Continuous Writing - Babysitting

You had been asked to look after your aunt's two-year-old child. There was no one else in the house. While you were playing with your cousin, your friend called. You were on the telephone conversation when you realized that your cousin was unusually quiet. You ended the conversation to investigate.

Last Saturday, Aunt Serene had to attend a last-minute urgent meeting and had no one to baby-sit Simone, my two-year-old cousin. I was both glad and proud that the first person that came to her mind was me.

"Her next feeding time is 3. Don't let her go to the kitchen. The floor is greasy. I'll be home as soon as the meeting is over," Aunt Serene rattled a string of instructions for me.

"I know, Aunt Serene. Don't worry. Simone is in good hands," I assured her, carrying the 22-pounder in my hands.

"Thanks so much, Molly. I'm so grateful you are here. Good bye Simone. Mummy will be home in a jiffy," Aunt Serene babbled and planted a kiss on Simone's forehead affectionately.

I took Simone into the playroom to play building blocks, her favourite activity. You should look at her. She could stack up the blocks to her height, a feat for her age. She cooed and uttered her language for every block she placed. Once the tower was built, she playfully removed the bottommost block to topple the tower. I could not help but chuckle with her. She was such a darling!

As we gathered the strewn blocks to rebuild the tower, my cell phone rang. My eyes widened in delight when I saw Martha, my best friend's name flashing on the screen of my phone.

"Yo, pal," I answered the phone.

I could hear Martha squealing in excitement in a noisy background. Seeing that Simone was engaged in her play, I walked out to the living room which was quieter. For the next 30 minutes which seemed only seconds to me, Martha went ranting and raving on her close encounter with our idol, JJ Lim.

Just as I grew so green in envy, I realized that I had totally forgotten about Simone for she was exceptionally quiet. No chuckling, no cooing and no knocking sound of collapsing tower! I ended my conversation abruptly and flung my phone to the sofa.

I stuck my head into the bedroom to see a neatly-built tower with Simone nowhere in sight. Feeling a lump in my throat, I searched the master-bedroom. She was not there either. "Simone, where are you? Come out," I called out, my voice quivering.

My stomach constricted in anxiety and the nausea rose to my chest. My hammering heart was almost ripping me apart, crumbling me little by little. I hastened to the kitchen, hoping against hope that I could spot Simone. "Simone, are you hiding in the kitchen? I'm coming to get you," I called out again.

As I approached the kitchen, a loud crash broke the silence. A loud bawl was heard in quick succession. It was Simone! She was in the kitchen! Quickening into a run, I dashed to the kitchen to see a wailing Simone with glass shards scattered on the floor.

Inching carefully forward to reach Simone, I felt the grease under my feet and Aunt Serene's words came reverberating in my ears. "Don't let her go to the kitchen. The floor is greasy."


Strangled with guilt, I scooped up Simone whose wailing was reduced to hard sobs. I placed her within my sight away from the kitchen and cleared the mess.

"Thank goodness Simone was not cut," I breathed a heavy sigh of relief. I returned to my badly shaken cousin and cuddled her lovingly. She finally broke into a smile when I offered her some water. It then dawned on me that she had gone to the kitchen to get something to quench her thirst.

I would never forgive myself if she was cut due to my negligence. No more talking on the phone while babysitting, I vouched.