AUTHOR'S NOTE: So this one is a long one, and this one is the first story of mine to REALLY take place in the future: 2085. You'll get a first glimpse of some new characters I plan to write about eventually. You may or may not want tissues for this one.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to "Meet the Robinsons," the only characters I do not own are Franny and Wilbur.
STORY #20: Franny's Diary
STORIES OF REFERENCE: Disaster; Saving the Future; For Good; Pride and Justice; Conflicts; Hope; Her Heart's Calling
NARRATORS: Franny (in Italics) and Wilbur
SEPTEMBER 22, 2085 – TODAYLAND, NORTH MONTANA, USA
Me and my extended family had just returned from another funeral, and hopefully the last funeral for a long while. The funeral was for my mom, the last Robinson of her generation, who had died peacefully of old age last week.
"Are you alright?" Karena, my wife of 43 years, asked me, and I shook my head.
"I knew for some time my mom was going to pass away, but she's the healthiest woman I've known."
"Dad, she didn't die because of any complications," Diana, my 40-year-old daughter, said with a smile on her face. "She died because she was old."
"Besides, didn't she tell you to celebrate her life instead of mourn for her?" Berethor Wheaton, my son-in-law, asked. "If she was seeing you right now, she'd be telling you to put a smile on her face and celebrate the memories we've all shared with her."
"He's right," Wesley, my 36-year-old son, chimed in. "Let's head to the music room and celebrate her life with her frogs."
"Oh, I didn't think about that!" I exclaimed. "What are we going to do with her frogs?"
"Don't worry, I can take care of them and their music," Maggie, my daughter-in-law, assured me. "Franny told me personally that I was just the right person for the job."
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but I found this in my room."
We all turned to see Idrial Wheaton, my dark-red-haired 14-year-old granddaughter, carrying an old book.
"I haven't seen a book in many, many years!" I exclaimed as Diana took the book from her daughter's hands.
"Dad, you need to hear this," Diana said after flipping to a random page, and she started reading the book.
SEPTEMBER 23, 2022
My dear baby,
Daddy and I just found out we were going to have a baby – you! We had been trying for you ever since we got married over four years ago. I had started three journals, but all three had ended abruptly because I miscarried your brothers and sisters. So, I'm praying very hard that you will survive and that you will be with us in May. I'm so excited to watch you grow in my tummy, but I'm even more excited for when you'll be in my arms for the first time!
"Whose book is that?" Berethor asked, scratching his copper head.
"In May," I started to say, and then it hit me. "Diana, when was that entry?"
"September 23, 2022."
"It's my mom's!" I exclaimed. "I remember her telling me how she felt when she found out she was pregnant with me."
"She was writing to you!" Diana said in realization.
"Is the whole diary for me?" I asked uneasily, taking the diary from my daughter.
"Go to another page," Karena encouraged me, and I started reading another entry.
OCTOBER 13, 2022
My dear baby,
We had our first appointment today, and I am so thrilled that you are still here with us. The doctor made sure that I was taking all of my prenatal vitamins and that I was drinking a lot of water. Because of that, I saw you for the first time, and I'm already so much in love with you. Daddy couldn't make it to that appointment, but just know that he loves you, too.
Your daddy's the greatest inventor in the world, and that is why I do not see him often. He's done a lot of good things for the world. He's in the process of creating flying cars, but he has already made monorails and moving sidewalks a reality. He's been working all of his life to make the world a better place to live, and I'm happy to live in that world. I can see the two of you being best friends.
I am a music teacher at the grade school here, and I teach little kids how to sing and play all sorts of instruments, like the piano, guitar, and saxophone. I also teach a frog band in my spare time. I know it will sound silly at first, but the more you grow, the more you'll realize that love is unconditional, and we all love you. Yes, I say that because you have a whole family waiting for you, but I'll tell you more about that later.
"I was her fourth pregnancy?" I asked with astonishment.
"Did you know your mom miscarried?" Karena asked.
"I knew she miscarried after having me," I explained. "But I had no idea she struggled so much with just being able to have a baby. Karena, can you read another entry?"
I watched Karena flip to another page before she started reading.
