Leah got bored very quickly. Her legs were short, so walking was more tiring for her than it was for Tina, and they weren’t looking at anything interesting to her, anyways.
“Tina, can I go wait outside until you’re done?” she asked. Tina frowned at her. Leah sighed and rephrased. “Mommy, can I go wait outside until you’re done?” Tina beamed.
“Of course, sweetie. But be careful. Remember, stranger danger.”
“I know, I know,” Leah muttered. “I’m not a little kid.” Tina pinched her cheek.
“You sure look like one!” she cooed. Leah swatted her hand away, but couldn’t disagree with Tina’s assessment. Only kids clothes fit her, so she had to resort to wearing things that were more juvenile than she wanted. Today, she was wearing a frilly, pink dress that Tina had purchased for her. It made her look even younger than she normally did. “Be safe!” Tina called after Leah as she walked away.
Leah exited the department store. She spotted a park next door and walked over, intending on sitting on a bench. Before she could get to the bench, someone grabbed her arm.
“What are you doing wandering around, little caterpillar?” asked the person accosting her. Leah tried to pull her arm free, but the person was holding on too tightly.
“I’m not a caterpillar,” she protested.
“Wow, you’re such a good talker!” said the person. The person began to drag Leah over to a nearby van. Leah’s eyes boggled. On the side of the van was a logo for the daycare that Tina used to work at. It was in a completely different town, which was why Tina stopped working there.
“I’m not a kid!” Leah argued, still trying to pull free. The daycare worker chuckled.
“Sorry, sweetie, but you clearly are!”
“I’m not!”
“Okay, this isn’t cute anymore,” the daycare worker said, frowning. Leah opened her mouth to argue more, only for the daycare worker to pop a pacifier into her mouth. Shocked by the action, Leah froze, allowing the daycare worker to buckle her into a car seat in the van.
“I’m not a baby!” Leah shouted after she spat out the pacifier. The daycare worker glared at her and put the pacifier back into her mouth.
“Stop fussing, little girl, or you’ll get a spanking,” the daycare worker warned. Leah swallowed nervously and decided to do just that. Once they arrived at the daycare, she should be able to find someone who would be willing to listen to her.
The daycare van pulled away.