IN THE NAME OF LYNCH

In The Name of Lynch

-A Past Revealed-

Bryce and Jenny were in the barn the next morning tending to Mattie and her calf.

"You know, Bryce," Jenny pointed out, "I am still young enough for children thanks to modern advancements. Have you thought about whether you want to raise one of your own with me or...?"

"I have," Bryce admitted. "I wasn't sure if I should ask you about it, though. I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

"I know how old you, dear Bryce," Jenny pointed out. "Your looks do not make me uncomfortable. Our love is all that matters to me. Yes, that sounds corny, but it's true."

"Well at least this is a farm," Bryce replied. "Perfect place for corn if you ask me."

The both of them laughed.

"So, the house that we're building to temporarily house your children's adoptive families. How big do you think it should be?"

"Well, Ai says her family won't move from New Tokyo because of their obligation to Zik Zak. So it's just her and Jack. But we should allow for a child or two just in case," Bryce decided. "Then there's Claire and Charlotte. Claire says that she has an uncle named Magnus who is the only member of her family who wants to come. But Marlene says her family is very close, so we can expect her mother Josephine, her father Terrence, her sisters, Lynda and Lydia, and her little brother Otto."

"People still use that name?" Bryce raised an eyebrow.

"Apparently," Jenny shrugged. "What about you, what do you want to name or first child?"

"A.T. Lynch," Bryce told her. "After Alan Turing."

"The guy who first hypothesized the test for artificial intelligence?"

Bryce nodded. "Yeah. Him."

"Not after one of your family?" Jenny asked, curious.

"No, I don't have any one person in my family I'd pick over another. So I figure it's best not to. Unless you want to have about ten kids. Then we can name them after my sisters, my aunts, and my cousins."

"What were their names?"

"One aunt is named Lisa. My cousins are name Sharon and Andrea, and Luke, last name Andros, in case you were wondering. Lisa my aunt on my mother's side. Then there is my father's sister, Rebecca and her son Charles. And finally there is my brother Richard and my twin sister Trace."

"Twin?"

"As brilliant as I. My parents couldn't afford to send us both to ACS. So I snuck copies of my assignments home to her so she could learn what I was learning. Eventually our teacher found out. I thought I'd get the boot, but he was sympathetic."

"Our teacher. Blank Bruno?"

Bryce nodded.

"He devised study and learning packets for my sister and mailed them to her every week. So she was able to learn what I was learning."

"That was kind of him," Jenny smiled. "Are we inviting him to the wedding? He is still alive."

"Sure, why not?" Bryce shrugged. "If I know Edison, it'll probably be broadcast around the globe anyhow."

"Do you want that?" Jenny raised an eyebrow.

"I've found that it's easier to just give Edison what he wants," Bryce told her.

"What about what we want, Bryce Lynch?" Jenny inquired. "It is our wedding after all."

Bryce smiled as she kissed him.

"How very true."

They headed back to the main part of the farm to help the others. Jenny went to help the other women brush and clean the cows while Bryce headed into the barn where the machines were to help Oliver and Edison who was also learning about these machines for the first time.

"Hold these," Oliver told Bryce, handing him a number of small parts.

Bryce took them and looked them over with curiosity. He wasn't used to being anything less than head of a department, but he found he didn't mind being what amounted to a stationary gofer. There was something almost liberating about it.

Bryce looked sadly at Edison for a moment, then shook his head and returned his attention to the machine parts he was holding.

"What's wrong?" Edison asked. "You and Jenny didn't break up I hope."

"No, the wedding is going as planned. She'll be going to get her dress with Sadie later today. Edison, I'm not returning to England after this is over."

"You and Jenny plan to stay here in Tassie, then?" Oliver inquired.

"Yes," Bryce told him. "In fact, I want to talk to you about where there is a good part of town to live in."

"Well, I think Aunt Sadie won't mind you staying here for a little while until you find a place," Oliver told him. "She's quite grateful that you were able to help save Mattie's calf."

Edison chuckled at the idea of tech savvy Bryce living on a simple farm. It sounded as crazy as German Shepherd living in a goldfish bowl.

"I guess I can do that for a while," Bryce replied.

Edison raised an eyebrow. "You on a farm? I can't see it. A week or so is one thing, but..."

"It's a good environment," Bryce shrugged, looking out the window at Claire who was showing Charlotte the cows. As Claire picked Charlotte up so she could pet the nearest animal, Bryce smiled. "See what I mean?"

Edison who couldn't went to the window to see for himself. "You're planning to have kids with Jenny then?"

"We hope to have at least one," Bryce admitted. "He or she will probably eventually find tech work in the city. But this will be a good place to raise a child. And experiencing both will give the kid a well-rounded life."

"It certainly gave me one," Oliver agreed.

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