NOVEMBER 23, 2022
My dear baby,
Tomorrow I will be 14 weeks pregnant with you, and you have already grown so much. My tummy is not too big yet, but my being pregnant is now obvious to the family. You have a very sensitive body, because I am always throwing up everything I eat. Thankfully, your grandma has given me some ginger to calm my stomach. Right now, you react very well to gingerbread cookies, which to me is very odd, because it's not Christmas yet!
Today is Thanksgiving, and so we will have a big feast. We are all celebrating together and being thankful for the family, but we are the most thankful for you, my little baby. We live with your grandparents, some of our aunts and uncles, and Daddy has two cousins while I have two brothers, who will be your uncles. Everything brings a different kind of light to the table, and we are so very thankful for these lights. I am excited to see what kind of light you'll be bringing to the table next year.
"Do you remember your first Thanksgiving as a pregnant woman?" I asked with laughter, and both Karena and Diana laughed with me.
"Boy do I ever!" Karena replied. "I was pregnant with Diana and I was eating everything!"
"I probably ate more than you, Mom," Diana chimed in with a big smile. "I was eating like a horse on my first pregnant Thanksgiving!"
"At least you had a good reason for that," Berethor replied with a smirk. "And Idrial, you came into our arms a healthy baby."
"Don't forget about Morwen," Idrial replied.
"Where is Morwen anyway?" Diana asked. "I wonder if she should be in here listening to this."
"I'll go find her!" Idrial enthusiastically answered, running from the living room to the travel tube.
"Well, here's the next one," Berethor said, flipping to another page and reading out loud.
DECEMBER 25, 2022
Merry Christmas, dear baby! I am well over 18 weeks, and guess what? I felt you move your little feet for the first time! That is truly the greatest Christmas gift I've ever received in my life. I am debating on whether to find out if you are a boy or a girl on Friday. Daddy really wants to find out so he can start decorating your room.
You are really going to enjoy Christmas, my dear baby. Christmas is full of merry cheer, pretty lights, beautiful presents… but the greatest thing about Christmas is the gift of hope. Christmas is a part of a story you will learn later in life, but it is one of the most beautiful stories about mankind. We cannot wait to share that story with you someday. I can't wait to write about everything!
"I remember your mom telling me about that day," Karena said with bliss. "I was worried that I wasn't going to feel Diana kick for the first time."
"Karr, you were only 18 weeks at the time carrying your first baby," I replied with a flat expression.
"Is there a journal entry for the day you were born, Dad?" Diana asked, and I started to flip the pages.
"There is!" I exclaimed, and I started to read.
MAY 17, 2023
Welcome to the world, Wilbur James Cornelius Robinson! You were born at 8:25 this evening weighing 8 pounds and 2 ounces, and you are the most beautiful baby Daddy and I have ever seen. I'm sad that I am not holding you right now, but you need your beauty sleep. You've had a busy day preparing my body to deliver you into the world. But we are proud of you for being a fighter throughout our whole pregnancy.
The entire family is already excited to meet you! Daddy and I can't wait to bring you home.
"Once a fighter, always a fighter," Berethor said with a smirk as Idrial came back in with her brown-haired twin sister Morwen.
"What are you doing?" Morwen asked with curiosity.
"We're reading stories from your great-grandma's diary," Diana answered.
"You're reading someone's diary?" Morwen asked with some anger in her voice. "That's an invasion of privacy!"
"Morwen, your great-grandma just died, remember?" Berethor explained. "Idrial found it, and we believe that she wrote to your grandpa. That is why we are reading it together."
"Oh, here's one from Wilbur's first birthday!" Karena said excitedly.
MAY 17, 2024
My dearest Wilbur,
You did it! You are ONE YEAR OLD! You have learned so much in your first year of life: you rolled over, you crawled, and you've even started to walk already! You are the bravest baby Daddy and I have ever met, and I am so proud to be your mom. We've also learned that you love turkey, green beans, and oranges, and you are the most attracted to the color orange. You have quite the personality, Wilbur. You are brave and strong, but you are always happy. You only cry when you're hungry, tired, or needing to be clean. And I absolutely love that you love jazz as much as I do. You are the brightest star in the house, and you bring a lot of life into this house because of that energy. We love you so much, Wilbur.
