The Stork visits Duckburg.
By Sharan McQuack, Launchpad's wife.
Launchpad was hovering around be like a moth around a flame.
"Launchpad, I'll be fine, honest. This has been happening to women since time began." I said.
"Sorry. I'm nervous and worried." Launchpad replied.
"Well, now you know how I feel when you risk your life to save some poor snook who is up to his eyeballs in Trouble. I wouldn't change you for the world- yet I still wish you'd be more careful out there." I said.
"What's going on here? What's all the fuss about?" Mr. McDuck demanded.
"Can I tell him? Please? I want to see the LOOK on his face!" Launchpad asked.
"Knock yourself out." I replied.
"My wife, Sharan is with child, Mr. McDee. I'm going to be a Dad." Launchpad replied.
"WHAT?! ANOTHER LAUNCHPAD?!" Mr. McDuck demanded.
"He hasn't told you the BEST part yet. Apparently Launchpad is a very good bombardier as well as a pilot." I joked.
"What does that mean?" Mr. McDuck asked.
"The doctor says there are four eggs. Of course, there is no knowing if all of them will hatch or not." Launchpad replied.
"FIVE Launchpads?" Mr. McDuck screamed.
"Assuming they all hatch and none of them are girls, yes." I replied.
" I'd be OK with girls." Launchpad stated.
"I'm hoping for at least one boy. So I can name him Launchpad McQuack Jr., after his dad." I replied.
" I thought your family named kids after dead relatives?" Launchpad asked.
"They wouldn't object. If you think it be bad luck.." I said.
"Nah. As long as they don't object." said Launchpad trying not to show how proud he was (and failing miserably)."What do you suppose the baby or babies will LOOK like?"
"No telling that until after they get here. They could have red hair and blue eyes like you. Or brown hair and eyes like me. We MIGHT even get a blonde- but the odds are against it." I said.
"I have red hair, you have brown, how could we have a blonde?" Launchpad asked.
"Your sister Loopy- her hair is naturally blonde- she doesn't dye it, right?" I asked in return.
"Right. She inherited it from her grandma." Launchpad replied.
"My dad's hair was blond- before it turned grey. With blondes on both sides, fairly close- it's possible. The odds are against it, but it's possible." I said.
Time past as it has the habit of doing. All four eggs hatched in due course. Two boys, two girls. None blonde.
"What shall we name the babies?" I asked.
"Since you want to name one of the boys after me, I'll name the girls and you name the boys." Launchpad offered.
That was fair, so I agreed.
"The oldest, the redhead boy looks like he escaped from your baby pictures. There's nothing ELSE to name him but Launchpad McQuack Jr., anyway." I said.
"His brother, the one with brown hair I'll name after my Grandpa Harry." I added.
"The oldest girl looks just like you. Brown hair and hazel eyes." Launchpad began.
"Brown. My eyes are brown. Her eyes are brown." I muttered.
"They look hazel to me. Her name's Sheila- after you. The redhead is Dora. After your grandma." Launchpad stated.
Luckily, Launchpad had graduated from the Duckburg Flying Academy shortly before they hatched. That gave him more time to help. And he didn't just help, he morphed into superdad. I always knew Launchpad would be a great dad- he was great with Dufus, Huey, Dewey and Louie, Webby, Gosylyn- how could I NOT know that? But LOTS of other people didn't notice that. (What DO other people notice, anyway?)
And of course, we got a lot of help from my parents- they even moved to Duckburg to the first house they ever owned. They moved to a house that had gone into foreclosure and they could get cheap- quite close to where we lived, but not TOO close.
And Mr. McDuck was staying in Duckburg more and using Launchpad's services less.
"Maybe he's finally slowing down in his old age?" I asked Launchpad.
"No way. He's up to something. He's buying out a small competitor- but there's a lot of legal bother and it will take a while. And Mr. McDee doesn't want them jacking up the price or somebody else buying it. He intends to have Huey, Dewey and Louie run it someday- to "get their feet wet".Launchpad explained.
We got help from his parents- even Mrs. Beakly.
"I love babies." she said.
"We can't pay you." Launchpad worried.
"Maybe we can. Ever want to travel, Mrs. Beakly?" I asked.
"I always wanted to go to Paris." she confessed.
"Mr. McDuck often has you flying to Paris . You can fly her there, fly her back a week or two later. Free airfare to Paris- and the names of every inexpensive hotel and motel in Paris. Launchpad and I know them all and can give recommendations." I suggested.
So it was agreed. In exchange for babysitting services, Mrs. Beakly would get free travel. And once the babies were three, they could go to the Day Care center run by the Duckburg Flying Academy, which was free to graduates. Especailly since Launchpad was working as a Flight Instructor there part time.
"So I can spend more time at home, at least until the kids are bigger." Launchpad said.
"Are you sure you're OK with that? It means less adventuring for you!" I asked.
"I always wanted to teach! And I can find plenty of adventure in and around Duckburg!" Launchpad replied.
Well, since Launchpad is a Trouble magnet, that's true . Especially since this is DUCKBURG we're talking about. You know how " never a dull minute" Duckburg is. Not to mention the fact that SAINT CANARD is not that far from Duckburg. That insanity sometimes slopped over to Duckburg.
Launchpad and I had plenty of adventures in and around Duckburg. I was often taking care of the kids, but I'm not as brave as he is anyway. I never had ANY adventures before I met him, I didn't mind having a few less. I took my camera whereever I went so I could at least take photos with a zoom lens from a safe distance. I also gave Launchpad a small digital camera to do likewise.
"We can use the extra money" I explained.
When somebody was minding the kids. I organized old photos and sold some to publishers for coffee table books or calendars. I asked what kind of photos they were looking for and looked thur my unsold photos for that kind of photo. I didn't get much money, but it helped.
A New Begining.