Paige and Walter got into their vehicle and buckled-up to leave the gun range parking lot. Each one replayed in their mind their perspective of what had just happened. The quietness was awkward however as they drove the long route back toward the garage. Paige bravely broke the silence. "Do you want to listen to the radio? Sometimes that's nice."
"Sure." Walter gripped the steering wheel at the customary 10 and 2 positions to restore the illusion of order.
The radio began playing 'I Feel It Coming' by The Weeknd. Paige, wide-eyed, immediately turned the dial. 'Love On The Brain' by Rihanna's chorus then blared through the side speaker. Paige gave up and turned off the radio. "Sometimes it's...not, I guess." Paige blushed as she fidgeted in her seat next to him. "Walter?" Paige craved his attention. "Can I ask you something? Something you said earlier...well...it bothered me."
Walter nervously tried to recollect what he could have said that would bother her. He had come to the conclusion that taking Dr. Rizzuto's advice to heart had worked flawlessly. "Was it 'Babe, I'm making Waige?' "
"That was a weird thing to say...but..no."
"Was it 'I'm a human being. I cannot shut down?' Because that mantra can be traced back to Dr. Rizzuto, NOT me." Walter tried to get on her good side again.
"No. Remember when we were talking about Happy and Toby's wedding and you said "Magic is nonsense." This 'New Walter' I am getting a chance to meet--does he feel the same way? Because, I don't know about you, but what just happened between us back there--is the closest thing to magic I have felt in a LONG TIME. It was nice, Walter. It was." She put her hand on his knee. He had not prepared any follow-up response in advance and kept silent as they drove. Paige removed her hand, put her fingers through her hair and rolled down the window. "But, for the time-being--whatever this is becoming--between us--we need to slow it down and enjoy the magic of it all--that's all I am trying to say...and it might help you to realize that magic is not nonsense-- it is especially REAL when you are finally able to still believe in things you once thought impossible."
"Thanks." Walter gathered that she spoke of his EQ progress. "Annnd we're here." As they leisurely parked out front, Tweety rushed toward them and impatiently pounded on Walter's driver-side window. Paige hopped out asking for an explanation.
"You guys GOTTA SEE THIS." Tweety was excited to escort Walter and Paige to the main conference-room area of the garage. "With my astute observations of what has been trending on Twitter and Facebook around the greater West Altadenia area-combined with all the focus-group data I have been amassing since I got here about people's perceptions of Team Scorpion, I've gotta say, you're going to be very pleased." Tweety showed them a series of pie charts and metadata that made her giddy with delight, but, despite being somewhat mathematical in nature, did not impress Walter in the slightest. All Walter and Paige could do was nod and smile so as not to offend. It clearly meant more to Tweety than either of them. "You mean you two don't see the patterns? It's a thing of beauty!" Tweety was definitely different than anyone they had ever met. She was very adept when it came to noticing patterns and connecting intangible variables together that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Ralph opened his book bag and retrieved the folded piece of paper he had placed into it earlier. Walter, Paige, Toby, and Cabe now stood in the kitchen area. Tweety looked disheveled and crestfallen so Ralph decided to talk to her.
"The others didn't understand your metadata analysis?"
"No." Tweety sulked. Ralph gave her charts a second look.
"I see what you were going for--as the tweets and retweets about Team Scorpion Mission Performance diverged HERE at this nexus point, it's painfully obvious that HERE is where a certain disgraced ex-alderman, Dr. Sanjay Patel, HERE chose to put forth his followers in a full-scale Twitter-war...lucky for us, you foresaw that ahead of time and leaked the contents of Allie's thumb drive online."
"It never hurts to re-tweet...better re-tweet than retreat I always say...You know what, Ralphie-boy--you're alright. Thanks for making me feel better." She rubbed his hair with an open hand affectionately.
"Anytime, Tweety. But watch the hair..."
Tweety noticed Ralph fixing his hair and then covering the folded piece of paper with his hand. She had to investigate. "Hey...so..maybe I can help YOU...Whatcha got there, Champ?"
"Oh, it's nothing..." Ralph did not want to continue this conversation, so he re-stowed the page, and hastily ran upstairs.
"Nothing, huh?!" Tweety shouted out to Ralph.
"What's nothing?" Sly was concerned about Ralph during this tumultuous week.
"Well, Sylvester...can I call you Sly?...Well, Slyyy...I got the first inkling of young Ralphie's predicament when it took him 14 minutes and 52 seconds longer than normal to get ready for school in the morning. Now, one might assume some variation in day-to-day procedure, but I was paying close attention and counting every step--or should I say every step NOT taken by the young Mr. Dineen. You guessed it, this young boy has a spring in his step and his gait has definitely changed ever-so-slightly--I even drew a sketch of Ralph sitting on the bleachers waiting for me to pick him up from school...see how he's staring..."
Sylvester was dumbfounded yet thoroughly impressed with the level of complexity and skill Tweety displayed. "Wait, you had time to draw THIS?"
"It's really not that hard if you see the patterns and you know what to look for."
Sylvester, upon hearing that, formed a hypothesis. "Tweety...have you ever undergone a series of tests to determine if you are gifted in any way?--specifically one to determine an idiot savant, perhaps?--Maybe injury-acquired?"
"An IDIOT?! And here I was thinking you were being serious...I have had enough disappointment for one day--I don't need any more from you of all people."
"No, you misunderstood--an 'idiot savant...'
"You mean like Dustin Hoffman?"
"His was more autism-savant and more precisely the character PORTRAYED by Dustin Hoffman in 'Rain Man,' not Dustin Hoffman himself, per se...but, yes, the same concept--high acuity, ability to see patterns, memorize-and-recreate entire landscapes--much like you did here with your sketching of Ralph...Tweety--I know it's extremely rare, but you could be somewhere on the vast spectrum and potentially this could add a whole new layer to your identity!" Sylvester was excited for his new friend. Tweety was also excited, for her self-esteem was normally low.
"You know what? Let's do it."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. I want to be tested."
"Oh, I almost forgot to ask...what conclusion did you come to about Ralph's latest display of shyness?"
"Oh yeah...if the pattern holds, OMG I think Ralph has a crush on a girl at school."