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Mall Outing with Cal and Jae (2037)

The mall outing with Cal and Jae occurred during Cal and Jess’s nearly two-week Maryland visit in late spring or early summer 2037. The weekday trip brought Cal and Jae into a public setting together for the first time. It included the purchase of the Mufasa plush that remained important to Cal through the later separation, the friends’ ice-cream stop, and the fan photograph that Cal repeatedly revisited afterward.

Preparation and Travel

Jess, Nari, and Minh packed both young men’s medication, hydration, feeding, cooling, communication, continence, and emergency supplies. Cal and Jae rode beside one another in supported captain’s chairs in the accessible van while their wheelchairs were secured in the rear. Minh sat behind them; Nari drove, and Jess rode in the front passenger seat.

Jae showed Cal ‘’The Lion King’’ on his iPad during the drive. Cal responded with his familiar happy hum and pointed toward the screen. They reached the mall in the middle of a weekday while schools were in session, making the public space quieter than a weekend without leaving it empty.

Disney Store

At the Disney Store, Cal moved directly toward the ‘’Lion King’’ display. With Jess supporting him, he stood and approached the plush section. He first handed a smaller Simba to Jae, then fixed his attention on an enormous Mufasa displayed above them. He pointed, spread his arms to indicate its size, signed that he wanted it, and vocalized with increasing excitement until an employee brought it down.

Cal pulled Mufasa against his chest and carried it through the store, so absorbed in the plush that Jess repeatedly reminded him to watch where he was going. Jae followed beside him and watched his delight.

Jae then told Nari in Mandarin that he wanted to buy Mufasa for Cal. His earnings from his album and documentary were held in a managed account. The Lees supported his financial agency by transferring a bounded amount to a spending card he could use without unrestricted access to the full account. Nari made the transfer and helped him present the card at checkout.

Jess reached for her own wallet and began to object to the price and the use of Jae’s money. Nari’s quiet confirmation helped her recognize that this was Jae’s money and his decision. Jae made his intent clear in both Mandarin and simple English: the plush was his gift for Cal.

Cal watched Jae during the purchase, squeezed Mufasa against himself, and bounced and hummed with delight. Jess put her wallet away and allowed the exchange to remain between the two friends.

Cal pressed his forehead to Jae’s in his strongest gesture of affection and gratitude. Mufasa became both a comfort object and a tangible connection to the friend who had chosen to give it to him.

Ice Cream and Fan Photograph

The same outing continued when Jae asked Cal directly whether he wanted ice cream. Jess noticed that he addressed Cal rather than asking the nondisabled adults to decide for him. Nari quietly encouraged Jess to let the two friends lead the interaction.

At the counter, Jae ordered mint chocolate chip and remembered that Minh preferred strawberry with sprinkles. He told Cal that Minh was the sun, said he was lucky, and suggested that Cal needed a wife like her. Minh laughed and blushed; Cal laughed with them while holding Mufasa. Jess began leaving Cal’s sticky hands and face alone long enough for him to enjoy the food without immediate correction.

An unnamed young woman recognized Jae from his piano work and documentary. She told the family that her brother also had seizures and asked Nari whether she could greet Jae and take a photograph. Nari checked with Jae, and he agreed.

Cal moved into the frame with Mufasa before the photograph was taken. The fan welcomed him, Jae laughed and swatted playfully at him, and the posed photograph became a joke shared by all three during the Ice Cream Shop Fan Encounter (2037) - Event.

Drive Home and Immediate Aftermath

During the drive home, Cal repeatedly opened the photograph on his iPad, enlarged his own and Jae’s faces, and replayed the captured audio of the fan’s surprised greeting. He laughed at the same moment each time. Jae, drowsy beside him, opened his eyes long enough to call Cal funny.

By the time they returned to the Lee home, Cal was overtired and fought the transition to rest. After a small snack, he settled only when Jae joined him. With their families managing the transfer, positioning, and supervision, the two friends fell asleep together.

Cal kept Mufasa beside him through the remainder of the visit. Because the plush was too large for the return-flight luggage plan, the families shipped it to Portland after Cal and Jess left. Its arrival during Cal’s withdrawal brought his first laugh since Maryland. Jess sent Jae and Minh a photograph, Jae asked to FaceTime, and the plush remained beside Cal through the remote medical and relocation planning that preceded the March 2038 move.

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