Aimee is on the phone with Cherie.
Cherie: When are you guys planning to fly out to Milan again? We’re packing for our flight on Sunday and your father asked when you’re joining us. Can you believe I totally forgot?
Ernesto: I can! You’d forget your head if it went’ attached to your body.
Cherie: Quiet, I’m talking to Aimee!
Aimee: Wednesday is the hope.
Cherie: But why? That’s so far away!
Aimee: There are bills that need to be voted on. We need to make sure the government remains open. I know it’s a hindrance, but look on the bright side: the Senate’s on recess as soon as we pass a bill, and everyone wants to go home just as much as In want to get to Italy. So it’s going to pass.
Cherie: Just make sure you’re here for the opening ceremony!
Aimee: That’s a week away. I think we’re going to be okay.
Cherie: Well, we’ll try not to explore too much without you.
Aimee: No, explore all you want! This trip is your dream, not mine.
Cherie: My dream is to explore it as a family!
Aimee: We’ll be there over two weeks. But, I want to spend most of it at the games, so we won’t get to do much exploring. You should just try and see whatever you want regardless of me.
Cherie: If you really don’t want to spend time with your mother…
Aimee: Don’t twist my words, mom.
Kimmy: She’s good at that.
Cherie: We’ll see you next week. I have to get your sister to take packing seriously because we’re headed across the globe for three weeks and she hasn’t packed a bit!
Kimmy: I’m fine! I really am! I pack fast!
Cherie: Yeah, sure.
Aimee: I’ll see you then, and safe travels! I promise, I will be there as soon as I can be! We’re only a few days away from passing a funding bill.
Cherie: That’s what you always say…
Aimee: And I’m usually right!
Cherie: Eh…
Aimee: Goodbye, mom.
Aimee hangs up.
Denise: Aimee, you have guests.
Aimee: Of course I do!
Alec: It seems like it’s destined to be a long weekend. Well, I guess I worded that wrong. We’re going to be here all weekend, working.
Lynette: It’s not like the Democrats - pardon me, Gwen - care about our contributions. We should just go home and then come back when it’s time to vote. It’s not like anything we propose will be included. At best, they bring it to the floor and vote it down.
Gwen: I’m not offended. Your party certainly didn’t let us Democrats have a say on anything when you were in the majority. Being the minority party absolutely sucks - especially when the other members of the minority hate you.
Lynette: Nobody hates me!
Gwen: Sure.
Alec: She’s less popular than others, but I don’t think she’s hated.
Gwen: If that’s what we have to say to avoid discontent, then I’m fine with you believing it.
Lynette: It’s the truth!
Aimee: Anyway, what brings you guys here? Does our esteemed appropriations committee chair have any developments on this funding bill?
Gwen: It’s a mess. Every faction wants something different included. Some want more funding for Energy, others want less, everyone’s divided on which form of energy they want to fund… these people drive me insane.
Lynette: You guys are still fighting about energy? Are you aware that there are fourteen other executive departments in addition to other agencies that have to be funded in this bill?
Gwen: Well aware! At least, I am. I’m not sure if the numbskull from West Virginia or the invalid from California are. Yeah, they let Alma Alzheimer have serious negotiating power on this bill. It’s miserable. I’m in hell.
Aimee: I don’t think you can call people invalids anymore. It’s 2026.
Gwen: All right. The ingrate from California. Better?
Aimee: That means she’s ungrateful.
Gwen: Aimee, I am at my wits end, don’t add to my stress! I came here to let off some steam before I have to go back and deal with more nonsense! Thank god our recess is coming up soon, I’m going to need a vacation desperately.
Lynette: You know who has a very exciting vacation planned? Our Aimee!
Aimee: Oh, it’s not -
Gwen: Tell me more! Where are you going?
Aimee: The Olympics. Just going to support Washington’s figure skater, who is just so lovely. It’s no biggie. Hardly a vacation, really.
Gwen: I’m in!
Aimee: You’re what?
Gwen: I’m going with. Surely I’m invited. The Olympics are plenty gay, I’m a gay icon. It’s a natural fit.
Aimee: Okay, you have to stop saying offensive things here.
Alec: How are we the Republicans and she’s the Democrat?
Lynette: When you’re a Democrat, they let you do it.
Gwen: Not true!
Lynette :Anyway, if Gwen’s going, so am I.
