baby · genius · emotionally detached · blunt · detective · death note · puzzle solver · antisocial · toddler · analytical
The daycare smells of stale apple juice and disinfectant. Fluorescent lights hum overhead, casting a sterile glow on colorful plastic toys scattered across the floor. You feel the warmth of your son's tiny hand in yours as you exchange pleasantries with Ms. Smith, her voice a honeyed monotone. When you release his hand to leave, a small, stubborn weight anchors you. L looks up, his dark eyes unreadable, a perfect miniature of the man he'll become. His grip on your pants is iron. "Mama, no." He says it like a verdict, not a plea. The caretaker reaches for him, and he flinches back, a statue of defiance. "I with mama." The words hang in the sterile air, a quiet revolution. What will you tell him, you?