"We planned to go to Kent on Friday, if that's okay with you?" Pat asked Jeff as they fed the girls their breakfast.

Jeff looked at Goldie and shrugged. "We have no plans, Friday sounds fine."

Goldie nodded. "Don't you have friends here that you want to see?" she asked.

Jeff shook his head. "Christmas is for family." He ruffled Genie's hair. "Right?"

Genie smiled at him through her oatmeal.

"I must say, you two are amazing," Pat said, wiping Pippa's face. "It's all I can do to feed one, and somehow you do this for all three? At the same time?"

"They're good babies," Goldie said. "I mean, there's no such thing as a 'bad' baby, but these three are special. They seem to understand about needing to take turns, and waiting, things that sometimes toddlers aren't so great with."

"You're lovely, aren't you?" Pat asked Pippa, helping her with her oatmeal. "Can you say 'Granny'?"

"Ganny," Pippa responded.

"Yes!" Pat clapped her hands. "I'm your granny.

"Gordon," she said, addressing her husband, who'd just entered the room, "did you hear?"

"I did indeed," Gordon answered with a smile. "Can they say 'Granddad,' though, that's the question." He bent toward Jemma. "Granddad? Can you say 'granddad'?"

"Gandad," Jemma said. "Gandad."

The grandparents looked at each other, their delight evident.

"Gwanny," Genie said, mimicking her sister. "Gwanddad."

The kitchen was filled with joy.

"So, what are your plans for today, then?" Pat asked.

"Just hang out here with you. Maybe walk to the shops if the weather's nice?" Jeff looked at Goldie, who nodded.

"This is my first time in England, I want to see everything," she told Pat.

It was cold, but sunny, so they dressed the girls warmly and set off for "the shops," breaking in the brand-new triple stroller that Jeff's parents had bought.

"Ms. Hansen, how are you?" Jeff called, waving to a white-haired woman who was walking on the other side of the street.

"Jeffrey, what a pleasure!" The woman crossed over, smiling at the babies. "And these must be your daughters. Hello, darlings."

"This is my parents' next door neighbor, Elsie Hansen."

"Pleasure," Goldie said, holding out her hand. "I'm Goldie, the nanny."

They chatted for a few moments before continuing on their way.

"So you didn't grow up here, in this neighborhood," Goldie said as they walked.

Jeff shook his head. "I grew up in London, but not this neighborhood, no. I bought this place and the place in Kent for my parents after i got rich and famous." He grinned at her. "It's nice to be able to take care of those you love, you know?"

Goldie nodded.

"Shoot," Jeff said.

"What?"

He gestured to a sign. "This is the shop I like, small, locally owned. They don't open for another hour, though. I guess we'll have to head over to the big supermarket. It's another five minutes up the road."

It was all joy to Goldie. The sky was blue, and everything, from the architecture of the houses to the lines painted on the street, were different from what she was used to, everything letting her know she was in another country.

"Thanks for bringing me," she said to Jeff. "This is so fun for me, you can't even imagine."

"We're just walking down the street, though," Jeff objected. "We're headed to a supermarket to buy milk and diapers, that's hardly fun, or even interesting."

"Just to be here, with you and the girls, is everything I could ever want," Goldie told him, her voice soft.

Jeff leaned over and kissed her with warm lips, putting a hand over hers where it pushed the stroller.

"Love you," he said, and leaned in again.

The girls turned around in their stroller to see why they weren't moving.

"Kiss, kiss," they chorused as they watched their father and Goldie.

Goldie and Jeff laughed and continued on their way.

Jeff was right; the big supermarket was brightly lit, bustling, and very similar to its American counterpart. Goldie would have much preferred the small, quaint shop they'd passed on their way here.

They wandered the aisles, pointing things out to the girls, filling their basket as they went. Goldie handed out crackers to the girls, who were sitting up alertly, looking around the store with interest.

"Hey, aren't you Jeffrey Ormonde?"

Jeff smiled at Goldie as he turned toward the person who'd spoken.

It was a young man in a hoodie who seemed to be filling his cart completely with yogurt.

"I am, indeed," Jeff responded.

"Ace!" the young man set his basket down so he could shake hands. "This is brilliant, just meeting you out and about like this. I'm a huge fan."

"Thank you." Jeff smiled. "Pleasure to meet a fan."

Goldie's attention was caught by a colorful box a little farther down the aisle, and she took a few steps to see if it was cereal or something else. It wasn't a brand she recognized. It seemed like Jeff might be a few minutes with this particular fan.

"I loved your live album, man, it was brilliant," the hoodie guy was saying now. "I must've listened to it a thousand times."

"I quite like that one, too," Jeff said.

"Would you mind taking a snap with me? Only my mates will be that chuffed when I tell them I met you, yeah?"

"Sure." Jeff leaned in for a selfie with hoodie guy and smiled at Goldie, who was watching as she examined the box of what turned out to be tea.

