The First Private Orphanage: Adopted By Lin-Manuel Miranda

Ten

I look at my wife as she works on dinner. It's been two months since we adopted Jamie. Her 16th birthday is a month away. I can't wait to celebrate with her. Vanessa looks at me and I chuckle. "What?" She asks, hands on her hips. Her long brown hair falls around her shoulders. She looks like she's trying to seem mad.

"You're beautiful." I say.

"No I'm not. I'm still nursing. And have seen the circles under my eyes? I look terrible."

"You do not look terrible. I think you look beautiful. You are gorgeous babe."

"Ugh, hormones."

"Now, just listen. Maybe it's time to stop breastfeeding. Or, tonight, my mom can watch all three children and we go on a date."

"Really?" Vanessa asks and I nod. "That would be great. I'll finish making the ramen noodles for the Jamie, you call your mom." Vanessa says.

"Okay." I turn to walk away.

"Hey, Lin. Aren't you forgetting something?" I turn back, walk to her and kiss her lips, hard. "That's not what I meant, but I like that more." She says, panting when we pull apart.

"Then what did I forget?"

"Your cell phone."

"Right."

~~~

Vanessa and I dance as a slow song plays. Her body pressed against mine, mine pressed against hers. Someone sees us and comes to us. "Mr. Miranda, may I have your autograph?" They ask.

"Not tonight. Sorry, I'm on a date with my beautiful wife."

"That's cool."

"Thank you."

I watch as the person leaves us be, shooting us a sideways glance.

"Lin?" Vanessa asks.

"Yes babe?"

"Thank you for telling her that you couldn't give her an autograph. Because you're with me. That means a lot."

"Of course. You are my wife and the whole reason I'm here tonight."

"You're a god."

"Then you're a goddess." I kiss her lips and she kisses back. We sway, still dancing, still kissing. When we do break apart Vanessa puts her head on my chest. "Vanessa, can I ask you something?"

"Yeah. What's up?"

"How much of this, our relationship, our marriage is for the kids?"

"None of it. It's all for us. You and me. Not for them, 0% for the kids." I smile.

"Good. You and I need a relationship for us, not the kids."

~~~

Vanessa and I eat dinner, smiling at the people dancing. My beautiful wife drinks a glass of root beer. "Keep the tab open for drinks." Vanessa says and goes to dance. She looks sexy on the dance floor, gesturing for me to join her, using only one finger.

"Vanessa, let me get the next one, Vanessa, let me interject some, the way you sweat, the way you flex on the floor makes me want you more." I sing and she giggles.

Next thing I know, she's asking for the DJ to play The Club. I hear the beginning notes. Together, we begin singing the song as we dance. We dance and sing, sing and dance. Then, as if the universe had some way of dishing out irony. All the lights go out. People scream and shove. Vanessa gets shoved into me. At least I think it's her. I point my flashlight at the person against my chest. It's not Vanessa.

"Lin?! Lin?!" I hear my name being called.

"V! V! I'm shining my flashlight! Come over to me! Follow the light!"

After twenty minutes, Vanessa reaches me. I hug her tight and help her out of the place. Once outside, I see all the lights are out. We rush home.

Jamie

All the lights go out. Sebastian starts crying. Lin's parents start to talk. I call Lin.

"Hey pumpkin. Are all the lights out?"

"Yeah. Is it a full town blackout?"

"Yeah. We're on our way home. I'll see you soon."

"See you soon Daddy." We hang up and I go to the living room.

"Abuela?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah. Come in here with us."

I sit with them, letting them hold me tight. Abuela and Abuelo.

"Where is Sebby? I heard him crying before I called Daddy."

"He's sleeping. Your Abuelo got him back to sleep."

"Oh."

Lin and Vanessa run in. Vanessa looks shaken up in the candle light. "Mama?"

"We got separated in the confusion." Lin says, rubbing her back.

"Oh."

"Alright Jamie, bedtime." Vanessa says and brings me to my room. She tucks me in, holding me tight. Eventually, she falls asleep there. I close my eyes, comfortable with my mother sleeping beside me.

So it's quite shorter than normal.

Time for a real life one act with just me.

*gets in shower and starts thinking aloud*

"If Lin were a stuffed animal, I feel he would be one of those gigantic teddy bears that boyfriends get their girlfriends."

*thinks aloud some more*

"And if Vanessa were a stuffed animal she'd be that really big pink stuffed dog I have on my bed that has hearts all over it."

*and some more*

"And if Pippa was one, she'd be a female version of that pilsbury dough guy. Like from the cinnamon roll tubes. Cause she's a cinnamon roll."