Chapter 405

Evelyn's brow furrowed. Were they seriously going to back down now? Not on her watch!

Then something small moved in her peripheral vision.

A little boy crouched in the corner, fingers flying over a Rubik's cube with startling precision. The colored squares blurred under his touch. In under thirty seconds, the puzzle clicked into perfect alignment.

Evelyn approached cautiously. "Ms. Montgomery, is this your son?"

Adelaide's protective instincts flared. She rushed forward, blocking Evelyn's path. "Stay away from him! I swear I'll tear apart anyone who tries to hurt my baby!"

Evelyn recoiled from the sudden ferocity.

"It's not like that," she explained quickly. "I noticed his incredible skill with the cube. Most children his age couldn't possibly manipulate it that fast. The way he solved it... that's not normal development."

"You're saying... he's gifted?" Adelaide's grip on Evelyn's arm trembled. For the first time in years, hope flickered in her eyes.

Evelyn nodded firmly. "Absolutely! A standard 3x3 cube would challenge most three-year-olds. But he handled a 12x12 like it was nothing. That's extraordinary cognitive ability."

Tears welled up in Adelaide's eyes. "All the specialists... they keep telling me he's autistic. That he's... broken. You're the first person who's ever called him smart."

Understanding dawned on Evelyn. "They diagnosed him with autism spectrum disorder?"

Adelaide nodded miserably. "Since birth. He's three now but still nonverbal. Doesn't respond to his name. Just... lives in his own world."

The mother's voice cracked as she gazed at her son. "No matter what it takes, I'll find a way to reach him."

Evelyn studied the quiet child. She grabbed nearby building blocks and arranged them into a distinct pattern. "You're Reginald, aren't you?"

The boy's bright eyes flickered toward her, but he remained silent.

"Reginald," Evelyn said carefully, "I think you're very clever. Can you show me how to move just two blocks without changing this shape?"

For a long moment, the child stared at the pattern. Then with startling certainty, he adjusted exactly two blocks. The original shape remained perfectly intact.

Adelaide gasped. "How... Reginald, do you understand us?" She crushed him in a tearful embrace.

Evelyn's theory confirmed itself. "There's nothing wrong with his intelligence. If anything, he's operating at a level beyond most children his age."

She met the boy's gaze. "With proper support, he'll learn to communicate. I'm certain of it."

As if to prove her point, Reginald's lips curved in the faintest smile. His small hand reached out and grasped Evelyn's fingers, eyes shining with unspoken understanding.