You're Special (Undiscovered Wattys 2014 Runner Up)

Chapter 4

Teaching a kid who suffered from Autism Spectrum Disorder is not easy. Especially a three year old who could not even talk yet. It was especially harder when the kid doesn't know you.

Working with Zoe was not easy. Autistic people are (ahem) normally introverts. With the way Zoe was shunned out by her family, her social condition was worse.

From the start she was uncomfortable with me. Stuck to her daddy. Jamie was all too happy to show Aaron around the house while I got to know Zoe (they probably ended up playing Jamie's Angry Birds darts; I was fine as long as they didn't break anything). So while the two boys explored the house, I tried to socialise with Zoe.

I sat on the couch while Zoe pulled at a thread coming out of one of the cushions. I was analyzing her, trying to figure out little things about her that will make her comfortable around me. So far, I got squat.

"Zoe," I called out to her. She paid no attention. I waited for five seconds before calling her name again. Her only response was moving on from the cushion to an uneven patch of thread on the carpet where Jamie had experimented with a pair of scissors.

I was about to call a third time when she looked at me. "Iaaa!" The sound was shrill and scolding, but the accompanying nod showed it was her way of saying 'yes'.

I opened my arms, inviting her to come to me. She took another two seconds to notice them, but turned to the coffee table, where there was a ring of dent in the glass from when Jamie put an entire candle on fire.

Observation number one : Zoe noticed when things were out of place.

It was frustrating, not knowing how to deal with a child. I couldn't give up though. So I called her to me again. She looked at me, assessing me, and slowly made her way towards me, holding on to the coffee table as she walked. She stopped two steps away from me, and started fisting and opening her palm again.

Observation number two : Zoe liked to fidget with her palms.

I opened my arms, inviting her. She payed no attention to me as she started biting at her other palm's index finger. Slowly, still distractedly looking away, she took her finger out of her mouth. She reached out to me, and wrapped her little finger around my thumb.

Finally she looked at me. I smiled at her. and slowly started swinging her hand. She brought up her other hand to stop me. Using both her hands, she started shaking my hand hard, giving me big jolts. And then she looked at me and did something that shocked and warmed my heart at the same time.

She smiled at me. A tiny stretch of her lips, baring the two tiny teeth she had in front. And I smiled back. 

A clearing of throat alerted me to Aaron's presence. He was standing at the entrance to the living room, leaning against the door frame with one hand in his back pocket. His other hand was raised, two fingers held up in a wave/salute. 

"Hi!" I said cheerfully. I could feel my cheeks straining from the force of my grin. It's been a long time since I smiled like this.

"Looks like someone's got a new friend," he drawled, his voice somewhat teasing.

I looked back at Zoe. She was still staring at me, giving no indication whether she heard her father or not. Her hand had stopped shaking mine; her new object of interest being my wedding ring.

Aaron saw the silver band his daughter was fascinated by, and something in his expression changed. Earlier, he was proud and happy. Now? I couldn't tell. He had his poker face on.

"So," I said. "Do you have anything of importance to say, because you're interrupting a very important meeting."

He shrugged. "I came to say it's time to leave, but-"

"You're leaving already?!" Jamie screamed from the stairs. He ran down the stairs, his shoes pounding on the wood. He jumped, skipping the last two steps, and fell right at Aaron's feet, clinging to his legs.

Hard to believe the kid was assessing him as a potential enemy not one hour back.

"Woah, buddy! I'll meet you again." Jamie just shook his head and clung onto him. Aaron sighed and bent down a little. "Zoe needs to be home, Jamie. She needs to rest. I'll meet you again."

"When?" Jamie asked. Both boys looked at me. I shrugged. " I'm free almost all the time. I'll be at the school from 8 to 11, but otherwise I'm available."

Aaron looked a little thoughtful, scratching the back of his neck. "When do you want to teach Zoe?"

I stood up from the couch now, and walked towards them. Zoe followed me and clutched the material of Aaron's jeans.

"Just drop her off here whenever you need to. I think it'll be convenient for you too."

"Yeah, okay." He told me. I wondered how the conversation between us suddenly started becoming awkward.

"You hear that bud?" he said to Jamie. "I'll come again. Promise."

Jamie looked happy, letting go of Aaron finally. Aaron picked Zoe up, who now buried her head in the crook of his neck and closed her eyes. We walked out the door and to Aaron's car. Aaron strapped Zoe in to her car seat and turned to kneel down next to Jamie, his palm held up for a high-five. "See you soon, bud." Jamie responded enthusiastically before running back into the house.

He got up and looked at me. Even though it was a temporary goodbye, I didn't want him to go. His eyes showed he thought the same. "Selene." It was a whisper, a simple sound that sent shivers down my arms. He pulled me in for a hug, his arms holding on to my waist as mine wound around his shoulders. He smelled like the sterile smell of his chamber mixed with the ice cream we had. He raised his face from where it was buried in my hair to place a small kiss on my forehead, before I reluctantly pulled away.

He looked at me once before getting into the car. The look he gave me had my stomach turning in knots. It had been a long time since someone looked at me like that. With that much of adoration and... love? Because the only other person who ever looked at me like that died four years back.

Aaron Kingsley came back into my life, arousing feelings in me that I hadn't felt since my husband. He left me standing there, with butterflies in my stomach and goosebumps on my arms.

He rolled down the window before leaving. "Oh, you might want to know. Jamie and I were playing in his room and the darts hit a photo frame. There are glass and wood pieces all over the floor mat. It was completely my fault. Please don't scream at the poor kid." With a wave he pulled out of my driveway.

Screw the butterflies and goosebumps. I was speechless. Taking a deep breathe, I screamed. "James Taylor!"