The little girl had blonde hair, and she couldn't be much more than a year old. When the curious baby's gaze landed on Julie, Julie smiled, offering a little wave. The baby gave a big grin and a squeal, lifting her hand and waving back. Then, with a determined look on her face, she reached up to pull on the dress trousers of the man walking with her, but when she got no response from him, she turned and waddled over Julie's way. The man started to follow but his cell phone started ringing, so he answered that instead, turning just slightly in the opposite direction.
Although it was none of her business, Julie thought turning away from your baby when they’re walking toward a stranger was probably not the most responsible choice.
The baby waddled over, her red dress blowing in the wind, and she made it almost to Julie before she fell down. Julie looked up at the man she assumed was the father, but he wasn't even paying attention, he was scowling at the river as he chattered into his cell phone.
Julie rolled her eyes, somewhat annoyed. What kind of parent would leave their completely trusting one year-old child to run around by a river –a fenced in river, but still—with strangers around and not even pay her a glance? For all he knew, Julie could be a kidnapper!
"Hey there, sweetie," Julie said quietly.
"Nana," it sounded like the baby said.
Julie smiled at the toddler, tempted to reach out for her tiny little hand, but not wanting to look like a creeper if Super Dad chose that moment to pay attention. "You're adorable. Where's your daddy?"
"Dada?" Suddenly adopting an appropriately no-nonsense look, she pointed her stubby finger toward the man in the suit. "Dada."
Even with his name being spoken, the man was apparently too busy to notice his daughter. He looked nice in his shiny loafers, his neatly pressed black dress pants and that black dress shirt with a pinstriped tie.
Yep, he looked the part of a man too busy to mind his toddling child. He looked nothing like the baby, however. They looked like night and day. Where the baby had pale skin, luminous blue eyes and light blonde hair, her father had jet black hair and a naturally olive complexion. Julie couldn't see his eyes, because that would require his gaze actually being pointed in her direction.
The baby recaptured her attention when she used her tiny fist to hit Julie's notebook, then snatch a loose page of notes and squeal in delight.
Julie chuckled and held out her hand. "May I have those back, please?"
The baby made a serious fight face and shook her head, holding the notes close and toddling at what she probably considered a run away from Julie.
Julie wasn't sure if she should get up and chase someone else's child, but she did need those notes. Would he even notice? That would probably be when he would notice, and then he would assume she was some sort of baby snatcher.
"Um, baby," Julie said quietly, trying to beckon the little girl back over. "I need those."
The baby merely smiled at Julie and continued to waddle away, waving her fist with the notes in the air like a prize.
The baby was getting way too close to the river. Yes, there was a little fence up to keep her from toppling into it, but there was nothing to keep her notes from blowing over into the river should the baby decide to let go.
Throwing one last glance at the father, she saw him turned completely away, going through his briefcase as he continued to talk on the phone.
“Seriously?” Julie sighed and rolled her eyes, abandoning her things on the bench and cautiously approaching the baby.
Julie walked with her hand out, hoping to retrieve the notes before the man noticed. "Here, let me see those, please?"
The baby shook her head no again.
"Please? I have a test to take, and I need those notes to study. You seem like a nice girl; you wouldn't want me to fail my test, would you?"
The baby ignored her pleas completely, tilting her little head to the side and suddenly frowning at the crumpled paper in her hand.
"It’s a very important test." She held out her hand again, inching a little closer. "Give those here, please."
The toddler shook her head no again. She seemed to really like shaking her head, and Julie wondered if she even knew how to nod yes.
The baby gripped the bar with one hand, so Julie walked up behind her softly, not wanting to startle her.
Too late, a strong gust of wind blew the page right out of the baby's hand, flying up and over the fence.
"No," she said, leaning over the fence, trying to grab it, but the page was already heading down toward the river. "No, no, I need those. Come back," she said pointlessly, sighing dejectedly and stomping her foot.
"Ta!" the baby squealed, reaching out her arms as if the paper might fly back to her.
Julie was about to focus on her own misery over losing her carefully written notes, but then she saw the baby's little mouth pucker up and her little blue eyes started to well with tears.