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Kieran seemed fascinated with doctors ever since his first visit to the hospital at the age of two when he'd managed to do an unparticularly graceless swan dive off the back of the couch wearing nothing but a cape and diaper. It was a classic case of Kieran emulating something he'd seen on television, without any supervision as his older brother could really give two shakes about his baby brother and was too busy with his toy trucks to play with him, and their father had stepped out for a second to take an `imporant` business call. All Cullen did was panic when he heard the crash and saw Kieran laying on the ground clutching his arm and crying loudly. Luckily, Cullen had enough sense in him to call 9-1-1, was aware of their address, and sat by his brother's side to comfort the kid while the ambulance was being dispatched. The whole thing happened while Sam was still outside on the back deck with a cigarette and glass of whisky chatting up some gal from a phone sex line, or one he'd been talking to online. Sam quickly tried to smooth talk his way into being the father figure when the paramedics showed up and started questioning the man. Lying through his teeth to a complete stranger, Sam mentioned he had stepped out for a second, to take a call, when he'd heard the thump and his son bawling, which he reacted to by rushing into the house and playing the hero by calling 9-1-1. Cullen, not wanting to be outdone, tried to interrupt to tell the paramedics he'd been the one to call emergency, which didn't really matter, as the paramedics were ignoring the two and loading Kieran into the back of the ambulance. Neither of the boys offered to ride with the two year old in the back of the ambulance, but Kieran wasn't really scared, nor did he miss the presence of his father or brother, he was too busy staring at what the paramedics were doing and asking way too many questions for a toddler. His mother, who was rightfully upset about her youngest being injured and having to wear a cast, babied Kieran until his arm felt better. She was the only parent Kieran really liked, something Sam would find out about later when Kieran was a pre-teen / teen and fond of arguing with his father and calling him all sorts of nasty names, all of which he deserved.
While his brother was out making a fool of himself on an athletic scholarship to college, which he wouldn't enjoy for very much longer, Cullen took too much after his womanizing and boozing father, that he wasn't going to be returning to the school in the fall. No skin off his nose, Cullen was an undeclared major and studying wasn't in his agenda at all; Kieran was heading to his uncle's private practice every day after school. He wanted to take after their father's brother by becoming a doctor. Everything about it fascinated him that he was repeatedly kicked out of an examination room after interrupting Jon for the millioneth time and standing where he shouldn't be, or bugging the patient so much they complained. It was all in good nature, Kieran was excited. He was hoping to become something in his father's eyes by knowing that he would be going to school and becoming something, but, it turned out Jon and Samuel weren't as close as Kieran thought they were. Sam thought his brother was the biggest nerd. A doctor? Sure they were important, but an ER physician? Everyone ( in Sam's mind, ignorant as can be ) was all about the surgeons, mainly plastic surgeons whom Sam seemed to have a good repertoire with. All this from a guy who was a used car salesman, with a girlfriend on the side, and another living across the country in L.A. whose tits were paid for by Samuel, but mostly by Joyce Kelderman, who everyone knew was the real breadwinner thanks to a good job on the NY police force and having bigger balls than Sam and was well aware that Sam was cheating on her twice, but didn't say anything. She'd just let karma take it when he crashed and burned. Joyce was proud of her sons, despite Kieran wanting to do a "nerd" job and take after his uncle, who she preferred over her own husband, but wouldn't let Sam know. She wasn't afraid of her husband, she just didn't believe in damaging peoples' spirits / if you haven't anything good to say then don't say it. She was behing Kieran 100% and picked up the slack when he just couldn't make it all for tuition or books. Kieran promised he'd re-pay it back with interest when his career took off, which it did this past summer and he proudly practices in the same office as his Uncle Jon, at Jon's insistance.
While Cullen and Sam crashed and burned badly, by now, Joyce had divorced the latter back in 2012. She was happy being single for a while, supporting Kieran as Cullen insisted on sticking by his father, who cursed Joyce every chance he got. Cullen was turning into a mini Sam, slowly ignoring and giving his mother the cold shoulder and wanting nothing to do with the woman who'd given birth to him. Kieran didn't mind being a mama's boy, sticking to New York to be closer to her. Joyce considered Kieran's boyfriend Julian, to be another son, not intending to replace Cullen ( there was always a place in her heart reserved for her first born ), but just because he made Kieran happy and that in turn, made Joyce happy.
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