The Joel Series 4/5: Raquel, Sister

A few years ago, I got a frantic call from my mom one day while I was working at our local Baskin Robbins. She was crying and I could barely understand her. She finally gets it out, she couldn’t find Joel. She searched the whole house, backyard, and front yard. Nothing! She said she had asked him if he wanted to go to Baskin Robbins to get ice cream and of course, he was very excited. She went to change but when she came out, he was gone. She asked me to leave work to help scan the neighborhood. Of course, I leave and start searching and find him almost immediately. He was walking towards Baskin Robbins by himself. Luckily I found him before he made it to the busy highway. He was so happy to see me, got in the car, and said, “Ice cream!” I asked if he was on his way to Baskin Robbins and he yelled out a very excited “Yep!” I call my mom and tell her I found him and he’d be at Baskin Robbins with me. I had him sitting by the counter eating his favorite rainbow Sherbert when my aunt and mom came in. Still crying. They were very scared at the thought of losing him, I was too. I got them ice cream as well, and they sat there in silence sniffling for a few minutes. We lectured him about never leaving by himself. He clearly wasn’t running away and just misunderstood the plan. He never has done it again. I do want him to practice his independence, but it’s scary.

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