Can Ethan Come Play?

It was a calm, hot evening in Town Commons. Jayson and Mindy were sitting on the porch enjoying the breeze from the fans while Jayson strummed his guitar. The melody hung heavily on the last heat of the day. Evy splashed happily in her pool in the yard. The sun’s rays bounced off her hair as droplets glistened with every splash. Her laughter came in peals as she ran around the sidewalk, up the stairs, through the porch and back down the stairs, a child’s track and field. She rounded the corner again as Mindy ran inside to get a pen for Jayson.
*Meanwhile*
Evy, had other ideas for this loop. Instead of heading for her own stairs, she decided to head for others instead. She'd just gotten a perfect idea. She crept up the neighbor’s drive to their back porch. She climbed the stairs and knocked gently on the glass.
Barb glanced at the front door. She wasn’t expecting anyone. No, no one was there, but there it was again. Knock, knock, knock. She looked at the back porch, and there was Evy’s face beaming benevolence, her little hand raised in a little wave, her face now pressed to the glass.
“Hello Evy,” Barb said opening the door.
“Can E-fan come play in my pool with me?” Evy asked dripping on the porch floor.
Ethan was in the space behind Barb and started dancing the traditional Toddler Happy Dance singing “The pool! The Pool! Swimming in the pool!”
“Did you ask your mommy, Evy?” Barb asked wary of a three (almost four)-year-old standing unaccompanied at her door.
Suddenly Evy bolted upright, “OH!” She exclaimed as she was leaping off the porch, “I’ll go tell her!”
***
Mindy stepped back out of the house just as Evy was rounding the corner again, except this time, Evy was calling, “Mommy, Mommy! Ethan’s going to come play in my pool! It’s ok, I knocked on the door and asked his mommy!” her words rushed out, tripping and tumbling from her lips.
A little wave of something akin to shock, fear and humor rose in Mindy. Had she really just heard her child say she went and knocked on someone's door? “Evy, honey, did you ask?” she said trying to demonstrate the error in her little girls ways.
“It’s alright mommy. I DID ask his mommy.” Evy was matter-of-fact, her voice calm; an attempt to reassure her mother.
“No, honey, I mean YOUR mommy. Did you ask Mommy or Daddy?”
Evy stopped, trying to explain again, “I did ask his mommy, He can come, it’s alright.” She couldn’t understand why her mommy was having such trouble understanding.
Mindy couldn’t hide her smile.
Hand in hand Mother and Daughter walked around the front yard towards the Charles home trying to explain again. Barb and a bouncing Ethan were standing in the yard.
“Did she really come and knock on your door?” Mindy asked still in a bit of disbelief, and with more than a hint of laughter in her voice.
“Yes,” Barb said chuckling herself, “Is it ok? Feel free to say no, I didn’t know if she’d asked you or not.”
“No, she didn’t, but it’s completely fine.”
While Ethan went to change into swim clothes, Evy and Mindy talked about how important it is to ask your OWN mommy and daddy if it’s ok BEFORE you invite friends over.
“I can’t believe she did that!” Mindy said to Jayson as she arrived back on the porch.
“I can!!” Jayson said without hesitation.
Another important lesson learned in the world of Evy (and her mommy and daddy!).