RP: Toddler on the Loose Who: Becca, Anabelle, and Evie What: Becca rescues the runaway toddler. When: 23 February 2028 Where: Diagon Alley Warnings: None Completion Status: Complete
Evangeline Sayre was currently playing her favorite game, hide and seek, with her Aunt Anabelle. That her aunt was unaware that they were playing said game did not occur to the almost-two-year-old. She darted around legs and zipped between shoppers, finally ducking behind a large barrel outside Pucey's Potions. The toddler giggled as she squatted down, her blonde curls pulled back in two ponytails behind her ears. Her little body was swamped by her puffy yellow jacket, which kept the chill out quite well.
Down Diagon Alley, Anabelle smiled politely and excused herself from the witch who'd distracted her. Her eyes darted around, searching for her niece, and she groaned as she realized the little rascal had managed to sneak away from her. Again. Honestly, she didn't know how any of them kept up with the little girl, who was absolutely fearless. She would not allow herself to panic, though, even if it was threatening to creep in. Becca was running some quick errands for the Home in Diagon Alley when she nearly tripped over a toddler. Said toddler seemed to be hiding, and seemed to be in a very good humor. But there seemed to be no adult near enough to lay claim and that immediately put Becca into Childcare Mode, so she knelt down and gave the little girl a smile. “Hi there,” and then - the little girl looked familiar, but she couldn’t quite place her. Something about those blonde curls...
“I’m Becca,” she added, “Are you hiding?” the little girl giggle again and nodded, her chin disappearing into the winter coat she wore.
“Who are you hiding from?” Becca asked, and the little girl peaked around the barrel down the Alley.
There -- Becca saw a witch who was clearly looking for something, if not someone. Becca knew the look in her eyes - panicked while trying not to show it; Bex had seen it on her coworkers face more than once over the years, everyone misplaces a toddler sometimes.
Giving the girl another smile, this one wider and brighter, and then stood up. She waved to get the witch’s attention and pointed down with an understanding smile, but she didn’t say anything, not wanting to let the little girl know she’d been found out. The toddler smiled up at the pretty woman, enjoying the attention even as she tried to remember that she was playing a game. "Auntie Belle!" she declared, her words surprisingly clear for her age.
Anabelle was this close to getting her wand out and performing a bit of magic to find her niece when a woman waved her down and indicated something behind a barrel. Good gods, was Evie hiding there? It would be just like her niece to think it was great fun to play hide and seek in the middle of Diagon Alley. No fear, that one.
Hurrying over to the woman, she offered her a harried smile before squatting down and looking behind the barrel. "Evie! I found you!" she declared, infusing her voice with good humor, not wanting to scare the toddler or trigger her into running off again. She reached out and plucked Evie up, propping her up on her hip as she looked at the woman. "Thank you! I didn't want to have to use magic to find her. Who knows how many wayward toddlers I might have summoned that way." She laughed lightly. Evie. Auntie Belle. As in Anabelle. Oh goodness. Becca panicked for a moment, inwardly, and then gave the beautiful woman a smile. “Of course, magic can be helpful but also a handful in such situations. I work with toddlers,” she added in explanation. “I’m glad I saw you looking,” Her smile was... brittle. She was meeting Hans’ daughter, and she was completely unprepared nor sure what he would think of all of this.
Oh goodness.
“I’m glad she’s fine,” she said, rather lamely. When the woman mentioned she worked with toddlers, Anabelle looked around automatically, realizing that they were right next to the Fawley Foundation. She looked back at the woman and waved with her free hand toward the building. "Do you work there? It's such an amazing organization! My brother's girlfriend works there, maybe you know her!" she said excitedly. Evie was looking between the two women, her little brows furrowed as if the toddler were trying to figure it all out. Becca’s panic rose, coloring her cheeks pinker than the cold had. “I, well,” she bit her lip, “If this is the Evie I think it is, I’m pretty sure I’m the girlfriend,” her brows were furrowed and she looked clearly worried. “I’m Rebecca Ollerton,” she said finally, putting out her hand to shake. “I’m pretty sure this isn’t how I was supposed to meet you, both,” she looked to Evie and her heart ached that she had messed this up somehow. At Rebecca's words, Anabelle's lips stretched in a wide smile, and she did a little dance in place, practically crowing at the chance encounter. Hans had refused to show her a picture of his girlfriend, keeping the relationship close to his chest for the time being, and while she supposed she could understand his caution, she could tell he was completely head over heels. "Anabelle Sayre," she returned, reaching out to shake the offered hand with her free one.
