June Exclusive - "Button" - Epilogue

Amber doesn’t expect to spend much time with her friend Dawn anymore. Not since what happened. But she makes an effort to visit – just a coffee, she won’t stay long – because what happened isn’t Dawn’s fault.

“It must have been such a shock,” Amber says, looking with pity at Andrew as he sits on the floor and plays with baby toys.

Dawn laughs. “A little bit!” She passes a mug of coffee to her friend. “Hold it by the handle, it’s hot.” She continues, “You know, he called me the day it happened. Said something big had happened, that he’d tell me about it when he got home.” She shrugs. “Except he couldn’t, could he. By the time the Center called later on, by the time I got there, he was just a sweet little boy.” She kisses Andrew’s head. “Weren’t you, silly boy. You were all smooshy!” She laughs, as if the reducing of her boyfriend to helpless idiocy was the punchline of a charming anecdote.

“But…” Amber sips the coffee. “Weren’t you…well, weren’t you horrified?”

Dawn sighs. “Oh, I had plenty to say.” She looks up from her spot on the carpet. “I’ll admit, I didn’t even want him taking the Sweeties job in the first place. I’d always been pretty…okay, I admit, I was grossed out by MA’s.”

Amber nods. That sounds more like her old friend. “And surely, Sweeties are liable? Is there going to be a settlement?”

Dawn says, “There’s lots of support. All the clothes, of course, the cutest outfits! And I won’t have to work.” Her tone changes to babytalk as she cuddles Andrew. “’Cause Mommy’s gotta stay home and look after her precious baby!”

“But you didn’t…I mean, could you…” Amber struggles to say what’s on her mind. But the words light up in her head like a neon sign; Couldn’t you have given him up? Just let the Center have him? For God’s sake, he’s not really your baby, and you never wanted kids anyway.

Dawn answers the unasked question with a sorrowful shake of her head. “I was so ignorant, so prejudiced. Because MAs aren’t strange or disturbing, they’re just big babies.” She laughs softly. “In a way, they’re better than regular babies, because they’re hardly ever cry or get upset. They’re just so innocent and loving. I’m so happy to have him!” She looks genuinely radiant with happiness.

Amber nods, inwardly amazed at the transformation in her friend’s attitude. It was no secret, how she’d felt about the mentally-adjusted. She hadn’t wanted anything to do with them. In fact, Andrew’s condition was easier to swallow – he’d caught the virus after all, the changes in his mind were the same as for millions of other people around the world. But what explains Dawn’s own transformation, from fiercely independent, professional woman to doting mommy?

“You think he caught it at the store?” asks Amber.

Dawn nods. She stays on the carpet, playing with Andrew. “They said the previous manager caught it as well,” says Dawn. “Who’d want that job, right?” She sighs. “Well, everything happens for a reason…”

Amber gives her friend a pained look. “You think?” She tries to smile. “You’re being incredibly brave about this. I don’t think I could be so strong.” She sips her coffee.

Dawn smiles back, and she shakes her head. “Don’t feel sorry for me, Amber. I’ve realized that what happened is a blessing.”

Amber manages not to spit out her coffee. “A blessing?”

Dawn nods. “It was the Center who helped me understand. I was so angry!” She shakes her head, as if amazed at her earlier feelings. “They helped me understand; I’ve been given a gift. My Andy, he’s perfectly innocent. Perfectly good. No jealousy, no lies.” She blinks, and Amber is sure that her friend is on the verge of tears.

Dawn wipes at her eyes. “Sorry. But I really think that Andy, and all the others…” She looks directly at her friend, as if willing her to disagree. “They’re like angels.” She clears her throat, and then strokes Andrew’s hair. “Show Auntie Amber how good you play with your pop-up, Andy. There’s a lion, and a elephant, and a bear, and a…what’s that one?”

Andrew grins as if the answer is simple, and of course for any normal adult, it would be. He pats the white animal with the black spots and announces, “Doggie!”

“That’s right, darling, what a clever boy.”