"I am amazed that she paid that much attention to your personality," Berethor said in awe.
"Diana clearly got that from her," I replied with a chuckle. "I swear Diana knew Idrial and Morwen like a book from the moment they were born."
"Come to think of it, Diana, you look just like your grandma when she was your age," Karena said with a smirk. "Even though your hair is longer."
"Is there a picture of her?" Berethor asked, and Karena left the room.
"Here's an interesting one," Idrial chimed in, flipping through the pages.
AUGUST 24, 2026
My dearest Wilbur,
You started preschool today! Daddy and I were both very nervous because you do get anxious when we are not there, but you were still brave, even though your first day did not go well.
I was heartbroken when you told me you didn't like school because you got made fun of for your small black cowlick. You had asked me to be your teacher instead of going back to school. While I am flattered at what you asked, I'm saddened that I cannot give you that opportunity. I am a teacher, too, and I have to teach other kids. But I will think about being there for you more, Wilbur, because you are more important than my students. You make me the happiest woman alive, and so do Daddy, my frogs, and the family.
"I remember my mom talking to my dad about that," I said after Idrial finished reading. "It influenced her to put her career on hold. It helped me a lot knowing that she was home all the time."
"Was anybody else home with her?" Morwen asked.
"Yes, I had two great-uncles, Joe and Fritz. Joe was in a mobile wheelchair, so he couldn't really go anywhere. Fritz was still grieving his wife and was making a puppet in her image. Joe's wife, Billie, was always there when I needed her, and she always played with me. And of course, there's Carl."
"I found it!" Karena exclaimed, running back in the room with a picture of my mom in her forties.
"Hey, I do look like her!" Diana exclaimed happily. "I'm actually proud of that."
"Let me read one!" Morwen slightly yelled at Idrial.
"I think Grandpa should read the next one," Idrial calmly shot back.
"Girls, we're all one family here," I chimed in, giving them both a stern look. "Morwen, why don't you pick an entry to read? She's your great-grandma, too."
DECEMBER 25, 2032
My dearest Wilbur,
I cannot believe that you are almost TEN! Another Christmas has come and gone, and Daddy introduced us to the first time machine! I saw the sparkle in your brown eyes and I could tell you wanted to ride in it. But you need to listen to Daddy, Wilbur. The time machine is not a toy. If you were to ever take the time machine, you are putting your life in danger. You could change the past, and not just any past: you could change the past of any family member:
Your grandparents, who chose to adopt your father so they could give him a life he had always desired.
Your daddy and me, who played a big part in you being here so you could have the life you have always dreamed of having.
And anyone else who is a part of the family who have sacrificed a part of themselves to help us raise you. I'm praying that you will heed your father's wisdom and apply it to your life every day. I love you, Wilbur.
"You guys have a time machine?" Morwen asked in awe, giving the book to Karena.
"Can you show it to us?" Idrial asked excitedly.
"Not right now," I replied. "But maybe later."
"Aww—"
"Girls, Grandpa said 'later,' not 'no,'" Berethor told them calmly. "I haven't seen the time machine either and I've known Grandpa for over 20 years."
"Wilbur, do you remember the day we first met?" Karena asked.
"As if it was yesterday!" I answered enthusiastically.
"Well, listen to what your mom wrote you."
APRIL 26, 2037
My dearest Wilbur,
The last two days were the weirdest days of my life. First, Carl explained that you were up at four in the morning because you had important business! Then, Todayland changed, and all of a sudden, your dad was working for some guy named Emperor Stanley! Then, Todayland came back, and I had a great visit with one of my childhood friends, Lizzy, who ran a pet store downtown. Then, I met a young boy who reminded me very much of your dad… only to find that YOU had brought your dad from the past to the future, which meant that YOU had changed the future. I remember being very angry with you and had grounded you for life. But, judging from the look on your face when we all left you in the backyard, I had started to feel guilty until Todayland changed once again.
