baby dust, part 2

December 2078 - Adam and Heather Thompson are 25.

There must have been some baby dust dropped on Brant Street this month, because Heather and Adam Thompson just found out they are expecting too. Adam is more excited about the idea than Heather is. She absolutely wants children. Really, she does. But she's only 25 and rising very quickly in the research science world. Adam hopes she'll warm up to the idea eventually.

Heather is getting a little moody in these early weeks of her pregnancy. "Ice cream," she says, with an anguished look on her face. "You knock me up, and there's not even any ice cream in the house? I need ice cream!"

Midnight ice cream run...

Adam is a guest lecturer at LCU. His hours are easy and his pay is quite generous. In fact, he works so little that Heather wouldn't even have to worry about taking time off work. Hmmm, a stay-at-home dad? Maybe that would make Heather warm up to the idea a little?

Heather needs just one more contact at work, and her performance is otherwise looking excellent. She's on fire right now, and has no intentions of slowing down. Even though she really does want a family.

She meets one of her neighbors' kids, Beau Jackson, and Heather says, "Why don't you have your mom give me a call. We're going to get a little new year's eve party together." Both Adam and Heather are tragically shy, and though they've been living on Brant Street for three years now, they haven't ever really gotten to know their neighbors.

Brant Street in Lakeside Heights, bordered by the Shadow Woods Metropark.

It's Adam's turn to host a school board meeting, and they're talking about the upcoming elections and who might run for School Board President. The current president has decided not to continue on with the position. Meadow Lind is planning to run.

Meadow says, "Being smart is one thing, but the art of education is an entirely different matter!"

They all know what she's talking about, but nobody mentions any names. Rumor has it that Abigail Collins might run as well. And though Abigail has no formal educational experience, she is known to be a brilliant woman, committed to learning her whole life, and did commission two of Lake City University's buildings, Collins Hall and Nova Hall, with her own hard-earned grant money. Adam doesn't know about the rest of them, but he is certainly torn about who he'll vote for.

Oh man, morning sickness at night! That's rough! Adam wanted to talk to her about his idea that he might stay home with the baby, but she just couldn't stay up one minute longer! She has to be refreshed for work in the morning. She's hoping to hold off on maternity leave a little longer.

And Heather comes home early the next day with some good news! Doesn't she look happy? Heather has just been promoted to Theorist!

Adrian Jackson stops by to accept their invitation to the new year's party.

And Adam is glad, because he was wanting someone to throw a ball around with, and Heather being pregnant and all, Adam didn't figure throwing balls at her was a good idea.

Well, Adam has been trying to tell Heather something all week, and even though Adrian is barely five minutes more than a stranger at this point, Adam just has to get it out. "I'll stay home with the baby," he says.

Heather is mortified at first, but it's all good! Adrian says, "Hey, that's cool, man! I was a stay-at-home dad too!"

Wow, you would never guess Adam and Adrian would have so much in common, but they really do, and earlier they had quite the conversation about ghosts and magic. It's probably a good thing, because Adam would do well to have a guy friend around, and spend less time with all those pretty ladies on the school board. Not that he's that kind of man, but he has three bolts with all of them, and it must make Heather nervous.

However it's settled, I think these two will definitely be able to work something out. But for now, they have to get the house tidied up because they have a New Year's Eve party to host!