"How about a peach one?" Adriana asked Arsenio.
She was unpacking a delivery that had just come in refrigerated boxes, a bulk order of Arsenio's favorite yogurts.
"Last one," Bruce said after sitting another box on the kitchen table. "You know, I don't think he will be able to eat this much yogurt before they expire. We've got three cases."
"You know very well that we eat his yogurts too," Adriana laughed.
"That's true," Bruce said. "But if you ever mention it in public that I eat baby yogurt I will deny it."
"We'll never speak of it," Adriana laughed and kept unpacking.
"Piyapooh," Arsenio said.
"You want a pineapple flavor?" Adriana asked.
"Piyapooh!" Arsenio said and pointed to the box in front of him.
Adriana turned the box to see where he was pointing and saw the word 'pineapple' printed on the plain box. There was no picture or illustration of a pineapple.
"Did you just read that?" Adriana asked with shock.
"Ya!" Arsenio said.
"What?" Bruce asked, not paying much attention as he was opening one of the peach flavored yogurts and tasting it with a spoon.
"He just read something!" Adriana said. They had known for weeks that he could identify all of the letters, but now he seemed to be reading.
"No..." Bruce said, not in denial but in disbelief. "He's a year old.."
"Look!" Adriana said and took another box out. "How about this one sweetie?"
"Ah...." Arsenio looked at the letters. "Bayaana!"
"Oh my gosh!" Adriana jumped up and down.
"Oh wow.." Bruce said and looked in the cases for another box. "And how about this one? It's a hard one.."
"Uhhhh...." Arsenio said, looking at the letter. "Coocaya!"
"Coconut!" Bruce said. "Oh, Brilliant!"
"My baby reads!" Adriana laughed and kissed Arsenio. He was gifted in such a beautiful way. She was glad that he had been spared the full brunt of the gift that she was born with but the way his gift was manifesting was making him prodigal. It was amazing.
"How?" Bruce asked. "Did you teach yourself? This is.."
"No!" Arsenio answered Bruce. "Afeee!"
"Alfred?" Bruce asked. "Alfred's been teaching you to read?"
"Ya!" Arsenio said. "Rechoowechacofacoyee!"
"Oh.." Adriana said, not understanding and neither did Bruce. "That's wonderful, sweetie."
"Chowee!" Arsenio said and Bruce picked him up.
"My son reads, it's my anniversary," Bruce said. "This day couldn't get better."
Adriana smiled as Bruce danced around with Arsenio. He was right, the day was perfect.
.
.
.
"First of all," Adriana laughed as she went into her and Bruce's bedroom early that evening. "Where the heck have you been hiding all of this?"
The bed was covered in bags and boxes, dozens of gifts.
"Well we are in a mansion," Bruce said. "Wayne Manor has countless hiding places."
