Mommy's Here

"Mommy, I wanna go home," whined three year old Hayley.

"I know sweetie. We just have to go to the bank and then we can go home, ok?"

Sharon was exhausted. After hauling around a three year old all Saturday, all she wanted was to crash on the couch. Lines had been long, traffic had been bad, and she had been out for much longer than planned. Just go to the bank and then you can take a nap, thought Sharon. Then you can have your nap. After four more red lights and one stop sign, Sharon pulled into the parking lot of the bank. Yawning, she released Hayley, and her bear Bobo, from the yogurt stained car seat and they walked hand in hand into the bank lobby.

The bank was a mad house. Ten people crowded around the ATM, and every teller line was full. "Great!" Sharon said sarcastically.

"Great!" Hayley shreiked back. "GREAT!"

"Hayley. Don't yell. It's loud enough in here already."

"Sorry momma," Hayley said, giggling.

"Hayley, I have got to call Aunt Josie, ok. Don't run off. Stay right next to me. Got it?"

"Got it. I am gonna stay here because I am a big girl! I am a big girl, right mommy?"

"Of course you are sweetheart," Sharon said holding her cellphone up to her ear. "Now stay........Josie! Hey. It's Sharon." Sharon's attention was quickly shifted to the her phone conversation. Hayley fidgeted with her jacket and played with her collar, but she stayed right next to her mom. "I am a big girl," Hayley kept saying. "I am a big girl!"

"Josie, about dad. How do you think he is doing?" Sharon was deep in conversation with her sister when it happened. Like the loud crack of thunder, the shot rang through out the bank. Sharon dropped her phone and frantically spun around to find Hayley. There was Hayley, right where she promised to stay. Hayley looked up at her mother, her eyes wide with horror. "Everybody get on the ground now!" Sharon held in her panic and quickly threw herself on top of Hayley and they both lay still on the maroon carpet. "Get down and shut up!" barked the man. Sharon did not look up, but out of the corner of her eye she could see his mask, and she could see his gun. Oh God, thought Sharon as the masked man searched the room with his hidden eyes. Dear God, help us. The criminal let out a slew of sentences so vile in content that Sharon shuttered. "If anyone makes any noise at all, you will all be in trouble. So shut up and do what I say!" Oh no, thought Sharon as she remembered her cellphone lying on the floor. My phone. Please don't let Josie call back.

"Mommy," Hayley softly whimpered. "Mommy I lost Bobo. Where's Bobo mommy?Mommy I am scared." Hayley's soft whimpers steadily grew louder and her dark brown eyes welled up with tears. Sharon spotted Bobo. He lay sprawled out on the floor five feet away. The intruder's feet, right next to the stuffed teddy bear. Hayley struggled, reaching for her abandoned teddy bear. Sharon snatched Hayley's outstrectched arm and pulled Hayley to her chest.


"Shh," Sharon whispered into Hayley's ear. "Everything is ok. We're going to be fine. Bobo's going to be fine too. Just look at me, Hayley. Keep your eyes on mommy and don't say anything. Be a big girl." Sharon's voice was shaky as she held in her desire to sob uncontrollably. She prayed that Hayley would hold in her sobs as well.

"Ok mommy," Hayley whispered back. "I am a big girl," she said swallowing her tears.

"Mommy's here, Hayley. Mommy's got you."

Sharon wrapped both arms tight around Hayley and they stared into each other's eyes. The masked man stomped around the teller's desk and shouted profantitys at the top of his lungs. Hayley did not move. She stared directly into her mother's jungle green eyes. Even when the man fired his gun for the second time, Hayley did not yelp. Not one gasp made it's way out of her quivering lips. Her eyes were locked on her mother. Her strong mother. Her hero. The second shot frightened Sharon more than it did Hayley, but she didn't show her fear. Both of them just continued to stare deep into eachother's eyes, barely blinking.

After what seemed like hours, the intruder slowly made his way out of the bank. He passed by Sharon and Hayley in what seemed like slow motion. His large black boots pounded to the ground, right next to Hayley's auburn curls. Once the man had sped out of the bank parking lot, Sharon let out a quivering sigh of relief. As she got to her feet, Hayley released a loud sob. Her tears poured out of her eyes like a waterfall and rolled down her tomato red face. Still uneasy on her feet, Sharon reached down and scooped up her trembling child. Hayely buried her tear stained face into Sharon's chest and breathed heavily. "It's alright sweetheart. You're ok," Sharon said, trying to comfort Hayley. "Look! There is Bobo! Safe and sound." Sharon grabbed the teddy bear by his foot and swung him up into Hayley's open arms. "See, he is just fine. And so are you Hayley. I am very proud of you honey. You acted like such a big girl." Sharon's praise did not stop the steady flow of Hayley's tears, but Sharon held Hayley tight and allowed her to cry. "Everything is ok," Sharon murmured into her daughter's ear. "Mommy's here, baby. Mommy's here."