Eleanor guided the young boy toward a quiet private corner.
The noise of the party faded into the background sound.
She knelt down on the shiny white marble floor surface.
She did not care about ruining her expensive designer dress.
She pulled out a soft white linen napkin from her pocket.
She gently wiped the smudges of dirt off his forehead.
The little boy blinked his big brown eyes at her.
He seemed very tired and hungry from walking outside all day.
Eleanor: What is your name little boy?
Leo: My name is Leo.
Eleanor: Did your mother give you this watch today?
Leo: She gave it to me before the bus came.
Eleanor: Which bus did you take to get here?
Leo: The blue one from the old shelter downtown.
Eleanor felt a deep pain right inside her tight chest.
Her sister Clara had vanished after a major family argument.
Their father had cut Clara out of his large will.
He claimed she had brought great shame to the family name.
Eleanor had spent years searching for her missing younger sister.
She had hired private detectives all across the entire state.
None of them had ever found a single real clue.
Now this small boy was standing right in front of her.
He carried the exact watch Clara had taken when leaving.
Eleanor: Is your mother waiting outside right now?
Leo: She fell asleep on the park bench outside.
Eleanor: She fell asleep on the wooden bench?
Leo: She said her body was very tired tonight.
Eleanor grabbed the little boy's warm hand very tightly.
She stood up quickly and hurried toward the front exit.
The security guards opened the heavy glass doors for her.
Cold evening air hit her warm face instantly outside.
She scanned the dark street lighting near the park entrance.
A lonely figure was sitting motionless under the yellow lamp.
Eleanor ran down the concrete steps as fast as possible.
Her heart was hammering in her chest like a drum.