Wandering off at 2 and a half

This story Terence never knew, I didn't tell him when it happened, but I gues once he reads this he will know.

WE had just moved in to our current house, which means that Kayleigh was around 2 1/2 years old. I had woken up one morning and found we didn't have enough milk for breakfast. Terence and Natassja were still asleep, but Kayleigh was already up. It must have been Autumn because Kayleigh was only wearing her nappy and a pair of socks. I told Kayleigh to stay inside, play with her toys (or something) or go snuggle in with her Dad while I went to the local shops to get some milk for breakfast. Kayleigh seemed to understand and toddled off to the bedroom. I went down to the shop, grabbed the milk and went home. I put Kayleigh's breakfast together and went to get her. It was then that I realised that she wasn't in the house, so I went outside in the backyard and looked around (the backyard was a jungle of weeds and concrete at that stage) and realised that the back gate was slightly opened. I freaked, ran out the front and then a young boy (around 9 or 10) walked down the driveway with Kayleigh in tow. He told me she was down at the shops walking up and down the aisle looking for 'Mummy'. The shop owner (such a responsible adult!!) told the boy where we lived and to take her home. I thanked the boy and took Kayleigh inside, freaking out still.

I didn't pass Kayleigh on the way back from the shops (it's only two doors down), so she must not have realised I had come home and gone out the back gate after I was inside. I told Kayleigh never ever go out the front without mummy or Daddy. I still remember the panic I felt when I couldn't find her.