Unwrapped Questions

"Happy birthday Parker! Smile!" Amanda held up her phone and snapped several pictures over and over, not wanting to miss a single moment. The click of the digital shudder seemed to flick the memories from the past six years before Amanda's eyes. She replayed them in her mind. 

She could remember all of it as if it were yesterday. 

Finding Parker under the bench abandoned and alone. 

His first words. 

His trust building as he grew and began to question the world around him. 

It seemed like yesterday that she celebrated his first birthday with her where he turned a whopping five years old; at least, that's where she thought he was age wise. Now he was officially ten years old. 

Double digits. 

It took everything in her not to break out in a sob as she reminisced. The years had certainly aged him. The minuscule boy no bigger than her thumb was growing up. There was a sense of pride that she had managed to keep him alive and safe all of this time, but also a sense of wonder and fear. 

Parker wasn't two inches tall anymore. He was getting closer to three and a quarter inches, and he would only keep growing from there. He was developing a sense of style and taste in the things he liked. The clothes he wore, which he was beginning to make himself, were more free flowing and flexible while tight in others. 

His mind constantly wanted more knowledge. By now, he had read through nearly every book in Amanda's home and she was renting stacks of books weekly for him from the local library. Parker had also gotten into experimenting recently, which was a huge scare for Amanda. 

She had walked by his room one day to find one of the push lights completely disassembled and Parker messing with the wires, connecting them to different elements of the electronic device to figure out how it worked. 

That ended up being a discussion about safety which Parker did not enjoy. 

The rambunctious boy was also getting into climbing and inventing, which set Amanda completely on edge. Not only was Parker balancing precariously on whatever he could, but he was testing the strength of different items around the house. Once, Amanda found him with a piece of yarn attached to a paper clip which was wrapped around one of the knobs on the bathroom counter. 

When she asked him why, he said he didn't know. 

It just felt right.

He had an unexplainable urge to climb and jump and tumble over anything and everything. Try as she might, Amanda couldn't get him to stop completely. The compromise was that she had an area specifically set up for him to run drills and "play." It was like a complicated playground with tunnels made from the cardboard tubes from toilet paper or paper towels as well as yarn, toys, and boxes. 

Despite his rambunctiousness, Parker also found time for his "quiet" activities, reading and writing in the notebooks Amanda gave him. He was a thoughtful, intuitive child and it really showed in his writing when he dared to share it with his mom. 

Now, he was a whole ten years old. 

Amanda nearly choked up again as she stared at her son's face and the little plume of smoke where the candle once stood lit. It was the first candle he had ever been able to blow out by himself. 

"Did you get it, mom?" asked Parker as he leaned around his cupcake birthday cake and stood as tall as he could. Amanda had to quickly wipe her eyes with the back of her hand as she nodded. 

"Of course I did, sweetie," she said affectionately. "Now, cake or presents first?" 

"Presents please!" Parker cheered as he stepped off of his makeshift stool that he stood on top of to blow out his candle. He darted over to the small, wrapped boxes Amanda had prepared. It was excruciating work, but it was well spent. Parker deserved to have wrapped presents just like any other child after all. 

The child bounced on the balls of his feet as he examined the five different packages in front of him. Two of them were about as big as him while the other three were much smaller. 

He decided to go with the big ones. 

It took him a minute to undo the wrapping as his little fingers fumbled with the paper, but he eventually pulled it back to reveal an MP3 player. It was a very simple model that took AAA batteries, but it held loads of music, which was something Parker frequently enjoyed. 

"Oh, thank you momma… but… what is it?" asked Parker. He remembered his manners even when he was confused, which made Amanda chuckle. 

"It's a music player. Now you can play music in your room without asking me. You just flick this right here to turn it on and this is how you switch songs," Amanda explained as she demonstrated how to use Parker's new toy. 

She knew it was old fashioned technology, but he was still a bit too young in her opinion to have a phone or complete access to the internet. What little access he did have was to watch movies at the end of the night, which was always with Amanda. 

"Ohhh! Thank you momma!" Parker said eagerly as he pressed the play button and began listening to the "Happy" song. He moved onto the small packages, which were some more books and new colored pencils, the "world's smallest video game, and a new board game - chess. It was part of a multipack which Amanda had been rationing out when he achieved something like reading a big book. Now felt like a good time to give him a more complicated game which he could learn over time. 

