Trials of a New Life

Hettie was laughing happily as he Mama praised her. "I cwan' wait to dwive wif ywou!" she beamed.

"I did see. That's fairly amazing," said Mark, he voice clearly impressed.

Jenny turned round suddenly and kissed Sally over and over. " you have no idea how much I love you Sally and with daughter of ours. Maybe homeschooling isn't such a bad idea because she is outsmarting people in college."

Sally was shocked by the sudden and numerous kisses and took a moment to respond. "I think I might be starting to get some idea," she smiled.

"Bwu' I WANNA GWO TWO SCHWOOW!" whined Hettie.

"Okay okay, you can go to school but I think you will be bored in a normal school. You are s much smarter than other childre your age." Jenny looked at Hettie and the bike.

"Dad you don't know of any schools for post human super smart kids do you?"

"Bu' I fwond a pwace!" butted in Hettie. "Iwts aww swuper smawt!"

Jenny looked surprised at her daughter. "There is? Where? We will not send you away for you to go to school."

Jenny looked at Sally wondering what her girlfriend thought about this school idea. "Sally?"

"You know Hettie school is not this magical place I actually had a really hard time in school because I was so different. I know you are smart but you have also other powers and you got to make sure those are under control and other kids can be rather... harsh."

"Bu' I wanna hwave fwiends an' weawn stwuff an' hwave fwun an' I kwnow I wiww an' pwease cwan I gwo pwease pwease pwease!" begged Hettie, seemingly ignoring Jenny's warning.

Sally was looking a bit confused, and a little worried. "I.. I don't know Jenny.... I don;t want anyone hurting her..."

Jenny crouched down and pulled Hettie close. "I hear you and understand that you want friends. So where have you found this school? Is it close?"

Hettie nodded and ran upstairs. Jenny turned to Sally. "I know but if she wants to go to school how can we stop her? She has to make her own choices we can't wrap her in bubble wrap to protect her because our school experiences were shit."

Hettie came back with a few pages of print out of a school Academy for the Extra Smart. A school advertising small classes individuated time tables and teachers specialized for the post human smart child.

"Listen Hettie I can see that this is a very good school, but Mommy and I have to talk about this. Read all the information and then make a decision. About making friends, well my best friend Dirk he has three kids -Annie, Alex and Scott- and I am sure they will be your friends. Annie is a telepath, Alex is very smar too and Scott is a speedster. I just got to talk to Dirk before you can meet them he is coming back at the end of the week from his holiday. So you have to wait a little bit until we decide about the school okay?"

"I'll seal us all away in a tiny cave on some remote island if it means keeping her safe!" said Sally rather vehemently.

"Awwww, bwu I wanna gwo now," said Hettie, though it was less forceful than her previous complaints.

Jenny chuckled and pulled Sally in a tight hug. "I know you want to protect her but unless you want to raise her to be socially awkward we got to let her meet other people and some won't like her and some will and some hate her in the beginning and then all the sudden fall in love with her while they are trapped in a magical book." Jenny looked at her Dad. "Sometimes we got to let her fall and try to get up by herself to become a strong and independent girl. You could build her something like a panic button she can press and you can locate her?"

Over Sally's shoulder she smiled at Hettie. "You will go to school but there are some option and Mommy and I have to decide that I heard that you want to go to that school and we will take that in consideration. Why don't you go and help Granda to fix the car I melted."

"Want me to head back to Egypt to pick up that book?" asked Sally, only half joking.

Mark smiled hearing that some of what he'd taught Jenny when she was little seemed to be back. "I'm sure I could rig something up, but knowing your daughter she'd probibly build her own button."

Hettie was about to argue, then she giggled. "Ywou mewted the caw? Whyyyyyyy?"

Jenny kissed Sally. "It will be alright even when we are not locked in a cave. Think about it so far all three of us love speed how would we satisfy that? She wil be okay going to school and if not we will make it okay."

It was odd Jenny might not remember events of the past but since her Dad was back she seemed to remember how it was to have someone always wanting your best for you.

"I was sitting on the hood and got a little bit excited." Jenny toussled Hettie's hair.

