“Daaaaaaaad,” Sarah screamed as she came through the door into the house. “I’m home.”

Gregg marked where he was in the book he was reading and headed out of his office to find Sarah. Holo-Projector, Playroom, or the kitchen were the three most likely places. When Gregg found her, she had the refrigerator door wide open, looking for something to eat.

“Close the door,” Gregg said.

Sarah turned to Dad and smiled, “Hi, Daddy.”

“Close the door, please, Sarah.”

Sarah closed the door.

“House,” Gregg said. “Display on the counter the afternoon snacks that Sarah can choose from.”

Grapes, carrots, celery, plums, and yogurt were displayed.

“Do we have booberry yogurt,” Sarah asked?

>>Two cups of Blueberry yogurt are available.<<

“That what you want,” Dad asked?

“Yeah, I can’t believe it offered carrots and celery. It knows I hate all veggies,” Sarah said as she saw the Blueberry yogurt displayed on the refrigerator door, showing her where to find it.

“It hopes you will change your mind,” Dad responded. “And you still do like Ants on a Log. They are made with celery, raisins, and peanut butter: vegetable, fruit, and nuts.”

“Yeah, but that’s yummy,” Sarah said as she got a spoon and headed over to the table. “If all vegetables tasted as good as Ants on a Log, I would eat them without complaining.”

Dad chuckled as he went over and got a cookie for Sarah. Returning to the table, “Rough day?”

“That meany threatened to beat Milly and me up.”

“That was very wrong of him. He got suspended from school for that and may be in even more trouble for trying to force Mikey to wish for a particular thing.”

“He deserves it,” Sarah said before taking a bite of her cookie.

“What he did was definitely wrong,” Dad stated.

“He’s a big Poopy Head!”

Dad smiled, deciding not to reprimand the language this time, “I bet it was scary.”

“I almost peed in my panties when he slammed his tray down on the table,” Sarah said.

“Yeah,” Dad replied. “That can happen to some people when they get scared.”

“I don’t know what I’m going to do when he comes after me,” Sarah said as she dug into her yogurt.

“You don’t have to worry about that,” Dad said. “He will not be returning to Diamond Lake Elementary School. When his suspension is over, he will be going to a different elementary school that has a special class to teach him how to get along with others.”

Sarah smiled and finished her snack in silence. When Dad came over and put a bowl of grapes at Milly’s spot, he took Sarah’s yogurt cup and spoon. Sarah continued to just sit there.

“Daddy?”

“Yeah, Sarah Bear,” Dad inquired as he put the spoon in the cleaner and the yogurt cup in the recycler?

>>Milly’s School Transport will be here in 1 minute<<

“I have to go get her off the Transport,” Dad said. “They won’t let kids off the Early Learner Transport unless someone is there to get them. You want to come with me?”

Gregg started heading towards the roof-top landing pad. When he got about halfway up the stairs, Sarah got off her chair and ran to catch up.

The two of them stood at the door as the School Transport landed. The security gates opened and activated. Sarah looked at the two security gates. They extended all the way up to the house on each side, preventing little ones from running off into dangerous places. Big Kid’s School Transports didn’t do that.

>>School Transport has confirmed the identity of the adult waiting to receive Melissa. You are now allowed to approach the transport.<< the House Unit said.

As the transport door opened, Sarah’s smile grew at the little girl getting help with her backpack. Milly was wearing a military hat that Sarah had never seen before. The School Transport Aide was helping her get the backpack on, “Dad, she’s so tiny and cute as can be. Just a tiny itty bitty baby.”

Dad looked down at Sarah, “You know, she’s not going to like being called a baby.”

“But she really is one now. She wears diapers and uses a pacifier.”

“Can you do me a favor, please? Try not to call her a baby this afternoon. No matter how much she may act like one.”

“Okay,” Sarah sighed. “But she’s sooooo little.”

Gregg looked at Milly. She was the average height for a 4-year-old, wasn’t she?

The Transport Aide finally let Milly go. As fast as the little legs could carry her, she ran right into Daddy’s arms.

“Daddy, I militawy solja now. I was the pilot. Z-37 go weally fast,” Milly said as she was being picked up.

The security gates on the School Transport receded. The three watched the transport leave before Dad carried Milly into the house, with Sarah following.

“What’s a Z-37,” Sarah asked as Dad was taking Milly’s backpack and shoes off?

