a nightmare (of many) comes true

I'm just going to cut to the chase and tell you what I did.  Instead of stringing you along and then dropping a bomb on you in some literary genius.  I locked Quinne in the car last night.

I locked my baby in the car.  Sitting in our driveway after a long and tiring day.  

It was awful to say the least.  For cars passing by it was an odd sight I'm sure, watching some sort of crazy lady press her hands to her car window crying.  Little did they know there was a tiny lady back there crying and reaching out to me.  It was the saddest moment between us so far.  A helpless feeling weighing on me and pure confusion for Quinne.  

It all started at 5:30 that morning.  I had to be at a wedding site at 7:45 in Paso, which is almost an hour away.  So I was up early, pumping, dressing and trying to drink enough coffee to make my eyelids stay in the upward position.  I was so tired I actually forgot to do my hair.  Funny being a hair stylist, but it is true.  My friend I was meeting to work with asked what was going on with it.  Dang.  As soon as I got in the car I realized all my wedding gear was still at the salon and I would have to go into San Luis, and would probably be late.  Off to a great start!  Not to mention I spilt an entire mug full of coffee in our new car about 200 feet from our house.  Good thing I drive with a burp cloth on my lap so the coffee doesn't end up on me.  Once I ended up in Paso it was pure chaos.  There was a sea of bleach blonde girls and nobody was on time for their appointment.  Basically the most annoying situation to be in.  Add bottomless mimosas and you're pretty much in hell.  Once I finished I zoomed back to the salon to start my day with my regular clients.  I was relieved to be back but my relief only lasted about two minutes.  Every client was in an unpleasant mood which only made me more unpleasant.  Basically when I packed up my things and headed to my old coffee reeking car I wanted a bottle of wine with a long straw attached.  

So when six o'clock rolled around and I was faced with a locked car and Quinne inside I had a meltdown.  Panic set in so fast my hands were shaking and my mind started going a million miles an hour.  Who do I call?  Shit my phone is in the car!  Break into the house for the spare key?  We don't have a spare key to the new car! So I ran to our neighbors.  The only thing I could do that was still in close proximity to Quinne, who was locked in the car.  I banged on the door and blurted out as fast as I could that I needed to use their phone ASAP!!  But of course I ran to the neighbors who don't speak English.  I frantically explained with loud horrible Spanish and hand gestures that she was in the car and I needed their telefono.  
side note: isn't it funny that hand motions and a really loud voice makes us feel like our language barrier has been broken?  Well, it hasn't.

It worked only after his seven year old translated to him what I needed and he handed me his cell phone.  I ran to Quinne to see her playing patty cake.  So cute.  But horrible at the same time.  After I tried calling David at work and not getting an answer I called 911.  And my mind was blown into a million pieces.  The lady who answered was rude and told me to calm down about four times in one minute.  She also informed me that Grover Beach police does not break into cars.  So I could try calling a lock smith or AAA.  What the frack?!?!  I screamed at her that my ten month old was in the car with no windows down in the sun.  She was uninterested.  I'm sure there was some Real Housewives marathon happening and I pulled her away from some catty idiot with a glass of white wine sloshing around in her hand.  I went into a full blown panic.  I hung up on her and called David back.  While I listened to the endless ringing I was eyeing a pile of bricks by the side yard.  If it came down to it I would break the damn window myself.  Just as my heart was on its way to exploding David picked up.  I spoke through a waterfall of tears and sobs that he had to come home immediately.  Quinne was trapped and I was going to have a heart attack.  

Thankfully he works close and was there in no time.  I was hysterical when he showed up.  When I pulled Quinne out of the car we were both sobbing.  David rubbed our backs and walked us inside.  I was so sad.  And I was so relieved.  It's weird how your mind goes to the scariest, darkest spot when something happens to you.  Maybe this isn't true for everyone but my mind wanders into a scary territory when I'm faced with these 'challenges'.  The what ifs haunt me for days and make me panic if I dwell for too long.  But everyone was ok.  Quinne instantly forgot.  And I didn't have a heart attack.  From now on I will have that bulky key on me at all times.  I should probably put a lanyard around my neck and wear the key like a prized gem.  

I am sorry Quinney.  So sorry.  

Love,
Noelle