I lugged my heavy suitcase out of the taxi that had just dropped me off at my uncle's house for the month. It was soon to be my 18th birthday, and I knew Uncle was preparing me a surprise party, even though it was supposed to be secret. Uncle had been dropping heavy hints when I spoke to him on the phone. I hadn't seen him in the flesh for nearly 10 years now, since I left LazyTown to go back home after summer had ended. I'd tried to keep in touch with my friends, but eventually the letters had petered out after a couple of months or so. We'd just gone our separate ways - I'd made new friends since Mum and Dad divorced and Dad and I had moved to another town - I couldn't stay with Mum. She was an alcoholic, and she had to go to rehab. We hadn't heard from her since. Just as I was about to knock on the door, it was flung open, and Uncle stood there, looking somewhat younger, in a snazzy new-looking suit. "Hello, Uncle!" I exclaimed, throwing my arms around him. "How have you been?" A few months after I'd left LazyTown, Uncle had finally popped the question to his years-long flame, Bessie Busybody, his secretary, and they'd got married hurriedly a few weeks later. I didn't get the chance to go to the wedding as Mum was kicking up another fuss about custody, and it wasn't the sort of time I could go at such short notice. Nevertheless, they were very happy together. But then, two years ago, Bessie was struck with throat cancer. She had smoked like a chimney for years, and it had finally caught her up. She died four months after she had been diagnosed. I hadn't been able to attend her funeral, as it was a very small and select one with only Uncle. I'd spoken to Uncle on the phone after it had happened, and he seemed upset, but brave, and I admired him for that. When I love someone as much as I know he loved Bessie, I will never let them go.
Uncle and I caught up over the next few hours. He told me he still felt a little upset sometimes because of Bessie, but he was improving. He'd reinvented himself into a new Milford Man. He had the support of Stingy, Pixel, Ziggy and Trixie, Sportacus and even Robbie had been sympathetic from time to time. Stingy had recently become interested in family history, and was constantly pouring over books and computers, trying to see if he had any royal blood. At the moment, he wasn't successful with his quest. Pixel had nearly been done for hacking into Facebook, but the blame had been put onto some poor innocent 14-year-old boy in Indonesia. Ziggy had been setting up his own Sports Candy ™ (They were successful on getting a trademark on it) business, along with the help of Sportacus. I laughed when I heard this. Ziggy sure loved his sweets, and he was finally doing something with his passion. And Trixie? Well, I heard that Trixie had got a bit off the rails when she was 14, and had got involved with some shady characters. She gave birth at 16, to a lovely little boy, according to Uncle, called Buster. He must be one now. Sportacus was busy with helping Ziggy with the Sports Candy ™ business, and Robbie, well he had kept quiet for the past few years. I wondered if he was planning some huge disaster, but Uncle shook his head "No," he said sadly, "Not even that. I don't know if he's very happy nowadays. He's basically a recluse, but I see him sometimes walking round LazyTown, and he looks so depressed." I looked at Uncle. He smiled sadly, and stood up. "Now, Stephanie, I'm sure you'd like to go and see your friends, wouldn't you?" I nodded enthusiastically. "Go on, then," he said, "I have some duties, anyway." I grabbed my bag, and rushed out the door.
As I walked down the street, I couldn't seem to remember the way, but my legs definitely seemed to. I arrived at the Sports Field, and saw a tall, muscular, blond young man juggling Sports Candy™ and putting them in crates. "Ziggy?" I whispered, walking closer. The young man turned around. He dropped the Sports Candy ™ and hastily picked it up, so not to bruise it.
"Stephanie?" He gasped, "But - but - the Mayor said you were gone forever! That you'd never come back! You know, what with your Mum being an alcoholic and addicted..." Ziggy trailed off. "...sorry."
I waved my hand dismissively. "It's fine," I said, "I didn't think I'd ever come back either. But look at you, Ziggy! You've grown into quite the young man!" Ziggy went a bit pink and smiled.
"Thanks, Stephanie," he said, "And you, too. The pink has gone!" I looked down at myself. I was wearing a branded t-shirt, black skinny jeans and Converse.
"Yeah. It went years ago! I just thought it was time for a change. Time to grow up."