Hero Today

Watching the five squealing children burst through the back door reminded Elizabeth Gibson of the releasing of hounds for fox hunts in black and white movies. The oldest four catapulted across the covered patio to the lush backyard bedazzled with dozens of bright plastic eggs. Exultant shouts filled the air as they claimed their first Easter eggs.

Little four year old Katie Love, her plump short legs churning, scrambled behind them. Her red corkscrew ringlets bounced against her shoulders with each step. The empty bunny shaped basket in her hand rebounded off her legs as she chased after her older brother, Peter. “Wait for me!”

Cynthia Vaughn, Elizabeth’s best friend, neighbor, and mother of the other three children, nudged Elizabeth with her elbow. “I’m glad you saved a few for Katie Love.”

“I thought sharing might not occur to the kids in the heat of an Easter egg hunt.” Elizabeth leaned against a support pillar and took a picture of Peter worming his way under the peonies.

“Look, Mama.” Katie Love, grinning from ear to ear, held up a yellow egg with fuchsia polka dots for Elizabeth to see. “I found a pretty one.”

“That’s a beautiful egg, sweetie.” Elizabeth crouched down to her daughter’s eye level. “Put it in your basket and go find another one. Don’t stop until they are gone.”

“Okay.” Katie Love deposited her prize into her basket. “I’m gonna find lots and lots.”

Elizabeth exchanged worried glances with Cynthia as Katie Love made a beeline for the peonies that Peter had just searched.

Five minutes later Cynthia’s twins, Cassie and Allison, lugged their overflowing baskets back to the patio. Allison plopped herself down on a chair and surveyed her loot. With arched eyebrows, she glanced at her sister’s basket. “I bet I have more.”

“Have not.” Cassie glared at her sister. “I’m a better finder.”

Allison folded her arms. “Let’s count them.”

Elizabeth bit her lip to hold in her laughter and took a few more pictures as Cynthia gave her daughters a pointed look. “Girls!”

Allison’s eyes fell.

Cassie ignored her mom and reached for an egg. “One.”

Nick, the twins’ younger brother, stepped onto the patio. He held up his full basket to Cynthia. “Mom, look how many I got!”

Cynthia beamed at him over the basket. “You did great, buddy.”

His radiant smile made Elizabeth’s heart expand. She loved the Vaughn children almost as much as her own. While Nick was occupied with his mother, she snapped a few shots of them.

She looked out into the yard to see Peter eyeballing every possible hiding spot as he returned to the patio. Not a lot escaped her methodical son. Katie Love, on the other hand, still searched the denuded yard. Elizabeth couldn’t tell how many eggs were in Katie Love’s basket, but she knew it wasn’t very many because it still looked empty.

“I think we found them all.” Peter set his basket down on the patio.

“Are you sure?” asked Elizabeth.

Peter, his eyes serious, tilted his head back to meet her eyes. “Yes, Mama. I checked everywhere.”

Elizabeth’s gaze flitted to her daughter. Katie Love’s steps dragged. Her shoulders slumped as she peeked inside an eggless flower pot.

“Hey, Katie Love,” shouted Peter. “We’re done. We found them.”

Katie Love glanced over her shoulder at them. The bunny basket dragged in the grass behind her as she turned. Her usually bouncy curls didn’t bob at all as she moped her way back to the patio. When she was only a few feet away, Elizabeth noticed her bottom lip trembling.

Elizabeth let her camera hang on its strap and sat down on the edge of the patio as Katie Love came to a sighing stop. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

Tears pooled in Katie Love’s eyes. She held up three chubby fingers. “I got this many.”

“I bet they are the three prettiest eggs,” said Elizabeth, knowing it was time to retrieve the extras. She pointed at Cynthia, who smiled at Katie Love. “Can you show them to Cynthia?”

Katie Love, her eyes downcast and her lips still trembling, nodded.

“Come here and let me see,” said Cynthia from the chair she was sitting in.

As Katie Love ambled over, Elizabeth hurried to the back door. She could have the other dozen eggs placed in the yard before Cynthia finished admiring the three eggs.

Elizabeth’s hand was on the door handle when she heard her daughter’s name. She hesitated to listen.

“What’s wrong, Katie Love?” Nick asked, concern filling his voice.

“She didn’t find lots of eggs like us,” answered one of the twins.

“Yeah, she’s too small,” said the other twin.

“That’s not fair!” exclaimed Nick. His voice rose with authority. “Don’t worry, Katie Love. I will fix it.”

Elizabeth’s eyebrows rose. Hoping against hope that she wouldn’t have to intervene, she turned around to see what Nick planned.

Holding his basket with a firm grip, Nick marched back into the backyard. A few feet from the edge of the patio he turned and smiled in Katie Love’s direction. With his eyes on her, he grabbed an egg from his basket and set it down on the ground.

Elizabeth couldn’t believe her eyes as Nick wandered around placing his own eggs on the grass. She walked back to where Cynthia was admiring Katie Love’s last egg and whispered, “Should I go get the other ones?”

Cynthia shook her head. “Let Nick be generous.”

Nick didn’t stop hiding eggs until his stash reached the lip of his basket. He raced back up to the patio and dropped his basket at his mom’s feet. “Come on, Katie Love. Let’s go find more eggs.”

Elizabeth lifted the camera as Nick towed her daughter toward the newly hidden eggs. Katie Love stopped at the edge of the patio. She whirled around and beamed up at them all. “There’s more. I see more eggs!”

The twins and Peter looked up from the goodies they were sorting. Peter started to stand. Elizabeth looked away from the camera and said, “Those eggs are for Katie Love. You have enough.”

Katie Love squealed and grabbed the first egg. Her curls bounced with abandon as she darted from egg to egg. Nick carried her basket, letting her concentrate on the bright plastic treasures. When she found the last one, he returned the basket to her.

Elizabeth wiped away a tear as her daughter raced back to the patio. Katie Love beamed at her. “Look, Mama. I found lots of eggs.”

“Wow. Look at all those eggs,” she replied.

Katie Love smiled. “Nick helped me.”

“Nick is a very nice boy,” replied Elizabeth. She reached over and tousled his brown hair.

He ducked away from her hand to sit Indian style near his mother. He dug through his remaining eggs for the biggest one.

His mother leaned toward him. “That was kind, Nick.”

Nick shrugged and opened the big egg. His eyes lit up as a coveted ring pop fell into his lap.

“Why did you do it?” asked Cynthia.

Nick, his hazel eyes solemn, looked up at her. “I don’t like it when Katie Love is sad.”

Both Elizabeth and Cynthia glanced over to see Katie Love stuffing jelly beans into her mouth.

Cynthia said, “She’s not sad now.”

Nick turned his head and watched Katie Love open another egg. She squealed over the candy bracelet that quickly found its way to her wrist. A smile stretched Nick’s mouth wide and showed off the gap of his first missing tooth. “No, she’s not.”

Elizabeth leaned down and squeezed his shoulder. “Thank you, Nick, for being her hero today.”