Once upon a Nursery Rhyme

Now you see her.....

I moved into Eternal Springs, Woodhall Avenue eager to start work, it was quite exciting and I was looking forward to it. It was a new life far different from what I had ever known, foremost was getting to know my new charge, maybe in my new life I would make new friends.

I was also keen to do a spot of investigating, in my imagination I would be the new Sherlock Holmes and crack the case of the vanishing lady wide open. It was just a shame there was no Watson on the horizon.

Being a complete novice at being a nanny, I planned carefully a well balanced schedule between work, play and creativity.

I had decided for my first day at work we would enjoy the sunshine and fresh air in the morning, home for a quick nap then something creative in the afternoon, then we would welcome home her father before I put her to bed, I was to dine with Mr Hope in the evening, Such a rosy idea,  you can tell I was new to this.

The reality was that it rained all day, I checked out Connie's bookshelf, it was well stocked with nursery rhyme books, fairy tales, pop up books and even an old classic, Winnie the Pooh, I stroked the cover lovingly, I loved Winnie the Pooh.

" Right, I'm off then" Henry appeared at my side, startling me. Henry had arranged to go to work late so he could show me where everything was, he'd left me alone to get my bearings while he spent time with Constance,  having reappeared, he looked at the book in my hands.

" It was Clara's favorite book, that is what I can't understand, if she left me , why did she leave her precious book behind?, she was always reading it, she left it on table" he muttered. He carefully replaced the book back into the bookcase.

After Henry left I took down a 'Nursery Rhyme Treasures' book, Connie and I had a great time singing and clapping along to the Nursery Rhymes, all too soon it was time for lunch after which I put Connie down for her nap, I popped into my bedroom, it was the connecting room to collect some sewing and returned almost immediately to Connie's bedroom.

To find Connie gone.

At first I thought she was playing so I called her name expecting to hear her answering giggles - Nothing.

I checked all the places I thought Children might typically hide - Nothing

I stopped calling Connie  in a jolly way as I started to get cross

" Come out right now Constance Hope," I said in a stern voice, I remembered the care home using our full name when we were in trouble,  ......nothing,

To put it bluntly, I went from mildly concerned to annoyed, from annoyed to Panic in seconds,

I ran to the Front door - locked

It was the same with the back door.

Both were securely fastened, there was no way Connie could have got out that way.

I checked all the windows, like the doors they were securely fastened.

Now I was frantic, 'where was she?' I ran through every room in the house calling her name, I checked every nook and cranny, even places too small for a child to hide.

I had been employed to care for one small child, I had been specifically told to be vigilant , to make sure she didn't vanish, I had been employed for less than a day and I had failed. What was I going to tell my employer Mr Hope, just as well I hadn't unpacked yet. Running through my mind was 'when do I call the police? How long did she need to be missing? would I be arrested for neglect?

I collapsed weeping hysterically onto my bed, all kinds of scenarios going through my head, I cried until I could cry no more, I sat - should I face my fate or should I run? I was still trying to decide when I heard a key in the door, Mr Hope was back early.

I braced myself, took a deep breath, then I hear it -

A chuckling coming from Connie's room, was my mind playing tricks on me? I almost ignored it, taking it for an evil trick of my mind, she chuckled again, I dashed to the door and almost collapsed in relief, Connie was sitting in her bed as large as life, laughing to herself, when she saw me she held out her chubby little arms to be picked up.

I scooped her up into my arms, nestling my face in her almost feainting in relief I held her close, so tightly, I was so afraid I would lose her again, I spun around guiltily when Mr Hope inquired if we'd had a good day.

" We kept ourselves busy....didn't we Connie, no problems at all" I lied avoiding eye contact.

"Good, good" said Mr Hope distractedly kissing his daughter on the top of her head and he left us to it.

I sagged against the door frame, he had not noticed anything amiss.

"Where were you Connie? " I whispered "Where did you hide? you frightened me to death - Please, Please don't do it again" I pleaded.