Sailor
“Class, when the bell rings, put your folders in your backpacks,” I announce loudly to my new kindergarten class. “Also, make sure to take home everything in your cubbies.”
The last bell rings, and my new batch of kindergartners dart from their chairs and head to their cubbies, where they retrieve their adorable, small backpacks.
I love the first week of a new academic year. All I see is innocence and the funny entertainment my students bring to the classroom.
I’ve yet to learn which ones have severely dysfunctional home lives or which kids will pick their boogers before eating them or smearing them on their desks. Maybe this year, I won’t experience burnout or find the need to scrape green goo off the furniture.
“Line up at the door, please,” I say.
Some of the children stay at an after-school program, some ride buses, and the rest are picked up by car, so I’m always stressed out the first couple of weeks, worried one will end up in the wrong place. The last thing I need is for a car-rider on the Lower East Side to end up in Chinatown.
Spotting Madeline Hughes in the middle of the line, I go to her and touch her shoulder.
“Maddie, come stand with me at the front. I need to talk to your dad about the markers you’re using.”
“Am I in trouble?” In an instant, her glowing green eyes coat with tears.
“No, sweetie. You already told me you won’t draw on your arms again. I was only going to tell your dad the best way to remove the marker so it won’t irritate your skin.” Smiling, she blinks away her tears.
This little girl is precious, and I sense she could end up one of my favorites. What parent sends their kindergartner to school with Sharpies? I thought everyone knew by now that those are permanent.
An aide arrives at my classroom to take the after-school kids to the gym. The kindergarten teacher across the hall escorts my bus-riders, and in return, I take her car-riders.
“All kids riding buses, please get in the back of Ms. Shepard’s line across the hall!” I shout, pointing to the long row of kids standing outside her door across from mine.
I don’t shout to be mean, only so they can hear me. It’s pandemonium in the hallways, and this will not improve for several weeks. Once I see that my students are where they’re supposed to be, I take Maddie’s hand and lead the car-riders out the exit.
I take extra care in ensuring my students get inside the right vehicles and only with people their guardians have approved for pick up.
Madeline and a boy named Aiden are the only students left waiting for their rides when Maddie yells, “That’s Uncle Jake’s car!”
She points toward a silver sports car pulling up in front of us. The driver rolls down the window, so I duck my head to look inside.
“Good afternoon, I’m Ms. Lockwood,” I say. Damn … this guy’s hot. He flashes me a devilish smile, and wow. His green eyes are even more astounding than his niece’s, and it’s obvious his smile acts as their wingman.
Between his handsome face and full head of thick, dark hair, I’m sure he has no trouble scoring dates.
“Hi,” he replies, his grin only widening, and it’s probably because I’ve been checking him out.
“Uncle Jake, I thought Daddy was picking me up.” Her fingers grip the windowsill next to me as she looks over it.
“He has to work late, so you’re stuck with me, kid.” He glances back at me. “Her dad was supposed to let you know I was coming.”
“Oh, shoot. He did, and I completely forgot. The first week of school is crazy.” A rude mom parked behind him taps her horn. “Um, I need to speak to you about something,” I add. “Would you mind parking in the lot and walking up? It should only take a minute.”
“Sure, no problem.” While staring at me, a crease forms on his forehead, and his smile fades. I wonder if he feels inconvenienced but doesn’t want to say.
Finally breaking our gaze, he drives off, and once the rude people behind him pull away, too, Aiden’s mother arrives.
“I’m the last kid,” Maddie exclaims, her eyes round with excitement. Her mood has drastically lifted since she spotted her uncle, and she’s even jumping around like a rabbit.
I recently turned twenty-five, so I know I’m not old, but I sure don’t have the energy I did as a child. I wouldn’t mind having some of that back.
I eye her uncle as he strides from the parking lot to the sidewalk. Damn, he has a body to match his handsome face. He’s wearing tattered blue jeans, and his bulging biceps are screaming to be set free from his snug, worn Giant’s t-shirt. There’s an intricate black and grey tattoo on one of his forearms.
As he approaches, he rubs the scruff on his face, and the short length of stubble is just the right amount of sexy.
Maddie runs to him, and after swooping her up into his arms, he narrows his gaze on me.
“I think I know you,” he says.