“Exactly. It’s super important to tell your parents everything. If someone talks to you, make sure they know. What other things did Steve do?”
“He didn’t take the drink David gave him,” Stephanie calls out.
“Exactly. We never take food, drinks, or toys from a stranger. The best thing to do is walk away and find an adult you do know to keep you safe.”
“Yeah, and if a stranger asks you to help them do something, say no and yell Stranger Danger,” Parker says.
“That’s right.” Nate smiles at the children. “Sometimes people aren’t very nice, so we need to know how to act so we’re safe. A person might tell you that they know your mom or dad, might even guess their real name so that you trust them. If you’ve never seen the person before and your parents haven’t told you someone is picking you up, don’t go with them,” he says softly.
The conversation turns more serious, and I’m impressed with the way Nate keeps the language simple and easy for the kids to understand.
“What if our mom and dad didn’t tell us, but we know the person?” Danny asks.
“Then, you should make sure with your teacher and have her call your parents to ask them. Although we know the person, that doesn’t always mean we’re supposed to go with them. It can scare your parents if they come pick you up, and you already left without them knowing.”
“Okay.” Danny nods.
“Yeah, when Uncle Nate came to pick me up the first time, Ms. Andrews asked for his information even if I live with him,” Walker explains.
I smile at him. Sometimes we don’t realize how much kids are actually paying attention.
“That’s right, Walker.” Nate glances at me. “Ms. Andrews was making sure I was safe for you to go home with.”
The hour passes quickly between trying to focus on my work and reminding myself that the man in the center of the room is not someone I should crush on. I gratefully don’t make a fool of myself.
Thank you, humiliation gods for giving me a break.
“All right, kids, I’ll see you next week.” Nate stands.
“Thank you, Deputy Moore.” I stand from my seat and walk around my desk. “What do you say, boys and girls?”
“Thank you,” the class sings out.
“You’re welcome.” He looks at me and nods before grabbing his book and heading out. He pauses with his hand on the knob and looks at me. “Ms. Andrews, next time you’re welcome to take a break.”
“Right. Well, it was your first day, and you’re a stranger to most of the students,” I say and instantly regret it. “I don’t mean it in a bad way. They just don’t know you.” I try to fix my mistake.
“Understood.” He walks out of the class, and I lean against my desk, exhaling loudly.
“Ms. Andrews, why’s your face red like Danny’s when he runs for a long time?” one of my students asks.
My hand presses to my cheek, and I look away from my students to take a deep breath and will my blush to disappear.
“I think she’s blushing. That’s what my mom tells my big sister when she talks about her crush,” Stephanie says.
Kids nowadays know too much about crushes at a young age.
“Why would your big sister crush anyone?” A boy asks, and I giggle. That was the break I needed to gain my thoughts and refocus.
“Okay, class, let’s get ready for science.”
“If his nephew was in my class, I’d request a meeting every week just to get some one-on-one time with him.” The fourth grade teacher sighs as I walk by, no doubt talking about Nate.
“Wouldn’t that be with his mom?” Andrea asks, rolling her eyes when she sees me.
I bite back my laugh and try to ignore the comments I’ve been hearing all day. It’s getting old when teachers who barely talk to you are suddenly telling you how lucky you are to teach that “piece of arm candy’s nephew.” Their words not mine. I’m ashamed enough about calling him Mr. Hot Deputy.
Ready to head home, I grab my things and walk toward my car, rummaging through my purse for my car keys. I wish I had a car with the keyless lock so I wouldn’t have to go on a deep search every time I need my keys. It’s that or clean out my purse. A keyless car sounds easier.