"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.
"Oh... Okay," she said with disappointment. Steven shrugged his shoulders sympathetically.
They reached the ice cream shop and the parents stood in line while Martha and James sat on the curb a short distance away. Mickey had looped back with an expanded trail of children and was setting up for photographs across from Martha and James. A uniformed employee accompanying him corralled the children into an orderly line and a photographer found his mark eight or nine feet from Mickey.
"Do you ever think about..." Martha started. The words surprised her.
"About what?" James asked.
"About..." She hadn't thought of it in many lives. She wasn't sure why it had come up here. Actually, strike that. It's pretty obvious. We're children, surrounded by children, at a children's theme park. Doesn't take a 110 IQ.
"Nothing. It's nothing," she said finally. "Never mind."
James stared at her a moment, then the pleasant curiosity fell slightly from his face. "Oh. Do you-"
"Forget I said anything-"
"Martha-"
"Seriously, it's okay," Martha said. As wonderful as it was to have a soulmate with whom you were so close you could practically read their thoughts, it made hiding them virtually impossible. Looking at James, she read guilt, concern, and pain. It was the pain she feared – a kind so severe, she couldn't wish it upon him regardless of where idle thoughts took her.
And today had been truly magical – with or without the Kingdom. It was a brilliant idea with astonishing execution. Being with him like this... She felt invigorated. So in an effort to preserve that feeling, she locked away her maternal daydream.
Perhaps reading her thoughts, James' face brightened and he stood. Martha followed him to their parents who were returning from the counter, each holding a pair of soft serve cones.
"Here you go, darling," Ruth said, handing James his cone. Steven handed Martha hers.
James smiled at Martha, then addressed Steven. "Mr Martha's Dad. I have something to say to you."
"Oh yeah, buddy. What is it?"
"I... am madly in love with your daughter."
Ruth and Steven gaped at James in shock.
He continued, "Martha is the most totally awesome and beautiful girl or boy or anything in the whole universe." He put his hand to the side of his mouth and stage whispered. "That includes Princess Leia."
"Wow," Steven said. "That's... Wow."
Ruth's hand was clasped over her mouth while Martha was flat out cackling. James turned to her. "This is serious. I am expressing emotions."
"Sorry," Martha said, then bit her lip.
"As I was saying. So I think I want to marry her. Would that be okay?"
"Well," Steven said, then cleared his throat, taking on a faux-serious manner to address these faux-serious emotions. "You're a little young. But either way, you're going to have to ask Martha, not me."
"Oh, okay." James turned to Martha and, in the middle of Disneyland's Main Street, got down on one knee.
A passerby gasped and another said "Will ya look at that!" as the spectacle was attracting the attention of the surrounding crowd.
"Martha," James stated, loud enough for the crowd to hear. "Will you marry me and be my wife forever because I love you and you're really fun to play with and I want to play with you forever?"
Chatter fell and silence hung in the air like pixie dust as the crowd awaited her response. She scrunched her face in thought. "Hmmm," she said. "Where's my ring?"
His face projected enough panic for the cheap seats. "I don't have one." His eyes went wide. "But I've got an ice cream cone. Would you like my ice cream cone? Then you'd have two!"
He handed it to her. She stared at them, back and forth in amazement. "Two cones, just for me?! Yes, James! Yes, I will marry you!"
James stood and hugged her. Martha did her best to reciprocate, still holding both cones. Various onlookers said "Awww" or clapped. Steven wiped a tear from his eye – big surprise – while Ruth doubled over with laughter.
He released her slightly and the pair of kids stared into each other's eyes. Martha saw the sparkle and knew his plan before he leaned in for the kiss.
"James!" said Ruth.
"Martha!" said Steven.
"Oh boy!" said Mickey.
"Click!" went the photographer's camera.
And Ruth and Steven got their souvenir photo, after all.
Author's note:
'Oh boy' is right, Mickey!
I hope you enjoyed the chapter. It was definitely on the lighter side (practically turned into a sit-com toward the end).
Granted, Martha's locking away her feelings...
What could possibly go wrong with that?