Young Shellington Sea Otter (OtterMAN Of Autism) (COMPLETED)

Chapter 5: Barnacles Jr. Meet Shellington

Sanda and Ronald's hearts were filled with relief as they embraced Shellington once again. They felt a deep sense of gratitude towards the babysitter who had diligently cared for Pearl in their absence. Meanwhile, in the living room, Pearl and Shellington were engaged in playful antics. Pearl was the picture of cuteness, dressed in a pink plaid skirt paired with an orange blouse, her white socks tucked into chunky tennis shoes. Her hair was styled in charming pigtails, secured with a headband. Unlike her parents and younger brother, who had visited the doctor's office two hours earlier, Pearl had never had such an experience. A twinge of worry crossed her mind, fearing that her little brother might feel distant from her.

Shellington never shared his toys or communicated; Pearl guesses that she was just a playdate to him.

Ronald and Sanda, as parents, were navigating the complexities of raising a son with Autism. The uncertainty of meeting their child's unique needs weighed heavily on them, and they were concerned about the possibility of treating him differently from other children. Yet, an ember of hope was kindled by Sanda's recollection of a friend who had faced a similar challenge. Her friend's son, who also had ASD, had shown remarkable improvement in self-control over time. This memory galvanized Sanda to seek out strategies to nurture her son's growth.

"Ronald," the sea otter mother began, her face brightening as she turned to her blind husband, "do you recall Molly and Kurt?"

Grasping his wife's hand, Ronald's face softened with understanding. He knew exactly the inference she was drawing.

"They had a son akin to Shellington, didn't they?" Ronald inquired, the image of the polar bear family coming to mind.

Sanda, understanding her blind father's ability to perceive their thoughts, nodded in agreement. They had concluded that it was in their son's best interest to befriend Shellington and the Polar Bear's son, as they complemented each other perfectly. Sanda conveyed that they were compelled to demonstrate to the neighborhood that Shelly was a special and blessed child, to alleviate their son's loneliness. After exchanging a glance with Ronald, Sanda dialed a number and awaited a response.

"Hello?" came a gentle, sweet British voice. Sanda inhaled deeply, organizing her thoughts.

"Molly," she began, "could you remind me of your youngest son's name?"

Shellington's playtime, which had spanned nearly eighteen hours, was cut short by a knock at the door. His mother answered, and Shellington, trailing behind, was astonished to see a family of Polar Bears stepping into their home. For Shellington, who had only encountered sea otters, river otters, and similar species in his seven years, this was an extraordinary encounter. The Polar Bear family included a pair and their five cubs: an eldest son, a middle son, a younger daughter, and two charming twin cubs, mirroring Shellington's own sisters, Milly and Melody.

Sanda, the mother sea otter, guided Shellington towards her twin cubs. The girl twin was adorable, dressed in a magenta shirt paired with overalls, chunky tennis shoes, and a matching magenta toque adorning her head. Her hair was fashioned into a charming bowl cut, and her medium blue eyes were captivating. Her brother, the boy twin, sported neatly combed hair to the left, worn blue Converse shoes, blue jeans, and a baby blue sweater, complemented by a blue scarf adorned with snowflakes and anchors. Upon making eye contact, Shellington and the boy cub both felt a wave of shyness and quickly hid behind their mothers. Noticing this, Molly, the polar bear mother, gently knelt to her son, encouraging him to come out from his hiding place. It was a touching scene that filled Shellington with joy at the prospect of new friends to play with.

Molly spoke softly to her son, "Barnacles Jr., meet Shellington."

Once again, Barnacles Jr. and Shellington exchanged shy smiles and a small wave, warming the hearts of all who witnessed it.