What Is My Name

It's later in the day, Saturday. Jack and Leda are in the back of the Spiets family car. Dad and Mom and the young pair are in Bernon for some Christmas shopping. There was a fresh snowfall last night, and the roads and sidewalks are buried deep. It's still early winter, quite mild, and the snow was wet. It has blown against buildings and signs and stuck there, making a very white world.

Dad is just starting to enter an intersection. Marie interjects "Siem, I think you're supposed to stop here!"

"Is that right? I didn't see…" BANG !!

Jack feels a sharp pain in his head. He leans forward, his hands over both ears, groaning.

He mumbles "Mom, what's happening?"

There's a girl with her arm around him, with a worried look on her face.

"You hit your head on the side of the car, Vick. A car slammed into us in the back. I guess Leda's head hit your left temple and the doorpost hit the right one. We're on the way to the hospital now so they can have a look at you."

"I'm okay, I just have a headache."

Her name must be Leda. Why is she being so cozy? Why did Mom call him Vick?

Mom looks at him. "Well, we want to be sure." And she turns to the front again.

Leda softly, "Victor, are you sure you're alright?"

Jack looks at her with a frown. He doesn't know this girl! What should he do? He can't just tell her to back off. And why is she calling him Victor when his name is Jack?