The President's Daughter by David Dower (if you liked this book txt) 📕

hands. I turned back at Holly and Sarah. “You know what maybe I will build a bear.” I told them.

Sarah chuckled trying to put on a red dress on her bear. “Good for you!”

I smiled dropping the bags that I had onto the floor, knowing that they are going to be at the dress up station for a while considering Sarah is having a hard time putting clothes on her bear. Turning around and walking over to wear the bears were laid out for the children. I picked up one of the bears and made my way over to the stuffing machine.

I took the tube that held the stuffing and placed it into my teddy bear. Turning on the switch causing stuffing to blow into my flat teddy bear.

Once it looked stuffed enough I turned off the stuffing machine and was closing the zipper at the back of the bear where it held the stuffing. I was closing up the zipper when I felt someone ram into my legs. I looked down and saw a blue eyed little boy holding a flat teddy bear.

“Sorry.” The boy said looking up at me.

I nodded my head squatting down to his level. “It’s okay.” I told the boy smiling at him, he looked so familiar. “Where are your mom and dad?” I asked him.

“My brother said I shouldn't talk to strangers.” He spoke clutching his flat bear.

“Oh, where is your brother?” I asked him.

The boy shrugged in return.

“Okay, how about we fill your bear with stuffing then we go and look for your brother? How does that sound?” I asked the boy.

He nodded his head enthusiastically. He then held out his flat bear to me, I took it from his hands and walked back over to the stuffing machine switching it on as it began to blow stuffing into the little boys bear.

A few minutes later once it was done, I gave it to the little boy who was patiently waiting behind me his big blue eyes staring at the stuffing machine in wonder.

“Thank you.” The boy said, smiling at me.

“Your welcome, now let’s go find you brother.” I said, holding my hand out for him.

He grabbed my hand and I began to pull him towards the entrance of the store. Now I understand why Hazel asked if I lost my child, who knew so many children got lost in a build-a-bear workshop?

“Garrett?” A voice said, in relief.

I turned around and came face to face with Gavin.

What’s he doing here?

I felt the little boys hand let go of mine’s as he ran over to Gavin. No wonder he looked so familiar, he was basically an exact copy of Gavin except for the eyes. Gavin had brown eyes while Garrett had blue.

Wow I feel pretty stupid! I remember meeting Garrett at the park, but the only difference was that he had a cast.

He must’ve gotten his cast removed.

I smiled at the siblings.  I watched as Gavin picked up Garrett hugging him to his chest. Gavin really loved his brother, he must have been worried, once he realized Garrett was gone missing.

“I turn around for one second and you’re gone! I thought I told you to stay put?” Gavin asked, his little brother.

“Sorry.” Garrett said, paying no attention to Gavin and staring at his bear in awe.

I laughed at the sight of the two. Gavin’s eyes snapped towards me, his eyes held fury but when my eyes drifted to Garrett then back to him. Gavin’s eyes suddenly softened looking at me in gratitude.

“Thanks for finding him and stuff.” Gavin said, his eyes casting towards the ground.

“You suck at showing thanks to people you know that?” I asked, the bad boy.

“You should be lucky I even said thanks.” Gavin retorted, placing Garrett onto the floor and back on his feet.

“You should be lucky I am the one who found Garrett in the first place!” I told him, pointing at the kid.

“Whatever.” He shrugged, grabbing his little brothers’ hand so he wouldn’t run away again.

“So what are you doing here in the first place?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that? I thought I was pretty obvious why I was in here?” He said, tilting his head to Garrett.

I shrugged. “It’s not my place to judge, after all maybe you wanted to make yourself a teddy bear for you to cuddle with but didn’t want to be caught in a build-a-bear workshop so you brought a little kid with you so no one would question it.”

Gavin raised his eyebrows at me, and then spoke. “Trust me that is not the case. So why are you here? Making yourself a teddy?”

I nodded my head. “Actually I am.”

Gavin knitted his eyebrows in confusion. “I was just teasing but alright.”

I opened up my mouth to speak but Garrett cut me off. “I remember you! You are the girl who we met at the park! You are the one who caught Kingston!” The little boy said, looking up at me.

I nodded my head smiling at the kid. “You remember!”

He nodded his head, vigorously. “Yeah, are you Gavy’s girlfriend? Because you’re pretty.”

I blushed turning my head. “U-um, no.” I said, stuttering slightly. “I am not Gavin’s girlfriend.”

“Oh, well you should be! Your nice not like Gavin’s other friends that I meet. There mean and all they do is try to kiss him. The little boy said scrunching up his face in distaste. "Sometimes, I think they are trying to eat his face off."

I let out a snort, looking at Gavin who was now glaring at his little brother. “Oh, look at that your brother has better taste than you!” I said, laughing.

