Be still my heart...

I suffered a near heart attack today.

We went to the grocery store this afternoon. All four of us. This is a rare occasion, as I hate doing shopping with the family in tow, and I feel that it is as effective as herding cats.
I hate to think what it will be like with more children someday.

Anyways...

We stopped at the bakery where I work to get the kids a free cookie and let them look at the cakes I decorate. We dawdled through the rest of the store. We were only picking up a few things as I had done most of the shopping earlier in the week.
Benji kept "taking a fit" as they say here in the south, because he wanted to carry the basket we were putting the food in. (I'm trying to learn all of these new phrases, by the way.)
We let him carry it but when it got too heavy he freaked out. Of course this was in front of the store manager (my boss) who said, "Awww, he wants to be a helper..."

Aaron went to the video section to check for any movies & I went to the checkout. Benji and Mercedes fought over who was going to put stuff on the shelf then we went to pay. They were both right beside me. Then he was gone. *Poof* Disappeared.
I looked at the clerk thinking he was hiding behind her. She shakes her head no when I ask if he is back there. Then I quickly scan the other registers. In front, behind, under things. No 2 year old to be seen.
I think to myself... he HAS to be here somewhere!
I make Mercedes stay with our groceries and go to the doors leading to the parking lot. No little boy. I go back to the clerk. He's not there. I go to the produce (right by the clerk) he's not there either. I begin wondering if Aaron came out of the video and took him to the car- but that doesn't seem likely, and at that moment Aaron walks out of video. He hasn't seen him.
At that moment I am about to freak. He is such a Mama's boy that he never goes anywhere without me and if anyone touches his hair or body (even those that he knows) he yells and screams at them. It seemed unlikely that anyone would take him (he is sure cute enough though).
The store has a procedure for this type of event. They do what's called a Code Adam. The clerk was about to start when the bakery manager came up to me with Benji.
(During a Code Adam they lock down the store - no one leaves... everyone searches for the child the police come and the mother faints. Okay... Maybe she doesn't faint, but you get the general idea.)
So, fortunately, he was found. He went back to the bakery to look at my cakes. Again. He loves cakes. I certainly wouldn't have thought to look for him there as it is on the other side of the store. He sure moves fast!
So, all is well. He was found. My heart is still in my throat thinking about it.