Losing Odette

After a fun day at Walibi everyone was very tired. We headed back to our bus, but on the way stopped to see a show with the larger-than-life Walibi and several of his creature friends performing for children on a stage. We just caught the end of the show (but we'd missed the sea-lion show completely) and it was already past 4pm, which was our rendez-vous time. Odette and Bonnie wanted to go and see the creatures, but I said that we had better go as we didn't want to hold up the departure of the bus and besides, there were so many little kids in there they wouldn't be able to get near to any of them. Then someone else remembered they had forgotten their back-pack so we waited while she ran back and got it, and then hurried out of the park to the bus, waiting (with at least 20 others) in the car-park. Everyone was having a drink and snack before they got on the bus so I got something out for the kids.
A banana for Odette. Where is Odette? Has anyone seen her? I looked on the bus in case she had already got on. Not there. Had she gone to the toilet with someone else? Unlikely. Was she sitting with another group? Has anyone seen Odette? "ODETTE!"
Panic.
Did she come out of the park with us? Nobody could remember. Think. Can't remember. Surely I was holding her hand? I don't know.
I started hurrying back to the park entrance, hand on my chest. Esther said she would come with me. Then she stopped. What? Somebody else was on their mobile phone... Bérengère has got Odette. She was in the last of our groups coming out of the park, and Odette ran up to her. She had been by herself in the park. Safe, Thank God!
A few tears, a brave face, lots of cuddles with Mum, and Odette was alright.
She fell asleep cuddled up to me in the bus on the way home. I fell asleep too.
What a day.

Now the girls can't wait to go back to Walibi and take Dad!!