Wrong Number

Wrong Number [31]

6 Years Old

"I know you're scared," Kylee's father said, crouching down in front of a purple-dressed Kylee, who looked very grumpy despite the fact that only a week before, she was excited to start this new part of her life. She had been gifted, to her complete utter surprise, an orange and yellow backpack with Nala and Simba on it. Inside of the backpack was filled with more Lion King school supplies. Kylee had been ecstatic.

In fact, her happiness appeared to be contagious. As she hugged her father's legs, thanking him repeatedly before marching around the living room in front of her mother to show off her new things, the woman was smiling from the couch, scratching Pepper behind the ears. Her eyes twinkled then, and Kylee couldn't recall anytime after that day that she looked so content.

Now Kylee stood in front of her father, holding back tears as her mother stood behind him with her arms crossed, glancing around. "Kylee Evelyn," she said sharply, pointing toward the door. "We had many talks about this day, remember? It's truly no different than kindergarten, it is just a different school. You're making yourself look silly."

"Linda." Kylee blinked more years from her eyes as she watched her Daddy turn her head toward her mother. "I can handle this. How about you go into the office and see where Kylee's classroom is. Please?"

Her mother parted her lips, as if to argue, eyes flickering to their daughter, then she inhaled and closed her eyes. "Alright," she snapped, then she walked closer. Just as she was about to pass them, she bent down slightly in her heals to kiss Kylee's head. "Get her together, Jason, I mean it," she heard her mother tell her father.

Kylee didn't think the words were meant for her to hear. The kiss and the following words confused Kylee to no end, just as most things Mommy said or did usually did. She sniffled. Her daddy kept his eyes up as he watched his wife enter the building, then grinned at Kylee.

"What?" the little girl asked, frowning at his grin.

"I'm gonna tell you something about when I was your age," he said, his grin widening. "Back when I was starting school."

Kylee nodded, playing with the hem of the dress. She hated it, it was itchy but Mommy liked it and said it made her look like a doll.

Daddy cleared his throat as he began to tell her, "When I was starting first grade, I was so upset. Uncle Lewis and Aunt Judy, you remember them, right?" When Kylee scrunched her nose up and allowed the familiar names to bounce in her head, she brightened up and nodded. They were Daddy's brother and sister, and she didn't see them much because they lived very far away. But they loved her and called her on Daddy's phone all the time. "Well, believe it or not, Uncle Lewis was already in fifth grade and Aunt Judy had just started seventh grade."

Eyes wide, Kylee leaned forward and said, "All the way to seventh? That's a lot."

Daddy nodded seriously. "Yes. I was terrified, because Uncle Lewis liked to be mean and tell me that the second graders, who are a year older, would take my shoes and then I wouldn't be able to play outside during recess, or get to go on field trips."

A frown graced the six year old's face. "That's mean! Did they?"

"Did they what?" Her father asked, poking her arm. Kylee giggles.

"Did they take your shoes?"

"Nope!" Her father puffed out his chest and said proudly, "I walked right up to my teacher on my first day and you know what I said?" He paused, cupping his ear when Kylee shook her head. "I told her, 'Hello, Miss Adams. I'm Jason Carson and my brother is Lewis Carson. He told me that second graders take shoes.' I then took them off and put them in her lap." He gave her a deep laugh. "We weren't supposed to take them off unless we had play time in the gym or when we had a nap. I refused to put them back on because I was always told to go to a trusted adult if I was scared of something or someone."

"Like you tell me!"

"Exactly, Snug-Bug," he agreed, watching as a car pulled around the drop off zone and two children exit the vehicle and race inside. His eyes returned to his daughter. "I believed that if I kept them with her, and put them on during recess, I was safe!" He laughed. "She kept putting them next to me and told
me to put them on, and she couldn't get why I wouldn't. She tried to tell me no second graders would take my shoes. At the end of the day, when Grandma Francine came to get me and Uncle Lewis, my teacher told her about my little antics."

"What happened?" Kylee asked, standing on her tip toes then sliding back on her heals.

"Well," he responds, tapping his chin. Kylee squinted as the light from the sun reflected from his black watch on his arm, "your grandmother laughed at first. I was so upset because she didn't seem to see how serious it was! I was scared! These older kids were going to take my shoes and all she does is laugh!" He pouted and Kylee giggled yet again. "But once we got home, she sat me and your uncle down and had him tell me the truth. He told me that he was only joking, and that he wanted me to learn to stand up to anyone who might try to take my shoes. It was his way of trying to teach me that I shouldn't let mean kids push me around. In fact, that's how I met your Uncle Henry. He had made fun of me for not wanting to keep my shoes on and called me a baby! Can you believe that?"

"You knew Uncle Henry then?"

"Absolutely!" He nodded and grinned again. "I remembered that Uncle Lewis told me to not let older kids bully me, and I pushed him in the sandbox. Not my finest moment, I admit. The teachers had us write apology letters and then made us play together for a week. We ended up actually becoming friends. Maybe you'll meet someone like him that'll be your best friend forever."

"And ever?"

He nodded. "So you see, I was scared too. Everyone is on their first day of school. You'll meet friends, I think. It's not hard to love Snug-Bug." Kylee smiles and hugged her father.

"Love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, Kylee. Don't let second graders take your shoes."

Kylee's father stood up and grabbed her hand to lead her inside, where her mother stood with a glare on her face.

Kylee never understood why.