“It big militawy space ship. It was on Starball field. Took up the whole thing.”

“You had a Z-37 at your school,” Dad asked?

“Yeah, and I got to sit in the pilot seat.”

“House,” Sarah said. “What’s a Z-37?”

House projected an image in front of Sarah, >>Z-37 Planetary Explorer Vehicle is a small military vehicle used to explore unknown planets in other Solar Systems. It has extensive scanning capabilities for mapping and surveying a planet. The typical crew complement is 25 military personnel. It is one of the latest in a long line of Explorer class vehicles.<<

“That landed on the Starball field at school,” Sarah questioned? “Is that where you got the Military hat?”

“No, got hat at otha militawy stuff.”

“There were other military vehicles,” Dad asked?

“Uh-huh”

“House,” Dad said. “What happened at Milly’s school today?”

>>Diamond Lake Elementary had Green Day and Military Visit Day. Seven military vehicles visited the school for the kids to learn about and explore. Each class had a visit from two military personnel.<<

“That’s not fair,” Sarah complained. “I never had a Military Visit Day when I went to the Early Learning Center. We’ve never had one at the Elementary School either. Why did she get one?”

Dad smiled as he hung up Milly’s backpack and headed down to the dining room, “Sarah, sometimes you get the cool field trips and activities, and sometimes Milly will get them. That is just the way things are. Today Milly got something special at her school. We need to be happy for her and learn from what she did. When you get to go on a cool field trip, she will have to do the same with you.”

Sarah huffed, “We never do anything cool at our school.”

“That is not true, Sarah Bear, and you know it. You loved that trip to the Aquarium last month,” Dad said.

“A tank can stop monstas as big as a school twansport,” Milly said as she was put down on her booster seat and grabbed a grape.

“Wow,” Dad said, kissing the top of Milly’s head. “Was there a tank at school?”

“Yeah, but no monstas.”

“That is good,” Dad said. “We don’t want Monsters at school. We don’t even have any here on Earth. The tank goes to other planets to fight monsters.”

“Daddy, are there really monsters on other planets,” Sarah asked?

“Not monsters, but there are enormous animals that they have to fight off when establishing new colonies. Some are bigger than School Transports.”

“Can we go see dem Daddy, Please?” Milly pleaded.

“No, Milly. It takes years to go to other Solar Systems. You have to go to school tomorrow, so we can’t spend years going to see the monsters.”

“Z-37 go supa-dupa fast. Even fasta than Daddy’s Twanspowt,” Milly stated between grapes.

“Yes, it does, but it doesn’t go fast enough to get to another Solar System. It has to get a ride on a Galaxy Explorer.”

“Galaxy Explowa big?”

“They are super-duper big,” Dad smiled. “House, display a Galaxy Explorer the size of the dining room table. Then display a proportional sized Z-37.”

“Look, Daddy,” Milly said, holding one of her grapes up. “Z-37 size of my gwape.”

“That’s a big ship if the Z-37 took up the whole Starball field,” Sarah said.

“Yeah, Galaxy Explorers are huge ships. It takes over 4 years to reach the nearest Solar System and the same amount of time to get back. If you had friends there and wanted to go visit them and come back, you would be 17 years old when you got back here.”

“Wow, that’s a long time,” Sarah said.

“Done,” Milly said with cheeks bulging.

“Chew and swallow, Princess,” Dad smiled at Milly. “Then you can go watch Little Ones Disney.”

“But Dad,” Sarah complained. “Those shows are for babies. I want to watch Big Kid Disney.”

“Sarah,” Dad tried to stop the tantrum. “According to the House Unit, Milly’s favorite Princess Stacy program is on in a few minutes. When that is done, you can watch one of your shows while Milly plays in the playroom.”

“Fine,” Sarah conceded. “The baby can go first.”

“I’m not a baby! I’m a big giwl,” Milly protested. “Sawah, I pilot in militawy. Pilots are big giwls, not babies.”

“Told you Sarah,” Dad said.

“Can I go now Daddy,” Milly asked, opening up her mouth to show that it was empty?

“Go ahead,” Dad said, taking her bowl to the cleaner.

Milly got down and immediately ran off and up the stairs.

“Where is she going,” Sarah asked?

“Don’t know, but the house won’t let her get into anyplace she isn’t supposed to be,” Dad said.

