{"id":90900,"date":"2024-12-19T09:40:20","date_gmt":"2024-12-19T02:40:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/levanews.com\/?p=45942"},"modified":"2024-12-19T09:40:28","modified_gmt":"2024-12-19T02:40:28","slug":"my-sister-asked-me-to-babysit-her-daughter-but-hours-before-she-returned-i-realized-the-child-was-missing-story-of-the-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/my-sister-asked-me-to-babysit-her-daughter-but-hours-before-she-returned-i-realized-the-child-was-missing-story-of-the-day\/","title":{"rendered":"My Sister Asked Me to Babysit Her Daughter, but Hours before She Returned, I Realized the Child Was Missing \u2013 Story of the Day"},"content":{"rendered":"

The morning light filtered through unfamiliar curtains, and I woke up to the sensation of something warm and wet on my face.\n

It was a dog\u2014not mine\u2014a small, fluffy creature with wide, eager eyes that seemed to say, You\u2019re mine now.\n

It licked my cheek persistently, wagging its tail with determination. Did it want food? A walk? Who knew?\n

As I rubbed my eyes, the events of the previous night slowly returned. I turned my head and saw her\u2014a girl I\u2019d met at the club.\n

$\"\"$ \n

She was asleep, her hair sprawled across the pillow.\n

This wasn\u2019t my place. If I was here, that meant I\u2019d accomplished what I\u2019d set out for.\n

And now it was time to do what I always did: gather my things and make a quiet exit.\n

I slipped out of bed carefully, scanning the room. There were my pants, crumpled on the floor. My shirt hung awkwardly off a chair.\n

One sock sat beside my shoe, but the other… where was it? My search led me to the dog\u2019s mat.\n

There it was, claimed by the little fluffball now wagging its tail with pride.\n

I crouched down, whispering,\n

\u201cHey, buddy, that\u2019s mine.\u201d I reached for the sock, but the dog grabbed it with its teeth, growling playfully.\n

Just as we began our tug-of-war, a groggy voice broke the silence.\u201cHenry? Are you up already?\u201d\n

I froze. She was awake. Turning, I saw her smiling at me with sleepy eyes.\n

\u201cUh, yeah,\u201d I stammered, \u201cI\u2019ve got work. Running late for a meeting.\u201dShe frowned.\n

\u201cBut it\u2019s Saturday…\u201d\n

\u201cI work weekends sometimes. Important stuff, you know.\u201d\n

Her smile faded, replaced by a curious tilt of her head.\n

\u201cSo\u2026 will I see you again?\u201d\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d I lied smoothly. \u201cI\u2019ll call you.\u201dHer brow furrowed.\n

\u201cYou\u2019ll call me? Did I even give you my number?\u201d\n

Uh-oh. Panic swirled in my chest.\n

\u201cI thought you did. Didn\u2019t you?\u201d\n

\u201cAnd how did you save my name?\u201d she pressed.\n

Caught, I stammered, \u201cBy your name, obviously.\u201d\n

Her gaze sharpened.\n

\u201cAnd what\u2019s my name?\u201d\n

I swallowed hard. Two options: admit the truth or …\n

\u201cNancy?\u201d I guessed weakly.\n

Her face darkened instantly.\n

\u201cGet out of here! I knew it! You\u2019re just like the rest\u2014ugh!\u201d\n

Slippers flew in my direction as I grabbed my jacket and shoes, dodging her fury all the way out the door.\n

Sitting in my car, I leaned back and sighed. The rearview mirror reflected a face that looked satisfied, smug even.\n

This was my life: no strings, no responsibilities, just freedom. Who needed the hassle of a family? Not me.\n

While others tied themselves down, I lived for the thrill\u2014parties, work, and the kind of independence most people only dreamed about.\n

A loud ringtone interrupted my thoughts. I glanced at the screen and blinked. Riley? My sister hardly ever called. I hesitated before answering.\n

“Hello, Riley?”\n

“Henry,” she said, her voice tight, “I need to talk to you. Got a minute?”\n

I frowned. “Sure. What\u2019s going on?”\n

“Come over as soon as you can. I can\u2019t explain over the phone. When can you get here?”\n

“Fifteen minutes. Is everything okay?”\n

“Just come. I\u2019ll explain.”\n

I stared at the phone for a moment, then started the car. Whatever this was, it had to be serious.\n

Twenty minutes later, I pulled into her driveway and barely made it to the door before it swung open.\n

Riley stood there, arms crossed, her expression a mix of annoyance and urgency.\n

