Where Are You?

"Mama! Mama!"

I can hear my little boy's voice bounce down the hall.  I try not to breathe as I hide in the dark bathroom, hoping he won't find me yet.

"Mama, are you in the closet?" he inquires as I take another quiet breath.

I push the thought of schoolwork out of my mind and stand still in the pitch black bathroom.  Just focus on the cuteness that is roaming about the house looking for you.  Nothing is more important than this moment, right now.

"Mama, where are you? Cole, do you know where Mama is?" Cedrick pleads with his older brother.

I wonder how much longer I should make him keep looking, as I hear his tiny feet step down the stairs.  I should make a sound, so he narrows down the hunt to the upstairs.

I make an airy whistle, and wait for him to come running.  However, the whistle muddies the water. He goes running away from me accusing his brother, "Cole, did you make that sound?"

I giggle, and whistle again.  This time with several short sounds.  His small feet run towards me, then stop again.  "Cole, are you doing that?" he demands. 

My whistle echoes once more down the hallway as Cole answers, and Cedrick shouts, "Mama, is that you?"

I can hear him gallop down the hallway straight into the bathroom.  Before he can see me, I jump from behind the door yelling, "Boo!"

Through giggles he shouts, "I found you," and bolts down the hallway.

His toddler feet jump towards me, and he proclaims, "Now, I'm going to hide in the bathroom and you can find me!"