The Date(Darrell Case) “Are you still working on your paper?” Miss Macken said, her face twisted in a frown.
The little boy looked up, embarrassed. All the other children were gone. Some to the bus that would ferry them to their home in the country. Others to their parents, picking them up from the front of the grade school. A few lived close by and would walk home. Kenny Kickeln was of the last batch. He carried the key to the front door of his home in his pocket.
She had kept him after hours because the paper she required was due today. So Beth made sure he turned it in before she dismissed the child. Beth had a date tonight and hadn’t counted on Kenny having to stay after school. It was already 4:20. She planned to leave from the school but hadn’t calculated on having to chaperone one of her students.
“I…I’m almost done.” He said, his eyes misting over.
Beth Macken smiled. It transformed her face. “Please finish as soon as possible.” She said, returning to her desk. A small, trim woman, she looked like she could be a high school student. She busied herself in preparing the lesson for Monday.
Five minutes later, the little boy laid the essay on her desk and fled the classroom. At 25, this was her first teaching job. She loved her students, but sometimes she became frustrated. Hurring to the girl’s bathroom, she applied makeup and other elements to help her appearance. She washed off and changed into a dress she had in a bag from her car.
Beth smiled. Tonight might be the night Dale popped the question. He had hinted at it the last few weeks. Just last week, he gave her a necklace. Her heart caught in her throat when he gave it to her. Expecting an engagement ring, she opened the small white box with trembling fingers. Beth tried to be excited when she saw the little gold necklace. She strained to keep the disappointment out of her voice.
“Oh, how lovely? I love it. Please put it on for me.” Beth said, sweeping her hair out of the way.
Dale tenderly placed the gold chain around her neck kissing her. They had a wonderful evening and yet she went home disappointed. She held it together until he was gone and then had a good cry.
She had dated others but felt Dale was the one. He worked as a paralegal and was sometimes late. He was a kind and gentle man, always looking out for the feelings of others. Dale was working on his law degree. Three nights a week, he attended classes at Hover college. At 27 he would finish in the spring.
Fred Mondale pushed the broom down the hallway. He liked this time of evening. The school building was almost empty. Frist the hallway, then he would start in the rooms. If he kept working steadily, he would be home by 10:30. With his mind on other things, he almost ran into Beth Macken.
Beth stepped out of the girl’s bathroom just as he came upon it. He stopped his push broom a few inches from her feet. “Sorry didn’t see you there.” He said.
“How are you tonight, Fred?” She said, smiling.
“Fine Beth.” That first evening in September, he called her Miss. Macken. She smiled and asked him to call her Beth. “And I’ll call you Fred if that’s alright?”
“Great.” He said, returning her smile.
“Don’t you look nice.” Got a date?” Fred said, leaning on his broom.
“Yes, I’m to meet him in the parking lot.” She said, smiling.
“You have a good time,” Fred said. Pushing the broom ahead of him, he went down the hallway.
“Thank you. I will,” Beth said to his back. She hurried in the direction of the parking lot. As she exited the building, her cell phone rang.
She didn’t see Dale’s car. “Oh, please not tonight.’ Then to the phone. “Hello?” She said off handily knowing it was Dale saying he had to work over.
“Miss Macklin?” The timid little voice said.
“Kenny, what’s wrong? “She said, recognizing the little boy’s voice.
“My…my…mommy in the hospital. “Kenny Kickeln sobbed. Dale drove into the school parking lot. He blew his horn. Distracted, she waved at him.
“Where are you?” She said, running to Dale’s car.
“My…my house. No…nobody’s here.” He broke down sobbing.
“What about your father?” Beth asked.
The little boy seemed to cry harder. “He…he…died last year.” Kenny said.
“What’s your address, Kenny?” Beth said.
“2385 Sycamore. Miss Mackin I…I’m sorry I didn’t know who else to call,” Kenny said, tears in his voice.
“You did the right thing. Just wait for us inside the front door. Ok?” Beth said, jumping into the passenger seat in Dale’s car.
Ending the call, Beth placed her phone in her purse. Dale’s smile disappeared to be replaced with one of concern.
“Something wrong?” He asked.
“Yes, one of my students. Kenny’s mother was taken to the hospital. He’s home all by himself.”
“Give me the address.” Dale said, the car already moving. Beth did relieved. Within minutes, they pulled up to a small bungalow. Watching from inside the front door, Kenny waited until Beth Mackin stepped out of the car. Dale hurried around and opened the back door. Kenny ran from the house. Keeling Beth enfolded the small boy in her arms. He sobbed against her shoulder. She held his trembling body.
Buckling the little boy in the back, they sped to the hospital. Dale let them out at the front door and went to park the car.
At the information desk, they learned Kenny’s mother was in surgery. Appendicitis. The nurse said. “She should be back in her room in an hour.” She smiled. “It’s a minor operation. You can wait here. We’ll call you when she’s back in her room.”
“She’s…she’s not…not going to die,” Kenny said, his eyes tearing up.
The nurse smiled. “Your mother will be fine.” She lay her hand on the little boy’s shoulder.
In the waiting room, Dale said to the child. “Tell me, Kenny, what do you love most about your mom?”
Scrunching up his face, Kenny said. “A lot of things. She is always there for me. Even when I’m bad, she still loves me.” He smiled. Dale laughed. For the next half hour, Dale and Kenny played a Board Game. Beth watched for not the first time, seeing how comfortable Dale was with children.
“Who’s winning.” A man in a blue scrub said. Kenny looked up with a fearful expression, sure this man would tell him his mother was dead.
“How’s my mommy?” Kenny said, big tears forming in his eyes.
The doctor smiled. “Your mother is going to be just fine. We’ll keep her over the weekend and let her go home on Monday.”
“Really.” Kenny said, smiling through his tears.
“Really.” the doctor said, returning the little boy’s smile.
For the next hour, Kenny and Dale played the board game. They looked up when a volunteer came to escort them to Kenny’s mother’s room. The little boy paused at the door to her room. Just waking up from the surgery, his mother smiled at her son. Kenny ran to his mother. Mrs. Kickeln gave him a one-armed hug.
After a half hour, Kenny’s mother tired and went back to sleep. Beth and Dale took Kenny to Beth’s home. They opened the back door of the car to find the small boy sleeping. Unbuckling him from the seat belt, Dale carried Kenny upstairs to the guest bedroom. Beth took off his shoes then, laying him in the bed, she covered him up. In the living room, Beth found Dale on his knees. He seemed to be looking for something on the carpet.
Beth smiled, setting down on the sofa. “Lose something?”
“Yes.” Dale said. “A wife.” Still on his knees, he made his way over to her. “Beth, I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” He held a ring box in his hand. “Will you marry me?”
Tears flooded Beth’s eyes. “Yes, oh yes, I will marry you.” Grinning, Dale hugged and kissed Beth.
Two months later, Kenny Kickeln slowly walked down the aisle. As ring bearer, he felt a great responsibility. Beth waited a few seconds and followed him on the arm of her father. On the platform, Dale smiled at his beautiful bride.

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