"Everyone has a gift; something extra special that they are really good at. However, finding that unique talent is not always easy. It took me years to figure out what I love to do, but when I did, it changed my life forever." Liz Faublas

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XVIII. Superpowers

The rain had begun to sprinkle down as Noah and Sophie looked out over London from one of the pods.

Sophie had pointed out St James' Park that led toward Buckingham Palace. Noah was a right tourist as he stood up as close as he could get to the glass. As much as Sophie could have got lost in this moment, the slow spin of the wheel allowed her mind to wander, and of course it went to Maddie.

"I don't know how I'm going to tell her," Sophie admitted quietly.

Noah's head turned immediately, frowning. His expression told her that he knew exactly what she was talking about. "You tell her the truth," he advised. "She's smart, Sophie. She'll know if you're bullshitting her."

"But how can I tell her the truth? How can I tell her that something as simple as making a friend will be monumentally difficult for her?" Sophie's voice was so quiet that Noah had to lean in to hear her.

"She'll learn," Noah insisted. "Anything she can't do now, she'll learn. Besides, she does know how to connect with people ... people who are on her wavelength. I'd wager she hasn't been able to make friends in her class because all those other kids are ten times too dumb to hold Maddie's interest."

Sophie playfully slapped Noah's arm. "Stop it, that's cruel," she scolded, though she couldn't hide a burgeoning smile. As much as she wanted to believe that what Noah said was all true, Sophie knew it wasn't. Maddie needed to be taught to connect with her peers and continuing to see her psychologist would help her build skills to do that.

She did wonder, though, that if she met other children who were as intellectual as she was, would she have the same issue? She had managed to form a connection with Noah simply because they were both as bright as each other.

"You've got to keep seeing beyond the immediate future, though, Sophie. This next conversation that you have with Maddie won't be life defining. The kid's got a lot to do and being autistic is not going to hinder her."

Sophie's head went to seeing Maddie's name atop Noah's sheet music, written as one of the composers of the piece. God, she knew Noah was right. Maddie did have a lot to do in her life. It killed her that doubt kept creeping in.

"If I tell her today, would you be there?" Sophie asked, looking up at Noah, before immediately wishing that she had bitten her tongue. Oh dear, that was far too heavy. "Please do not feel put on the spot. I don't mean to pressure you or to make you feel uncomfortable."

Noah frowned again, this time with a curious grin on his face. "Should I be offended that the offer was all but rescinded as soon as it was made?" he asked. He snaked an arm around Sophie's waist, and he pulled her against him as they leant against the rail. "Of course, I want to be there," he told her sincerely.

***

Sophie was internally cringing as she entered the code to her block of flats and let Noah through the door. Every so often, the teenagers in one of the other flats would through a party and their friends would graffiti the walls with profanity and lewd pictures.

They were often cleaned, but when the light hit just so through the windows, you could see exactly what was there. Sophie walked Noah up the stairs to her flat and pulled out her key to unlock her door.

"It's not much," she said bashfully. "I rented this place when I first got a job at Pete's and it was all I could afford." It was all she could still barely afford.

"I think you're forgetting I live in my sister's guestroom," Noah calmed her. "You don't need to be embarrassed."

Sophie sucked in a breath as she pushed open the door that opened up right into her living room, stroke bedroom of a night time. She thanked God silently that it was still as clean as she had left it this morning.

Sophie could hear Holly and Maddie's voices coming from the bedroom. "Please, have a seat," she offered, gesturing to her sofa. She took the few steps to her little hall that contained doors to Maddie's bedroom and the bathroom. She opened Maddie's door quietly to find she and Holly sitting on the bed reading a picture book.

Maddie was reading the picture book.

"Mummy!" cheered Maddie when she looked up from the pages. She smiled brightly. Sophie returned the warm greeting and noticed Maddie's strawberry blonde hair was fixed perfectly in two Dutch braids.