"These are great! Thank you," smiled Parker as he excitedly went from present to present. 

He finally moved onto the last big one, but opening it brought a face of confusion when he found something that looked like a metal rod. 

"Momma? What's this?" Parker asked. He lifted it with a heave and observed the metal ends that clicked together like Legos. Amanda's smile broadened as her eyes gleamed with excitement. 

"Okay, your last big present is… a little bigger than the others. Here," said Amanda as she got up from the table, making sure she had her camera set to record, as she hurried out of the room and into the back bedroom and emerged with a package that was massive, even for her. 

Parker's eyes widened as he stepped over to the edge of the table and watched as his mom unveiled the final gift. The front of the box read "Snap Circuits," which already made Parker's eyes gleam. He enjoyed electronics and figuring out how things worked, and this seemed to be right up his alley. 

"Okay, so this right here is an experiment kit. You take pieces, like the one you have over there, and hook them up to a board to understand how electricity and batteries work. If you're going to be curious, do it safely first," said Amanda as she slid the box just under Parker. He wasted no time in jumping down into the box to examine all of the parts and pieces. 

"Woah! Mom! This is incredible!" Parker said, jaw slackened in awe. 

"I thought you'd like it. Now, let's get it unpacked and get playing with it," smiled Amanda. 

For the next three hours, the two of them clicked and set up different experiments. Amanda did make Parker read most of the instructions out loud, which was frustrating from time to time, but the end result of getting lightbulbs to glow or fans to rocket into the air was absolutely worth it. 

It was a great celebration - perfect even.

