When Dad and Mom come in to pick us up, Dad is ready with his camcorder. His hands are shaking a little. “Show us how it works, honey,” he says. I can’t believe Dad is making a video of me saying my first words. It’s almost like when he filmed Penny’s first words—well, not really. I type very carefully and push the button to make the machine speak. “Hi, Dad. Hi, Mom. I am so happy.” Mom gets all teary-eyed, and her nose gets red. She is looking at me all soft and gooey. When I think about it, I realize I have never, ever said any words directly to my parents. So I push a couple of buttons, and
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