Holly's dark hair was fixed the same. "Hiya, babes," Holly winked.

"Hi," said Sophie, grinning. "What book are you reading?"

"The Day the Crayons Quit," Maddie cheered. "It was the deal."

"The deal?" repeated Sophie.

"Me and Mads was watching Hannah Montana, weren't we? I started doing my hair like, and she demanded hers be done the same way. But what was the deal we made, Mads?" Holly asked.

"I had to read Holly a book that had more than ten pages," Maddie informed Sophie. "Look, Mummy!" Maddie wriggled off of the bed to hold up her braids proudly.

"She was doing so well with the reading, too, weren't you, Mads?" prompted Holly, as she wriggled off the bed as well.

"I was," boasted Maddie. "I know all the words already."

"Well, aren't you clever?" Sophie said proudly. "Noah is in the living room, though, Maddie. Would you like to go and say hello?"

Maddie gasped excitedly and sprinted from her bedroom.

Sophie turned back to her friend and pouted her bottom lip. "You're amazing," she gushed.

"Babes, aren't I?" Holly teased. She bumped Sophie with her hip. "So," she urged. "How was it?"

"Really good," Sophie said sincerely. "He was going to take me to High Tea at the Savoy, but as soon as I said I used to go there with my mum and dad when I was younger, he changed the plans immediately and we went to Costa."

"Costa?" repeated Holly sneering. "You went from bloody schmoozing at the Savoy to flipping Costa? Babes, do I need to give you a lesson in dating. Always choose the most expensive option. If men at work learn all they need to win you over is a two quid cup of tea at Costa then I'm blooming done for."

Sophie couldn't help but laugh. "Stop it, it wasn't like that. It was sweet of him! We had a really good chat, got to know each other even better, and it was really nice. He even took me on the London Eye. If it makes you feel better, he paid for the express ticket."

"He paid, what, eighty pounds to skip the line?" cried Holly.

"I told him I was okay waiting, but I think he was excited to ride," chuckled Sophie.

"Oh, babes, that's the dream, to have a man with enough cash to skip lines," Holly sighed wistfully.

"You need a new dream," Sophie rolled her eyes, smirking. "Anyway, I had better go out there and save him. Thank you for today, Holly. It means a lot to me."

"Sophie, don't be silly!" exclaimed Holly. "You know I'm happy to help you get a shag."

"Oh, for fuck's sake," hissed Sophie.

"Exactly." Holly winked. "Alright," she kissed Sophie's cheek. "I'll see you at work tonight." Holly sashayed confidently out of Maddie's bedroom and Sophie followed her, watching as Holly said her goodbyes before leaving out the front door.

Maddie was sitting beside Noah on the sofa. Noah's sheet music was in his hand, and he was pointing at a particular line as he explained something to Maddie. Maddie was focussing intently, her rigid stare almost startling as she listened.

"Hey," greeted Noah with a smile. "I was just teaching Maddie how to read her sheet music. Once she's got it, she'll be able to play anything."

He said it like he was teaching Maddie to tie her shoelaces, but really, he was meaning Maddie could suddenly pick up a bloody Mozart symphony and she would be able to play it. The idea seemed too incredible.

"Do you drink tea?" Sophie asked Noah, leaning against the wall of her little hall. "I'm afraid it's all I've got." Next time she was at Tesco's she would need to pick up some coffee.

Noah shook his head. "No, that's okay, thanks." Noah motioned for Sophie to come over and join them on the sofa.

Sophie came and sat down beside Maddie, leaving her in the middle of Sophie and Noah. She was still studying the sheet music intently. "Maddie," Sophie said quietly, but Maddie didn't stir. "Maddie," Sophie said again. "Maddie!"

Maddie's head snapped up. "What?"

"Pardon," Sophie corrected.

"Pardon," repeated Maddie.