"Oh, I wouldn't worry too much about that. I won't officially introduce you to this little one, and then no one can kick up a fuss about it," she said decisively, bouncing Evie a bit on her hip. Even if Hans got a bit grumpy about not being there for the first technical interaction, it wasn't as though Anabelle had gone out of her way to meet Rebecca. "You really are gorgeous! Hans wasn't exaggerating, not that the bugger would show me a pic of you," she said, jokingly huffy. He hadn't even told her Rebecca's last name, so she'd not been able to look her up on social media. Now, her embarrassed flush turned into a full on blush at Annabelle’s compliment, she grinned, “You’re too kind. And I do hope he won’t be upset, I just can’t help seeing a little one without an adult and trying to help,” she explained, indicating Evie with a nod of her head.
“And please, call me Becca,” she added.
“Are you babysitting for the day? Girls day out?” She asked, it was the middle of the day and the Alley was busy as always. She honestly wasn’t sure what to say - what does one say when meeting the daughter and sister of the single father you’re dating and madly in love with (even if that’s sort of a private secret shared only with yourself at the moment). “Hans is... Well, he’s incredible, as I’m sure you already know,” she shook her head, “Goodness I’m putting my foot in my mouth, aren’t I?” It was clear she was nervous. "See, I'm pretty sure that's one of the reasons Hans is so… taken with you." She'd almost blurted out that Hans was so in love with Becca, but Anabelle wasn't entirely sure her brother had used the L word with his girlfriend yet, and she realized just in time that she probably ought not be the one to tell her.
Anabelle waved her hand again, shifting Evie as the toddler started getting fidgety. "I feel like, as his big sister, I'm obligated to both agree that Hans is incredible whilst also pointing out that he's a bit of a prat," she said teasingly. Honestly, her brother was one of the best ones. "But yes, we're having a girls' day. We're meeting grandma and grandpa for tea in about an hour." At the mention of her grandparents, Evie perked up and started wiggling in earnest. Becca laughed lightly, “I’m not sure I’ve seen the prat side of him yet, if it even exists, which I doubt. He’s honestly everything I could want,” at admitting that she blushed fiercely again, feeling she’d said too much.
“She seems excited,” Becca replied with a big smile, the wiggling toddler pulling the grin out of her. “I hate to keep you if she’s antsy,” she knew all too well how hard toddlers could be to wrangle. Anabelle laughed at that, shaking her head. "I jest. He's truly not a prat. He's definitely one of the good ones." Something deeper shone in her eyes, an echo of everything she'd overcome with some of the very much not good ones.
Glancing briefly at the toddler, she supposed she couldn't blame Becca for wanting to make her escape. Hans would want to be a part of her truly interacting with Evie for the first time, after all. "She is, that," she agreed, sighing gustily. "I suppose you're right, and we ought to be on our way. It truly was lovely to meet you." And maybe now Hans wouldn't be so reticent to bring Becca around to family things. Caution could only be justified for so long, after all. A wave of relief washed through Becca when Annabelle agreed it was time for them all to move on. She was embarrassed and shocked and unsure how Hans would take the news that she’d accidentally met his daughter, of all the people in the world, while strolling through Diagon Alley. She nodded. “It was very nice to meet you, too,” she said, remembering her manners through all the emotions whirling through her. “I hope you all have a lovely tea,” she added. “I’m off to finish my errands,” she said with a small smile. With a nodd, they parted ways and once she felt she was far enough away, she couldn’t help but turn to watch Annabelle make her way through the mid-afternoon crowd. So that was Evie. She really was lovely and smart and everything Hans had said. Her heart was both heavy and buoyant at meeting the little girl as she headed down the Alley.