Parenting Challenges

Pocahontas meets Midna at Sunburst for their usual lunch chat.

Esmeralda: Midna's making your lunches and will meet you on the patio.  She said it's a shame to be indoors on such a nice day.

Pocahontas: Why do you have a menu for me?  I always call in my order ahead of time.

Esmeralda: Just an old habit.  I was waiting tables when I met Marcus and my boss at the time insisted we greet customers with a menu in hand. 

Pocahontas: Really?  No wonder you took to it so quickly.  Waitressing, I mean.  

Midna:  Should you be eating burgers and fries?  Aren't you trying to lose weight for the wedding? 

Pocahontas: Seriously, girl, you are as bad as the kids.  We need to sort out more practical matters before planning a wedding ceremony.  

Midna: I still say let John make the decisions about the kids and you deal with the money matters. Even before he got any kind of formal training, he was always so good with kids, and you are...  Okay, I'll shut up about that.

Pocahontas (laughs): That is pretty much what we've decided.  The big issue right now is finding a house we all like.  The girls did say they'd be all right with sharing a room but I think Nakoma's not really on board with that.  They're so much younger than her.

Midna: Well, she's going away to college in a couple of years. 

Pocahontas: She's planning to live at home and go locally, just like I did.  Anakin's custody is still in question - his mom is doing really well in her recovery.  And John wants to have more children. 

Midna: Well, how about that.  I've never seriously pictured you as a mom. 

Pocahontas: I think I'm offended. (Laughs) Nakoma said the same thing.  Anakin said John will be the mom and I'll be the dad.  

Midna: That actually makes sense, if you ignore biology and look at traditional family dynamics.

Pocahontas: Where would any child of Cash Nedakh have learned about traditional family dynamics?

******

Later that day, the Malfoy siblings have an unexpected reunion in the park.  

Zenobia: Hey!  Long time no see! 

Leia: You're insane.  You just saw us at the country club over the weekend.

Boudica: We're gathering fall leaves for Draco's school project.  Seems a bit juvenile for his grade level, but maybe he's in Remedial Botany or something. 

Draco (indignant): It's for extra credit, I told you.  

Leia: Well, if you did your regular work properly, you wouldn't need extra credit, would you?  

Draco: Zenobia did her school work properly and look how she turned out.  Waiting tables, living in the slums, and associating with people like (indicates Albus) him.

Albus (to Zenobia): Thank you for walking with me from the greenhouse.  I'll go on ahead and let you visit with your sisters and brother. 

Zenobia: What was that?  

Boudica: Rude much?  What is wrong with Albus? 

Draco: He's probably a draft dodger and a dope fiend.  He's homeless!

Boudica: How does a draft dodger get VA benefits?  I've seen his medical records. 

Leia: Dope fiends can't keep a job and he lives at The Point in a camper.

Draco (scoffs): You call that a home?  

Albus pauses to make a call.  

Albus: Dude, I don't think Zenobia is the kid you should be worrying about.