Trapping My Heart

Trapping My Heart [3] Kathy's Name

*A/N*

Another chapter, do enjoy!

~LoveLaughTears

3. Kathy's Name

Being in school the next day was great. Thursday's aren't normally that good for the kids because it's been a long week and, unlike Friday, there is school the next day. But this Thursday rolled through beautifully.

It was lucky that the fall was on my left hand on not my right because that way I could still write, I just needed a bit of help at times which the children didn't cease to offer. Especially Kathy.

'Okay guys,' I called out trying to get some order. I smiled as Lily shushed everyone causing everyone else to shush each other, only adding to the excited buzz.

'Okay, okay! Be quiet now!' I laughed, 'It's ten minutes before you all go home! What would you like to do?'

Everyone straightened, and several hands went up, almost as if the highest hand would be picked. I looked around momentarily,

'Adam, what's your idea?'

Adam looked at me shyly, 'can I go to the toilet please?'

I smiled, 'may I, you mean!' and nodded. Adam was the shortest, shyest and by far the sweetest in the class (other than Kathy,) and was unfortunately always going to the toilet.

'Amy, any ideas?'

'Can you read more of the story?' We were in the middle of James and the Giant Peach and everyone loved it, but two hands remained up.

'O.K, maybe, I'll see what Ryan and Kathy want first,' I nodded. 'Ryan?'

'Can we have free play?' The whole class cheered at this but I noticed Kathy's little arm strained even higher, her big front teeth nibbling at her lip determinedly.

'Yes Kathy,' I called softly, smiling as she relaxed, her eyes twinkling,

'Can we sign your arm?'

The class erupted in giggles and idea's bubbled out. Feeling proud of her, not for the first time that day, for thinking up such a brilliant idea, I nodded and everyone lined up behind Kathy who was glowing with the praise everyone was throwing at her.

Kathy wrote her name in big wonky letters right in the middle of my palm.

'When you touch your heart, my name will be touching it to,' she whispered in my ear as she passed my pen to David.

I sat staring at her dumbly, in shock. She couldn't just have said what I thought she said. Children her age don't say things like that. I looked down at her name and tears pricked my eyes. My heart began warming up again. What was Kathy up to?

The bell rang for home time just as Adam squashed his name by Ben's. There was no space left now. There was barely any white left.

'Okay everyone, go get your lunch boxes and coats and come wait by the door!' I instructed them and watched them run to the other side of the class room happily. Not yet burdened by life. That was good.

I looked down at my signed arm, attempting to locate every name, but the name that kept hitting me was Kathy's. Yet hers wasn't even the biggest nor the boldest, Catherine's was.

It was in red marker, with a smiling face in the 'a' and a heart forming from the end of the 'y'.

Once almost all of them were lined up, I opened the door and they all ran out into the playground to their unsuspecting parents.

Ten minutes later, all the children had gone except Kathy. After waiting another thirty minutes, Andy called saying he was held up in work and didn't know when he'd be able to come. I offered to take her home and after hearing Kathy squeal in delight at my offer, he agreed with a laugh.