Parent's Worst Fear

Today, I experienced a parent’s worst fear. Troy and I were at a store doing some shopping, and Troy up and decided that it would be fun to wander off on a different aisle from me. To make matters worse, he decided to then hide. I turned around, and he was gone.

I panicked. I called for him. I was frantically going around very section, looking under and inside every rack of clothing. But no Troy. No little legs to betray him as he hid. Nothing. He finally came bouncing up with a cheeky grin on his face, and I lifted him off the floor in a bear hug. It may have only been a few minutes, but it felt like a lifetime.

And then, I unloaded all my fear and frustration on him, and I deposited him inside the basket. I refused to let him out until we were at the car again. I have never been so scared in my life. I was imagining all the terrible things that could have happened to him. I was imagining all the terrible stories that my wife and mother-in-law had told me about people snatching kids. I’m not sure I could go on if something happened to Troy.