The Phoenix

21

Stella's POV

"Mommy who's gonna see the fishy's with us?" Rayne ask as I put on my shirt

"Alyssa, Moe, Julie, Tierna, and Kristie." I say. "I think."

"And tomorrow we go to the game?" My four year old asks.

"Yes." I say

"Then Kristie sleepover with us?"

"You'd have to ask her." I say then Rayne smiles.

"Okay." Rayne says then she grabs my hand. "Fishy's now."

"Let's go Munchkin." I say then I grab what we need for the day.

Rayne and I are in Chicago to watch Kristie's team play the Red Stars, which is tomorrow.

Today, however, we are going to the Shedd Aquarium and since Rayne loves the national team girls, she wants them to go with us to the aquarium.

After I have everything we need, Rayne and I leave our hotel room, head down to our rental car, get in the rental car, then head to the Shedd Aquarium.

Once at the aquarium I find a parking spot then Rayne and I get out and head to the front of the aquarium.

"KRISTIE." Rayne shouts when she sees my girlfriend then she runs to Kristie.

"Hey princess." Kristie says as she picks Rayne up and hugs her.

"I missed you." Rayne says.

"I missed you too." My girlfriend says.

"What about me?" I say and playfully pout as I get to my girlfriend.

"I missed you too Stella." Kristie says then she pecks my lips.

"Fishy's?" Rayne questions.

"Go say hi to everyone then we can go in." I say.

Rayne nods as Kristie sets her down then she walks over and hugs Alyssa, Moe, Julie, and Tierna.

Once Rayne's hugged everyone she walks back to Kristie and I then she stands in between us and holds our hands.

"I'm ready." Rayne says.

"Alright Munchkin." I say. "Let's go."

The 7 of us head to the aquarium ticket booth, pay for admittance, then we head inside the aquarium and start looking around.

Rayne, being the fish expert that she is, acts like our tour guide and explains random fish facts.

"Mommy look." Rayne says then she leads us to one of the glass enclosures. "They have an octopus."

"I see that." I say then Rayne looks up at the nearest soccer star, who's Alyssa.

"Did you know Octopuses have three hearts and two are just to pump blood?" Rayne asks.

"I didn't." Alyssa says and Rayne nods.

"They also have blue blood." Rayne says.

"Oh they do?" Moe says as she and Alyssa squat down next to Rayne.

"Mhmm." Rayne says. "It's because octopuses have a high metabolic rate, and therefore a high demand for oxygen. Copper-based hemocyanin is more efficient for transporting oxygen at low temperatures and low oxygen concentrations than is the iron-based hemoglobin that makes our blood red."

"What the hell?" Julie mumbles.

"How does she know all that?" Kristie asks.

"Rayne has Savant Syndrome." I say.

"Oh." Tierna says. "That's awesome."

"Is she..." Kristie says, but she doesn't complete her sentence.

"She's not Autistic." I say.

"Approximately 1 out of 1400 people that are differently abled or have CNS deficits other than autism do have savant skills, so my abilities are not limited to autistic disorder." Rayne says. "An estimated 1% of the non-autistic population have savant abilities."

"Do you have a CNS deficit?" Moe asks.

"Nope." Rayne says with a smile then all the soccer players look at me.

"I had her tested last December when i started noticing her ability to remember things after one read." I say. "Rayne's not autistic and she has no CNS deficit so we have no clue why she has Savant Syndrome and I don't really care why she has it."

Here comes mama bear mode

"Rayne's perfect just the way she is and she's happy in who she is and that's all that matter."

"Well okay then." Julie says with a smile then she looks down at Rayne. "Lead the way miss tour guide."

Rayne smiles at Julie then she grabs the blonde's hand and leads her to the Great Lakes part of the aquarium.

"What's that one?" Julie asks as she and a few of the girls squat down next to my daughter.

"It's a Lake Sturgeon." Rayne says then she explains about the fish, but I get distracted by Kristie kissing my cheek.

"You're right." Kristie whispers. "Rayne is perfect all of the girls love her for who she is."

I smile at my girlfriend then kiss her, but we don't kiss for long thanks to one special little girl.

"Mommy stop kissing." Rayne says. "We have more fishy's to see."

Kristie and I break our kiss because we're laughing too much then I look down at my daughter and smile.

"Alright Princess." I say. "Why don't we head down stairs and check out what's down there?"

Rayne nods then the 7 of us head down the stairs to Lower Level 1.

"Mommy look." Rayne says. "They have Sea Otters."

"They're so cute." Moe says as she and Tierna look at the otters with Rayne.

"So how did Rayne get to be so into Fish?" Julie asks as she, myself, Kristie, and Alyssa stand a few feet away from the group looking at otters.

"I blame Ash." I say then the three soccer players laugh. "She reads Rayne stories about fish when she was little and I think it stuck with her."

"Mommy." I hear my daughter say so I turn towards her and see her standing in front of Moe and Tierna.

"Yes baby?"

"Since the food court's right there." Rayne says and points behind me. "We were thinking we could get a snack."

"Really you guys." Alyssa says then she looks at the soccer players. "You send the cute little girl to tell us your hungry."

"Well did it work?" Tierna questions.

"Sure Rayne." I say. "We can get some food."

"Yay." Rayne cheers then the soccer players high five her before we head into the food court and get in line.

As we wait in line I notice Rayne looking up at Kristie.

"Kristie?" Rayne says.

"Yes sweetie?" Kristie says

"Can you stay with us after the game tomorrow?" My daughter asks then Kristie looks at me.

"Up to you." I mouth then Kristie looks at my daughter and smiles.

"I'd love to Rayne." Kristie says. "I'd absolutely love too."