บท 12: Whizzkid

"What!?!"

"It's true! I've been teaching Afton the alphabet this whole time, he's a genius! I've never seen a child so gifted before in all my life!" Adah presses, hoping that this revelation would allow her to continue tutoring the child.

Verna looks at Afton then back to the papers, finding the "failed" attempts at writing. "Did you really write this Afton?" she asks.

Afton gives a nod and is immediately swept him into her arms, some kind of sumo move designed for crushing your bones being applied... No, it was just her hugging him, but it sure felt like it. She cheers and peppers his face in kisses, completely overcome with joy.

He wasn't all that against his mother's affection, it was preferable to being stabbed by his father's beard... The man wouldn't dare try to take him as his mother was like a rabid lioness if you even attempted it.

"So, Miss Parker... Would you allow me to continue tutoring your son? He has a bright future, I'd say that with time he'd become the youngest Elder the Brotherhood has ever seen." Adah says, taking advantage of his mother's emotional state.

Verna stops hopping around and turns to her, "I think that's fine... But I'll be keeping a close eye to make sure you aren't overworking him. He may be smart but he's still a child." she states, no willing to compromise on this point.

Adah quickly nods, she'd worked with children before and mostly knew their limits, to be honest, she was surprised Afton had concentrated for so long considering his age. Perhaps exceptional people would always be exceptional, no matter their age.

"Then you can pick him up at the nursery tomorrow... I would have liked him to make friends and socialise a bit more, but I think he'll be fine even without peers his age." she says, nodding to Adah before walking out, beginning to skip down the tunnels with Afton as she couldn't contain her excitement.

She quickly relayed everything that'd happened to his father, the man erupting into laughter and inviting all their acquaintances to have a small celebration. A few were unable to come due to prior responsibilities, but many people did.

Edgar Hardin, a Paladin and friend of his father's turned up first, he didn't seem fond of social interactions but had apparently made an exception for this. "Parker, I wonder if this celebration is really necessary," he says, dressed in recon scout armour. He had black hair that was slowly receding from the front, and a relatively large head...

Afton quietly snorted to himself as he thought up the nickname of "Egg Headin", immature? Definitely. Funny? Irrefutably.

His father didn't seem to take offence from the man's comment, "Come on Edgar, you know I wouldn't invite you here if it was nothing."

"Last I recalled you said the same thing when your son first used the lavatory on his own..." he comments dryly.

"Yeah, I may have overreacted... But this time is different. My son's a genius!" he exclaims, causing Edgar to rub his face.

"Mmmhmm? And what feat of superb intelligence has he displayed for you to invite everyone over?... Has he finally told you to go away and leave him be?"

Zachary scoffs, "No, he did that months ago." he says, forcing Edgar to quickly hide the smirk making its way onto his face, "No, apparently Afton is able to read and write!"

...

"And what makes you think that? Did he spit his spaghetti-o's into a word?" he jabs again, wishing the man would stop talking about his son constantly.

"Actually, Adah Lindgren took him from the nursery and taught him how to write half of the alphabet today." Verna interjects, causing Edgar to look at her in disbelief.

"He's one year old and you expect me to believe that not only is he able to walk and speak, but read and write too?" he asks, remembering how slowly his own son seemed to grow up.

Verna crosses her arms and smirks, "He's able to do maths as well apparently."

...

Verna leaves to go greet the other's who'd arrived, Trisha Watkins with her daughter Melissa, Katie Stanton with her son Miles, Susan Royce with her daughter Christine, and Veronica who'd somehow found her way here alone... Maybe she'd come with Christine?

Melissa Watkins, and Miles Stanton were the same age as Afton, and their parents constantly seemed to be trying to get them to befriend one another. This was readily apparent during his last birthday when they'd just dumped the three of them together on a carpeted floor and just watched them interact.

Fortunately, Veronica and Christine were here, while they weren't on his intellectual level yet, they were still preferable to toddlers.

The duo walked over to Afton and looks down at him with smiles, "Hey Afton, I hear you're a real whizzkid." Veronica says as she crouches down next to him.

Afton nods, remaining where he'd been sat to wait for the abrupt event to be over... He wanted everyone to leave him alone so he could do his daily exercises.

Veronica seems a bit disappointed by his lacklustre response and glances to Christine, "Remember when we first visited him? I bet he really did tell us to f-off..." she remarks semi-sarcastically.

Christine shakes her head, "Just because he's able to write a few things now doesn't mean he understood what he was saying back then. Isn't that right Afton? You'd never say that to your big sisters right?"

Afton almost isn't able to restrain himself against the temptation of telling them to fuck off again, just to see their reaction... But that'd probably damage any potential friendship they could have with one another, he imagined that showing such animosity when he was young would be a shock. It also might clue them in on his hidden intelligence as well.

Instead he just smiles at them, "Neva big sis's!", judging by their reactions he'd given the correct answer.