The acrid smoke from the charcoal stings my nose. The hiss and sizzle of grease hitting the flames as I flip the burgers. I look up hearing a childish squeal just a little to close for comfort. A broad grin spreads across my face as I see you shooing them a safer distance away. Your hair falling from its hasty bun, your face flushed a twinkle in your eye as I watch you romp and chase them for a moment. Your laughter and their squeals send thrills of delight through me.
“Don’t burn dinner!” you holler letting me know I’d been caught staring. I turn my attention back to the grill a tidal wave of love and pride crashing through me until I fear drowning. I feel you slip your arm around my waist and lean against me slightly, I love the way you fit against me. You plant a kiss on the side of my chin and I smile and kiss your forehead.
“Dinners almost ready,” I say smiling bumping my hip softly against yours.
“I’ll go round up the kids and get them washed up.” I watch you stride off calling their names ushering them into the bathroom to wash their face and hands a smile on your face. I slide the patties of the grill and onto a platter carrying them to the stone picnic table already set up and ready to go. I lean down to pull the last few things out of the cooler including our drinks.
I let out a noise half grunt and half squeal as I feel a small body rocket into me from behind.
“Hungry?” I laugh picked our little man up and twirling him around before setting him in his seat. The girls laugh and play scrambling into theirs seats. As we sit down and get ready to eat a puzzled look crosses my face as my plate morphs into a math book the voice of the children distort becoming deeper and more mature. I look up and see a dozen teenage faces staring back at me.
“Ms. Fuller are you ok?” Mr. Johnson is standing at the head of my row looking at me.
“Yes sir,” I reply as a bright red heat marches up the back of my neck and over my ears.
“Would you care to answer the question?”
As I open my mouth the ask him to repeat it the bell rings saving me from further embarrassment. I jump up cramming books and papers into my bag feeling his eyes burning holes in my back all the way out the door. I sprint through the hall in an attempt to avoid the crushing mass of teenage humanity out the door and right up to the car.
“how was school?” my grandma inquires as I fall into the seat.
“Fantastic!” I reply enthusiastically with a bit of a chuckle as a bewildered smile settles on her face.
No comments:
Post a Comment