“You\u2019re late!”\n

“By five minutes,” I retorted, stepping inside.\n

“Relax, Riley. You don\u2019t have to be such a pain in the…”\n

“Don\u2019t swear,” she hissed. “My daughter\u2019s nearby.”\n

I followed her gaze and saw Mira, her nine-year-old, curled up on the couch with an encyclopedia.\n

Her tiny face was scrunched up in concentration, her finger tracing the lines of text like a mini scholar.\n

“As expected, you\u2019re my last option,” Riley said with a sigh. “I need you to watch Mira today.”\n

“Me? Are you serious?” I asked, glancing nervously at Mira, who hadn\u2019t looked up from her book.\n

“I wouldn\u2019t ask if I had another choice,” she said, exasperated.\n

“I have a business dinner tonight. Either I go and close this deal, or I cancel because I can\u2019t leave her alone. Can you help me or not?”\n

“Fine,” I muttered. “If it\u2019s that important.”\n

“Great. Food\u2019s in the kitchen. I left money in case you need to order something, but keep it healthy. No greasy junk. And she\u2019s not allowed outside. Got it?”\n

“Got it.”\n

With a quick goodbye, Riley was out the door, leaving me and Mira alone. I looked at her. She looked at me.\n

Neither of us said a word. Let the longest day of my life begin.\n

The day dragged on like an endless loop of boredom.\n

Mira sat on the couch, clutching her encyclopedia, and occasionally glanced at me with a look that made me feel like a failing science experiment.\n

Her small face was calm, but her raised eyebrows screamed judgment.\n

I cleared my throat.\n

\u201cSo, uh, you like reading?\u201d I asked, trying to break the awkward silence.\n

\u201cYes, I do. Mom says books are knowledge, and I want to know a lot,\u201d she said, her voice cool and sharp, like a character straight out of a movie about child prodigies.\n

I nodded. \u201cCool, cool… What\u2019s your favorite subject in school?\u201d\n

Mira sighed, looking at me as if I\u2019d just asked the world\u2019s most boring question.\n

\u201cThat\u2019s such an unoriginal question, but I\u2019ll answer anyway. I like biology because it has lots of animals, and I love learning about them.\u201d\n

\u201cCool,\u201d I mumbled, unsure what else to say. Conversations with kids were harder than I thought.\n

After a moment, she closed her book and tilted her head. \u201cSo, are you my uncle?\u201d\n

\u201cYeah,\u201d I replied. \u201cYou probably don\u2019t remember me, though. We met when you were little.\u201d\n

\u201cGot it,\u201d she said simply. Then she hit me with a curveball. \u201cAre you married?\u201d\n

\u201cUh, no. I\u2019m not married.\u201d\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d she asked, her curious tone sounding more like an interrogation.\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to get married. I like being on my own,\u201d I said, hoping that would end the conversation.\n

\u201cNo one likes being alone,\u201d she replied, crossing her arms.\n

\u201cI do,\u201d I insisted, though her words stung more than I cared to admit.\n

\u201cMaybe you\u2019re scared,\u201d she said matter-of-factly.\n

\u201cScared? What would I be scared of?\u201d\n

\u201cMom says marriage is a lot of work. She also says you don\u2019t like working. So maybe you\u2019re scared of hard work.\u201d\n

I sat up straight.\n

\u201cShe told you that!? Well, just so you know, I\u2019m not scared! Maybe it\u2019s just… not for me. For now.\u201d\n

\u201cGot it. You\u2019re scared,\u201d Mira concluded, her lips curling into a tiny smirk. \u201cAnyway, I\u2019m hungry.\u201d\n

\u201cThen eat something,\u201d I said, gesturing toward the kitchen.\n

\u201cMom said you\u2019re taking care of me. So take care of me,\u201d she shot back.\n

\u201cFine,\u201d I muttered, opening the fridge. It was full of salads, juices, and not a single thing I wanted to eat. I sighed and pulled out my phone.\n

\u201cPizza it is,\u201d I declared.\n

Minutes later, we were sitting on the couch, devouring slices while watching TV. Mira was quiet for once, her face lit up by the screen.\n

Before I knew it, my head rested against the back of the couch, and the exhaustion of the day caught up with me. I didn\u2019t even notice when I drifted off to sleep.\n

I woke up with a jolt, blinking against the light streaming into the room. Something felt off. The house was too quiet. I glanced around, and that\u2019s when it hit me\u2014Mira was nowhere to be seen.\n

$\"\"$ \n

\u201cMira!\u201d I called out, my voice echoing through the house. \u201cMira, where are you?\u201d\n

No answer.\n

Panic surged through me. I started tearing through the house, opening doors, peeking under beds, and even checking the closets and cupboards.\n

