I never expected my life to change with one call but it did. The call was from James, our county Sheriff.
Two days ago I filed a missing person's report. My little niece was missing and I did not know what to do. I had taken her to the park to play with our little puppy. There were other kids playing and having a great time as well.
While Lucy, my little niece and our puppy played, my phone rang. I stood up to take the call and just walked a few meters away from the play area, so I could get better call reception. When I was through with the call, I went back to the play area only to not find Lucy and our puppy there.
Initially, I thought she must have gone to another area to play and so I searched, watching out for a four year old putting on a bright pink top on white jeans. But to my dismay, I could not find her and that was when fear gripped me.
I began asking other parents around about her whereabouts but their replies were incoherent. I ran round the park trying to see if I would spy her playing with fluffy our puppy but nope she was nowhere in the park.
Still frantic, I went to the security officials to ask them but they all said that no child matching that description had left the park. I was scared. My hands began to shake and weird thoughts began to flood my mind.
”Was she kidnapped?”
”Did someone take her away by force hiding her in a sack?”
”Did she fall into a hole?”
All these and more fearful thoughts filled my mind and hot tears rolled down my cheeks. ”What could have happened to her?” I'm the only family she's got. My sister died giving birth to her and I promised to take care of her and protect her throughout life. ”What was I going to do now that she's missing?”
I waited a little longer at the park to see if she would find her way back to me but after three hours of nothing, I decided to go to the police station. The constable I met told me that the formal procedure was to wait 24 hours before the report would be filed but seeing my puffy face and scared look, he promised to take some men and search the park before the end of his shift. I was grateful for the gesture but my face could not form a smile.
I gave him my phone number and headed home. ”Perhaps Lucy lost her way around the park and went back home” I thought to myself.
On getting home, I quickly checked around but there was still no sign of her. I fell on the floor in despair and cried all the more. I don't know for how long I laid down there on the floor but my phone's vibration woke me up. Startled, I quickly reached for the phone and answered the call.
The constable I spoke with earlier was the one who called to tell me that there was no sign of her and so I had to come into the station in the morning to file the report. I thanked him before dropping the call. I stood up from the floor to head to my room when my eyes fell on the clock. The time read 2 a.m. ”I hope you're safe wherever you are Lucy” I sighed as I walked dejectedly to my room.
I barely slept. As early as 7 a. m, I was already at the station. I didn't meet the constable I met yesterday but I was lucky to meet James, the sheriff. James was my high school crush but I never got the courage to talk to him back then in school. Seeing him again, my heart fluttered but only for a second. My reasoning was stronger. Lucy is missing.
I called out to him in a greeting and he responded warmly (I needed that). Without wasting much time on chit chat, I narrated my purpose of coming along with my dilemma to him. Patting me gently, he assured me that Lucy would be found safe and sound. I don't know why but I believed him.
He asked me to go home and wait for his call. A glimmer of hope began to brew within me and for the first time in the last 20 hours, I smiled. I thanked him for his effort and left the station to head home.
I couldn't even eat anything. I just lay on the sofa, waiting, expecting Lucy to walk in through the day and call out my name. I missed her terribly. She was a light in my life but now without her here, all I see is dark.
At exactly 12 noon, my phone rang and when I picked up all I heard was…
”Orange county Sheriff's department. Am I speaking with Miss Abigail Cole?” The male voice spoke.
” Uh…yes. May I know who is speaking?” I asked somewhat confused yet hopeful.
”This is James and I'm happy to tell you that we have found Lucy. You can come pick her up at the station. Take care ma'am” and the call was disconnected.
I couldn't believe my ears. Lucy has been found. Without caring for my appearance, I rushed out the door, into my car and drove to the station. Immediately I arrived, I saw Lucy standing with James. I hurriedly came out from the car and she instinctively ran towards my open arms.
I rained all the kisses I had on her chubby cheeks with tears of joy streaming down my eyes. I later learnt from James that she had mistakenly slept in the back seat of a car parked beside the car and the owners only saw her in the car last night but they waited till this morning to report. The report was brought to the station and seeing that the description matched, he put a call through to me.
I couldn't be happier at the turn of events. In order to show my appreciation, I invited James to my place for dinner. Maybe this was fate bringing us together.
Thanks for reading.
Images used were imagined with Meta Ai.