Last Thursday afternoon was busy, like really super busy, my mum came over and we had a chat and I stressed a little about a visit we were having and wanted to clean. My mum bless her heart dropped everything and we did lots of cleaning. it was hard work and when the visitors arrived we both felt a bit grungy.
The visit went really well and we had fun. About an hour later the visitors said goodbye and we were alone in the house. I bummed around on Facebook for a little while as I unwound myself I became more and more aware that I wanted a body shower to get rid of the excess sweat and grime.
Kicky was asleep in my bed and Edison was playing with his Lego. I locked the front door and dead-bolted it. Then locked the back door. Edison asked me for a snack and I replied that I would be making our evening meal as soon as I had a little shower and would rather that he waited a little while and had his tea.
I got in the shower. All seemed well at first but then I heard my phone ring once and realized that I couldn't hear Edison. There was a draft blowing into our house. I dressed quickly not alarmed yet but surprised at the cool wind. As I pulled my clothes back on I called for Edison. No answer. I hurried and got everything on and headed out the bathroom door. Worried now. The front door had a childrens table in front of it and the door was swung wide open.
I hurried through it to Edison running towards me, with no pants on and mud caked all over his bare legs. He was crying and screaming and when I asked him where Kicky was he exclaimed "kicky is gone! people got him!" I ran out the driveway to look for him leaving Edison crying and running behind me. About 100M down the road two cars were stopped. One I recognized and one I did not. A neighbor (the owner of the car I knew) was holding Kicky. "They were half way down the bloody Road and nearly got hit by a road train!" she shouted to me as I neared.
I explained I was in the shower and took Kicky from her. Thanking them for stopping and getting the boys. It was over. I felt shaken and furious. I was so angry with Edison I could barely speak. He had woken Kicky up and taken him outside and down the road! I asked him why he did that and he told me "I wanted to go to the shop for hot chips" I told him to never do that again without me. Visibly shaken he just nodded.
I gave them a hug and a bath and then after I dressed them I put them straight in the car. I stopped by the hardware store and bought a slide bolt and padlocks. I wasn't willing to go another minute without them.
After the hardware shop I bought a take away for tea, I was too stressed to think about cooking.
This incident happened in moments. All I did was shower. It could have ended very badly indeed.
I am so grateful to our community for stepping in and helping when they couldn't see me with my children. That they knew us and didn't call the police not that the police wouldn't have been understanding.
So I guess this is a "service post" to remind us all that when we are going to be distracted or otherwise unavailable: take them with you, get a friend to sit with them or padlock the door. Don't take the risk of them managing themselves. besides if you shower with them then you don't have to give them a bath.
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