I didn’t see her. I suppose I was obliviously to everyone around me except for my own son, but she saw us. Within a matter of minutes, she ran over to me and Davey as we danced along to the live band. I watched her head tilt to one side as she grabbed Davey’s hands and pulled him towards the middle of the basketball court (the dance floor). Her hair a golden honey, with little spectacles that only seemed to make her blue eyes brighter. She smiled and looked up at me before giving Davey a huge hug and he reciprocated. While still holding Davey’s hand, she grabbed the hand of another little girl, who then grabbed another girl’s hand and so on until a circle was formed and the five-some were dancing together.

I watched Davey in amazement as he laughed and spun around in circles. He let go at one point, just to clap his hands before reaching out and grabbing hands again. I shouldn’t have been shocked, after all he loves other children, but this little girl was different and while I noticed it quickly, perhaps my son did not or maybe he did and just didn’t care. I worried that he may come running to me to ask what was wrong with her. And what could I say? “Nothing is wrong with her, son. She is just as she should be, just the way God created her.”

A few moments later, I watched a man walk up. He was my height, with salt and pepper hair, but looked as if he were my age. He had an athletic build, and a warmness about him. He didn’t look my way, but I heard him ask if he could cut in as he joined the circle grabbing the little girl’s hand and Davey’s. It took only a split second to know he was her father.

As the song ended, the other children dispersed, but Davey stood there with the little girl who I quickly learned was deaf, and allowed her to hug him before giving a high five. My heart melted. The band started up and she grabbed Davey once more and the two of them cut a rug while her father and I stood aside. We didn’t speak much, the father and me, but he did tell me she was deaf. I smiled and asked if it was difficult. He said at first, but not anymore.

After the song ended, I grabbed Davey’s hand and told him it was time for lunch. Her father came along and signed that to her as she gave Davey one more hug and then a fist bump. He waved goodbye to the little girl and she waved back. When we made it to our picnic blanket, I told my husband and mother-in-law about the little girl.

Davey quickly devoured his lunch as he watched the little girl continue to dance and once he was finished he asked if he could join her, so he and I went back to the dance floor.

I haven’t been able to get the dance out of my mind. My heart breaks for the little girl, but it really shouldn’t. She’s special, but so is Davey. She has a wonderful, loving and devoted father and so does Davey. But, I suppose I can’t get it out of my mind because I find myself taking our wonderfully healthy boys for granted. We are blessed beyond measure. Not only are my boys healthy, but my Davey has a beautiful heart as well. He didn’t flinch when she touched him, the way the other children did. He didn’t question if there was something wrong with her, he treated her like every other child and enjoyed the moment. I’m proud of my sweet boy. And as a side note, I’m impressed with his dancing skills which he did not get from me.