“It means we need to talk to everyone first.”
Alice turned toward the window.
“Does that
mean yes?”
Even at seven, she understood.
The next week, I arranged a meeting with her teacher and the school nurse.
I brought three pages of questions.
“What happens if another child comes in sick?”
“We’ll follow the precautions her care team recommends.”
“What if she gets tired?”
“She can rest or leave early.”
“What if she needs medicine?”
“We’ll have the correct plan.”
“What if somebody knocks into her?”
“What if she gets tired?”
“Maggie, children do bump into each other.”
Children bumped, sneezed, forgot to wash their hands, and went from fine to feverish in an afternoon.
I’d spent almost a year learning how dangerous normal could look.
During the meeting, another parent came in to drop off paperwork.
She heard Alice’s name.
“Oh. Is she coming back?”
