Happy Valentine’s Day (by Doris Ruth Mackey)

Miss Mayberry sat at her desk and watched as her thirty first-graders finished the weekly math test. She took special interest today in watching William Bass, sitting at the first desk in the middle row. He was smaller than his classmates. He had copper colored hair and freckles, and his blue eyes looked very large through the thick lenses of his glasses. She knew he was an orphan and lived with his aunt and uncle. He was a shy and quiet child, but she had never thought there was anything wrong with him, at least not until now.
        She stood up and said, “Put your pencils down and pass your papers to the front of the class.” After she picked up all the papers and placed them on her desk she said, “Okay class, time for recess. Except for you, William. I need to talk to you.”
        William watched his classmates file out the door to the playground. Then he asked, “Miss Mayberry, did I do something wrong?”
        “William, I need to ask you about the valentine you gave me.”
        A big smile spread across his face. “Did you like, Miss Mayberry? I made it all by myself from things I found around the house. I know it’s a little messy, but I’ve never made one before.”
        “William, Where did you get…?”
        “The lace? I got it from Aunt Mary’s sewing room. She said she didn’t need it ‘cause she doesn’t sew any more. It was the prettiest she had.”
        “That’s not what I’m asking…”
        “I got the ribbon from there too. I know it’s not red, but it was the only ribbon on the shelf.”
        “William, I don’t care about the ribbon or the lace. I want to know, where you got…?”
        “The box? That was the hardest part. I couldn’t just make one, you see. I needed one it would fit in. I found the box in the attic. Aunt Mary used to keep one of her hats in it, but she threw that hat out a long time ago.”
        “William, I don’t care about the ribbon, lace or box. I’ve shown your valentine to Principal Harding and he‘s called the police.” She stood up and looked down at the small boy. “I want you to tell me where you got the heart.”
        “The heart?”  Billy’s smile got bigger. “Do you like it? Do you really like it? I cut it out all by myself.”
        Miss Mayberry put her hand over her mouth to stifle a scream. “You cut it out ! William, it’s a human heart; not something you find lying around the house. Where did you get it?”
        “It’s all right, Miss Mayberry. Uncle Ernie doesn’t need it anymore. ”