Still…

There was something deep down that Parker wanted that wasn't - couldn't - be wrapped in paper. 

~~~^*^*^~~~

Parker, for as long as he could remember, knew he was a little different. He knew he was small for his age, but there was a good reason for it. 

Parvi Homunculi Syndrome. 

He had it ever since he was a baby. Evidently, it was a rare condition that made him a perfectly sized human, but just significantly smaller than any other human. The condition was so rare that very few people knew about it and, therefore, not a lot of research had been done. Not even the greatest scientists in the world had answers. 

There was no cure.

There was no treatment.

Not even online resources had anything significant to say about the condition except that the origin words were from Latin and that it meant "little human." 

It was final. 

Parker was always going to be tiny. 

He was alright with his size. In fact, he never felt like anything about him was entirely off. The child felt completely normal, but he was told by his mother that his condition kept him fragile, making the outside world a bit more dangerous for him than any other human. 

It was like the people who were allergic to sunlight. 

Normal, and yet not. 

Parker didn't resent that fact. He enjoyed his time with his mother and loved the time he had to explore, read, and do mostly whatever he wanted. 

It was the simple fact that there was no one else like him that made him feel… lonely… from time to time. 

The child knew there were kids his age, but he also knew he could never play with them because they wouldn't know about his condition and not be careful with him. It was a precaution. It was a necessary precaution. 

Still…

It didn't stop him from feeling a bit out of place. 

It was a sensation he could never quite get rid of. Everything just felt so big and some of his impulses and thoughts just felt right despite how dangerous they seemed. He remembered an instance with a paper clip and yarn he attached to one another. Parker was tired of asking his mother to lift him to the sink anytime he wanted to play in the sink or if he needed to go to the bathroom. So, he found a solution. He attached a paper clip to some yarn and threw it upward until it caught the knob on the sink drawer. 

Was it dangerous to climb it? 

Yes. Absolutely.

Did he do it?

Mostly - if his mom hadn't stopped him. 

Parker couldn't explain how he knew how to climb the rope or why that seemed like the best solution, but he did it anyway. 

Another time he was balancing on the edge of the nightstand drawer at the very bottom. His mom told him to be careful, but he still lost his balance and fell toward the ground. Inside of him, something told him how to twist in the air and land safely on his feet - and so he did. His mom fussed and worried over him for a week, but Parker emerged completely unscathed from the incident. He and his mother both were astounded he was alright considering the fall was the equivalent of falling from the roof of a two story building. 

There were a million instances just like this, and none of them could be explained. 

Nothing stopped Parker from asking questions, but all of them were explained with the condition he had; so, ultimately, he started attributing all of these odd quirks to his genetic condition. 

Every once in a while, he felt like he just wanted to be like his mom - normal. But he suspected that others with this condition had the same thoughts and feelings too. Anyone who was deemed a little different probably wanted to feel normal every once in a while, whatever "normal" actually was. 

Now that he was ten, Parker felt he had more questions than answers, but not all of them pertained to his instincts. Some of them were about life. There were things he knew, and there were things he didn't know. And, for the things he didn't know, sometimes he was afraid to ask. Whether it was natural apprehension for delving into the unknown or because he was afraid to hear the answer, Parker didn't know. 

But, what he did know was that his mom always had a hard time saying "no" to him when it was his birthday. 

Now was his one day out of the year where he felt like he could summon the courage to ask some really tough questions. 

And this time he was going to do it. 

So, after a healthy helping of cake and a movie of his choosing, Parker played with his plate of mostly icing and crumbs as he cleared his throat. His heart was pounding hollowly, but he wouldn't shy away from his questions today. He had already done so far too many times. 

"Um… momma?" asked Parker, gaining his mother's attention. 

"Yes, sweetie?" Amanda asked as she turned off the television and flicked on the nearby lamp. 

"Could… um… could I ask you a question? And you not get mad?" Parker asked. Amanda's body position changed immediately as she faced him, which made his mouth dry. 

"Parker, when have I gotten mad when you've asked a question? You can always ask me anything and I'll answer as best as I can. Is something wrong?" His mom's concern was evident in her signature "mom" tone. It made Parker smile as he heard it. He knew the question came off a bit wrong by asking her not to get mad, but it just sort of slipped out. 

"I… I know. I'm okay. You don't get mad. I just… I just know some questions you… don't like," said Parker. His mom's body stiffened ever so slightly as if she knew the question to come, but she nodded with conviction. 

"Parker, you can always ask me anything," said his mom. 

It was enough to get the ball rolling. 

"Well… with my… condition… will I get a chance to invite friends over for my birthday?" Parker asked. He knew what the answer would be, but he wanted to ask anyway. 

"Parker, I wish I knew the answer to that question. I would love it if you could go out and make some friends like any other kid, but you're special. Everything here is to help and protect you, sweetie, which I know is hard," said his mom. 

"But, maybe, if we could go to the park together, you can help explain everything and…"

"And kids your age aren't always as careful as you. They don't listen as well as you, Parker," said his mom. Parker drew his legs up to his chest and picked at the lump of icing on his plate. 

"Then… could I maybe call friends one day?" he asked. "Like… if you find someone who has a kid who will be careful, and we can play games online or call on the phone and stuff?" 

At this suggestion, Amanda perked up. 

"Yes, I think I can figure something out. I want you to have friends to play games with. I'll see what we can do. Yeah? For your birthday, I'll do this," suggested Amanda. Parker smiled and nodded vigorously.

