4th Grade Blunder

She sat there silently watching the kids play, a bright smile on her peach upturned face. Tag was the game they had chosen for today. She never played though. She couldn’t. Tag never really worked when you were in a wheel chair. The mud and the grass liked to suck up the metal. Kaitlyn didn’t mind though. She liked to watch. Her smile brightened as she watched a two boys collide in a fit of giggles, both attempting to avoid the peeking girl in her muddy red Sunday dress.

“Marco!” The girl laughed. The boys clamped their hands over their bubbling laughter and scrambled back to their feet.

“Polo!” Another child behind her replied. The little girl spun around and ran in that direction.

“Marco!” She repeated.

‘Polo!’ The little girl in the wheelchair wanted to call back. But she didn’t. The doodle pad in her lap was adjusted and Kaitlyn looked away from the group of messy kids to the church just behind her. The parents stood about, murmuring and conversing, as they always did. Somewhere in the mass her mother would be standing next to her father, both of them in a pale shade of yellow, though daddy wore black pants. When she spotted them she waved eagerly. When they returned that wave Kaitlyn turned to look back at the kids and raised her sketchbook like a wall as a boy slammed into her. Together, the chair, the little girl in the white dress and the boy fell into the mud.

Behind her Kaitlyn heard her mom scream. She almost did the same when she opened her eyes. Oh my god…

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Josh hurriedly reached for her. Kaitlyn watched him dumbly, her grin lopsided and stupid. She couldn’t say a word. She… he was Josh… The Josh. “Here! I’ll help you up!” He sputtered reaching over and yanking her chair upright. He stumbled to keep it upright and then he offered his hand. When she didn’t offer it back he nodded his head. “Come on, take my hand. I’ll help you up.”

He was in sixth grade… and he was the coolest guy in school. His hands were dirty, but welcoming and he had pretty brown eyes. Kaitlyn opened her mouth to speak and when nothing came out she closed it back. He had dark hair that looked black but was brown… like the perfect mud pie… like the mud on her dress. Oh no! the mud on her dress. Kaitlyn looked behind her to see where her mother was.

He dropped down beside her, but stayed on his knees and he handed her the doodle pad. “Are you hurt, Kaitlyn?” He asked, looking up to her panicked mother as well.

“Kaitie, honey, are you alright?” Her mother asked crouching to set her hand on Kaitlyns head. Kaitlyn looked at her mothers red curls and bobbed her own curly mass. The mom and the boy made eye contact.

“I'm sorry Mrs. Kalowski, I didn’t mean to.” He began. Kaitlyn’s mother nodded her head.

“I know Josh, don’t worry about it. You’re okay, aren’t you Kaitlyn?” Kaitlyn looked at Josh and when he cupped his hands under her legs she stuttered. Kaitlyn let he and her mother lift her back into her chair. "Kaitlyn?"

He touched me. He actually... touched my knee!

“Kaitie... honey, aren’t you going to say thank you?” Her mom asked her as Josh dusted off his hands and the bottom of her ruined dress. "Kaitlyn, say thank you."

Kaitlyn couldnt move.

“Now, honey.” Her mother prompted.

Kaitlyn smiled. Josh smiled. Kaitlyn thought she was going to faint. “T…t-thank… you…….. John... Josh!” She corrected. Kaitlyn shut her eyes. That was so weird! Who was John! She didnt know a John? She bet Josh thought she was a weirdo for sure! If she could, Kaitlyn to shove Josh into the mud right now and yell 'tag your it', just to change the subject.

Josh gave Kaitlyn’s head a brotherly pat and then did the same to her knee. “No problem, Kaitlyn. See ya later okay?” Josh apologized to Kaitlyn's mom one more time and then went back to the game.

Mrs. Kalowski set her hand on her daughters head and watched him go. “I’ll buy you a new doodle pad, okay?” She promised.

Kaitlyn slapped muddy hands onto her little face and giggled hysterically. “Mom he knows my name!” Her mom crouched down in front of her daughter with an all too knowing smile.

“And.” She prompted an amused little smile on her beautiful face.

Oh no! Kaitlyn looked at her mother and slid her muddy hands down to only cover her mouth. “And I called him the wrong name!”