"To me, schatzi!"

Klavier giggled like a schoolgirl as the frisbee hovered past his ear and attempted to land in a tree only to be caught in the act by his skinny fingers. It was crazy to think he had once had zero coordination and even less self-confidence. The band had changed all that, leading to him marrying a fellow performer and disappointing all the groupies.

"Okay, your turn Herr Porcupine!"

"Hey, that's Dad to you!"

Phoenix failed miserably to catch the frisbee, instead watching it fly free until it dropped abruptly into the middle of the lake. "Ugh, it happened again. Missile, fetch!"

Missile, full name Missile Junior, splashed his way into the lake and retrieved the frisbee, now covered in teeth marks from one too many dodgy throws and subsequent doggy rescues.

"Good job, Missile!" Trucy said from a decent distance, waiting until after he had shaken off the water to retrieve the frisbee and give her precious pooch a well-deserved hug.

"Good game, huh, schatzi?"

"I'd say," replied Trucy with a grin so huge you'd think she'd lodged a slice of melon in her mouth. "Safe to say, Daddy wins the award for 'Least Likely To Catch The Darn Thing'."

"I reckon Gourdy must be a bit annoyed by now," Phoenix laughed.

"Ja, that seems likely. Anyway, lunch."

They were halfway through their picnic when Trucy sat up expectantly and shared a conspiratorial glance with her husband. Should we tell him, she said without letting a word leak out.

Don't worry, I'll handle this, Klavier replied equally silently. He turned to Phoenix.

"Enjoying today?"

"Definitely. Thank you for inviting me along."

"Yes, well this is probably the last time it it'll be just the three of us, ja?" He sighed and leaned back, staring out over the lake. "Next time you come here you'll most likely be with the grandkids."

"You think it'll take that long?"

"Nein."

Phoenix was confused. Surely he was too young for grandkids? After all, he was barely in his forties and... hey, wait a minute.

If he'd had a kid at twenty, and his kid had followed in his footsteps, he'd have a grandkid by now. And what would happen if the kid he'd adopted at thirty had grown up and gotten married? She was certainly old enough to be having kids now. Besides, he was old enough for his skull to start, ahem, showing vacant spots. He liked where this was going, even if it heralded the start of a midlife crisis.

"Truce, do you have something to tell me?"

Trucy nodded enthusiastically, leaving Phoenix nostalgic for the old times and Klavier worried that his schatzi would give herself whiplash. "I'm pregnant, Daddy. I'm having a baby."

Phoenix wasn't sure whether to cheer or cry. His little girl had grown up while he wasn't looking. In the end, he just hugged her instead.