[COMPLETED]
[WATTYS 2022 WINNER]
James Quinn can't die. Actually... that's not true. He's died many times - somewhere in the neighborhood of 250 - only to be reborn as himself to live his life over again.
For millennia, he's had to endure this c...
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"So, I had him tested," Ruth said before popping a french fry in her mouth.
"Really?" Steven asked. "What did he score?"
Ruth leaned forward and lowered her voice. "110."
"That's good," Steven said, wiping ketchup off the side of his mouth with a napkin. "That's... ten above the average."
"I know. I know. And he could have scored ten below and I wouldn't love him any less."
"Of course."
"But I don't know... Some of the things he says... Some of the things he just... already understands... I thought it would be higher." Ruth paused and she and Steven looked at Martha and James, sitting at the next table and taking turns flashing their mouths open to reveal half chewed hamburgers. "Or who knows? Maybe I'm a cliché – just another parent who thinks their kid's a genius."
"I don't think you're a cliché," Steven said. "I see it too. Even though we only just met – there's something different about him. And Martha's the same way. We go to playgrounds and playdates and... she's different from the other kids. But look at them." The children were now building a teepee out of their fries. "Well, if you're a cliché, then I am too. Or they're both geniuses and someday they'll save the world together."
Ruth chuckled. "Yeah, I'll go with your second option." James walked to her and lay his head in her lap. She stroked his hair and asked, "What's up, little guy?"
"Mommy? Can we move to California and can I live next door to Martha and can I play with her every day?"
"Oh, darling. No. Our home is in Illinois."
"Oh," James said, his face dripping with dejection. "Well, in that case. Can we get ice cream?"
"You bet, darling."
"Nice," Martha said, then held out her fist. James bumped it with his own, then both kids added an explosive sound effect.
"What was that noise?" Ruth asked, amused.
Martha looked up at her and said with a smile, "The force from our fists was so great it made a 'splosion."
Ruth looked at Steven who stared back, his mouth gaping. Finally, Ruth said, "Yep, definitely geniuses."
With that, the four threw their trash in the receptacle and headed down Main Street toward the ice cream shop. Martha and James walked side by side with their parents a few yards behind. Mickey Mouse, trailed by a mischief of children, waved as he passed in the opposite direction and Martha and James waved back.
"Do you two want to get a picture with Mickey?" Ruth asked hopefully.
Martha and James looked back and shook their heads.
