Hearing this Selina knew her plan was a bust. She just had to cut and run then regroup elsewhere. Pulling herself up, Selina began calculating the jump down to the table and run to the best exit. But the rattling of the pill bottle gave her away, Reina turned around and gently pushed Selina back into a sitting position.
"No standing in the high chair. Be a good girl," she scolded as she buckled Selina into the seat, she then looked back to the other worker, "Zane I doubt we had any babies magically appear during nap time. Either you counted wrong or someone forgot to record a drop off. Now please help with serving snacks."
Selina watched the man nod and walk off followed by Reina a few moments later, she imagined she should have been relieved her cover was in tact, but her mind lingered on how easily her escape was foiled. No struggle, no back and forth, just a simple correction from an adult then she was subdued and disregarded. For the first time in her short but bombastic career, Selina had to wonder if she had put herself in an unwinnable situation.
A small distraction came when a plate was put in front of her, though most of her excitement for food faded at seeing the snack consisted of a plate of vegetables. After a bib placing a bib around her neck, Reina pulled the pacifier out of Selina's mouth and began walking away.
Panicking Selina shouted, "Mine!"
"You can have your bank back after snack time if you are a good girl," the woman responded with a hint of annoyance.
Glumly Selina started quietly eating. The now complicated task of using her hands to pick up food and transport it into her mouth provided some needed distraction. Once she and the other children were finished, workers came around wiping faces and removing bibs. When her turn came, Selina realized she must have been chewing with her mouth open based on the food on her face and bib.
Once everyone was clean, the workers started transporting the children out of the snack room. Selina wondered where they were going next and whether Reina would give her pacifier back like she promised.