I don't remember much of that, but I do remember feeling free when Todayland came back. I watched you return Lewis back to the past before your dad and I had a serious talk about you. He explained everything: you waking up at four in the morning to try to correct your mistake in not locking the garage door; you trying to go to the past to stop the thief who stole our second time machine; you saving the citizens of Todayland/Magma City, but, even more importantly, saving children's lives… it had occurred to me that you are more than a rebellious teenager; you are Wilbur Robinson, the person who always looks after another human being, physically or mentally, and who always uplifts them up when they fall down. I met your girlfriend Karena that day as well, and it looked like she helped you move forward after learning of your mistakes. Yes, I am angry at you, but I'm proud of you at the same time. You have made our lives very entertaining, Wilbur, and I pray that you will continue to entertain us with your spunk the rest of our lives.
"My mom felt guilty?" I asked with surprise in my voice. "I had no idea she felt that way. I had thought that I had lost her trust along with everybody else's."
"But you didn't," Karena reminded me. "You told your dad how you really felt, and your parents started to listen to you. It takes teamwork between parents and children, too, not just with married couples."
"I really love this one," Berethor chimed in, starting to read the entry he found.
MAY 24, 2041
My dearest Wilbur,
How are you already a high school graduate? Just yesterday you were in my arms for the first time, and now you're graduating high school and going to Todayland University in a few months! And even more so, you're engaged! I'm so very proud of how far you've come the last four years, from being a rebellious teenager to being an honest man, ready to live his future with his bride. I knew from the moment you told me that Karena was your girlfriend that she was going to influence you in all aspects of your life, and she truly has. I'm so excited for her to be part of the family.
I'm not sure when you will actually read this, Wilbur, but if you were to read this now, just know that I love being your mother. You may look like me, but you have a lot of your father in you. You are smart, but compassionate at the same time. I'm excited to see you carry the education torch; Grandpa Bud was a science teacher, and I was a music teacher before sacrificing my job to take care of you. Karena has high hopes of you soaring to be a history teacher, so my hopes are high too. I just pray that you will find the career that will become your calling.
"And now the education torch is passed on!" Wesley exclaimed, bringing his wife closer to him.
"We'll have to see which of your five grandchildren will go into education," Maggie chimed in.
"Wesley, Maggie, would you two like to read an entry?" Karena offered. "You've both been quiet this whole time."
"I'll read first," Wesley said, going through a few pages. "Hey, this is the date you and Dad got married!"
APRIL 26, 2042
My dearest Wilbur,
First of all, congratulations on your wedding day! You and Karena were a beautiful couple on your big day. I know your marriage will go far because you've always openly communicated and you two were always honest with each other.
I just want to take the time to give you some tips. You and Karena will have some fights as you go about your marriage. I know that you have a temper, so I want you to take a deep breath, and then calmly tell her how you feel about the situation. Karena is a selfless, kind soul, and she is very understanding. Also, always have Karena on your mind, and she should always be number two in your life after your faith. If you two have kids together, she should still be the first to take care of before your kids. She will go through a lot of hardships in being a mother, because I have. If it wasn't for your father, I wouldn't be the woman I am today. When you two take care of each other physically and mentally, your foundation will be as solid as a boulder.
I hope you and Karena will enjoy your honeymoon! Enjoy that honeymoon stage while you two are in it, because it is so full of love and bliss.
"Where did you two go?" Idrial asked with a smile on her face.
"Hawaii," Karena answered with a smile.
"Why didn't I think of that?" Berethor asked, and Karena and I both laughed.
"Because we're both mountain people," Diana answered, giving him a kiss. "Besides, I loved our honeymoon in the Smoky Mountains."
"Why can't we go to Hawaii?" Morwen asked with a smirk.
"Because it's a lot of money," Diana answered.
"It really is," I chimed in. "Your mom and I were both thankful your grandpa was willing to help me pay for the trip."
"Wilbur, he paid for all of it, remember?"
"I love this one," Maggie said, finding the entry she wanted to read.
JUNE 6, 2044
My dearest Wilbur,
I just found out some amazing news: Karena is pregnant! I'm sure you will know of this in due time, but I was there when Karena took her pregnancy test. I had known that she was nauseous all of last week, and then she got nauseous at the smell of coffee, which was how I found out I was pregnant with you. I told Karena to take the test and then meet me in the music room, and when I revealed the news to her, we were both crying.