"Yeah, yeah! I mean… yes, please," said Parker. Already, his heart was feeling lighter with the answers he was given. 

"Anything else?" asked his mom, her eyes luring out more questions that had been lingering in the corners of the child's mind. 

"Um… I… guess… could… I mean… I love reading, but…" Parker's next request was a bold one, but it tied into his first desire of meeting other people. He gulped and spat out his desire before he lost his nerve. "I want to go to school." 

His request lingered there for a moment before he saw his mom nodding. 

"I know. I've seen it for a while now. I know I can only teach you so much, and you probably want to make friends with your classmates too, huh?" asked his mom. Parker nodded sheepishly. 

"Yes momma," he replied. 

Amanda sighed, knowing this day would come. 

"Alright. I'll see what I can do. I don't know about this season, but I'm sure I can get some tests done and have you placed in the fall. Okay? Mind you, it will probably have to be virtual, like how I go to work sometimes. You'll be able to see and talk to others, but going physically to school might be tricky. Okay?" 

It didn't matter that he had to stay at home. He would get to interact virtually, which was a start. 

"Well then, birthday boy, any other questions and requests?" 

There was one other thing…

It weighed on Parker, and he wasn't even sure if he could articulate what he needed or wanted. It was more of the curiosity and the unknown that captured his focus. 

"Um… there was… one other thing."

"Okay. I'm all ears," said his mom. 

"I… well… I was just… wondering… about dad."

The word left the air feeling charged and static. It took a good thirty seconds for his mom to respond. 

"What were you wondering about?" 

It was a legitimate question, and Parker honestly didn't know if he would get this far. 

"Um… just… I don't know. I guess… why he missed my birthday? Why he's not here? I… see in the shows and movies and stuff that there's a mom and a dad, and he's not here," said Parker. His questions were earnest and meant in innocence and sincerity, which made it all the more bitter for Amanda. 

She often left her ex-husband out of all conversation and discussion. Parker had absently asked a few times in the past about him, but now there was a deliberate question about his existence and presence - or lack thereof. Amanda had to take a few deep breaths as she formulated the right words. 

She had already thought about these words a while ago, and while she knew Parker would ask her one day about the truth of his size and origin, she didn't want to shatter his reality here and now. 

Not on his birthday. 

Maybe not ever. 

Everything she said was the truth - but the bitter lying by omission burned her tongue and made her squirm. 

"My… husband… he would have been your dad… he left when you were just a baby. He and I… we didn't get along. We had our arguments and decided it would be best to split - divorce," explained Amanda as carefully as she could. "I know he would have loved you if he got to know you, Parker, but at the time we made decisions that we thought were best for us, even though that might feel wrong now." 

Parker listened to his mother's explanation intently. She had never given him so much information all at once. 

It still left questions. 

Did his dad not love him? Did he not want to try and get to know him? 

What did he do wrong? 

"Is… is it because of me?" asked Parker. He had asked the question before he had a chance to second guess himself. 

Immediately, Amanda leaned over and rested her fingers beside him. Parker wasn't sure why, but a momentary instinct told him to flinch away at the approaching fingers that he knew and loved. He stood his ground, but the impulse was an odd one. As fast as it came, it went, leaving Parker feeling confused. His mom's voice brought him back to their conversation. 

"Parker, you listen to me. It is not because of you. Do not even think that for a second. We made the best decisions we could in the moment. They may feel wrong now, but we didn't know that at the time," said Amanda reassuringly. "You are so loved, Parker. Don't you forget that." 

Parker looked up into his mother's features and saw there were tears in her eyes. His eyes started to burn seeing the conviction and passion in his mother's gaze. He wanted nothing more than to take back his last question. 

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you sad," said Parker as he leaned over and hugged his mother's fingers, practically wrapping his whole body around them. 

"No, Parker. You didn't make me sad. I'm just sorry I can't give you everything you want and need. I hope you know none of that is because of you," said Amanda. 

"I know. I know. Don't cry momma," said Parker over and over again. Ever so carefully, Amanda rotated her hand and scooped up the small child to hold him to her chest. His little fingers grasped at the fibers on her shirt as he turned and faced her. She could hear his little voice apologizing, but she reassured him that there was nothing to apologize for. 

In fact, she was surprised things were going as well as this. She always feared these questions when Parker asked. She feared the day if and when he would question who she was to him. 

She was his mom. 

But not his mother. 

She didn't carry him or birth him, but she was there to nurture and teach him as if she did. 

The difference didn't matter to Amanda because Parker was her son. She would protect him and love him with everything she was. It was sad she didn't have all of the answers he wanted. He deserved the truth; but how could she tell him what she didn't know? 

All she could do is tell him the truth as best as she could, even as the difficult questions sat poised on the edge ready to strike at any moment. It made her feel anxious and sick, dreading what might not ever come to pass. 

Perhaps that day will never come, Amanda prayed as she held Parker closer. 

When the two of them had taken a few deep breaths and felt the air clear, Parker asked to go back to playing with his toys. It was still his birthday so, despite it being his bedtime, Amanda allowed him to stay awake and to play with his toys for just a little longer. 

It was his birthday after all. 

Parker proceeded to build three more constructions from his book before his eyes could no longer be held open. He needed sleep, and his mom knew it. She took him to the bathroom to brush his teeth and a quick bath before the two of them went to sleep. 

As Parker drifted off in his bed in his room, he stared up at the edge of his mom's massive bed and called, "I love you, momma." 

"I love you, Parker. I love you so very much." 

Parker curled into his bed and smiled. 

What a fun birthday….