Jacob emerges from her hiding spot. There’s no guarantee she’ll find a diaper on her own. Not to mention, she’s beginning to suspect that the reason her diaper leaked is because she didn’t put it on right. She walks down the hall and quickly spots a man carrying a girl her current age. Jacob speeds up to catch up to him. The man sees her and smiles.
“Hello, sweetie, do you need something?” he asks. Jacob nods.
“My diapy too wet,” Jacob says. “Need change.” The man lifts Jacob’s dress. He lets out a low whistle at the state of Jacob’s diaper.
“You sure do. Though if that diaper was on right, you wouldn’t need a new one.” Once again, Jacob is thoroughly disappointed to have been proven right. While she’s stuck like this, she either needs more practice at putting on a diaper or to ask an adult for help. “Come on.” The man leads Jacob into the changing room she found her diaper and clothes in. He sets his daughter on a bench and grabs the diaper Jacob stole from earlier.
“All right, let’s get you changed!” the man says cheerfully. He places Jacob on a baby changing station and quickly and efficiently changes Jacob into a fresh pink diaper. Jacob lets out a sigh of relief. The diapering done by an expert feels so much better than her earlier attempt. The man then washes his hands and takes out his cellphone. Still on the changing table with no way to get down, Jacob watches nervously.
“Hi, I’d like to report an unattended toddler,” the man says. Jacob’s eyes widen. “A little girl, probably two or three. Her name?” The man turns to Jacob. “Sweetheart, what’s your name?”
“Jacob,” Jacob says, very quietly. Her soft voice results in the man mishearing.
“Jacklyn,” he says into the phone. “Can you tell me your last name, Jacklyn?” he asks. Jacob stares at him silently. Already, she’s landed herself a new first name. She doesn’t want to mispronounce her last name. It would make Seth finding her even more difficult. “She doesn’t know her last name. When I found her, she was wearing a diaper that looked like she put on herself. It was soaked and leaking. The clothes she has on were actually from my daughter’s diaper bag. Uh-huh. Will do. Thanks.” The man hangs up.
“What do?” Jacob, or rather, Jacklyn, squeaks. The man smiles kindly at her.
“Well, Jacklyn, you’re going to come with me and Lucy while we wait for people to come get you.” He spots the nervous look on Jacklyn’s face. “Don’t worry! The people who are going to get you will help you.” The man picks Jacklyn up, takes his daughter’s hand, and the three of them exit the changing room. They go to the main lobby. The man has a firm grip on Jacklyn, preventing her from escaping.
Jacklyn swallows nervously. Whoever the man called will determine how easily she can sneak away.