Her Lost Teddy by Marybeth Hale (beach read .txt) 📖

I can’t eat without him. Please let me go find him.”  Carla pleaded before Harold sighed and put her on the ground. “Be careful. We have to get to driving soon.” Harold said as Carla ran to the kitchen with no one watching her. “Mr. Kisses?” Carla asked while walking around making a chef slip and fall onto knives making the chef bleed out. Carla walked around before going into the back room filled with huge pots of chili.

“What are you doing back here, Little girl?” A grumpy male chef asked as he put a cigarette in his mouth. The walkway started to shake as Carla walked on it.  “Get out of here! Stupid girl.” the chef grumbled before Carla started to cry as he rolled his eyes. “I hate children.” the chef said while stirring the chili while Carla looked around with tears going down her face. He didn’t notice Carla walking around making the walkway weaker under them. “Come on, little girl. It isn’t safe.” A waitress said as she held her hand out. “Don’t touch her. You will get more stupid by even being around her.” The chef said as the waitress looked up. “You are a horrible man. I hope you fall into the pot of chili.” the waitress as Carla ran to her crying and her and jumped as the walkway fell off the wall. “Little girl!” The waitress yelled as she grabbed onto Carla’s overalls. She tried to pull Carla and freaked out as she started to lose grip. The waitress looked back panicking and saw who was around her. “Someone help me! Please!” She screamed while a couple of chefs came and helped her pull Carla into the kitchen. “Holy shit, Kid. Watch out for your ass. We are chefs, not babysitters.” the chef said before the chefs walked away.

The waitress shook her head as she stood up breathing heavily. “Hey, young one. Are you alright?” The head chef asked as she noticed her. Carla shook her head and pointed to the other chefs. “What did they do, honey bun?” The head chef asked before Carla sniffed and then told her what the chefs said. She screamed in horror and looked at the waitress. “Open that door, please.” The head chef said before the waitress stood up. “Please don’t make me throw her in there, Claudia.” The waitress begged as Claudia shook her head. “Rosalie, take the little girl to her father. But keep this door open. I need to have a talk with our staff.” Claudia said before Rosalie nodded and left the kitchen. “What is wrong, sweetie? You can tell me.” Rosalie said as they approached her table. “My teddy bear is missing. I didn’t mean to get them into timeout.” Carla said as she cried while holding onto Rosalie. “I know you didn’t, hun. Our staff just don’t like people who they believe are lower than them.” Rosalie explained before putting Carla down. “Hey, there you are.” Harold said as he put Carla in her seat and then looked at Rosalie. “What happened there? We heard a scream and I got worried.” Harold said as Rosalie started to feel nervous. “Oh um, our staff wasn’t nice to your little girl. And they are being reported.” Rosalie said as Claudia pushed the rude chefs into the doorway making them fall to their deaths.

Chapter 4

“I’m so sorry, ma’am. I didn’t know she was gonna go back there.” Harold said before Rosalie chuckled nervously. “No, I must apologize sir. For our staff. Would the both of you like anything to eat?” Rosalie asked as she tried to break the tension. “Oh um, I will take an omelet. And a cup of coffee, please.” Harold said as Rosalie wrote down their order. “Alright, and you little girl? What would you like?” Rosalie asked as Carla brought her head down in defeat. “She will have some pancakes, half regular half chocolate chip, a fruit salad and do you have apple juice?” Harold whispered while Rosalie wrote down Carla’s order. “Yes, sir. Anything to add?” Rosalie asked before Harold nodded. “Whipped cream strawberries and chocolate chips, please.” He whispered while Rosalie finished Carla’s order.

“Yes, sir. I will be right back with your food.” Rosalie said as she felt heartbroken walking away as Carla cried quietly. “Hey, Rosalie. Is that little girl alright?” Claudia asked as she saw Carla. ”I don’t think so, ma’am. She lost her teddy bear.” Rosalie said, wiping a tear away. “Do you need some time alone?” Claudia asked before Rosalie shook her head. “Even though it breaks my heart to hear her cry. I still need a check.” She said before Claudia nodded. “You will be ok, my princess. We will find him.” Harold said as he rubbed the back of Carla’s head. “What if we don’t? He will be lost forever.” Carla asked as she looked at Harold. “I’m sure we will find him.” He said looking at his phone. She looked away upset as she thought he didn’t know how much Mr. Kisses meant to her. Rosalie came back with their food and watched as Carla picked at her food.

