“I wanna look at the berries!” Charlotte wailed, her small fists pounding against Delaney’s shoulders. She wiggled to be put down. “Let me go!”
Delaney held on. She didn’t attempt to reason with her or calm her down, just carried her back toward the playground.
When they reached the edge of the forest, she caught sight of Mr. Aylett hurrying toward them. She shook her head and lifted one hand in the universal sign forStop. She needed Charlotte to obey her, not because he was there but because she was in charge.
He froze a good distance away.
She shifted so Charlotte couldn’t see her uncle, set her on the grass, and crouched to her level.
Tears dripped from Charlotte’s eyes, and her cheeks were damp and red with anger. “I was just playing.”
“I know that, but you need to follow the rules. I love you, and I want you to be safe, which is why I will never let you run away. Because you disobeyed, we have to go home now.”
She stood and took Charlotte’s hand, not wanting to lift her again. As it was, her sternum was throbbing. But the child tried to tug away, then plopped on the ground.
Delaney bent to pick her up.
“I got her.” Mr. Aylett must’ve jogged because he was right there. He lifted her and held her against his hip, his focus on Delaney. “Do you want me to take her home so you can finish your chat with your friend?”
“Absolutely not.” She was embarrassed enough to have let Charlotte run off—and to have required help carrying her. She needed to redeem the situation. “Let me just tell Heather goodbye, and I’ll be right back.”
She was still a good twenty feet away from her new friend when Heather called, “We’ll do it again!” She waved and headed the other direction.
At least she was the understanding sort.
There was no opportunity to apologize to Mr. Aylett on the way to the house, thanks to Charlotte’s crying.
When they arrived, he carried Charlotte inside while Delaney followed. Charlotte’s tantrum had subsided into sullen sniffles by the time they crossed the threshold, but her little face remained damp with tears.
“I’ll take her upstairs for her nap,” Delaney said, reaching for the child.
“I’ve got her,” Mr. Aylett said. “It’s time for you to rest.” Before she could argue, he headed for the staircase, Charlotte’s head on his shoulder.
Delaney stood in the entryway, listening to their footsteps fade down the hallway above.
The outing had been a disaster. She’d failed to keep Charlotte contained, had needed Mr. Aylett’s help to bring her back, and now couldn’t even manage the aftermath of the tantrum.
She made her way to the kitchen and filled a glass with water, then swallowed two Tylenol.
She settled on a kitchen chair. A few minutes later, at the sound of Mr. Aylett’s steps on the hardwood, she pushed to her feet.
“She’s already asleep,” he said as he entered the kitchen.
“I want to apologize. I should have watched Charlotte more carefully.”
Mr. Aylett’s lips quirked. “She’s remarkably quick when she wants to be.”
“That’s no excuse. I told her to stay within the play area, but she just gets into her own world and seems to forget the rules.”
“You never took your eyes off her, and the second she started running, you were running after her.”
“I shouldn’t have been so far away.”
“Was she ever out of your eyesight?”
“No, but?—”
“It was a difficult situation, and perhaps in the future, you should shadow her more closely until she learns to follow the rules.”
