Page 76 of Surprised By Love

Within a couple of minutes, everyone has scattered. I hear people calling out Amelia’s name in the distance.

“I need to go look,” I say, my voice cracking. “She’s going to be so scared. She needs me. Vicki and Doc can stay here in case she comes back, but I can’t just stay here and do nothing.”

“I think you need to stay here,” Josh says. “I’m going to start loo—.”

“Please, I have to do something,” I beg, grabbing onto his hands, my eyes glossy with tears.

Josh exhales a breath. “Yeah, I know I couldn’t keep you here if I tried.” He pauses for a mere second and continues, “Alright, here’s what we will do. Vicki, can you stay here with Doc in case she comes back on her own?”

“Of course.” Vicki nods.

“Sam, you can come with Max and me. We are going to drive around and look. This way, we’re in the car and ready when I get the call that they found her. Does that sound okay with you?”

“Yes, thank you.” I sniff.

“Jenna, you stay here with auntie Vicki. I’m going to go with a few of the ladies and look around the neighbourhood,” Becca says to her daughter. “Please do not go anywhere without asking Vicki. Okay?”

“Okay,” Jenna says, giving her mom a hug.

Becca gives me a big hug. “We will find her.” She runs down the stairs to meet up with some of the other ladies.

I turn and hug Vicki. “I’ll call you as soon as we hear anything.”

“You better,” Vicki says, kissing my cheek. “They’ll find her and she will be fine. I just know it! Now go, Doc and I will keep watch here.”

Vicki takes a step back as I put a finger to the inside corner of my eye, trying to stop a tear from falling.

Vicki reaches into her coat pocket and pulls out a travel pack of tissues. “Take these. I have a feeling you might need them.”

“Thanks,” I say, taking the tissues before heading down the stairs. Max follows right behind.

Josh opens the back door and Max jumps right in. He then holds the passenger door open for me. “Let’s go find your girl.”

I give him a small smile before getting into the SUV. He closes the door, walks around and gets in, puts the key in the ignition, and slowly drives away.

“Ameeeeeliaaaaa,” We can hear people calling as they drive around town. My eyes are wide as I peer out the windows, looking back and forth. The more we drive, the more nervous I feel. “Where is she? God, I hope she’s alright, why haven’t they called yet?” I say, wringing my hands.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Josh

Please,someone,findhersoon.I don’t know how she’ll handle it if something bad has happened to Amelia or heaven forbid someone actually took her. She’s a six-year-old little girl and if she’s anything like my daughter, which it seems she is, she’s probably wandered off and is fine playing somewhere. I hope that’s all it is.

Hmmm,I turn my face to Sam. “Hey, is there anywhere she likes to go? Somewhere she loves to play?”

“She loves to play at the school playground or the one in the park,” Sam says, “Oh and she loves to watch the waterfall at the creek but she knows it’s freezing over so I don’t think she would go there.”

“There are a few men heading to the creek, just in case. We are closer to the school than the park, so let’s go there and see if anyone has been there yet,” I say, as I turn towards the school.

When we arrive at the school, we find Kacey, Amelia’s teacher and her husband Paul, along with their daughter Krista. Sam jumps out of the SUV and runs over to them excitedly. “Did you find her? Is she here?”

Kacey takes Sam’s hand, “No Sam, she isn’t here.” She shakes her head. “This was the first place I thought to look. I know how much Amelia loves these monkey bars.”

“Ohhh.” Sam lets out a sigh. She sniffs and looks over at me standing beside her, her red eyes filling again. I take Sam in my arms and hug her tightly. Her tears falling onto my jacket. “Where are we going to look now?” She looks up at me, her nose all red.

“Let’s go search the park next,” I say, taking her hand.

“Thank you. Call me if you find anything,” I say to Kacey and her family before turning and walking Sam back to the car.

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