Gavin glared at me. I smirked at him in return, sticking my tongue out at him. “Real mature.” He said, rubbing his fading back eye.

I stared at his back eye. How he told me his dad punched him and when Garrett told me his dad pushed him down the stairs that caused him to get a cast.

There dad abuses them. He had too, there was no way that Gavin's cut up fcae, and Garrett's broken arm was from play fighting. Besides, Gavin was way too old for that.

I shook my head, not wanting to even think about that. His dad can’t abuse them Gavin is big and had muscles. But, his father, however had to be much bigger than him.

I looked back at Gavin who was looking at me, well more like studying me. “What?” I asked him, feeling self conscious of how he was staring at me.

He shook his head, like he was coming out of some sort of trance. “Nothing.” He replied.

I shrugged in return, “Well I better get going.”

“Yeah, me too.” He said, still staring at me weirdly.

“Um, Gavin?” I spoke, realizing something.

“Yeah?” He asked, slowly.

“I don’t want to alarm you or anything, but where’s Garrett?” I asked, looking at the empty spot which once stood a bright eyed, four year old little boy.

Gavin looked beside him and quickly turned around, his eyes scanning for his little brother, he turned to me his eyes widening in realization. “Shit.” Chapter Sixteen: Blackmails & Scoldings

“Ali!” I heard someone shout my name I turned around as I saw Holly and Sarah in the distance running over to me; both there hands filled with shopping bags. “Where the hell have you been?” Sarah asked, slightly out of breath.

“I’ve been around.” I told them, truthfully.

“Around?” Holly hissed at me, her eyes narrowed. “I thought you were kidnapped or something!” She screeched, grabbing the attention of near by shoppers.

“Oh, come on Holly let’s be rationale.” I said humorously, however, In return she glared at me. “I was in the build-a-bear workshop the whole time; where were you two?” I questioned.

“Looking for you!” She yelled, I raised my hands in surrender trying to calm my overdramatic cousin.

“Whatever.” She muttered, dropping the subject. “Just don’t do that again.” She warned, handing me some of the shopping bags I left on the floor of the workshop.

After Gavin had lost Garrett again, we went over to the front desk of the build-a-bear workshop to find someone to help us find Garrett. The person who helped us was Hazel, yup the lady who thought I was a teen mother. She looked at me weirdly when we asked her if anyone had seen or reported a blue eyed, brown haired four year old boy. I am pretty sure she thought I was the mother of Garrett and was just lying earlier about not being a teen mom.

In the end we found Garrett at the dress up station, pissed was an understatement to what Gavin was. I am pretty sure he is considering getting Garrett a dog leash. But, we all know how that turned out when he lost his dog Kingston. So, a leash would be no help due to Gavin losing everything from dogs to children.

“So, where to next?” Sarah asked, interrupting my thoughts.

Just then my stomach grumbled. Holly and Sarah raised there eyebrows at me, I sheepishly shrugged. “How about the food court?”

*

Once we were done eating we called it a day and Holly drove Sarah and I back home. “You are coming tomorrow? Right?” Holly asked, putting the car in park.

I nodded grabbing my shopping bags and getting out of the car. “Yeah of course, tomorrow is the semi-finals I want to see Ashley’s butt get whooped.” I said, shutting the door.

She smiled, replying with a wave putting her car in drive and driving towards the gates. I looked at the house and noticed Thomas standing by the window. His eyes widening knowing that I had caught him staring he quickly disappeared away from the window closing the curtains.

“Need any help Miss?” A guard said, coming towards me.

I nodded my head handing him my shopping bags. “Yes, that would be great, thanks. If you don't mind taking it to my room?” He nodded, another guard opening the front door for us as we made our way in.

I thanked him once again turning the other way in search of Thomas. I wanted to know why he was staring at me or well Holly’s car in particular.

A few minutes later I found him in the kitchen where I assumed he would be. He was talking to Uncle Robbie who happens to be the Vice President. He and his wife Diane or Aunt Diane as Thomas and I called her also live in the Whitehouse with us, but sadly they had no kids.

“Alice!” He beckoned, patting to the seat next to him.

I smiled, taking a seat next to him. “Hey.” I said giving him a kiss on the cheek and a quick hug.

“How was your shopping trip?” He asked, taking a sip of his tea.

I nodded. “Good.”

“Good. I was just talking to Mr. Thomas over here about his duties.” He said, looking at a slouching Thomas. He was drawing lines with his finger on the counter looking bored out of his mind.

“Duties?” I asked him, confused.

“Yes. Since your parents are gone for the next couple of days I am in charge of you two. And your mother gave me strict orders for you especially.”

Uncle Robbie wasn’t actually needed to go for this trip since him and Aunt Diane already went a few weeks