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rid of them,” Dad said.
    â€œGet rid of them?” Mom asked. “Why would I do that?” She opened the door and smiled. “Hello. May I help you?”
    The general smiled politely. “Good morning, ma’am. Is Aidan home, ma’am? We’d like to talk with him, if we could.”
    â€œThat depends. Who are you?” asked Mom.
    â€œWe’re with Governor Brandon’s campaign,” said the younger man, stepping up. “My name is Stu Brautigham. I’m the assistant campaign manager. Can we talk?”
    â€œFull-time assistant campaign manager,” the general said, “and part-time haircut.”
    â€œAnd this is General Roy McGarvin, US Army, retired. Everyone calls him the general,” said Stu. “We run the campaign together. And this is Kristen Lindgren, part of the governor’s personal detail.”
    The woman held out her hand to Mom. “I’m also a very loyal campaign worker, and a governess for Emma,” Kristen said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
    â€œWow, this is amazing,” Mom said. “Anyone who works for the governor is a friend of mine. I absolutely adore Governor Brandon. She’s got my vote. Come on in!” She shook their hands and stepped back to let them into the house.
    Kristen, Stu, and the general walked into the house. Kristen waved at me. “Hello, Aidan.”
    â€œHi,” I said, still wondering what they were doing at our house.
    â€œWhat’s a governess?” Christopher asked. “Is that like an actress?”
    â€œNot exactly. It’s like being a governor, only I’m in charge of one person instead of a state.” Kristen smiled. Christopher still looked confused, and I felt the same way. “I keep track of the governor’s daughter,” she explained quickly. “Make sure she stays out of trouble.”
    â€œIt’s not an easy job,” General McGarvin said with a frown.
    â€œListen, Aidan,” Stu said. “We’re here because if we’ve heard one thing in the last twenty-four hours, it’s this: everyone is really impressed by you. People admire what you said, and what you did.”
    I laughed. “What did I do, exactly?” Besides embarrass myself on national television?
    â€œYeah, really. Which part? When he couldn’t hit a pitch, or when he butchered ‘America the Beautiful’?” Christopher asked.
    I looked at him. I didn’t need that kind of help.
    â€œListen, let me tell you. We managed to spin that whole thing. Actually, other people did it for us,” Stu said. “Now all anyone can remember is that you saved the governor from a potentially life-threatening head injury and that you care about the election. So they even have a name for you.”
    â€œWho does?” Mom asked.
    â€œThis should be good,” Christopher said quietly.
    â€œThe press! Haven’t you heard? They’re calling you the ‘clarinet hero.’” Stu grinned. “Pretty cool, right?”
    I smiled. I kind of liked the sound of that. I didn’t think I’d ever been called a hero before.
    â€œRidiculous.” retired General McGarvin rolled his eyes. “Everyone overuses the word hero nowadays. Used to mean something.”
    â€œOh.” I looked down at my shoes.
    Stu coughed. “What the general is trying to say is that this was Governor Brandon’s YouTube moment, the one that pushes her over the top. You were there, kid. You made it happen.”
    The general cleared his throat. “In fact, we’re here because we’d very much like you to come on the campaign trail with us. With Governor Brandon.”
    What? “Will I get a horse?” I joked. “You said trail, so …” Nobody laughed. I was starting to think they weren’t the joking kind.
    The general narrowed his eyes at me. “You don’t know much about politics, do