"Jasmine." Jackie called again, she was getting hysterical now.
She was just about to dial 911 when she finally spotted her on the jungle gym on the other side of the play area.
"Jasmine Nicole, come here right now." Jackie told the little girl, her voice changing from terrified to a mix of anger and relief.
"Playing mama." Jasmine told her as she walked up to her, not knowing why Jackie sounded so mad.
"I know you were playing but you can not just wander off, I didn't know where you were and I was very scared and so next time you want to play over there you need to tell me. Do you understand?" Jackie asked, her voice softening a little as she wrapped her arm around the child, extremely grateful that she had been found safe.
"Yeah." Jasmine said as she nodded her head.
"Ok good." Jackie told her with a smile.
"Me play over there?" Jasmine asked as she pointed back at the jungle gym.
"Yes you can go play over there, thank you for asking first. Good job." Jackie told her.
Jasmine smiled and then ran to play.
At least she is a quick learner. Jackie thought to herself.
"Come on guys, let's go play with your sister, you can ride the teeter-totter." Jackie told Houston and Johnna.
Jackie knew it would be much easier to keep an eye on all the kids if they were in the same area.
Jackie grabbed Karlie out of infant swing and then gently set the child upright on her feet. Jackie took a couple of steps in Jasmine's direction. Houston and Johnna immediately followed her.
"Come on sweet girl." Jackie said as she looked back at Karlie and held out her hand so the toddler would grab a hold of her hand and come with her.
Karlie grinned and hurriedly toddled up to Jackie and grabbed her hand.
Jackie sat down in the grass with Sloan in her arms just a little ways from where Jasmine was happily playing on the jungle gym.
Karlie plopped down in Jackie's lap which was difficult considering she was holding Sloan. Jackie laughed at the sweet little grin on Karlie's face.
Houston and Johnna ran to the teeter-totter and climbed on.
"Do you guys want some juice?" Jackie called to the kids.
Jasmine, Houston, and Johnna all shook their heads no, they were having too much fun to stop.
"How about you Karlie girl, do you want some juice?" Jackie asked as she pulled a juice box out of the diaper bag.
Karlie shook her head yes excitedly.
"Alright but sit right here next to me instead of on my lap because these things make a mess and I don't want purple juice all over my pants." Jackie said as she gently moved the child off of her lap and onto the grass right next to her before sticking the straw in the juice box for her.
Karlie stuck the straw in Jackie's face, wanting to share.
"Thank you." Jackie told her as she took a little sip.
Karlie then got the straw close to Sloan's face but Jackie gently pushed it away.
"Cutie that's so nice that you want to share with your little brother but he's too little to have juice." Jackie told her.
The young child smiled and then took a sip of her drink.
Pretty soon the other three kids came over and wanted some juice too.
The kids happily drank their juice without so much as a peep.
"Alright guys we better head home, it looks like it's going to rain." She told them after they all had finished their juice.
She loaded the kids up in the car, she was tired, taking all five of them out at the same time by herself was exhausting but it was worth it because the kids had gotten out of the house and had a lot of fun.
The End!
