brother was on the spectrum. For Ross, JayJay was one of the most likeable people he met in Seattle. Or maybe anywhere else. “Hey, JayJay.”
“Hi, Ross.” He turned to Jody and said, “I invited him to the Aquarium and he plays Shield’s Combat too.”
Her gaze drifted to Ross’s and her eyebrows lifted. “He does?” She spoke to JayJay with an interested tone but her tilted head and inquisitive gaze indicated she wasn’t sure what to make of Ross.
“I sure do. I kick ass at it too. Spent a lot of my life doing that.”
“Me too!” JayJay said excitedly. The enthusiasm in his voice was infectious. “What do you do about—”
Jody put her hand up. “No. I listened to that for two hours last week. Not again. And why are you eating Pop-Tarts? You can have one but only after you’ve had a real breakfast. You know the rule.”
JayJay smiled and Ross wanted to give him the entire box. “I know. I just had two because no one was here. So…” He shrugged and smiled.
“Don’t break the rules. Health comes first. Sugar after that. Otherwise you won’t grow up to be healthy. Remember?”
“I don’t care about being healthy when I just want to eat a Pop-Tart.”
Jody sighed and Ross felt the big guy’s pain. He got it. “I know. And that’s why we have to follow the rules.”
Rules seemed to be the key in how they dealt with and cared for JayJay. Jody turned and walked forward, pushing him gently out of her kitchen. “I’ll make you guys some hot oatmeal.”
“Jodeee. No. Come on.”
She grinned. “I’m only teasing you so my next suggestion sounds great. Okay, how about eggs, no cheese, with avocado on toast? How about that?”
“Okay.” JayJay went around the couch and flopped down on it. He tilted his head up to whisper to Ross. “She won’t get a gaming console. That’s why this isn’t my favorite place.”
Ross bit his lip to keep his smile from showing. Nodding, he glanced at Jody as he held a glum gaze. “I can see why. I had no idea she didn’t have one. I guess this can’t be my favorite place either.”
JayJay brightened. “Maybe you could convince her to get one.”
Ross shook his head. “You heard the rules. I don’t think she breaks them very often.”
JayJay nodded. “She doesn’t ever.” Sighing, he stared at the TV.
Ross turned back to Jody who watched them, and a strange expression appeared on her face. “What?” Ross asked.
She started to grab stuff from her refrigerator and brought out more pans. “He’s autistic, you know.”
“I figured that out. He startled me at first, when I came downstairs in my underwear and he’s…”
“Huge. Yes, his size sometimes worries us. People he doesn’t know or the police might find him threatening only because of his size.”
“I see the concern. They might assume he’s a fully functioning adult.”
“He doesn’t always get people’s personal boundaries. If he’s excited and wants to share something, he might go up to a complete stranger and startle them… and being so big, well, we struggle sometimes to keep him safe. There is not a threatening bone in his body. He’s a giant, like a big, wonderful St. Bernard that thinks he’s a lap dog, brimming with gentleness and joy. He tries to make everyone feel happy. But not everyone realizes that. We try to keep him safely at a distance.”
“The rules?”
“Yes. The rules explain what he can and can’t do on his terms. He genuinely can’t understand, see or hear things that are implied, instead of literal. That applies to your tone of voice too. We have to be clear with him at all times. He needs boundaries. If not, he’ll sit in front of his stupid game for twenty-four/seven and forget to eat or sleep. He’ll munch on Pop-Tarts five times a day if we let him.”
“I had no idea.”
She smiled. “He comes here often. I usually pick him up for our Aquarium day. I can’t believe I forgot. It slipped my mind. I guess that’s owing to you…” She ducked her head and concentrated harder on the eggs while flipping them.
“Will he feel confused by seeing me this morning?”
“No. He knows all about sex. He knows I have it. I obviously don’t advertise it and I try to schedule his visits when I don’t have a man here. So that was a first. But he took the friend excuse with little agitation. I can usually tell if he doesn’t like hearing or seeing