Every empty space mocked me. My heart raced faster with each passing second.\n

I had one job. One simple job. Watch Mira for a day, and I couldn\u2019t even manage that.\n

I pulled out my phone, desperate for a clue, and saw a text from Riley:\n

\u201cOn my way home. I\u2019ll be there in an hour. Everything okay?\u201d\n

I froze for a moment, then typed back: \u201cAll good!\u201d It was a lie, but I needed time to fix this.\n

Running downstairs, I scanned the living room again and noticed something I\u2019d missed earlier: the window.\n

It was open, and a faint breeze fluttered the curtains. Mira had gone outside.\n

I crawled through the window and spotted a small shoe lying by the neighbor\u2019s fence. My breath caught.\n

$\"\"$ \n

Climbing over, I found myself in their backyard, where a tall tree stood with a sturdy wooden treehouse perched near the top.\n

\u201cMira!\u201d I yelled, looking up.\n

\u201cI\u2019m here,\u201d her calm voice replied from above.\n

I climbed the rickety ladder, my pulse still hammering. At the top, I found Mira sitting cross-legged with another boy.\n

They were playing with toy figures, completely unbothered.\n

\u201cMira! You scared me!\u201d I said, still catching my breath. \u201cWhy did you run off like that?\u201d\n

\u201cI got bored,\u201d she said, shrugging. \u201cAnd Sam was here. Sam, say hi to my uncle.\u201d\n

\u201cHi, Mira\u2019s uncle,\u201d Sam said, not looking up.\n

\u201cBut your mom said you weren\u2019t allowed outside!\u201d\n

\u201cShe said you were supposed to make sure I didn\u2019t go out,\u201d Mira pointed out, her tone matter-of-fact. \u201cBut you were sleeping. Now I know what you\u2019re scared of.\u201d\n

\u201cOf course I was scared!\u201d I snapped, then softened. \u201cSorry. But why doesn\u2019t your mom let you play with other kids?\u201d\n

\u201cShe says I\u2019ll pick up bad habits,\u201d Mira said.\n

\u201cBut I like playing with Sam.\u201d\n

\u201cThere\u2019s nothing wrong with playing with other kids,\u201d I said gently.\n

\u201cYour mom\u2019s just\u2026 protective.\u201d\n

\u201cAnd you\u2019re not protective enough,\u201d she quipped with a smirk.\n

I sighed. \u201cYou\u2019re right. From now on, I\u2019ll be more careful.\u201d\n

In half an hour, the door creaked open, and Riley stepped into the house, her keys jingling as she set them on the counter. \u201cMira!? Henry!? Where are you two!?\u201d she called out, her voice bouncing off the walls.\n

No answer.\n

The house was dark and eerily silent, with no sign of life. The faint glow of the streetlights seeped through the curtains, casting long shadows that made the empty space feel even more unsettling.\n

Riley\u2019s heart raced as she scanned the room. \u201cWhere are they?\u201d she muttered under her breath, her hands trembling slightly. Her eyes darted to an open window, the curtain flapping lazily in the breeze.\n

\u201cOh my god! I knew I shouldn\u2019t have trusted my idiot brother!\u201d she mumbled, panic setting in. She rushed toward the window, her mind racing with worst-case scenarios.\n

Suddenly\u2014\n

$\"\"$ \n

\u201cSurprise!!\u201d Mira and I popped up from outside, shouting in unison.\n

Riley jumped back, clutching her chest. \u201cGod! I thought you were both gone! What\u2019s wrong with you two!?\u201d\n

We burst out laughing, and Mira nearly doubled over with glee. Riley\u2019s face softened as she watched her daughter giggling, her playful spirit infectious.\n

\u201cSorry, sis. You were asking for it,\u201d I teased, grinning. \u201cDon\u2019t worry so much. Nothing could go wrong, you\u2019ve got to trust Mira a lot more.\u201d\n

\u201cYeah, Mom!\u201d Mira chimed in, beaming.\n

Riley sighed, a reluctant smile creeping onto her face. \u201cYou two are impossible,\u201d she said, pulling Mira into a hug. \u201cBut I guess I\u2019ll let it slide this time.\u201d\n

As I left, I realized something: sometimes, kids teach you things about yourself you didn\u2019t even know you needed to learn.\n

Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Every man reaches a moment when he wants to settle down and have a loving family. But not Henry\u2014he was convinced he would stay single forever, believing it was the better life for him. However, a day with his nine-year-old niece makes him realize the true reason behind his choices. The morning light filtered through …\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":90901,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1439],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-90900","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90900","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/31"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90900"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90900\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":90906,"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90900\/revisions\/90906"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/90901"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90900"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90900"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90900"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}