Never Grow Up

began wiping up the floodwaters of red.
“Sort of like the Red Sea.” Ashley tried to sound hopeful. She pointed to the red-covered table. “This is perhaps the whole point of the story.”
The new teacher gave her a glance. As if to say perhaps not.
Natalie was still cleaning up her painting and Landon was still laughing. He threw his artwork in the trash. Then he grinned at her. “You’re the funniest girl I know, Ashley Baxter.”
For a few seconds, Ashley didn’t move. Didn’t say anything. Because those words were not her favorite. Before she could say so, Landon was off with the other boys and Natalie held her red-covered painting up by the soggy corner. “A complete ruin.” She dropped it in the trash.
It was time for Ashley to take responsibility for this Sunday school disaster. Something her mom and dad had always taught her. Accept the blame for your mistakes.
Some of the kids had already gone, but that didn’t matter. She stood on the closest plastic chair. “Hello, everyone. I have an announcement.”
Natalie and Landon looked at her.
Ashley crossed her arms. “I’m very sorry for the red sea on Noah’s Ark day.” She did a slight bow. “It was all my fault.”
As she stepped off the chair, Landon clapped for her. Like this was, maybe, her best performance. “At least we’ll remember the story.”
On the way home, Ashley thought about Landon’s comment. You’re the funniest girl I know. What if she didn’t want to be the funniest? Maybe she wanted to be the most talented girl or the prettiest girl. Or the smartest. Possibly the most unique.
She looked at her hands. They still had dried red paint on them. She was definitely unique. But funny meant people were laughing at her. All the time. Wherever she went. And right now that didn’t feel very much like a compliment.
As they walked into the house, Ashley caught up with her dad. “Do you think everyone expects me to be a disaster? First at school and now at church?” She had already told her parents about the red paint flood.
Dad put his arm around her shoulders. “No, honey. Not at all.”
Ashley nodded. “You think they’re surprised, then? When I’m a disaster? Each time it happens?”
“You’re not a disaster, Ashley. You’re perfect just the way you are.” He kissed the top of her head. “Don’t forget that.”
“Thank you.” Her daddy always knew what to say. Even so, there was just one thing she wanted to do now that they were home.
Ashley ran up to her room, washed her hands in her bathroom and found her art supplies. Down in the kitchen, her three sisters were helping Mom with brunch. Ashley stepped up to her mother. “I don’t believe my kitchen skills will add anything to the meal this morning.” She held up her sketchbook and colored pencils. “May I have a pass to the outdoors?”
“Yes, Ash.” Mom patted her shoulder. “You can do cleanup.”
She headed out back with Bo. This would be her first drawing of the new puppy. But as Ashley sat on the bench next to the big tree, Bo began to run around the yard, bouncing and hopping and sprinting every which way.
Like he was having his own personal Field Day.
This was a problem. Bo had to sit still if she was going to draw him.
“Bo!” Ashley tried to whistle. “Come here!”
He was chasing a fly, trying to catch it in his mouth as it flew around his nose.
“Yoo-hoo! Bo!” Ashley snapped her fingers a couple of times. “Sit, Bo.”
The fly flew away, so Bo sniffed the grass. Then he found a leaf. Ashley gave up. If the puppy wasn’t going to sit still she would have to guess a little. She started with his paws and legs and then his body.
“Hmm.” Ashley studied her sketch. Bo’s legs were much too long and his paws looked huge. Maybe she could bring it all together when she drew his face.
“Bo, a little help over here, please.” If only she could get a steady look at his eyes and nose. “Come on, boy!”
Finally, Bo stopped sniffing and running and looked at her. He tilted his head to one side, and then the other. Ashley moved her pencil over the paper as fast as she could. She was about to draw his ears when Luke stepped onto the back porch with his basketball.
He dribbled it a few times, and in a flash Bo was off.
Bo liked hoops, apparently.
“Luke! I was drawing him!” Ashley was on her feet. “Send him back.”
“Sorry!” Her brother jogged to the basketball hoop near the garage. “Bo! Go back to Ashley!” Instead the puppy ran three circles around Luke. Her brother shrugged. “He said he wants to play.”
Ashley dropped back to the bench and stared at her drawing. “Fine.” She added the ears and studied her work again. Extra-long legs, gigantic feet, long droopy ears halfway to the ground. A crooked, happy smile.
This Bo looked more like an alien. Something Elliot might find on one of his pretend adventures to Mars. She closed her sketchbook and scowled.
Dark clouds gathered in her brain. This day was turning from bad to very bad. Bo had barked and cried all night, which meant almost no sleep. Then there was the red paint flood, and now she’d drawn the worst-looking dog in the history of drawing.
Her frustrated thoughts grew louder as the day played out.
Brooke was too busy with homework to join Ashley, her siblings and Bo at their giant rock near the stream at the back of the house. Brooke had never missed a meeting at the rock. “I’m growing up.” Brooke shrugged. “It’ll happen to all of you one day.”
And that night when they walked into the house for dinner, the whole place smelled like dirty socks.
Ashley plugged her nose as she took her spot at the table. “Who has their shoes off?”
“Hey.” Her dad sat down and grinned. “That’s your mother’s dinner. She made my favorite. Beef stroganoff and