When you just can't get there fast enough

Thursday was a horrible day for me. Our home computer was broken and I attempted to fix it for 3 hours without success. At 12:30pm I showered and got dressed. Then I made ziti with meat sauce to pack for my dinner and I made a plate for Rich and put it in the fridge. I made my lunch and ate it while watching "Judging Amy."
At 2:10pm I began packing up my things for work and when I looked at the clock it was 2:25pm!!!!!!!! I usually leave the house at 2:15pm to pick Lillianna up from school. She is dismissed at 2:25pm.

I ran down the stairs with my lunch box and big jug of water.I jumped into the car and drove through the apartment complex. As I tried to turn onto the main street,there was a steady flow of traffic and I couldn't get out! My heart was racing. I was late. I would never get there in time. I saw a school bus pass by. I panicked. The walkers are dismissed first. If a full bus of students already left the school then I was very late! I finally got onto the main road but then I couldn't turn left into the school which is right across the street from the entrance to our complex.

The crossing guard had my side of the traffic stopped so that the cars and buses could leave the school. I felt like the mom in HOME ALONE,who kept trying to get to her son but things kept getting in the way. When you are trying to get to your child as fast as you can,sometimes it's just not fast enough.
I parked my car in the lot and ran across the walkway. All the cars in the semi-circle pick-up area were gone. The last 3 buses were loading up and getting ready to leave. At the beginning of the walkway to the building,I saw Lillianna standing with a teacher. She turned and pointed at me.

The two of them began to walk towards me. I was almost in tears. Lillianna was the last child left. I looked at the teacher and apologized and thanked her. She smiled and said good-bye. I hugged Lillianna tightly and kissed her head.

"I am so sorry,honey. I am so sorry. Were you worried?" I asked her.

"No,Mom,why?" she asked.

"Did you wonder where I was?"

"Of course not. I just figured you were running late. Mrs.Bailey said if you weren't here by the time the last bus left then I could sit in the office and wait for you," she explained matter-of-factly.

My heart broke. My poor baby was waiting for me.The only child left in the entire school. I could picture her sitting alone in the principal's office if I had been any later. All I could think of was what a horrible mother I was. My heart was still beating rapidly as I apologized to my child again. She rubbed my hand as we walked to the car and said reassuringly,"Mom,it's ok. Relax."
I looked at my child and tried to explain,"You know,it's the worst feeling in the world when you are late and trying to get to your child quickly and you just can't get there." She smiled at me and continued to rub my hand until we reached the car.
I gave her a big kiss and thanked her for being so understanding.I guess I was the only one actually upset by this incident.

Have you ever had this happen to you?