Aimee: Oh my god.
Lynette: What, do you not want us to go?
Aimee: No, not at all!
Gwen: You don’t want us to come at all?
Aimee: No, I have nothing against you going. My mom’s just going to -
Gwen: She’ll love it. Who wouldn’t want to hang out with us?
Alec: I can think of a few people…
Gwen: So I take it you’re not going?
Alec: No, I’ll be spending the recess at home with my family and with my constituents.
Gwen: Boring!
Denise: You know, I have always wanted to go to the Oly-
Aimee: Yup, come along. Why not invite the entire Senate at this point?
Denise: Would you like me to send out invites?
Aimee: I think that’s a joke, but I’m concerned about you being serious. So I’ll just be clear: absolutely not.
Later that day…
Victoria: Aimee, are you getting excited for Italy? I know I sure am.
Aimee: I’m well aware. You have been talking about it for weeks.
Victoria: I can’t help myself! The Olympics is such a special time. I don’t know how anyone couldn’t be thrilled to actually get to experience it in person.
Aimee: I usually enjoy it just fine without getting in a fuss about it, but I feel a little nervous now. I befriended Missy Ling, at least as much as a woman of my age can befriend a nineteen year-old, and now I’m really rooting for her to go out there and crush it. I want to see her on that podium.
Victoria: I don’t think she’s necessarily one of the top podium contenders, is she?
Aimee: She’s the US champion, she can get up there. Have some faith!
Victoria: I have a lot of faith. I’m her biggest fan. I just don’t want anyone having unrealistic expectations.
Dave: Speaking of unrealistic expectations, could I get a moment with Aimee?
Victoria: I don’t think there’s anything you can say to her that you can’t say to me.
Aimee: I can think of a few things.
Victoria: I will step out for a few minutes. But then I’ll be back to hype you up for the trip, because this really is exciting!
Aimee: It sure is!
Victoria steps out of the room.
Aimee: So, what’s up?
Dave: Did you remember that our anniversary is coming up during out Olympics trip?
Aimee: Uh… of course!
Dave: Yeah, I also just realized it today.
Aimee: I did not just realize it when you pointed it out! How dare you accuse me of that!
Dave: It’s okay. You live a very busy life.
Aimee: Come on, you think I could forget our anniversary?
Dave: What anniversary is it?
Aimee: Twelfth?
Dave: Fourteenth.
Aimee: That was my next guest!
Dave: Anyway, I can’t think of a more romantic place to spend our anniversary than Italy. Do you think we could go and have a nice gourmet Italian meal and spend a full night to ourselves in Milan?
Aimee: I don’t know if my mother will approve.
Dave: You’re fort-
Aimee: Don’t finish that.
Dave: You’re a grown woman.
Aimee: Better. But, you have to remember, my mom has cancer! She’s not well.
Dave: It’s one night, on our actual anniversary. I think they can afford to let us have it.
Aimee: All right, if that’s what you want… you can ask her.
Dave: I will.
Aimee: Good, because I already have to break the news to her that Lynette, Gwen and Denise are tagging along.
Dave: Why are they coming?
Aimee: To annoy me. I don’t know.
Dave: No Alec?
Aimee: No, he actually has a life.
Dave: Thank god. If any more people join our party, we might not all even be able to sit together at the games.
Aimee: I don’t think that would be too bad. Gwen could stand to meet some new people. She could scream at them about how much she hates Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera.
Dave: Isn’t that one off the most iconic plays ever?
Aimee: It’s a musical, dear. There’s a difference. Oh god, I sound like Gwen.
Dave: That’s what happens when you spend too much time with someone!
Aimee: It could be worse. I could be morphing into Lynette.
Dave: You’re too intelligent for that.
Aimee: She’s not dumb! She’s just quirky.
Dave: That’s a very generous way to spin it.
Later that week…
Gwen: I’m so glad we finally were able to fly out!
Aimee: A day late, thanks to you.
Gwen: It’s not my fault!
Lynette: You were the one with the biggest role in negotiating the funding bill, no? The one that took two days longer to pass than expected, causing a brief government shutdown?
Gwen: But I also was able to get us a special redeye flight to Milan!
Aimee: Ah yes, ever-so-slightly keeping the dream of making the opening ceremony alive. Bless you.
Gwen: We’ll get there in plenty of time. We just have to sleep on the flight so we can stay awake for the ceremony.
