Chapter 8 - The First Day of School
Autumn arrived crisp and golden, painting the maple trees along Elm Street in vibrant shades of red and copper.
It was the first day of kindergarten for Drew.
The morning was a whirlwind of activity. Peter had ironed Drew’s new blue polo shirt the night before, packed a dinosaur-themed lunchbox with apple slices and a turkey sandwich, and double-checked that his brand-new Spiderman backpack had every supply on the school’s checklist.
“Stand right here on the porch steps, buddy,” Peter instructed, holding up his smartphone. “Let me get the official first-day-of-school photo.”
Drew stood tall and proud, flashing a wide, confident grin, his dark hair neatly combed. Lily stood beside him, wearing a matching miniature backpack filled with crayons and a coloring book, cheering loudly for her big brother.
“Say cheese!” Peter called out.
“Cheese!” they chorused in unison.
The walk to the neighborhood elementary school took only ten minutes. As they approached the brick building, surrounded by dozens of other parents and excited children, Peter felt a momentary flutter of anxiety in his chest. Would Drew fit in? Would he feel anxious around so many people?
Drew seemed to sense his uncle’s hesitation. He stopped at the entrance of the kindergarten wing, looked up at Peter, and reached out to grab his hand.
“Don’t worry, Uncle Peter,” Drew said with a reassuring little squeeze. “I’m brave now.”
“You’re the bravest kid I know,” Peter replied, kneeling down to adjust the collar of his shirt. “Have a great day. I’ll be right here waiting at the bell at three o'clock.”
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As Drew turned and skipped through the double doors alongside his new classmates, Peter stood on the sidewalk for a long moment, watching through the glass as his nephew found his cubby and hung up his backpack. A quiet tear of pure pride slipped down Peter’s cheek, quickly wiped away with the back of his hand.
He had done it. He had kept his promise to Aaron.
