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Maisie was out there, scared and alone. And I wouldn’t stop until she was again safe in her mother’s arms. Caleb and I would make sure of it.
I squeezed past a gaggle of tourists to get to the next row of stalls, scanning for any sign of Maisie’s colorful shirt. My phone buzzed again - still nothing from Caleb. I texted back, suggesting we do another sweep of the rides.
A little blonde girl clutching a stuffed unicorn caught my eye just then. “Maisie!” I called out, rushing over. But as she turned, I saw it wasn’t her. My shoulders slumped.
“Sorry, I thought you were someone else,” I said with an apologetic smile. The girl’s mom gave me a sympathetic look.
As I continued on, the crowd seemed to close in around me. Everywhere I looked, blonde pigtails and rainbow shirts blurred together. Panic rose in my chest. What if we didn’t find her?
I hurried back to the meeting spot, praying Caleb had good news. But one look at his furrowed brow crushed that hope.
“Any signs?” he asked. I shook my head, trying to gulp down my fear.
We plunged back into the crowd with renewed purpose, calling Maisie’s name.
My heart pounded as we weaved through the dense crowd, scanning for any sign of the little girl. The cacophony of bazaar noises enveloped us - shouts from vendors hawking their wares, children squealing on the rides, and music blaring from the stages.
Suddenly, I spotted a flash of rainbow stripes near the carousel. Grabbing Caleb’s arm, I pointed. “There! By the horses!”
We rushed towards the carousel, the painted horses bobbing up and down as carnival music filled the air. Standing right by the platform was a little blonde girl in a rainbow shirt, her back to us.
“Maisie!” I called out. The girl turned, and this time, it was her. The lost child we’d been searching for.
Caleb and I hurried over as Maisie’s eyes went wide. “Are you here to take me back to Mommy?” she asked in a small voice.
“Yes, sweetie,” I said gently, taking her hand. “Your Mommy is very worried about you.”
Relief washed over Maisie’s face. Caleb scooped her up and perched her on his shoulders. “Let’s get you back to your mom,” he said, giving her a reassuring smile.
When we arrived back at the petting zoo entrance, Maisie’s mother rushed forward, sweeping her daughter into her arms. “Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!” she cried through happy tears.
Caleb and I stood back, watching their tearful reunion with full hearts. Maisie was safe. Our mission was accomplished. And for a moment, all was right in the world.
Maisie clung to her mother, both of them crying tears of joy. After a long embrace, her mom looked over at us.
“I can’t thank you enough for bringing my baby back to me,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “You two are angels.”
I waved off her praise. “We’re just glad we could help. Right, Caleb?”
“Absolutely,” he agreed. “No thanks needed.”
Despite our protests, Maisie’s mom enveloped us both in a warm hug. As she pulled away, she turned to her daughter.
“Maisie, what do you say to the nice people who helped you?”
The little girl gave us a dimpled grin. “Thank you for finding me!”
I melted at her sweetness. “You’re very welcome, Maisie.”
Caleb chuckled and ruffled her blonde curls. “It was our pleasure. Now go on and have fun with your mom, okay?”
Maisie nodded eagerly, taking her mother’s hand. As they walked off, the woman looked back again and mouthed, “Thank you.”
Caleb and I shared a smile. It felt good to have done our good deed for the day. And for a moment, as we stood together amidst the carnival colors and sounds, I was glad I could share this experience with him. Maybe there was more to Caleb than I thought.
“Well, that was certainly an adventure,” I said, turning to Caleb. The din of the carnival surrounded us once more as Maisie and her mom disappeared into the crowd.
He nodded, looking thoughtful. “We make a pretty good team when we want to.”
