Laura returns to the play area and tries to think what next to do. As she looks around for ideas, she spots a familiar face. Her brother, Dan, is standing by the play area, watching his daughters play. Laura is currently three, in wet training pants, and has no material possessions on her. She’ll need an adult’s help. And she knows that her brother is a sucker for a cute face. Of course, Laura has no intent to tell him the truth. She’ll tell him a serviceable lie close to the truth.
Laura heads over to Dan. She tugs on his pant leg. Dan looks down at her.
“Hello there, sweetie,” he coos, crouching down to her eye-height. “Do you need something?” Laura nods. At the last moment, she decides to give herself a toddler-like lisp, to really pull off the illusion of being a regular three-year-old.
“My mommy and bruver left me,” Laura says tearfully. Dan’s eyes widen in sympathy. “They took me here to pway, but then left.”
“Oh, no, that’s terrible,” Dan says. Laura makes an exaggerated sniff. “Come here.” Dan guides Laura over to some chairs next to a table. He picks Laura up and sets her onto one of the chairs. Thankfully, he doesn’t notice Laura’s wet training pants.
“My daughters are still playing, but how about you sit here with me?” Dan suggests. Laura nods. They watch Laura’s nieces playing. Dan asks Laura a few questions that are clearly meant to tease information out of her. Laura lies as best she can, still pretending that the woman who left her really was her mommy.
Eventually, Laura’s nieces finally finish playing and come over to Dan. Laura’s youngest niece, Alexis, looks at Laura.
“Daddy, who’s the baby?” she asks.
“This is…” Dan looks over at Laura. “I’m sorry, I forgot to ask for your name.” Quickly, Laura tries to think of a name that isn’t hers, but is close.
“Lauren,” she says.
“This is Lauren,” Dan says. “Her mommy left her here and she was very responsible and came to me to ask for help.”
“How are you going to help her?” Alexis asks.