I can already picture you as an amazing father to your baby. I couldn't picture it five years ago, but now, I know you'll do great. Again, don't let your temper take control of you. A baby, your kid, will be a sensitive person, just like you were when you were a baby. Shower your baby with love and understanding, and your baby will always look to you for guidance. I'm excited to be a grandma for the first time. Oh, I've gotta ask your Grandma Lucille on how grandparenting works!
"So that's where my mom went!" I exclaimed. "And also why I never saw you both the rest of the day."
"Sorry, Wilbur," Karena replied with amusement in her voice. "But I didn't want to tell you right off the bat and catch you off guard."
"Which one of us were you carrying, Mom?" Diana asked.
"You, Diana," Karena answered with a smile.
"Give me that journal," Diana said. "I want to see if Grandma wrote something on my birthday."
FEBRUARY 2, 2045
My dearest Wilbur,
I don't know what I'm more excited about: that I just became a grandma or that your precious daughter was born today! Welcome to parenthood! I saw Baby Diana for the first time today and she is so beautiful, just like her mom, but she does look a lot like you and me. I can tell she is going to really look up to you in the years to come. I saw the way she was looking up at you for the first time. While she doesn't know what she is seeing yet, she can tell you're there and that you love her.
Cherish Diana's first moments to the fullest, because Diana will grow up very quickly just like you have. We all cannot wait to welcome Diana to the Robinson family with open arms!
"Aww, I love it," Diana said with a smile after she finished reading.
"I remember seeing your baby pictures," Berethor said with a smile, kissing Diana on the cheek.
"And I remember comparing our baby pictures of Idrial to mine!" Diana replied with laughter. "I thought Idrial was going to be a mirror image of me!"
"It turns out, she has the most beautiful red hair I have ever seen," Karena chimed in, playing with her granddaughter's hair.
"Thank you," Idrial replied with a big smile.
"Didn't you tell me that your hair was a combined color of your parents, Berethor?" I asked.
"Yes, that's right."
"I wonder if your mom's gene got mixed with Diana's gene to come up with that color," I hypothesized.
"That is a very likely case," Diana replied. "Her hair has always been that shade of color since she was a year old."
"And that made me happy when we found out that Morwen had brown hair," Karena chimed in. "We could easily identify which twin was who."
"Can I read the next one?" Morwen asked.
Diana handed her younger daughter the book, and Morwen started to flip the pages until she found the one she wanted to read.
MAY 27, 2045
My dearest Wilbur,
I just said good-bye to Karena and Diana today as they left to meet you in Connecticut, and my heart is heavy. I thought I would be happy because you're living your life the way you've always dreamed of. But I'm not. I've been crying nonstop all night. I visited your room last night, and I paid another visit today. While it is clean, it is also so empty without you and your family in it. I already miss your energy and your spunk. We all do.
Maybe I'm taking this harder than I should. Do not think that I am fearless, Wilbur, because I have these fears that I never thought was possible. I've always feared that you wanted to leave the house and live on your own, and you have. I've always feared of being a terrible mother to you after all this time, and maybe I was, because I'm feeling depressed. I'm praying that I'll find the answers to my fears soon.
"I remember that time," I said after Morwen finished reading. "I remember Mom telling me that it took a lot of courage to call me on the phone to tell me how she felt about me."
"I've always wondered how you and Mom felt about me after I left Connecticut," Diana chimed in.
"We were both very proud of you," I answered with a smile. "We were both concerned, of course, after everything that had happened, but we were proud of you, and we were proud of ourselves for raising such a strong woman."
"And we felt the same way about Wesley," Karena chimed in with a smile.
"Wesley, I just want to say thank you for being here for your grandma when everyone started to pass away," I told my son with a grateful heart. "It helped her knowing that you were there. And the same goes to you, Maggie, for being there for both my mom and Wesley."
"You're welcome," Maggie replied.
"Guys, listen to this," Idrial said.
