Beyond Words: A Journey of Love, Loss, and Autism

Ch. 3: A Bridge of Laughter

Several weeks had passed since Jonathan's first meeting with Asher, and he found himself once again in the backseat of his parents' car, heading to his uncle and aunt's house. This time, instead of nervousness, Jonathan felt a bubbling excitement. He had spent the past weeks learning more about autism and thinking of ways to connect with his cousin.

As they pulled into the driveway, Jonathan spotted Asher sitting on the front porch, rocking gently. To everyone's surprise, when Asher saw the car, he stood up and made a gesture that looked almost like a wave.

"Look!" Jonathan exclaimed. "I think he remembers me!"

Jonathan's parents exchanged pleased glances as they got out of the car. Jonathan approached Asher slowly, remembering to give him space.

"Hi, Asher," he said softly. "It's me, Jonathan. I'm happy to see you again."

Asher didn't make eye contact, but he stopped rocking and turned slightly towards Jonathan. This small acknowledgment made Jonathan beam with joy.

As they entered the house, his aunt said, "Asher has been looking at the calendar all week, pointing to today's date. I think he's been anticipating your visit, Jonathan."

Jonathan felt a warm glow of happiness at this news. He noticed that Asher had already set up his painting area, with an extra easel next to his own.

"Would you like to paint together, Asher?" Jonathan asked, pointing to the easels.

Asher nodded slightly and moved towards the painting area. Jonathan followed, picking up a brush and selecting some colors. As they painted side by side, Jonathan noticed that Asher seemed more relaxed than during their first meeting.

After a while, Jonathan decided to try something new. He had been practicing a simple knock-knock joke, thinking about how to make it visual for Asher. He put down his brush and gently tapped Asher's shoulder to get his attention.

"Asher, want to hear a joke?" Jonathan asked, holding up a piece of paper with a simple drawing of a door.

Asher looked at the paper, seeming curious. Jonathan's aunt and uncle, who had been watching from the kitchen, moved closer, intrigued by what Jonathan was doing.

Jonathan pointed to the drawing and made a knocking motion. "Knock knock," he said.

Asher tilted his head, watching intently.

Jonathan continued, "Who's there?" He then held up a picture of a cow he had drawn earlier.

"Cow," Jonathan said, pointing to the picture.

Asher reached out and touched the cow picture, making a soft "moo" sound.

Jonathan grinned, excited that Asher was engaging. "Cow who?" he asked, holding up a question mark.

Finally, Jonathan held up a picture of a cow saying "Moo" in a speech bubble. "No, silly, cows say moo!" Jonathan declared, laughing.

To everyone's amazement, Asher's face broke into a wide smile, and he made a sound that could only be described as a giggle. He reached for the cow picture again, making the "moo" sound repeatedly.

Jonathan's aunt gasped, her eyes filling with tears of joy. "I can't believe it," she whispered to her husband. "He understood the joke!"

Jonathan's uncle was equally astounded. "We've tried for years to engage him with humor, but we never thought to make it so visual. Jonathan, you're a genius!"

Jonathan blushed at the praise. "I just thought about how Asher sees the world differently and tried to make the joke in a way he could see and understand."

For the rest of the day, Jonathan and Asher continued to paint, look at calendars, and even tried more visual jokes. Asher remained more engaged than his parents had ever seen him with someone outside the family.

As the day wound down and it was time for Jonathan to leave, Asher did something unprecedented. He walked to his painting area, selected one of his abstract works, and held it out to Jonathan.

Jonathan's aunt explained, her voice thick with emotion, "He's never given one of his paintings away before. Jonathan, I think this is his way of saying he really likes you."

Jonathan carefully took the painting, feeling its importance. "Thank you, Asher," he said sincerely. "I'll hang it in my room so I can see it every day."

As Jonathan and his parents prepared to leave, his aunt pulled him aside. "Jonathan," she said, kneeling to his level, "I want you to know how special what you did today was. Your uncle and I have cared for Asher since he was born, but we're still learning every day how to connect with him. Seeing you make that connection so naturally... it's given us new hope and ideas."

Jonathan nodded solemnly, understanding the weight of her words. "Asher is awesome," he said simply. "He just shows it differently than other people. I like figuring out how to be his friend."

On the car ride home, Jonathan clutched Asher's painting carefully. His parents couldn't stop praising him for his patience and creativity.

"Jonathan, we're so proud of you," his mother said, turning in her seat to face him. "The way you connected with Asher today was really special."

Jonathan felt his cheeks grow warm. "It's not that big a deal, mom" he mumbled. "I just did what felt right. Anyone could have done it if they tried."

His father glanced at him in the rearview mirror. "Don't sell yourself short, son. Not everyone would have thought to make a visual joke like that. You showed real insight and creativity."

"I guess," Jonathan shrugged, still feeling a bit embarrassed by the praise. "I just wanted Asher to laugh. It wasn't anything amazing."

"You know," his father continued, "I think you might have a future in working with people with autism. You have a real gift for it."

Jonathan couldn't help but chuckle. "Dad, come on. I'm only eight! I don't even know what I want for breakfast tomorrow."

His mother laughed softly. "Your father's just saying you have a talent, honey. Nobody's expecting you to decide your future career right now."

"I know, I know," Jonathan said, his tone playful. "Maybe I'll work with people with autism, or maybe I'll be an astronaut, or a chef, or a professional writer. Who knows? We'll have to wait and see, right?"

His parents exchanged amused glances. "That's right, son," his father agreed. "The future's wide open. But whatever you choose to do, we know you'll approach it with the same kindness and creativity you showed today."

Jonathan nodded, his gaze returning to Asher's painting. He traced the vibrant brushstrokes with his finger, thinking about the connection he'd felt with his cousin. "I just hope I get to spend more time with Asher," he said softly. "There's so much more I want to learn about him."

With a smile on his face, Jonathan looked forward to many more visits and discoveries with his remarkable cousin.