Queen of Science - 17 Confession and Reaction

In the dimly lit office, three figures are huddling over the desk on the far-left wall. Camilla and Miles are so much bigger than Fern that it is as if they are towering over and squishing the vulnerable little girl.

Fern holds her breath and fiddles with her mom’s hands that are wrapped around her stomach as she waits for their reaction. Poor Fern is too flustered to realize that just showing her parents the Simply Explained website isn’t enough to explain that she made it.

Camilla looks up over her shoulder and stares at her husband with big eyes. “Miles, did you teach Fern how to use the computer?”

Slowly shaking his head, Miles says, “no- didn’t you teach her how to use the computer?”

“Why would I teach her how to use the computer! She’s only one year old!”

“I don’t know- why did you teach her how to use the computer?”

“Miles! I just said that I didn’t teach her that!”

“… Then how does she know how to use the computer?”

Camilla peers over Fern’s shoulder, trying to make eye contact as she asks, “how do you know how to use the computer?”

Biting her lip and fidgeting with her mom’s hands more, Fern focuses her eyes on the computer screen and says, “I made Simply Explained.”

Blinking, Camilla turns her head to look at Miles again and whispers, “did our baby just say that she made Simply Explained?”

Miles, who isn’t listening carefully as he reads the text on Simply Explained, responds, “I doubt it. At the very least, the creator must have been in their second year of university.”

With a shaky voice, Fern musters up her courage again and mumbles loud enough for her parents to hear, “unless~ maybe it isn’t a coincidence.”

As if that quietly mustered sentence snapped the couple out of their little world, they finally connect the dots and turn their attention towards Fern. The couple can no longer search for an alternative explanation and deny the facts of the situation. Their daughter is quite possibly the most accomplished baby in the entire world, and they didn’t even know it.

Fed up with not being able to make total eye contact with her daughter, Camilla picks Fern up, twirls her around, and sets her down on her lap so that her back is to the desk.

“To be honest, I’m feeling a bit conflicted at the moment. As a scientist, I feel excited because I want to find out how this is possible. As a mother, I’m feeling overwhelmed and confused. I’m grateful that you built up the courage to tell us about this side of yourself, but I’m disappointed in myself that you didn’t tell us earlier.”

Miles brings his hand up to Fern’s cheek and rubs it softly in little circles, “Baby, we will truly support you no matter what you are and what you want to be. As long as you are happy and don’t bring harm to anyone, I could care less what you do.” With a chuckle, Miles adds, “We might have a few more hiccups along the way, but I’m sure that our journey of life will be much more exciting.”

Pulling the family into a big group hug, Miles continues saying, “in any case, you are our daughter, and we love you. Absolutely nothing can change that.”

Overwhelmed by such an unexpectedly enormous amount of unconditional support, tears of relief and joy trickle down Fern’s cheeks. Incapable of expressing herself with words, she simply hugs her family as tightly as her little arm muscles can muster. Occasionally letting out snotty sobs as she relishes in her family’s support, Fern lets herself genuinely relax and feel like herself for the first time in this new world.

By merely being open-minded and caring parents, Fern feels like they have given the support, opportunity, and freedom to explore what it is like to be an “average” person without sacrificing her drive to contribute to society through science and technology.