Dawn smiles up at Amber. “He loves his pop-ups. Almost as much as he loves his trains.” She puts her arms around Andrew, who is wearing a fuzzy yellow onesie decorated with red trains. “You love your choo-choos, don’t you darling.”

Andrew gives Dawn an open-mouthed smiled. ‘Doo-doos, Mommy!”

Dawn giggles. “You’re so cute!” And she tickles the man’s sides, provoking squeals of delight. Dawn laughs to match her ex-boyfriend’s shrieks, and then she quietens and says, “I mean, he’s not like an infant or anything. He can walk, he can play, he’s so social, and he has lots of words. Some people have trouble understanding him, but Mommy doesn’t.” She nuzzles Andrew’s cheek. “No she doesn’t, Mommy understands her sweet boy, yes she does!”

Amber smiles politely. She perches on the front of the chair, as if she’s ready to press the eject button. She drinks her coffee, watching as Andrew, a man she knew before as having a keen intellect, is captivated by a toy designed for toddlers. By pushing, turning or sliding the colored shapes, he is rewarded by the pop-up animals. And even though the result is repetitive, even though there’s barely anything to it, Andrew continues to press and push, giggling at every turn.

Amber drinks her coffee. A few quick gulps, and then she can go.

“Push your buttons, baby,” says Dawn, watching with delight at Andrew’s antics. “Push your buttons!”

Andrew babbles and chortles. It’s clear as day that any spark of intelligence or awareness has long gone. And as he continues his play, and as Dawn continues to coddle him, it occurs to Amber; her friend doesn’t seem like someone whose life has been turned upside-down. On the contrary; she’s behaving as if the pieces of her life have finally fallen into place.

All thanks to a conversation at the Center? Amber sighs. It must have been one heck of a pep talk.

Dawn looks at Amber. “Good coffee, don’t you think? I got that French Vanilla you like.”

Amber nods, sipping dutifully. It’s only now that she notices a stickiness to the mug’s handle. She doesn’t mention it to Amber. It must be just one more little mess, the price of having a big baby in the house. Everything must be a little sticky! Poor Dawn, and poor Andrew. A mental toddler, babbling and drooling. No more reading, writing, not even dressing himself. Dawn shivers. She can’t even imagine.

“Go on, baby, push your buttons! Push your buttons, that’s a clever boy. You love your buttons, yes you do! Baby loves his buttons!”

Andrew gazes adoringly at Dawn, before doing as he’s told, mashing the buttons with his hands, and is rewarded by re-appearance of the pop-up dalmatian.

“Puh-pee!” Andrew crows, victorious.

Dawn rewards her baby with another cuddle. “Such a clever boy!”

Amber sighs. She feels rather tired. As she looks at Dawn and Andrew, she thinks, it must be nice, at least, to receive unconditional love. It must be nice to be blameless.

Dawn gets to her feet, picks up Amber’s empty coffee cup without touching the handle. She says, “I know you think this is too much. And sure, he’s a big baby. But if I’m completely honest, I don’t think it’s too much.” She laughs softly. “If anything, it’s not enough! I'd love for Andy to have a sister.” She smiles at Amber.

Amber nods and smiles. Sure, why not? Why not a great big mess of adult toddlers? Oh, what an idea! She laughs out loud, and then covers her mouth with her hand, blushing.

Dawn grins. “It’s okay. We’re all gigglers in this house. Amber. You can giggle all you want.”

Amber laughs again. Yes, it’s okay to giggle. She sits back in her chair. She does feel a little tired. Maybe she’ll just close her eyes for a moment. And after that, she should really try and play with Andrew. Because he’s really just a silly baby now. She can show him how to play with the pop-up toy. Amber smiles as she relaxes into the chair. Yes, she can help Andy play with his special toy. Because isn’t it fun, playing with buttons?

THE END

- A new manager at Sweeties catches one of his employees knowingly pricking someone with the virus, but he won't get the chance to tell... - Dean