APRIL 27, 2063
My dearest Wilbur,
My heart was crying when you told me Diana's boyfriend had died. No one should ever die at such a young age, yet it happens. It brought me back to when Karena was in a car accident and almost died, but she fought to stay alive. I wish I could fly out there to give Diana my sympathies, and you as well, because words cannot describe how it hurts to see your child hurting so much.
But, and tell Diana this someday if you are reading this now, do not give up hope, for there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, even after death. Knowing Diana, she will still have a fantastic life; after all, she's only 18. She has her whole life ahead of her to find her calling. I love you, Wilbur, and tell Diana I love her, too.
"Mom, your high school boyfriend died?" Idrial asked with shock in her voice.
"Why didn't you tell us this?" Morwen asked, also with shock.
I watched Diana and Berethor exchange looks.
"Berethor, go get the boys," Diana told him. "They deserve to know, too."
Berethor left the room to grab two of our three grandsons, and we all sat in silence.
"You didn't tell your children at all?" I asked with worry in my voice.
"No. I didn't think they needed to know about Caleb."
"Diana, they're your children," Karena explained. "And besides, the girls are now in high school, and they'll start dating soon, if not later in life. They need to know what you have gone through so that they can have your strength when going through hardships."
After a few minutes, Berethor emerged with Eaoden, our 11-year-old grandson with blonde hair, and Elegost, who is nine with black hair.
"You wanted to see us?" Eaoden asked.
"Yes, all four of you need to know of someone from my past," Diana explained, and she sat down in the middle of the couch with two children on each side. "I had dated someone before I met your father. He was named Caleb, and he was my high school sweetheart. We had dated for three years, but I've known him all four years of high school. Caleb was an amazing guy. He was a football legend at the high school, he loved old jazz music, and he was always genuine with me. He was a friend everyone looked up to, because he supported everybody."
"So, why did you guys break up?" Morwen asked with curiosity.
"Because Caleb had died in a car accident."
All four children gasped.
"I was a wreck after the accident," Diana continued to explain. "I always walked to his grave, I was always wearing black, I always stayed in my room, and I did not believe that I would ever fall in love again. Then, I moved to Pacific Bay, and I met your father, and he has been a blessing since we met."
"Did you two fall in love right away?" Elegost asked, and Diana and Berethor both chuckled.
"I did, but your mother didn't," Berethor answered. "Your mother wanted more time to grieve, and I let her grieve until she was ready to move on. Speaking of which, I found the entry where your great-grandma met me for the first time."
DECEMBER 22, 2064
My dearest Wilbur,
We both met Diana's new boyfriend for the first time today, and I don't know about you, but I absolutely adore him! He has the kindest heart I have ever seen in a man, and I absolutely loved when he and Diana revealed that he had let her take her time to grieve. Before he helped Diana, he stayed behind and helped me clean up. If that isn't husband-material, I don't know what is.
I could go on and on about Berethor, but I digress. Today, I have made the decision to retire from the Todayland schools after a total of 30 years in the teaching profession. I started teaching right out of college in 2017, but I took a break after you finished your first year of preschool in 2027 because you needed a parent around all the time. You encouraged me to go back to teaching after you moved to Connecticut in 2045, and I'm ready to retire 20 years later. My teaching years have been absolutely fulfilling, and I loved watching all of my students grow musically, physically, and mentally. I'm going to miss being a teacher. I understand Karena is still a teacher for almost 24 years. I am not sure what she has planned, but if you are reading this, tell Karena to cherish these days as a teacher. Her time will eventually come to an end.
"She really is telling the truth," Karena said after Berethor finished reading.
"How long have you been a teacher, Grandma?" Eaoden asked.
"I graduated college in 2040," Karena explained. "But I didn't start teaching until the next fall, and that was in 2041. I've been teaching for 44 years now."
"Wow!" all four children exclaimed with inspiration.
"Do you like teaching?" Idrial asked.
"I love it," Karena answered. "But your great-grandma is right: it will be time to retire soon. Maybe I'll retire when I finish 50 years."
"In 2091?" I guessed. "You're going to be—"
"Never mind," Karena interrupted me, not wanting her age to be revealed.
"Diana, I found the entry where we got married," Berethor said, handing the journal over for her to read.
