Page 10 of Before We Break

She giggles. “That’s a-ma-zing,” she says, emphasizing each syllable.

Auggie takes to Clio like a duck to water. She matches him beat for beat, and it’s incredible to watch. He went from shy and withdrawn to energetic and talkative in the blink of an eye.

“Do you mind if I talk to your sidekick for a minute?” she asks him.

“What’s a sidekick?”

“It’s the hero’s helper. That’s your Uncle Noah, right?”

Auggie taps his chin, his face scrunched. “I guess…”

She straightens, and her smile dims a little as she looks at me. It’s still there, but noticeably more forced. “I’ve read through his IEP information, and I spoke to the teacher at his previous preschool, but I wanted to touch base to make sure there aren’t any misunderstandings where Auggie’s language and communication requirements are concerned. I am fluent in ASL, but the program specifies that Auggie prefers spoken language. Is that correct?”

“I—uh—I think so. This is all new to me. We’re still figuring things out.” I feel like shit for not knowing the answer, but Clio doesn’t seem fazed by it; she nods and crouches to Auggie's level again.

“Hey Super Auggie, can I ask you somethin’?”

“Uh huh.”

“Do you like when people talk with their voices, or sign?” She signs as she’s speaking.

He shrugs. “I like talking, but sometimes I need to take a break.”

She tilts her head to the side, never breaking eye contact. I appreciate that she’s speaking to him like any other person, not treating him as if he’s incapable of understanding.

“Sometimes I turn off my ears, so I don’t have to listen anymore.”

“That’s a fun superpower.” She beams. “Can I tell you a secret?”

He nods excitedly.

“Sometimes it gets really loud in there, and I wish I could turn my ears off, too.”

“Maybe you could make a wish on your birthday to have superpowers like me!”

She wrinkles her nose. “Maybe I will. But hey, do you think you could tell me when you need a break? That way, you won’t miss anything.”

He shrugs. “Ok.”

“I think we’re gonna get along great.” Her eyes dart to me, and she gives me a reassuring nod. “Are you ready to meet your class?”

He glances through the open door at the nosy onlookers on the carpet. To their credit, they haven’t made a sound since Clio told them to catch a bubble, whatever that means.

“Can Uncle Noah come too?” he asks, his nervous energy returning.

“Absolutely!” Clio holds out her hand, and he holds it without hesitation. She guides him to the front of the class, and I take up residence next to the door.

“Ok, friends,” she says. “We have a new friend joining us today. This is Auggie. Everybody say hi.”

“Hi, Auggie,” they say in unison.

She lowers herself to her beanbag chair, leaving Auggie standing next to her. “Auggie, would you like to tell everyone about your superpowers?”

“I’m deaf,” he says proudly.

“What does deaf mean?” a little blonde girl in the front row asks.

“Don’t forget to raise your hand to speak, Emmy,” Clio says.