Chapter 6
Shaun lied down on his stomach in his pajamas and his favorite socks on his bed holding onto his pillow and watching his television. Detective Clark sat at the table.
"What exactly is it that you're watching?" Clark asked.
"Descontrol: Desgracias con gracia," Shaun replied. "Es mi favorito."
"You can understand what they're saying?" Clark asked.
"I know several languages," Shaun replied. "I can speak Spanish, French, and Arabic."
"I can speak Klingon," Clark said jokingly. "TlhIngan fun 'e' tuch!"
"What kind of autism do you have?" Shaun asked.
"I have Asperger," Clark replied. "But it's mild. I found out when I was 7."
"Were you ever teased?" Shaun asked.
"No," Clark replied. "I never told anyone. Not even my fellow detectives."
"I was teased in school," Shaun said. "My father was abusive. He killed my bunny."
"That's awful," Clark said.
"My brother Steve died when I was 14," Shaun said. "He fell off a train. He was only 12."
"I'm so sorry," Clark said.
"How old are you?" Shaun asked.
"22," Clark replied. "I'll be 23 next month."
"You are the age he'd be if he hadn't died," Shaun said.
"Oh," Clark said.
"I miss him," Shaun said.
Shaun stood up and walked over to the table.
"I lost my brother Paul when I was 14 too," Clark said. "We were at the park playing basketball. I accidentally threw the basketball into the street and Paul went to retrieve it. He was hit by a bus and died in the hospital after being in a coma for 6 months. He was only 11."
"That must've been hard for you," Shaun said.
"I'll never forget the day when my mom told me that my brother was dead," Clark said. "Still to this day I feel so responsible for his death."
Shaun gave Clark a hug.
"I thought you didn't like hugs," Clark said.
"I do not," Shaun said. "But you needed one."