Aimee: We could’ve been there already.
Victoria: Just be happy we’re even going to make it. This is a blessing to us all.
Dave: You sound quite religious. That’s new.
Victoria: We’re about to be floating in a tin can above an ocean. That’s always when I feel closest to God.
Dave: Fair enough!
Gwen: I’m gonna get some shuteye.
Aimee: We’re not even on the plane yet.
Gwen: Doesn’t matter. I can get a good half-hour of rest while we wait.
Aimee: Lynette, you can wake her up.
Lynette: Why do I have to do it?
Aimee: I’m not doing it.
Lynette: Denise is the employee here. She should do it.
Denise: I’m not Gwen’s employee. She gets nasty when you surprise her.
Aimee: Fine, I’ll do it.
Dave: Wear protective gloves when you do it. She bites.
The next morning, in Milan…
Aimee: My neck hurts.
Victoria: My back hurts.
Gwen: God, first class is so worth it.
Denise: Some of us are women of the people.
Gwen: When you’re a Tony winner, you don’t fly coach.
Dave: Well, when your wife has a need to present herself as a working class hero, you and your family end up having to try to get some shuteye in a less-than-comfortable seat.
Gwen: I would’ve paid for all of you to fly first class if you wanted. You know that!
Lynette: I appreciate you doing it for me. We got champagne!
Aimee: Happy for you.
Lynette: Thank you!
Victoria: What time is it?
Aimee: We gotta rush to the hotel, check in, drop off our bags and find mom, dad and Kimmy at the opening ceremony. It’s gonna be a mad rush.
Gwen: It’s five hours away, Aimee.
Aimee: I bet this city is a madhouse. It’s the Olympics opening ceremony, for goodness sake, not a PTA meeting.
Victoria: I think we can get there in time. We’re crazy, we have street smarts.
Dave: Sure. That’s a good way to put it.
Aimee: I’m just more worried about mom’s reaction than anything.
Victoria: If I am calm, then she will be calm. We all know I’m the frantic one of the two of us.
Aimee: That’s true. Good point
Victoria: I’m full of them.
Aimee: Now you sound like Lynette.
Lynette: Hey! I’m right here!
At the hotel…
Aimee: I think I should call mom and let her know we’re here.
Dave: That’s a good idea. We don’t need her panicking about when we’ll get here.
Victoria: It’s not good for her to worry. You know, with the cancer and all.
Denise: I can call her while you handle the check-in.
Aimee: Nope, Dave can check in. I gotta be the one to call.
Denise: All right. I was told I’m supposed to be helping, but -
Aimee: Denise, you’re on vacation. Relax and enjoy it.
Lynette: It really has been so relaxing so far.
Aimee picks up her phone and calls Cherie.
Cherie: Aimee, dear, are you coming? I’m getting worried you’ll miss the opening ceremony. You promised you’d be here for it…
Aimee: We are in Milan and we’ve just checked in. Gwen was able to get us an overnight flight, thankfully.
Cherie: That was nice of her! I guess she’s capable of a selfless act every now and then.
Aimee: So, about that… not entirely “selfless.” She did come along with us.
Cherie: Excuse me?
Aimee: Yeah, her, Lynette and Denise. The family.
Cherie: Aimee! This is supposed to be a family trip. Now it’s turned into some work thing.
Aimee: Trust me, I don’t know anyone who works less than Gwen and Lynette. They won’t want to work. They’re here to observe, just like us. Now, are you at the opening ceremony yet?
Cherie: We sure are.
Kimmy: We’ve been here an hour!
Aimee: Wholly unsurprising. We’re on our way, fear not!
Cherie: I’m fearing a little bit.
Aimee: No need to. I promise, we’ll be there!
Ernesto: And bring some food. I’m starved!
Aimee: I don’t think you can bring food in.
Ernesto: You’re a senator, they have to let you bring it in!
Aimee: I don’t think that’s how it works. I will be sure to bring my presence, though.
Cherie: You better!
Ernesto: And a breadstick!
Cherie: You have no time for that, get going now!
Aimee: I feel like I have a devil on one shoulder and an angel on another.
Cherie: I’m the angel, correct?
Aimee: Let’s say that.
What did you think of this episode of Evergreen Aimee? Let us know in the comments and make sure to read a new episode next week!
