Page 126 of The Pacifist
“That wasn’t a question, but an observation.”
“Still, it shows how your brain works.”
Shelly shook her head like we were all being silly. “I saw Freya playing fetch with some dogs and I just wondered if maybe the only reason the dogs were bringing back the ball was because they thought it brings her joy to throw it.”
I laughed. “If that’s the case, then I’ve wasted endless hours throwing the ball for my dogs.”
“What about the question you had about deaf people? We still need to find an answer to that.” Marco looked to Jonah. “You don’t happen to have a deaf person in your family we can ask, do you?”
“No.”
Shelly chewed on her inner lip. “That’s the thing, deaf people have operations early on these days, but back in the olden days there were people who lived a whole life without hearing. You’ve got to wonder what their thought process was. I mean we all have a narrator in our minds. We think in words and just by looking at an apple, the word will appear in our minds. But what if you’ve never heard speech? Will a deaf person think in symbols, sign language, or make sense of everything in a completely different way than the rest of us? I’d love to know.”
Jonah and I exchanged a look. “I’ve never thought of that,” I admitted.
“Me neither,” Mila said in support.
Marco chuckled. “That’s because we aren’t cursed with a mind that will never shut up asking questions. I’m telling you that living with Shelly is the most entertaining thing. She never ceases to amaze me.”
Finn and Athena, holding hands, came over to join in our discussion “Are you talking about me? I always amaze people. I can’t help it,” he said.
“We’re talking about the entertainment value of a curious mind and the obscure thoughts Shelly has.”
“Ah, I can relate. I’m a bit of a genius myself, sometimes.” Finn tapped at his left temple. “For instance, do you ever think about how your future self is watching you right now through memories?”
“And how many animals probably need glasses but nobody knows it,” Athena added.
I felt like I had an aura of happiness around me when I grinned. “You’re all geniuses and I love you.”
“Aww, you’re the sweetest.” Athena hugged me and then Finn enveloped us calling out, “Group hug.”
Athena and I were laughing when they squeezed us together. With the size of Finn, Marco, and all the others, I couldn’t see much but I heard Magni protest when apparently someone tried to get him to join.
“I would, but group hugging is bad for my legs. It said so in the instruction manual.”
When finally, they all let up again, I had tears in my eyes from laughing and from the deep sense of happiness that filled me from within. Jonah opened his arms and I placed my cheek against his chest and cried a little.
“Did someone hurt my baby?” Magni called out.
“No, I think she’s just a little overwhelmed with emotions,” Jonah answered for me while holding me in his arms. “That’s what a massive group hug will do to you. Mila is an empath; she soaks up all the love.”
“Ah, that’s okay then.” I felt my dad’s hand on my back. “It’s okay to cry, you know.”
With a sound between a snort and a gasp, I turned my head to him. “Dad, did you just say that it’s okay to cry?”
Magni lowered his brow. “Yeah, for women, you know.”
“Ahh, okay.” I dried my eyes. “For a moment you had me worried that you might have fallen and hit your head.”
“Men can cry too, just never in public.” Magni crossed his arms and gave a firm look to Finn and Marco, who were the only Nmen within ears reach. “Don’t pretend you haven’t cried too.”
Finn’s hands flew up in the air. “I bawled like a baby when I thought Athena had died, and I’m not afraid to admit it.”
Marco shifted his weight from one side to the other, but didn’t answer.
“I cry.” Jonah admitted with no shame. “It’s natural.”
“Marco cries too. He did it a few weeks ago, remember?” Shelly seemed oblivious to Marco’s bulging eyes as he tried to tell her to keep quiet.
