The Adventures of Harry and Grace (H.S.)

Have You Seen Bob?

"Nope." Grace huffs as she lifts up the soft fluffy pillow on her bed, moving it away from its spot as she searches the area. Biting her lip, Grace looks around her room, allowing the wheels in her brain to turn over the possibilities. She has explored every surface and searched every space in an effort to find her friend.

She blows out a hard breath, puffing out her cheeks as her tears begin to stream down her face. "Where did he go!" Frustration is laced in her voice as she stomps her foot on the soft carpet. "Oh I know!" An idea pops in her head and she immediately bolts out of her room and down the stairs.

In the front room, Grace moved towards the sofa, throwing the different pillows off the cushions and to the floor, making sure every space in this house gets searched. Letting out a small growl of irritation Grace makes her way down the hall and into Harry's office. Turning the door handle, Grace opens the door quietly.

"Hey Bug. Yeh Alright?" Harry looks up from the photos on his desk that he needs to approve for his album. "What's the matta'?" Harry can immediately sense that something is upsetting his daughter.

"Daddy? Have you seen Bob?" Her bottom lip wobbles as she asks her father if about her favorite stuffed friend. The tears in her eyes brim the edge as she searches her father's face.

"Bob? I haven't seen 'im. Is he in yer room?" Harry's eyebrows crinkle into concern as he puts down his pen and scoots his chair back from the desk.

"Mmhmm... I think he's gone, daddy." The dam is released and the tears flow down her cheeks creating new water tracks against her skin.

"Oh Gracie Bug. Come ere." Harry walks towards his daughter, holding his arms out and wrapping them around her body. "Bob has got to be 'ere somewhere. Do yeh think he just walked away?"

"I don't know." Her voices is soft as it trembles to get the words out. She hugs her daddy close as she sobs.

"Can I help yeh look? Maybe he's playin' hide-and-seek. We'll find him. Okay?" Harry runs his fingers across Grace's cheeks, wiping the warm wet tears from her skin. Grabbing her hand, Harry leads her down the hall and into the kitchen.

"Bob? Come out, come out, wherever yeh are!" Harry calls through the kitchen, making a point to look under the table and bar stools, looking over every surface in search of the very loved toy.

"He isn't here. I looked everywhere." Grace stops walking. "He's gone, FOREVER!!!" Plopping down on the ground, Grace throws her head into her hands as she sobs tears the size of raindrops.

"What's going on with Grace?" You say as your walk into the kitchen, worried by the crying you had been hearing. Ethan is sitting on your hip, holding his favorite stuffed lion, Leo.

"There seems ta be a problem." Harry is now sitting on the floor, pulling Gracie into his arms in an effort to comfort his daughter. "We can't find Bob!"

You let out a gasp of horror as Harry speaks those four horrible words. "Oh he has got to be somewhere around the house. I'm sure of it." Your brain is filled with thoughts as you take in the situation at hand. How are we going to get through bedtime? Bob is her best friend and if he is gone for good, this is bad. Maybe we can jump on Amazon and see if we can find another Bob? Would she care? Would she know the difference? Harry clears his throat, causing you to come out of your head and make eye contact with your husband. You can see the worry in his eyes as he starts to think where in the world this stuffed sheep could be.

"Let's think of when yeh had 'em last." Harry brainstorms. "Did yeh have him in the car?"

"Mmhmm." Grace hums sadly.

"I'll go look in the car." You say, placing Ethan down on the ground so he can make his way over to his sister and father.

"Bug!" Ethan toddles over towards his favorite human. "Rawr!" The toddler holds out his lion to his sister in an effort to calm her sobs.

"No thank you." Grace is polite as she hands the stuffed lion back to her brother who is confused as to why she doesn't want his favorite toy.

"Rawr!" Ethan tries again, thrusting the stuffed animal into Gracie's face.

"No Ethan. I want Bob! Not Leo!" Grace is firm and her cries begin to wash over her body once again.

"Gracie love, your brother is just tryin' ta share. He wants to help too!" Ethan toddles across the kitchen to the chair, placing his stuffed Lion on the chair, when his attention turns towards the door that opens into the garage.

"Mumma." Ethan says with a smile as he watches you enter into the kitchen.

"No luck?" Harry mouths, noticing she doesn't have Bob in her hands. You shake your head before you reply.

"Grace? Love, have ya looked everywhere?" You ask once more, praying in your heart there is somewhere she hasn't looked.

"All over, Mum. Bob is gone." Her body collapses in Harry's arms and you can see the tears in his eyes welling up against the edge. Bob has been in Gracie's life since the day she was born, and if he was truly gone, it would be a very sad day. You can feel the pain Grace is feeling and so can Harry, and it's making him emotional.

"How bout we give it a little bit! See if we can calm down, and then look again? As a family?" Harry asks his daughter as he rocks her back and forth.

"Okay." Grace says softly. Harry stands up, picking up Grace into his arms. She wraps her body around him like a koala hugging a tree and Harry makes his way into the family room to cuddle on the couch in an effort to soothe her further. Placing a blanket over the top of his daughter. Harry pulls her in close.

Harry thinks about the last time he remembers seeing Bob in Grace's arms. Taking out his phone he sends a quick text.

Missing Bob. Have you seen him in the studio?

Grace's sobs take their time in calming, but are slowly becoming smoother with each breath.

Harry feels his phone vibrate about ten minutes after he sent the text message. Pulling out his phone he answers the FaceTime call that is coming through. The screen goes to black before Mitch's face fills the phone.

"Hi Uncle Mitch," Grace says, her sobs have stopped but you can hear the sadness in her voice.

"Hey Goose! Why are ya so sad?" Mitch asks Grace, as it's obvious how sad she really is.

"I can't find Bob!" The tears In her eyes starting up again as she is reminded about the pain.

"Hmmm, I think Bob wanted to keep me company, because look who is here with me!" Mitch holds up the stuffed sheep so Grace can see him through the camera.

"Bob!!! I missed you! Give me a hug!" Grace takes the phone and hugs it to her chest, the happiness pouring out of every pore on her body.

"He missed you! I'll bring him over right now! How does that sound?" Mitch says with a massive smile, clearly loving the fact that he could make his favorite little girl smile.

"Thank you Uncle Mitch! Oh thank you!" Grace gushes.

"Thank yeh Mitchell!" Harry says, turning the screen towards his face.

"I'll see ya soon!" Mitch says. "With Bob!" He holds the animal up one last time.

"Bye Uncle Mitch! Bye Bob! I love you!" Grace says, kissing the phone with her puckered lips.

"Love ya too, goose!" Mitch says before he hangs up the FaceTime call.

"What did I tell yeh Grace! He is nice and safe! Keeping Mitch company!" Harry smiles down at his daughter.

"I'm gonna go wait for him outside!" Grace says. Popping up from the couch and running towards the front door where she will wait until her best friend is back in her arms safe and sound.