wanderlust

August 2037 - Martin Miller and Miranda Kim are 57, Tom Smith is 31, Madison Miller-Kim is 29, Brooklyn Miller-Kim is 5.

Now that they have a daughter starting school, Madison and Tom decide it's time to buy a real house.

They move just a few blocks into a townhouse next to her parents. It's great having them so close; Tom and Madison regularly ask them to baby-sit for Brooklyn while they're working. Madison is at the top of the dance world, just like she's always wanted. But the long rehearsals and performances are starting to take their toll, both emotionally and physically. She's 29, which is old for a ballet dancer; she's been talking about quitting ballet and moving on to an acting career. She's committed for the rest of the season, though.

"I really appreciate your watching her," she tells her dad.

"Don't mention it," he assures her. "Miranda and I love spending time with our only grandchild."

Miranda is already telling Brooklyn all about their trips to Takemizu Village. Madison waves goodbye, but Brooklyn barely notices.

"I want to go to Takemizu Village," she tells her grandmother.

"Someday you will," Miranda assures her.

*****

Brooklyn is very excited about starting school.

"Will I make lots of friends?" she asks.

"I'm sure you will," her mother says. "Your cousins are in kindergarten too, and so is Morgan Cornwall. She lives just a few blocks away."

"Did you ever think our lives would end up this way?" Madison asks Tom later that night.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we always talked about traveling the world," she reminds him. "We haven't taken a trip since we went to Twikkii Island for New Year's. That was almost six years ago."

"We were young then. Now we have Brooklyn."

"That's what I mean. We never really planned to have kids. We wanted to travel the world. Now our biggest concern is getting our daughter ready for her first day of kindergarten."

"We'll get back to Twikkii Island," he assures her, "and anywhere else you want to go. It'll be easier to travel once she's older. We'll still see the world, we'll just see it with our daughter."

*****

Outtake: I couldn't fit this into the story, but it was just too funny not to include.

Brooklyn: Daddy, why are woman always sighing when they see you?


Madison: Because Daddy is a ladies man, sweetie!