Recognizing that reverberant voice, she turned with a cognizant look and gently uttered, "Bill?"

Through the animated crowd, propelled by a tremendous impetus, his camera swung widely from the strap around his neck, soaring backward with his vivacious momentum as he raced towards her.

Coming to an abrupt halt, his lips stopped precisely at Nia's. He grasped her head, showering her face with fleeting kisses. She stood unaffected like a stoic tree, yet that contact of his lips conveyed the diaphanous joy he felt upon unearthing Nia from the festive quicksand.

With relief in his voice, Bill asked her, "Where'd you go? I was getting worried, thought I'd lost you in this crazy crowd."

Her face turned sallow, draped in a cloak of guilt. Hesitatingly, she began, "I'm sorry. I saw a little boy who—" Bill interrupted with a shush, embracing her slender form tightly, and reassured her, "It's okay. I found you, and that's all that matters."

Then, with a gentle frown, he firmly asserted, "Don't ever do this to me again!"

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

In silent agreement, Nia gently tilted her head from side to side, politely murmuring, "I won't."

Bill's face lit up with joy. "I've got a surprise for you," he announced. As he began to weave into the crowd, he turned to Nia and said, "Wait here, okay?" leaving her in anticipation.

Curiosity enlivened her. She asked with a loud but hesitant humble voice, "Where are you going, Bill?"

Caught up in the excitement of getting her something she would like as a surprise, he couldn't stop himself from running. Bill fled towards the active throng, shouting, "Wait there, honey. I'll be back before you know it," His words trailed behind him, much like the camera attached to a strap around his neck.

Nia hit the brake on his brisk run, her voice piercing through that clamorous crowd, "Bill, camera!" she hollered, gesturing to demand his attention.

That put a halt to his energetic rush. He turned back with a look that questioned, "Why is she asking for the camera?" He unhitched the strap from his neck.

Comprehending his unspoken question, she replied, "While you're away, I'll take some pics for my photobook."

Bill looked around, acknowledging the plethora of camera-worthy moments flowering around them. "Okay, but don't go too far," he cautioned her, with an authority like a protective guardian instructing his spirited ward.

He handed her the camera, and with a smile, Bill faded into the crowd.