"Aw, I love it!" Diana replied before she started reading.
JUNE 11, 2067
My dearest Wilbur,
Today was your daughter's big day as she married Berethor, and she was so beautiful! They both were! At first it took me back to your wedding day 25 years ago. I could not believe you and Karena had just celebrated your silver anniversary! But, when I saw Diana emerging in your arm, I thought she was the most beautiful bride in her white dress and that white cowboy hat your friend lent to her. I could tell Berethor was one lucky man to have her as his wife, because I looked back and he had cried at first.
If Diana and Berethor have children, I pray that I will be around just as your Grandma Lucille was when Diana was born. I would absolutely love to meet my great-grandchildren before I pass on. Do not worry! I am doing well in my seventies, but don't tell anyone that I'm at least 70!
We all laughed at that last statement.
"How old was Great-Grandma when she died?" Elegost asked.
"She was ninety," I answered with a smile. "She lived long enough to spend time with all four of you, plus your cousin Dennis."
"She really was happy," Karena chimed in.
"Guys! Great-Grandma wrote about me and Morwen being born!" Idrial exclaimed excitedly.
DECEMBER 25, 2070
My dearest Wilbur,
My heart is heavy today. Last week, we lost your Uncle Art to heart failure. So there are now only five of us left: Laszlo and Tallulah, Uncle Gaston, and me and your dad. Thankfully, Wesley has moved in with us, and we have unanimously agreed to leave the house to him when the last one of us passes. As you have just gotten promoted to the chief position at TIME, we did not think that you would leave Connecticut any time soon. All five of us have written our wills for when the time would come for us to leave this earth. But in my heart, I'm praying that you and Karena will find some way for Diana and Wesley to reunite in the Robinson House in Todayland at some point in their lives.
I've heard you have been busy as you and Karena flew to Pacific Bay yesterday. And I want to express my congratulations on Diana having TWIN GIRLS! You are now a grandfather! Your dad really enjoyed being Diana and Wesley's grandpa, so I pray that you will enjoy being a grandpa to those girls. I'm sure they are just as beautiful as their mom. You've earned it, Wilbur. Bear that Grandpa Robinson badge with pride!
"I remember that day," I said with reminiscence and laughter. "That day was full of surprises!"
"It was worth every minute," Diana replied with a smile.
"I've been thinking ever since we delivered our girls that Morwen may have been the girl we were expecting," Berethor explained, also with a smile. "We always felt her moving, but not Idrial, even though Idrial was the set name."
"Hey, it was two times the laughs and giggles and fun times," Diana replied, and I watched Idrial and Morwen smile in return.
"Eaoden and Elegost brought their own energies to this world," Berethor said. "We truly are one happy family."
"Grandpa, I think you should read this one," Morwen suggested, handing the journal back to me.
"This is from the day she died," I said with a gasp, and tears immediately started to come to my eyes as I started reading.
SEPTEMBER 15, 2085
My dearest Wilbur,
I am the last remaining member of my generation of Robinsons, and my time is at an end. But do not mourn for me; instead, celebrate my life with music, song and dance. I have had a very lively life here, and I've enjoyed every minute of it, even if I was sad.
Death comes for us all, Wilbur, but do not be saddened. Think of how far we all have come, and just reflect on how our legacy will be talked about for generations. You still talk about your grandparents, and that is a blessing for all of us. I pray that you will still talk about her, and about me, to your great-grandchildren someday.
I have left my will taped to the very back of this diary, but I will write down that I want you and your family to do after I leave you. Wilbur, you have been the joy of my life ever since I carried you, and you always will be. Continue being who you are now and inspire your grandchildren and great-grandchildren to keep moving forward. You have always been a father's boy, and you have given that to Diana and Wesley; now give it to all your grandchildren – Diana and Wesley's children. Tell them to keep moving forward, no matter what.
"Uh, Karr, she wrote to you, too."
"She did?" Karena asked, peering over my right shoulder to read her portion.