"Maybe we could put the cave on wheels?" smiled Sally. "I know she wants to go and it will be fine, but I can't help worrying."

Hettie laughed more. "Why? Was Mwommy dwiving?" she asked.

"It's not that I don't worry but what life would it be if we don't live?" Jenny whispered gentle.

"I am not allowed to talk about the reason Mommy will explain that to you eventually." Jenny laughed.

"I know, I know," said Sally. "Just... in some ways after all this... a quiet life is a bit.. tempting."

"Awwww, thwa's nwo fwun Mwama!" complained Hettie.

"It will be quiet but we don't have to hide. Please." Jenny leaned against Sally. "It will be alright. We got to believe in that."

Jenny smiled at Hettie. "Please just help Granda."

"I... I hope so," said Sally. "I really do!"

"Awwww, okway Mwama!" said Hettie, heading over to the damaged car.

Jenny smiled encouraging at Sally. "I guess we got to trust that we are raising Hettie right and that she can handle herself but knows that we are there if she needs us."

Jenny walked over to the bike that now was talking. "So how much can Baby do? Can she look up weather and like traffic? Sally?" Jenny turned around and looked at Sally with sparkly eyes. "Do you wanna learn to drive?"

Sally looked over to where Hettie was working with Mark.  "I... think she can handle herself.  Look what she's done already."

"Of course I can access data on driving conditions Jennifer.  As of this moment it is ten degrees lower than your comfortable driving temperature, and traffic is light, aside from a small collision on the south bridge," said Baby in her synthesized voice.

"How could she..." muttered Sally to herself, then spun round to look at Jenny when she heard her offer.  "Learning to drive?  Now?" Her eyes shone.

Jenny looked at Baby for a while. "How do you know what my comfortable driving temperature is? I don't even know that."

She didn't stop looking at her bike, maybe that was a little bit creepy, cool and impressive but creppy . "You know since I ran into Hettie I was hoping she would build a robot I am not so sure anymore. How much AI are you Baby? Can you drive the bike?"

Jenny finally looked up and met Sally's eyes. "Sure why not? The question is bike or car if you want to drive a car we got to ask Dad if we can borrow his truck. If we take the bike I apparently need a jacket. Either is fine. How much do you know about driving?"

"I calculated it from your resting body temperature, and your reactions to environmental stimuli, and compared that to the outside temperature and wind chill factor," Baby replied. There was a pause before it replied again, and it sounded almost.... hurt? "I cannot drive the bike. I am limited to its electronic systems. I am capable of starting and stopping the engine. And manipulating the lights."

"I... know the theory about how they work," said Sally. "And... what would be better to learn in?"

"You check my resting body temperature and others... yeah a little bit weird. Welcome to the family Baby, I guess you fit right in. Oh when you are in the electronic system does that mean you are also connected to the communication system that is in my helmets?" For about one second Jenny realised she was actually having a conversation iwth her bike.

"Maybe if we take Dad's truck it would be a bit easier and you know just one person talking into your ear and well the truck is not so much the how to keep it upright problem, no offence Baby." Jenny grinned she liked that she would be the one teaching Sally to drive. "Dad? Could we borrow your truck since I melted our car. I want to teach Sally to drive." Jenny smiled innocently and Mark.

"Do you not appreciate that? I was created to aid you Jennifer. I only wish to help," said Baby, again, sounding almost hurt. "And yes, I am incorporated into your communications, if case you have need of my assistance while on the move."

"Alright, truck it is then," said Sally, though that was a little dashed when they asked Mark.

"Teaching Sally to drive? I'm not sure the truck is such a good idea. She's not exactly forgiving for a beginner," Mark pointed out.

"No, I do but I am not used to it. I am not very good with technology I have troubles to send a text message or well use my phone so as long as you help me with that we are good." Jenny smiled at the bike fondly.

"Well do you have a better idea?" Jenny asked walked to her dad and watching Hettie work on the car. She looked so concentrated.

"That is why I was created. To help you," replied Baby.

"There's a smaller car just over there. She's nippy and manoeuvrable, a nice car for starting in," said Mark indicating with his arm.