DM Margo Alone Chapter 12
Margo sat there watching ''Back at the Barnyard: It's An Udderful Life'' as she ate her pizza and drank her Pepsi Cola. At that point elsewhere, Balthazar Bratt and El Macho were planning to rob the Disney Store in Toronto. ''We'll do it on Christmas Eve'' said El Macho to Bratt who was busy trying out the ice rink.
Back at the Chelsea Hotel, Cedric was using one of the computers to check the records of the credits cards that had been used recently to book rooms. He found one under the name of Lucy Gru. He soon worked out that Margo's mom was never with her and that Margo herself had been using the card. He smiled devilishly to himself.
Meanwhile, Margo had gone to visit Casa Loma the largest castle in North America. It had 98 rooms! She went on a group tour with a guide to show them around. She was so intrigued about what she might see that she snuck away from the tour to do some exploring on her own. But Margo soon found that she was lost and didn't know where she was.
''Now what do I do?'' groaned Margo as she leaned against a wall to rest. Suddenly the wall swung round and Margo found herself in a long tunnel. ''WOAH'' she shouted. She walked to the end of the tunnel and found the fanciest stable she had ever seen! It had marble walls and even the water troughs were made of porcelain.
Just then the tour guide came along and found her. ''There you are!'' she said, laughing, ''Someone gets lost on every tour and I always know to look in this secret passage''. ''Er sorry'' said Margo, giving the guide a sheepish look. Later on while Margo was taking a train to the Algonquin Provincial Park, over in Tampa, her family was stuck inside their motel on a rainy day watching the movie, Merry Madagascar on the TV.They were halfway through the movie when the motel phone rang. Lucy answered it. ''Is that Lucy Gru?'' said the voice. "Yes, it's me" Lucy replied. ''Madam, we've found your daughter'' said the voice. ''Oh my goodness!'' Lucy gasped. ''What?'' asked Gru coming over. ''It's the police. They know where Margo is!'' said Lucy excitedly. Gru thrilled. ''Where?'' he asked. ''She's in the city of Toronto'' said the police officer on the other end of the phone.
Lucy turned to her husband. ''Margo's in Toronto'' she repeated. Everyone talked at once. ''Yay! She's OK. We know where she is now!''. The minions cheered and whooped in their own language. Lucy continued talking on the phone. ''She used your credit card to check into the Chelsea Hotel and to get around the city'' said the police officer on the other end of the phone.''Do you have her?'' Lucy asked. ''No'' came the reply, ''The police are still looking for her''.
Lucy nodded. ''If you can get to Toronto as soon as possible madam that would be great'' said the police officer's voice. ''Ok, we're on the next flight up. Thank you!'' said Lucy and ended the call.
''Time for a repack, all of ya! We're going to Toronto. Move it!'' Lucy ordered. ''Mom what's going on?'' asked Edith. "We're going to Toronto!" boasted Lucy. ''Why Mom?'' Agnes wanted to know what was going on. "Margo's there!" Lucy urged. As everyone packed up, Lucy looked worried as she had a thought. ''Margo must be so scared!'' she said to Gru. ''How will we ever find her?'' asked Gru.
''While you and the others check into the Chelsea Hotel. I will go and look for her'' Lucy explained. That night in the Chelsea Hotel after another go in the pool, waterslide and Jacuzzi and some more ice cream and patisserie cakes, Margo was getting into bed. She looked at a photo of herself with the rest of the family and started to miss them.
Maybe going on vacation alone wasn't much fun after all. She gave the photo a loving kiss, turned off the light and snuggled down to sleep in her hotel bed. Soon, Christmas Eve arrived. In the morning, Margo went to visit the Disney Store in Toronto. Inside the store, she brought Simba, Timon and Pumbaa Lighting McQueen, Eeyore, Mike and Sulley, Buzz Lightyear, Woody and Baloo toys, a book of the Lion King and sweets as souvenirs.
Margo paid Mr Turner the store's owner for her purchases at the till. He told Margo that all the money the store earned on Christmas Eve would be donated to the Toronto General Hospital. Margo thought for a moment. She remembered her own experiences of being in hospital and understood how tough it could be now. Some of those people must be in terrible pain or could even be dying right now!
Margo decided to give the rest of her allowance to Mr Turner. She thought the hospital needed it more than she did. ''Well that's very sweet of you, young lady'' said Mr Turner smiling. As Margo packed her purchases into her rucksack, Mr Turner added, ''To show our appreciation for your generosity, here's a little something for you''.
He handed Margo a pair of special ornaments. ''These are turtledoves'' he explained, ''They're a symbol of friendship!''. Margo was amazed. ''Wow'' she said, ''I never knew that''. ''You keep one and give the other one a very special person'' Mr Turner continued, ''As long as you each have you turtledove, you'll be friends forever''.
''Oh thank you!'' Margo said as she left the store. Outside, Margo checked her map for directions, she wanted to find the biggest Christmas tree in the city. She didn't see Balthazar Bratt and El Macho coming up behind her. ''Hey look who it is Bratt!'' El Macho whispered. Bratt recognised Margo in her winter clothing from last year. "Hey, isn't that one of Gru and Lucy's girls who was supposed to marry your son?" he asked.
''Yes'' said El Macho, "And you kidnap her, her sisters, and their goat. You took 'em to Hollywood. Remember?". ''She's also the one who got left home alone last year and foiled our plans!'' Bratt added. "Hehehehe! Yeah, let's surprise her, shall we?" El Macho snickered. He reached out and pulled Margo's ponytail, "OW!" she yelped. "Hiya, little girl," El Macho said, grinning sinisterly.
Margo turned around and screamed in horror when she saw Bratt and El Macho who had tried to rob her house on Christmas Eve the year before when she was accidently left alone at home all by herself!