The early morning light filtered gently through the curtains, painting golden streaks across the wooden floor. Birds chirped outside, their melodies mixing with the faint rustle of leaves swaying in the soft breeze. Inside the house, everything was unusually quiet. Lala, still tucked in her blanket, blinked her sleepy eyes and stretched her little arms with a yawn.
Normally, mornings at home were filled with familiar sounds—her mother humming in the kitchen, the smell of breakfast drifting through the air, and her dad’s cheerful voice reminding everyone of their plans for the day. CUTIS, her brother, would usually run past her room with a laugh, sometimes teasing her awake. But this morning was different.
Lala rubbed her eyes and sat up. Something felt strange. The house was too still, too silent. She slid off the bed, her tiny feet padding across the cool floor, and called out softly:
“Mom? Dad? CUTIS?”
Her voice echoed back at her. No answer.
A small frown formed on her face. Maybe they were just outside. She hurried to the living room, her heart thumping a little faster than usual. The chairs were neatly pushed in at the table, no breakfast on the counter, no voices. She peeked into the kitchen—nothing. The pots and pans were untouched, and there was no smell of cooking.
Confusion mixed with a flicker of worry. Lala opened the back door, expecting to find her family in the garden. But even the garden was empty, only the sound of the wind playing with the flowers greeted her.
Her little mind spun with questions. Where could they be? Why didn’t they wake me? Did they forget me?
She ran back inside, her chest tightening with unease. “Grandma? Anyone?” she called louder this time, but silence answered.
Lala climbed onto the sofa, hugging her knees to her chest. She felt so small in the big, quiet house. For a moment, she thought maybe it was all just a dream and that any second her mom would appear with a smile. But the longer she waited, the more her worry grew.
She pressed her ear to the wall, as if listening might reveal where everyone had gone. She even tiptoed back to her room and checked under the bed, half-expecting her brother CUTIS to pop out and say “Boo!” But there was no one.
Her heart pounded. “Did they leave without me?” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.
Lala remembered the last evening—her family had been talking about visiting Grandma’s house soon. Could it be they had gone already? Maybe they thought she was still sleeping and didn’t want to wake her. The thought made her chest ache.
She decided she couldn’t just sit and wait. Gathering her courage, she wiped her eyes and began searching carefully. She checked the bedrooms one by one, calling each name again. She looked near the front door—her dad’s shoes were gone. Mom’s sandals too. CUTIS’s toy car was missing from the mat. That meant… they had gone somewhere.
Her little hands trembled as she reached for her favorite stuffed bunny lying on the chair. Hugging it tightly, she whispered, “Don’t worry, Bunny. We’ll find them.”
She walked to the window and pressed her face against the glass. The street outside looked calm—neighbors walking by, children riding bicycles, a man selling noodles with his cart. Everything looked normal, yet her own world felt upside down.
She thought about going outside, but fear held her back. What if she got lost? What if her family came home and she wasn’t there? The questions tangled in her head.
Minutes ticked by slowly. Lala curled back onto the sofa, rocking slightly with her stuffed bunny in her arms. She thought about the times her mom had comforted her when she was scared. “If you’re ever worried,” her mom had said once, “take a deep breath, think carefully, and you’ll find the answer.”
So Lala closed her eyes, breathed in deeply, and tried to calm her racing heart. She thought again. If her family had gone to Grandma’s, maybe they would be back soon. Maybe they were just nearby.
Suddenly, the sound of a key turning in the lock jolted her up. The front door opened, and in came her mom, carrying a basket of vegetables. Behind her was her dad, holding bags of bread and fruit. CUTIS trailed in last, licking a sweet candy with a grin.
“Lala!” her mom exclaimed as soon as she saw her. “You’re awake!”
Lala ran straight into her mother’s arms, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Where were you? I woke up and no one was here!”
Her mom knelt down, hugging her tightly. “Oh, sweetheart, I’m so sorry. We just went to the market early this morning. You were sleeping so peacefully, we didn’t want to wake you. We thought we’d be back before you woke up.”
Her dad set down the bags and stroked her hair. “We should have left you a note. That must have been very scary for you.”
Lala sniffled and buried her face in her mom’s shoulder. CUTIS stepped closer, guilt showing in his eyes. “I wanted to tell you, Lala, but Dad said you were too tired. I didn’t think you’d wake up so soon.”
Her mom kissed her forehead. “We’ll never leave you without telling you again, okay? You’re our precious girl.”
Slowly, Lala’s tears faded, replaced by relief. She looked up at her family, her heart finally calming. The fear that had gripped her so tightly melted away in the warmth of their presence.
To comfort her further, Dad suggested, “How about we all make breakfast together now? You can be our special helper.”
Lala nodded eagerly, a small smile spreading across her face. “Yes! I want to help.”
In the kitchen, the once-empty counters soon filled with laughter, chatter, and the smell of delicious food. Mom let Lala wash the vegetables, Dad handed her slices of fruit to arrange on a plate, and CUTIS teased her gently but stayed by her side.
As they sat together to eat, Lala thought about how lonely and frightened she had felt just an hour ago. The silence had made the house feel empty, but now, with everyone around the table, it was full of warmth again.
She hugged her bunny and whispered, “We found them, Bunny. Everything is okay.”
Her mom overheard and smiled softly. “Yes, everything is okay. And from now on, we’ll always make sure you know where we are.”
The day carried on with joy and play, but the memory of that morning stayed with Lala. It taught her how much she loved her family, how deeply she needed their presence, and how strong she could be even when she felt scared.
And in her little heart, she knew something important: sometimes worry and confusion come when things feel different, but love always brings comfort back.
