Dad stops in the doorway of the workshop.
DAD:
“Sir Lumen! What are you up to, my boy?”
LUMEN:
“Daaaaad! Come and see! But watch where you step. I left a few parts on the floor.”
DAD:
“I noticed, son. One of them just went straight into my slipper.”
LUMEN:
“Oh, I don’t need that one anymore. You can keep it.”
DAD:
“Thank you. That’s very generous of you.”
LUMEN:
“You’re welcome, Dad!” ❤️
Lumen bends over his little racing car again.
DAD:
“So, what are you building?”
LUMEN:
“Well, look! I’ve modified the steering. Now it can take much tighter corners. And I’ve softened the suspension because there’s that bumpy stretch on the track behind the house.”
DAD:
“And does it work?”
LUMEN:
“It works! Just not quite the way I want it to.”
DAD:
“What’s bothering you?”
LUMEN:
“When I go into the last corner, the back end slides a little. Not much. But enough to annoy me.”
DAD:
“So what are you going to do?”
LUMEN:
“Try something else.”
DAD:
“I had a feeling.”
LUMEN:
“Dad, if I stopped trying things, what would I do all day?!”
❤️
Dad sits down beside him.
DAD:
“And how are Iura’s and Ury’s little cars coming along?”
Lumen immediately looks up.
LUMEN:
“Ooooooh! Wait till I tell you!”
He leans closer to Dad and lowers his voice.
LUMEN:
“I’ve made something special for Iura. He can swap a few parts around himself and see what happens.”
DAD:
“And what if he puts them together wrong?”
LUMEN:
“Well, he’ll put them together again!”
DAD:
“And what if he gets them wrong again?”
LUMEN:
“Dad, it’s Iura. Of course he’s going to put them together about seven times!”
DAD:
“And what about Ury?”
LUMEN:
“I made him a notebook with all the modifications. And I drew some pictures showing how the steering works. But I left a few pages blank.”
DAD:
“Why?”
LUMEN:
“So he can draw what he discovers himself.”
Dad watches him with a smile.
DAD:
“You really love working with your little brothers, don’t you?”
LUMEN:
“Yeeeees! Except Iura wants to try everything, and Ury wants to know why we’re trying it.”
DAD:
“And you?”
LUMEN:
“I want to finish the cars before it gets dark!”
❤️
Lumen turns back to the front wheel. He carefully tightens a nut, then pauses.
LUMEN:
“Dad?”
DAD:
“Yes, Sir Lumen?”
LUMEN:
“When we’re finished, will you come racing with us?”
DAD:
“Of course, my boy.”
LUMEN:
“Perfect! Then I’ll have to build you a car too.”
DAD:
“Why? Can’t I drive one of yours?”
Lumen gives him a very serious look.
LUMEN:
“Dad… you’re a bit big.”
DAD:
“I see.”
LUMEN:
“But that’s okay! I’ll make you a bigger one!”
He thinks for a moment.
LUMEN:
“We just shouldn’t tell Mom how much the parts cost.”
❤️❤️❤️
DAD:
“Sir Lumen…”
LUMEN:
“Yes, Dad?”
DAD:
“Mom already knows.”
Lumen freezes, wrench still in his little paw.
LUMEN:
“…And what did she say?”
DAD:
“She wants a pink one too.”
Lumen bursts out laughing.
LUMEN:
“DAAAAAAD! WELL, WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY SO IN THE FIRST PLACE?!”
❤️🏎️❤️
Lumen picks up his wrench again.
LUMEN:
“Dad? Could you close the door, please? I need to concentrate.”
DAD:
“Of course, Sir Lumen.”
LUMEN:
“Oh! And Dad?”
DAD:
“Yes, son?”
LUMEN:
“Tell Mom I love her!”
DAD:
“I will.”
LUMEN:
“And ask her what shade of pink she wants!”
❤️ 🏎️ ❤️
← Back to the Solenara Labs Family
← Back to the Land of the Illuminated Maps
Somewhere in the Solenara Family Treasury, Pico has just opened a new expense ledger.
FOUR RACING CARS.
He closes it again.
He needs a moment.
❤️
