As Leah thought on her options, sound carried from outside, where the pool party was continuing to progress. The kids sounded like they were having a lot of fun. Leah came to a conclusion. She had gotten herself in this situation for a reason. She should follow through.
Leah exited the bathroom, opening the door with some difficulty, and headed for the stairs. To her consternation, her movement was slightly hampered by her swim diaper, but she otherwise seemed to have avoided most of the clumsiness caused by young age. She stared down at the stairs. Suddenly, they seemed very scary.
“What are you doing inside?” a voice asked. Leah looked over her shoulder. It was Ryan, Gina’s teenage son. He must have finally emerged from his room, where, like usual, he had been playing video games. Thankfully, Ryan was great with kids, so he didn’t get upset with seeing a preschooler somewhere she wasn’t supposed to be.
“I got lost,” Leah said.
“I can tell. You shouldn’t be up here without an adult. Come on, I’ll help you back downstairs.” Ryan picked Leah up and carried her downstairs, then outside to the pool. “Don’t wander off again, okay?” he said gently. Leah nodded. Ryan ruffled her hair and disappeared back inside. Leah looked at the pool, excited to finally have a chance to swim.