Sophie met Noah's eye, and he nodded encouragingly. Taking a deep breath, Sophie began. "Maddie, I had a phone call from Elaine yesterday. You know how you have been visiting with her every week for a little while."

"Yes," replied Maddie.

Sophie turned her body, tucking one of her legs underneath herself so that she could properly face Maddie. "Sweetheart, you have something called autism," Sophie explained tenderly. She would not call it a disorder in front of Maddie.

"What's that?" asked Maddie.

Breathe, Sophie, she willed herself. "It means that some things are a little tricky for you, Maddie. It's a little tricky for you to make friends, and to understand other people. Do you find that?"

Maddie frowned. "They just call me dumb," she retorted. "They're not my friends."

If some of those kids at that school were anything like their activewear clad mothers, then Sophie was not surprised that they were all little snots. Now that she was no so worried about Maddie's academics, she would be onto the school more about the name calling.

"No, kid. You're right, kids who call you names aren't your friends. They don't deserve to be your friends. They're ass ... asking ... they should ask your forgiveness." Noah managed to skate around his swearing not-so gracefully.

Sophie smiled at him slyly. "But if you ever met someone that you would like to be friends with," Sophie continued, "then it might be little difficult for you."

"Why?" wondered Maddie.

"People with autism struggle to understand how other people feel, Maddie," clarified Sophie gently. "But Elaine is going to help you with that. She's going to teach you, and you know how clever you are when you want to learn." Of course, Maddie had to want to learn. "But," Sophie emphasised. "Autism makes you special, too. Amazingly so. You have incredible focus on things that you are passionate about, Maddie. Like piano. It's helped you to realise your talent, sweetheart. It's like a superpower." Sophie nodded. "It isa superpower, and do not let anybody tell you any different."

Maddie's face contorted a little as she thought, before she looked up at Sophie with a decisive expression. "Sometimes when people have powers, it means they can fly. But my superpower is autism because it means I am super good at the piano." She then nodded, as if she had made a decision and that was that, before she picked up the sheet music and held it up to Noah. "I want to read this now," she urged him.

Sophie blinked, before managing to utter, "Manners, Maddie."

"PleaseI want to read this now," she said impatiently.

"She can learn anything," Noah assured Sophie. "Even how to make a friend." He placed his arm over the back of the sofa, his hand reaching Sophie's shoulder.

Sophie knew that wasn't the last conversation that she would have with Maddie about this. She certainly knew it wasn't the worst. But Maddie knew, and Sophie prayed that she continued to feel the way that she did now. Sophie brought her knees up to her chest and rested her head against Noah's arm as he continued his lesson in musical theory.

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Hope you enjoyed it! 

I hope you all have had a lovely week, as best as you can! It's been another long week for me, but getting through. My class love "The Day the Crayons Quit", that and "The Book With No Pictures" which has them wetting themselves with laughter. They always request those books. 

Getting nostalgic for London in this chapter though. I didn't pay for the express ticket for the London Eye as it was forty freaking pounds, so my friend and I just smiled at the operator and asked how his day had been, and then got in line. Next thing we know, he's lifting the rope and taking us to the front of the loooong line, letting us "kind ladies" on the next pod and away we went. 

Being nice costs nothing!

Okay, but I have to ask you guys something. 

Am I the only one who knows that the proper name for a samurai sword is a katana?

Random, I know, but hear me out. 

I'm on video chat with one of my kids this week and I see his brother in the background swinging around a plastic samurai sword, and I said, "Hey, have you got a katana, there, *brother's name*?" and his mum said, "No, it's a samurai sword." 

I just laughed to myself and then relayed the story to the two teachers in my year level and they laughed but in a way that told me they didn't get it. 

I then told my mum and she didn't get it. 

Like, am I the only one? 

Yes, I may have seen "The Last Samurai" 10,000 times, but I thought it was general knowledge hahaha. 

Yes, the funny highlight of my week is this. I haven't left my house. Save me hahaha. 

Vote and comment!