Boreal Witch

We wandered through the packed building, musing why it was so busy (we had forgotten that Valentine's Day is tomorrow) and stopped for a snack of pretzels. The boys played at the indoor play area. At 5:20, it was time to go.

Balin complained he was thirsty so I took him to the bathrooms, thinking there was a drinking fountain over there as well. Robinson followed me over, reminding me that we had entered through the Sears.

"Where's Arthur?" I asked, noting that he wasn't right behind Robinson.

"I don't know," he answered, and went back to check the play area.

Arthur wasn't there. 

The next few minutes were spent frantically searching the area. Robinson found mall security. I offered up the picture I keep in my wallet. The security guard asked if there were any favorite store he might go into. I tried to keep calm, to fight the worry that was building up inside of me. My intuition told me it would be alright, that he wasn't in any danger, but as the minutes ticked by and the police were called, it became harder and harder to fight back the tears.

This happens to other people, I thought, not to me.

But it had happened - was happening and never had I felt so out of control. Other parents looked our way, their eyes full of pity. I didn't want their pity. I wanted my boy.

Then the text came: Found him! 

Several minutes later, a teary-eyed Arthur and Robinson were at my side. Part of me wanted to cry, another part wanted to demand why he didn't ask another mom with kids of help like he'd been taught, and another part of me wanted to hold him. 

So I held him. 

Later that night, as we walked into a packed Steak n' Shake, Arthur sobbed, "I thought you left me."

"No," I reassured him, "we would never leave you. We would always come looking for you."

Blessed be.