Moments later, Milly came running back with her Susie Doll hugged tightly as she ran to the Living room and jumped on the couch.

“House,” Dad said. “Turn on Little Ones Disney for Milly. When Princess Stacy is over, turn it off.”

“And she says she’s not a baby,” Sarah said. “She sure looks like one. Even going upstairs, it looks like she is crawling instead of walking.”

“Sarah.”

“Sorry, Dad. I’ll try. Was I that little when I was her age?”

“Why don’t you go up and look at the height chart on the changing table,” Dad smiled down at Sarah.

As Milly started dancing to the Princess Stacy Holo-Program opening sequence, Sarah went up to Milly’s room. Looking at her lines and Milly’s lines, Sarah found their two lines made on their 4th birthdays. Milly was only a little bit smaller than Sarah was at that age.

Sarah turned away from the height chart and looked at the changing table itself that the chart was drawn on. It had been hers yesterday morning. The changing pad had been taken off years ago when she stopped wearing diapers, but it was back now that Milly was in diapers.

Sarah headed to her room and played for a bit before heading downstairs.

“No Pwincess Stacy. Not thewe, it over thewe,” Sarah heard Milly say.

Looking at Dad sitting at the dining room table reading, Sarah said, “She does know that Princess Stacy can’t hear her, doesn’t she?”

Dad smiled, “You used to do the same thing when you were her age watching Princess Stacy.”

Sarah went over and sat down on the couch next to Milly. She didn’t remember talking to the Holograms like Milly was, but she did remember watching Princess Stacy shows and enjoying them. Soon Sarah was sucked into the episode, forgetting that she was too old to be watching a Little Kid show.

>>Episode is done. No more Holo-Programs for Princess Milly.<<

“Owwww,” Milly complained.

“Come on Milly,” Dad said picking her up. “Let’s go find your Princess Stacy playset and see if she can find a Space Explorer to fly around in.”

“Pwincess Stacy pilot! Yeah, just like me. Bye-bye Sawah,” Milly said, looking at Sarah while opening and closing her hand.

As soon as Milly and Dad were out of the room, “House, turn on Big Kid Disney.”

“Heeeeeellllllllllp,” Milly screamed as she ran into Sarah’s room and jumped on her. Embracing Sarah in a big hug, “Mommy’s a big meany.”

Sarah looked down at the little unicorn dressed kid hugging her and looking back occasionally at the door, “What did she do?”

“She said I haveta go to bed,” Milly answered.

“Oh,” Sarah smiled and lifted Milly onto her lap, “That is being mean. It’s much more fun just to play all night.”

“Uh-huh.”

Sarah looked around her room, trying to figure out a way to help her little sister. It was the right thing for a big sister to do, “See my BooBear over there Milly?”

“Yeah,” Milly said, looking over at Sarah’s precious Teddy Bear. “She soft.”

“Yes, she is. She is very very soft. She is also one who does not like going to bed, just like you. Just before you came in here, she was telling me how she wanted to play with Susie.”

“Susie fun to play wif,” Milly said with a smile.

“Go get BooBear, and then we will go find Susie,” Sarah said, noticing Mom backing away from her doorway.

“Susie in my room.”

“Let’s get the two together for some fun,” Sarah said, standing up.

Milly went over to Sarah’s bed and got BooBear. Going back to Sarah, she took her hand. The three of them went together to Milly’s room.

“Susie,” Milly said, coming into the room. “Sawah’s BooBeaw came to play.”

They went over to Milly’s bed, where Susie was. Milly jumped up onto the bed and put BooBear next to Susie.

Sarah sat down on the bed, taking BooBear bringing life to her, “Susie, we came to play with you instead of going to bed.”

Milly picked up Susie, “Play, Play. No bed!”

“Shhhhhh,” Sarah made BooBear say. “We have to be quiet, or Mommy will know we are up playing.”

“Yeah, Susie,” Milly said. “Quiet. Don’t let Mommy know.”

“Why don’t we turn the lights down,” Sarah suggested. “So, Mommy will think you are sleeping. House, Lights level two”

Sarah made BooBear talk, “Sarah, story, story, story.”

“No BooBear,” Sarah replied. “Milly wouldn’t want a story. She wants to play.”

Sarah had BooBear go over to the Susie Dolly, “But we want a story. Please.”

“Yeah Sawah, stowy,” Milly said.