To Karena, continue spreading joy through music and love. I understand you are still teaching, and I pray that you will carry me in your heart, teaching those children until you retire, but even more so through your grandchildren, those precious boys and girls of Diana and Wesley's. You have been a big blessing in my son's life, and I want to thank you for giving him that spark to keep him going, but even more so for taking care of him for me. I've loved knowing you, and you have been a very special part of my life.
"Diana, it's your turn," Karena said, and Diana carried a confused look as we handed the journal to her.
To Diana, you are so much like your father – my son. Yet you are still growing every day. You grew through the best of times in high school and the worst of times when Caleb died. But you grew even more when you met Berethor, and now, you are growing as a mother of two girls and two boys. You have been a tremendous mother, and I pray that you will guide your children on the years to come: they have their whole lives ahead of them!
Diana also had tears in her eyes as she handed the journal to her brother.
To Wesley, my grandson, I thought you were going to have your father's spunk, but I was wrong: you have your grandfather's spunk. You may not be the inventor your grandpa was, but you still have the smarts and guts to run Robinson Industries after Tallulah passed away. I am beyond proud of you, and I'm proud to have met your wife and son, who reminds me very much of your dad. Continue doing your best as the new face of Todayland, and you will go far.
"She wrote to the in-laws, too," Wesley said after reading. "Berethor."
"She wrote to me?" Berethor asked, also with a perplexed look as Wesley handed the journal to him.
To Berethor, Diana's kind and noble husband, thank you for being there for Diana through her hardships. I'm writing to you because you have become a part of my family. Ever since I met you, I knew you were going to be a part of the family, and you are a very strong part of it. Even more so because you always strive to help people find a solution and move forward, just like your father-in-law Wilbur. Somehow, you carry a part of Wilbur inside you, and you and Diana bring that to your four children. Thank you for being in my life, Berethor, and I love you. Always.
"Man, even I want to cry," Berethor said after he finished reading, and he started crying before handing the journal to Maggie. "Here."
To Maggie, my granddaughter-in-law, thank you for being the light of Wesley's life. I knew Wesley was hesitant on marriage, just like his sister was, but you are a treasure. The education torch continued with you, and so has the Mrs. Robinson torch. There have been generations of Mrs. Robinsons here: Mrs. Lucille Robinson, along with Mrs. Billie Robinson and Mrs. Petunia Robinson; me, Mrs. Frances Robinson; your mother in-law, Mrs. Karena Robinson, and now, here you are, Mrs. Margaret Robinson. Promise me that you and Wesley will raise your son to be a husband for another woman to be called Mrs. Robinson, for all six of us, I'm sure, are proud of being called by that name. It has been a pleasure meeting you.
Wilbur, I love you with all of my heart. But do not worry; we will meet again soon.
With love,
Mom.
We all gathered in a family hug, and some of us shed tears during that hug. After we pulled apart, I walked toward Idrial, who gave me a hug right away.
"Idrial, where did you find this?" I asked.
"I found it while taking off my shoes in the train room," Idrial explained. "I just opened up the book to a random page, and it said, 'My dearest Wilbur.'"
"This means more to me than any of us will ever know," I replied with a smile. "Actually, I want you to have it."
"Grandpa! Are you sure? Your mom wrote to you."
"I think she wrote it for her descendants: you, Morwen, Eaoden, Elegost, and Dennis, and for your children and grandchildren."
Idrial gave me the biggest smile I had ever seen in her, and she pulled into a hug again, but this one was tighter. I hugged her back.
"Your great-grandma was a very special woman," I told her. "Promise me you'll always carry her in your heart."
"I promise, Grandpa," Idrial replied. "Can you tell me more about her?"
"Come here."
I knelt down, and Idrial climbed onto my back as I gave her a piggy ride to my childhood room. I heard Morwen, Elegost, and Eaoden following us, and we all gathered on the second floor onto the bed.
"As you know, your great-grandma's name was Franny," I started explaining, and I saw that all four children were eager to listen. "She was a very talented woman. She knew karate, she taught music to both children and frogs."
"Frogs?" all four asked at the same time.
"Yes, frogs. She won second place at a science fair with her musically-inclined frogs! She had been teaching frogs music ever since she found them by her house at a pond. Then, one day, she met a boy named Lewis, who had been given a new name: Cornelius Robinson…"