Four degrees

After being lectured by their stern little sister, the three brothers made their way to the breakfast table in the promised time. With ruffled, unkempt hair, wearing simple shorts and t-shirts, they joined the others in the dining room. When they arrived, they were greeted with a smile by all that had already sat down and they saw all the foods that had been prepared during the past hour. Combining healthy foods, with guilty pleasures and having breakfast dishes from both cultures. Once their eyes landed on the feast, they could tell that the meal indeed meant more than just a meal and they were happy their sister had forced them to get up and join in on the fun.

After eating their fill they went out and laid on the warm grass, while Charlie played around under their care. Which consisted of them looking up every once in a while as he entertained himself with the fascinating things mother nature provided. If he should get bored of the many flowers, insects and oddly shaped clouds, there was always the different stimulating games that Jason had bought for him within arms reach. While he was doing this, Jenny was spending some alone time with Jason who had freed up some time in his busy schedule to relax with his wife. They had decided to take a walk around the grounds and enjoy the good weather as well. Jenny used the walk to discuss how she could get their son to start talking, knowing full well he possessed the vocabulary to speak full sentences. So, asking him to say one single word was certainly not too much to ask.

But as Jason wanted this walk to be about them and not their son, he said, "Let's not focus on that for now. We both know he will start speaking when he needs to. So, all we need to do is create a situation where he needs to. Once the first words come out, the rest will soon follow. I want this time alone to be about you and me. I have seen and heard about too many couples whose worlds start revolving around their children and once the children grow up and start living their own lives, the parents no longer know who they are without their identities as mother and father. Losing the connection they as a couple once had. I don't want that to become us. So, when we are with Charlie, we should be mom and dad and once we are outside, we should just be Jason and Jenny, husband and wife."

For a moment Jenny was caught off guard. Jason hardly ever rejected a topic of conversation she brought up but as his words sank in she smiled softly as she thought 'He is right. We have plenty of time to think and talk about Charlie. This moment right here should be for him and me." After that she tightened her grip around his arm and changed the topic of conversation just as he had requested. Telling him how she was excited for the next semester. For her to start on her master's degree and to start on her practical training as an intern in different teaching hospitals. They talked about which departments she would be visiting and which ones she was most looking forward to. If she already knew what she wanted to specialize in and once they had discussed all there was to discuss about her choices for the upcoming year, they moved onto Jason.

Discovering only now that Jason would be achieving the almost impossible. She had thought that him combining a double bachelor's degree and a double master's degree would take him about five years to complete. But he told her as they were discussing the topic of their educational plans starting September, that instead of another two years, he would only be going to University for another two semesters. Finishing up two full degrees in less time than most took to complete a single one. And even those were just the ones that managed to complete everything on their first try, whithout taking a single semester off or failing a single subject.

"Are you kidding me? Are you telling me that in just five months you will have graduated and that you will be holding not one, not two but four degrees in your hands? Are you some kind of monster? I really do envy that brain of yours." In disbelief she looked in his direction before letting out another shocked sigh. "I just can't believe it. You are some kind of impressive my dear husband. I knew you weren't exactly 'normal' but this beats even my wildest expectations. You make it all seem so effortlessly. Doing all of this while working almost forty hours at the office and still managing to have time for me and Charlie." Jason just took all Jenny's words of disbelief and half hearted complaints as compliments and laughed along as she talked away.

After returning from their walk, they saw that Charlie was still well entertained by his uncles and decided to take another few minutes to discuss what they couldn't, or better said didn't want to, discuss before. Which was Charlie's refusal to speak and of course also the little man's upcoming birthday. His very first!