“Okay,” Sarah said. “Let’s get into bed. It will make it harder for Mommy to see us.”

Milly scooted up and got under the sheets and blanket until it was up to her neck. She grabbed both Susie and BooBear, putting one in each arm, making sure they also were under the covers up to their heads. Sarah looked at the pacifier on the bedstand as she scooted under the blanket, but not the sheets.

“Once upon a time, a long time ago,” Sarah said.

“Oooo, Susie,” Milly said. “This is going to be good. All good stowies stawt Once Upon a Time.”

Sarah smiled. She reached over and got Milly’s pacifier and offered it to Milly. Milly took it and stuffed it in her mouth.

“The world was a scary place with no Friendship Magic because there were no unicorns.”

“That would be tewwible,” Milly said.

Sarah noticed the windows starting to darken and could just barely hear a lullaby. Smiling, she continued the story, “One girl grew up loving unicorns and always wanted to see one. She was very sad having no unicorns. Then one day, she made a wish on a wishing stone. It was a really pretty stone, all different sparkling colors. She put her hand on the stone, and lots of colorful stars started to come out of the stone.”

Suddenly the room was full of multi-colored stars holo-projected. Sarah said to herself, ‘Thanks, Mom.’

“Pwetty,” Milly said through her pacifier, hugging both BooBear and Susie.

“Suddenly, a unicorn appeared next to the girl. It was all white, with a multi-colored mane,” Sarah looked at Milly’s pajamas. “And the horn was all pink.”

“Just like mine,” Milly said with glee, grabbing the horn on her pajamas.

“Yup, just like yours,” Sarah noticing that the lullaby got just a little louder and unicorns started to be projected with the multicolored stars. “Why don’t you lay down and look up at the unicorns and stars while I finish the story.”

Milly snuggled in with Susie and BooBear, staring up at the projections as they floated gently by above her.

“The girl looked at the unicorn and felt it’s soft mane. She gave it a big hug. Then in another brilliant flash of light, there was an Alicorn.”

“Ohhhhh, a winged unicorn,” Milly said in aww. “Da vewy ware.”

“Yes, they are very rare,” Sarah smiled at Milly.

“I bet she heard da Faiwy Godmotha say All Wishes Gwanted. Doctow said Faiwy Godmotha do dat.”

“Yes, that is exactly what happened,” Sarah agreed.

“What was the giwl’s name,” Milly asked.

“Um . . . Um,” Sarah tried to remember the Wishee’s name who wished for unicorns.

Then on Sarah’s personal display came a message, ‘Her name was Lucy.’

Saying in her head, ‘Thank You Mom.’ Sarah turned to Milly and said, “Her name was Lucy. Lucy went over and felt the feathers on the wings of the Alicorn. They were even softer than BooBear.”

Milly smiled and squeezed BooBear, as her eyes started to flutter.

“Lucy put the magic wishing stone down and climbed up on the Alicorn,” Sarah continued. “The two of them took off into the air. She looked down and saw her house, school, and the park she liked to play in. Lucy was so happy, and she could feel that the Alicorn was happy too. They lived happily ever after.”

Sarah looked over at Milly. Her eyes were closed.

“Thank You, Sawah,” Milly said without opening her eyes. “Bestest stowy evew.”

Sarah kissed Milly on her forehead and got out of bed. As she headed for the door, she saw Mom standing there, signaling with her hands for her to do something. Looking back at the bed, Sarah smiled and went back over to it. She raised the bed netting. Then she left the room.

Closing the door, leaving just a crack, Mom directed Sarah over to her bedroom. They both stayed silent until they were in Sarah’s room.

“Thank you Sarah,” Mom said. “You did a very good job. Especially since it was your first time ever putting your little sister to bed.”

“Thanks Mom,” Sarah beamed at the compliment. “Did I ever run away like that at bedtime when I was her age?”

“Yeah,” Mom said with a smile. “But you typically went to Dad if I was putting you to bed or me if Dad was putting you to bed. Mikey was always a good helper, though. He was great at getting your stuffed animals to talk you into bed.”

“I remembered that,” Sarah said. “That is why I used BooBear to help me.”

“If we wait until your bedtime,” Mom said, smiling at Sarah. “I think I can get Blueberry away from Milly so you can sleep with her.”

“Blueberry and I have slept together for like forever,” Sarah said, sitting back down on the window seat, where she was before being interrupted. “I guess I can sleep with one of my other stuffed animals for tonight. Let Milly sleep with Blueberry tonight.”

