Page 93 of The Genius
“By tying them up to a pole when they were babies. In the beginning they would try to get free but eventually they gave up and accepted that a rope around their neck meant they couldn’t move.”
“You lost me, Shelly.”
“You said that sometimes people are bound and I referred to the elephants because the restriction was all in their minds. There’re always more options, even though some of them seem crazy. Maybe what defines a genius is their bravery in thinking crazy thoughts and seeing connections between ordinary things that, when connected, become revolutionary. That’s what I did with the photographic brain implant. I didn’t come up with brain implants, photography, or the technology to control things with your eyes. All those things were already invented. All I did was figure out a way to combine them in a way that makes it easier for humankind.”
“So you’re admitting you’re a genius? You used to hate it when I called you Brainy.”
“I prefer to be called a skilled thinker.”
I smiled. “A skilled thinker who’s a great tinkerer.”
“Funny, but do you get my point?”
Moving up a little higher on the large rock to be closer to her, I admitted, “I have no fucking clue. To be honest, I thought this was just another of your random lectures.Isthere a point?”
“Of course, there’s a point.” Shelly shifted her position, pulling a foot up under her. “Your constant go-to solution is for us to marry. It’s like you can’t see other options, but marriage is onlyonesolution, Marco. Let’s explore what other options we have.”
“Shelly, I wanna be a part of my child’s life.”
“I understand that.” Shelly placed her hand on mine. “I’m not trying to take that away from you, I just want to find the best solution forus. We don’t need to copy other people when there might be an alternative that suits us better.”
“So you’ll let me see our child?”
“Why wouldn’t I? People raise children together in the Motherlands without being married. If we go back in history there are plenty of examples of unmarried parents.”
I groaned. “The shitty thing is that Storm is moving out soon, but I’ll find another roommate, and I promise that I’ll work two jobs and do whatever it takes to make sure our child has everything he or she needs.”
“Storm is moving?”
“Yes. He was only supposed to stay for a month or two and it’s been almost five so it’s time, but I could use the rent money.”
Shelly smiled. “This could work for us.”
“How?”
“I’m renting a room with a couple. If Storm moves out I could rent a room at your place instead.”
I was so eager that I took both her hands and spoke in a high-pitched voice: “You would move in with me?”
“I’ll have to spend some time in the Motherlands, but it would be practical to have a base here in the Northlands that I could return to when I’m here.”
“How often will that be?”
“I don’t know. It depends on what projects I’m working on. If I can work from here, I’ll do it, but it might not always be the case.”
I wanted to tell her to stay with me, but this was Shelly and limiting her would be selfish, so instead I muttered a low, “I understand.”
“Are you serious about working two jobs?”
I nodded and released her hands, my eyes following a leaf that was floating down the stream of water.
“Then I have a job for you.”
I raised my gaze and met hers. “What kind of job? If you’re going to offer me money to help you with your research, don’t! I’m not taking money for sex.”
She laughed. “That’s not what I was going to suggest.”
“Good, because that would have been fucking offensive.”
