//wake_stub

“So, there’s something missing from his brain?” she says.

“His code,” I say.

She winces at the distinction.

In the garden, our boy plays with Tess, our retriever. Like any other 10-year-old.

“And if you turn it on, this code stub, he’ll know he’s…?”

I take her hand.

My phone rings: the lab. I hit ‘Answer’ then ring off.

She pulls her hand away. “This isn’t like telling him he’s adopted or something.”

A tear hangs on the tip of her nose.

“We’ve got to do it someday,” I say.

Outside, Aiden waves at us, beaming. We wave back.

Just not today.

Prompts
Genre: Sci-Fi
Action: Answering a phone
Word: Stub