“You are such a big girl,” Mom said, sitting down with Sarah. Chuckling a little, “I remember when you got Blueberry and named her. It was Christmas shortly after you turned two. We had Blueberry pancakes for breakfast, and you wouldn’t let go of your new teddy bear. Mikey asked you what you were going to name him. You told Mikey your bear was a girl, not a yucky boy. Then you named her Blueberry. Of course, you couldn’t pronounce Blueberry correctly, and it came out boobewwy.”

Smiling, Sarah commented, “Still does. I had Booberry yogurt after school today.”

“But you are fully capable of saying blueberry correctly now, but whenever I hear you call your bear, BooBear, it always takes me back to my memories of when you were two,” Mom said, hugging Sarah.

“Milly has cute little kid talk,” Sarah observed. “She can’t even say my name right.”

“She says all her R sounds as W. That is normal for her age,” Mom commented. “Does make her look even cuter, doesn’t it? She will probably have the R sound by the time she gets to 1st grade. Most kids do. Well, you’re a big girl now. A big girl who still has to finish her homework. House, how much more reading does Sarah have left to do before finishing her homework assignment?”

>>She has eight more minutes left out of twenty.<<

“Well, Sarah, you finish that, and then you can have some playtime or join Daddy and me downstairs. Or, you can just keep reading.”

“Keep reading? Funny Mom,” Sarah picked up her school pad and started reading from where she left off.

Marsha went downstairs and joined Gregg in the living room, “So, your parents are coming. That’s a long trip just to see Milly.”

“You know my Mom. She’ll do anything to spend time with the grandkids. She has a new grandbaby, and holo-images are not going to ease her cravings to cuddle and kiss that baby,” Gregg said. “Dad said they will be here in nine days. He couldn’t stop complaining about the trip. Apparently, Mom bought passage in one of the most expensive cabins on the cruise ship.”

Marsha chuckled, “Your rough and tumble Mom. Gatta love her. Go rock climbing up a cliff in an astro-suit, then get the full spa treatment for a fancy night out.”

“When do you think we should tell the kids,” Gregg asked?

“Not until the day they are coming or maybe the day before. You know Sarah, no patience, and Milly is a Little Kid, they have no sense of time. Well, Sarah’s sense of time isn’t a whole lot better. Speaking of which, I think I hear little feet coming down the stairs.”

“All done Mommy,” Sarah declared as she entered the room.

“Did you put your School Pad in your backpack,” Mom asked?

Sarah went running out of the room.

“Will she ever remember to do that without prompting,” Marsha asked?

“High expectations for a little kid who still wears training pants to bed every night,” Gregg replied.

“Okay, good point,” Marsha smiled. “She can be so grown up at times and so little at other times.”

“Challenges and joys of raising children,” Gregg smiled. “At least her issues are normal ones. Mikey, or should I say Milly has definitely thrown us some that would be considered out of the norm.”

“Transgender girl, making a magical wish that actually comes true, and regresses from being twelve down to a four-year-old, sounds like just your typical run of the mill kid,” Marsha said, trying to maintain a straight face.

“Just your typical kid,” Gregg chuckled. “Our typical kid.”

Sarah charged into the room and pounced onto Dad.

“uuuuuuhhhhhhh,” Gregg got out, surprised by the sudden kid landing on him.

“Daddy,” Sarah said with glee. “Can we play Shooting Stars and Climbing Asteroids?”

“Go ahead Gregg,” Marsha said. “It’s a little too advanced for Milly, so after her going to bed is a good time to play. You can probably get in one game before Sarah’s bedtime.”

“No Mommy,” Sarah protested. “You have to play too.”

“Go clear space in the Playroom to play,” Dad said, hugging Sarah.

Sarah got off Daddy and went running off to the playroom.

“Sarah,” Mom yelled. “Put the toys on the shelves, and not just pushed to the side on the floor.”

In a much softer voice, “House, when we play the game tonight, set Sarah to Little Kid level.”

“What you do that for,” Gregg asked?

“It will increase her chances of winning,” Marsha said. “And I think she needs the joy of winning at the moment.”

“Can I set me to Little Kid too,” Gregg asked?

Marsha threw a couch pillow at Gregg, “You goofball.”

Marsha and Gregg got up and headed into the playroom.