Grayson 'I Will Build It They Will Come” Ludlow.”

“Let me get Andrew and Eleanor!” Amanda said, and went and got their big brother and sister.

Ten-year-old Andrew and eleven-year-old Eleanor came with Amanda, and Capt. R.E. Ludlow came to see what was going on.

“Like Andrew in the Bible, I don't really see myself as a hero, but just someone who is always looking out – so call me Andrew “Lookout' Ludlow.”

“I'm kinda the same, but I make time to talk to all of you when you are down, so, call me Eleanor 'Pick 'Em Up' Ludlow.”

“We already know your hero name, but can you get a nicer one?” Amanda said to Capt. Ludlow. “And Grandma needs a nice one too!”

“Oh, I already have the hero name I love the best of all: Papa,” said Capt. Ludlow said.

“And Grandma is heroic enough for me,” Mrs. Ludlow said, “especially with Robert Edward 'Feed Me' Ludlow already looking for his next meal!”

The Lees were standing laughing … and then would not have to move their couch, because …

“Oh, dear!” Mrs. Lee said as she and her husband, who both had laughed so hard they had tripped on the fringe of the couch, ended up on the floor after breaking the couch in half.

“It was worth it!” Col. Lee said. “We can order a new couch, but this kind of video? I need this in my life!”

“So do I – I'm so glad we're moving down to help raise them along with our own family!” Mrs. Lee said.

“That was what the Lord had for us all along,” the colonel said. “He knew we need this as much as they do!”

So they sat on the floor, played the video again, laughed until they cried, and then got back to work, getting ready for the day when the Lees and Ludlows would together be one big happy family.

“You know Amanda 'Keep 'Em Safe' Ludlow is going to make you get a non-violent hero name, right?” Mrs. Lee said, and cracked her husband up again.

“Looking forward to it, Maggie!”