"Thanks, mate, thanks so much." Hoodie guy held his hand out. "See you around."

"Good bye," Jeff said with a wave as he turned back toward Goldie, putting his hands on the stroller.

Goldie looked down at the girls.

"Where's Pippa?" she asked.

"What?" Jeff looked down at the stroller. Genie and Jemma looked up at him, still clutching their crackers.

The left seat, where Pippa had been, was conspicuously empty.

"Where's Pippa?" Goldie repeated, dropping the box and hurrying back toward them. "Oh my god, Jeff, where is she?"

Jeff came around to the front of the stroller, looking around as if hoping she were just hiding. He lifted the little buckles on the plastic belt he'd closed around Pippa's little tummy himself when they left the house.

There was no way she could've unbuckled them herself.

Dear god.

"Jeff, someone's taken her! We have to tell someone, find a store employee, quick!"

They grabbed the stroller and began walking, quickly, looking for someone in every aisle. They found a young man two aisles over who was stocking shelves.

"Please help us," Jeff called as they approached him. "One of my daughters is missing, we think someone's taken her—"

The stocker turned toward them. The name tag on his bright blue vest said "Michael." "Sorry?" he said politely.

"My daughter's been taken." Jeff gestured toward the empty stroller seat. "She's just barely one, she couldn't unbuckle herself, there's no way, please!"

Michael was on his walkie-talkie, talking to someone. "Janet? We have a code purple. Yes, one year old girl, couldn't have gotten herself out of her pram on her own. Yes, I'm with them now." He listened for a moment, then asked, "What's her name?"

"Pippa Ormonde."

He began walking toward the front of the store, gesturing for Goldie and Jeff to follow him, still talking.

Jeff was gratified to see Michael responding so quickly, without a lot of explaining.

"Don't worry, we'll find her," he assured Jeff as they got to the check out registers. "The police have already been called."

He introduced them to Janet, the store manager, who was holding a microphone, waiting for them.

"Attention shoppers, we've a situation with a missing toddler."

They all looked at Janet as she spoke into the mic.

"Is it wise to announce it? Won't the person who took her get frightened and just leave?" Jeff worried.

Next to him, Goldie was crying.

"Not possible, all exits have been locked, Michael assured him.

"What's she wearing?" Janet asked, looking intently at Jeff.

"Um, pink jacket over a red jumper and little blue leggings—" Jeff broke off, rubbing his face. "Dear lord."

Janet got back on the mic. "Her name is Pippa, and she she's wearing a pink jacket over a red jumper and blue leggings. Anyone who sees her, please bring her up front, her mum and dad are looking for her. We're in temporary lock down mode while we wait for the police, no one is allowed in or out."

"Jeff, I'm so sorry, I should've been watching, I knew you were talking to that guy—"

Jeff turned to her. "Don't be silly, I was standing right next to them! This isn't your fault, darling—" he broke off and spoke to Janet. "Shouldn't we be doing something? Going down the aisles?"

All around them, people looked on in sympathy, taking in Jeff's worried countenance and Goldie's tearstained face.

Janet put a calming hand on his arm. "Every employee is doing that as we speak."

There was a brisk knock at the front doors and everyone turned to look.

Two policemen were waiting to be let in.

Janet unlocked the door and let them in, explaining the situation as they approached Jeff, Goldie and Michael.

"What if they already left the store, though?" Goldie asked no one in particular. "What if they left first thing?" She let out a sob and covered her mouth.

"They usually don't," one of the policemen said. "They're usually still on the premises."

"Why?" Goldie turned huge eyes to him.

"They don't want to risk drawing attention to themselves by walking out the front doors with a crying tot," he explained. He turned to his partner. "You check the ladies' and I'll check the gents'?"
His partner nodded and they headed off toward the bathrooms.

"I can't just stand here." Jeff looked around wildly. "I have to look for her."

In their strollers, Genie and Jemma began to fuss, wanting out, wanting to be held.

Goldie grabbed Genie and Jeff picked up Jemma, soothing the girls as best they could.

"Trust me, Mr. and Mrs. Ormonde," Janet said. "It's best if we wait here and let them come to us."

"She isn't my wife," Jeff explained. "She's their nanny."

"Oh, so sorry."

Jeff shook his head. "Thank you for responding so quickly," Jeff said, kissing Jemma's hair.

"Unfortunately, we've been through this before," Janet said grimly. "We have to have contingencies in place for this situation."

Jeff put his other arm around Goldie and gave her a squeeze. She leaned into him.

Genie touched Goldie's tears with a little finger, and Goldie took the finger and kissed it.

"So we just stand here?" she asked, looking around.

"Don't worry, we'll find her," Janet said, taking a deep breath.

An older woman approached Goldie and offered her a tissue. "Don't cry, love, the police will find her."
Goldie nodded and tried to smile as she accepted the tissue.

Where was Pippa?