“Rosalie! Come here!” A customer said before Rosalie groaned quietly. “I hate it when people talk to me like that.” Rosalie said to herself before she walked to the table. Harold watched worried because Carla barely ate her food. “Are you ok, sweetie? I can ask if we can take your pancakes to go.” Harold said before Carla got down and ran to the car crying before he sighed. Rosalie walked to Harold knowing that she was gonna pay for their meals. “Do you want anything else sir?” Rosalie asked and then Harold looked at her. “Yes. Can I get these pancakes to go? Me and my daughter have to leave.” Harold said before Rosalie nodded. “Thank you, ma’am.” Harold said as Rosalie walked away. She knew that they would appreciate the fact that she was gonna pay for their food so she also got some pie for the both of them without whipped cream. “Here you go.” Rosalie said as she gave him the bag with the pie and the takeout box in it. “Thanks.” Harold said before carefully placing the pancakes in the boxes and got up. “Please don’t worry about paying. I’ll pay for it for you.” Rosalie said before Harold nodded. He walked with her to the cash register and watched her pay for his and Carla’s meals.

Chapter 5

 

“Thanks, Ma’am.” Harold said before he walked to his car. As he walked, Harold found Carla curled up into a ball crying on the ground. “Aww, it’s ok sweetie. Daddy’s here.” He said as he picked Carla up. “He's not here either, daddy.” Carla said and then Harold smiled before looking at her. “Does daddy’s girl want to travel the world?” Harold asked and then Carle looked at him with tears in her eyes.

“If we travel the world, then we have new areas to look for Mr. Kisses in.” Harold said before Carla sniffled and nodded. Harold held her close to him as he knew that she needed someone to hold her. “Don’t worry, my baby girl. Daddy isn’t leaving.” Harold said as he put her in her car seat as he grabbed her blanket. Carla fell asleep in her seat as Harold started the car and drove all the way to their new home. “Grab a new toy for her and then sell the rest that I can’t put in the car.” Harold said quietly while stopping at a red light. As they waited for the light to turn green, Chief Felix went to their car and knocked on Harold’s window. “Yes, chief Felix? How can I help you?” Harold asked as he looked up.

“Listen to me, I respect you. And I want to apologize to you about Suvorina.” Felix said as Harold started to get impatient for Chief Felix to leave. “She’s new. Can I see her birth certificate?” Felix asked before Harold nodded and gave him Carla’s birth certificate. Felix smiled and then gave Harold back her certificate. “There you go. It’s all I wanted to know. Sorry to bother you sir.” Felix said before he left to go back to his car. Harold groaned as he looked up at the light and saw that it was red again. “God dammit. Now I have to fucking wait more.” Harold said to himself as he looked around to calm himself down. Harold rubbed his eyes before smiling as he saw the light turn from red to green. “Finally. Now I can go.” He said to himself quietly so that Carla could get some sleep.

Before he arrived at the house, Harold drove past a woman that looked exactly like his deceased wife Crystal. “What the fuck?” Harold asked quietly and then he shook his head before he drove into the garage and parked. “Are we there yet, daddy?” Carla asked as she started to wake up. “Yes, we are here baby. But before we can settle in, baby girl. We are going onto an adventure.” Harold said as Carla started to stretch. She nodded as Harold walked inside and got old family pictures and an air bed for the both of them. “Should I do this?” Harold asked himself while holding an old teddy bear that he had as a kid. He shook his head and started to pack the car with a cooler for their food and drinks, a bed for them, blankets for him and her when it gets really cold. 

Harold closed the trunk and placed the bear next to Carla and went inside and took their sleeping bags out of their camping stuff. “And there we go.” Harold said before putting the camping gear in the back seat. “What do we need that for, daddy?” Carla asked while she looked at all of the camping gear. Harold didn’t know what to say, because he knew that he needed to sell the rest of their stuff but he didn’t want her to take the news poorly. “We are going on an adventure, remember baby girl?” Harold asked before Carla smiled and nodded. Harold took a breath of relief as he got back into the driver's seat and started the car.