Author's notes: I am getting a better idea of where I want this story to go, but hang with me please because it still might have a few bumps in the road.
Disclaimer: I seriously have to say this every time? Fine… *stands up to recite* I do not own any part of Forever except Hannah who is the product of my over active imagination and ongoing relationship with little sleep and lots of caffeine.
Chapter 3:
Breakfast had been…interesting to say the least. Abe, while trying to make pancakes and simultaneously showing off to Hannah, had accidently knocked a full bag of white flour off the counter and onto the floor below. The flour splattered all across the room and coated Hannah in fine white dust. So, let's just say breakfast had been a very messy affair. On the bright side, the kitchen had never looked cleaner and it had been easy to convince Hannah, who still wasn't use to the idea of baths, to get clean.
"Have you still not brushed her hair? Henry, it's been twenty minutes." Abe's voice broke in from the doorway.
Henry looked away from the back of the head he had been staring at and blushed. It was true. Twenty minutes ago, he had armed himself with a brush and prepared to brush out Hannah's tangled hair. "This is not as easy as it looks." He defended himself.
Hannah fidgeted from her place on the stool between his knees. "You don't have to Dr. Morgan, Daddy never did."
Unbeknownst to the little girl, her words didn't put Henry at ease, but rather furthered his resolve. "No, no. I shall do this. It's just a little…overwhelming that's all." He readjusted his grip on the hairbrush and tentatively put it in her hair. Pulling it down, he suddenly stopped as he heard Hannah cry out. "What is it? What's wrong?" He asked hurriedly leaning towards her.
Abe rolled his eyes and pushed his father back before taking over. "You have to start at the bottom of her hair and work your way up." He gathered a handful of hair and pulled through the knots at the bottom before going up and repeating the process. "See this way, you don't pull as much.
"How on earth do you know this Abe?" Henry questioned watching the skillful motions his son made.
Abe shrugged and continued. "Just something I've picked up in my old age."
Henry raised an amused eyebrow and took the brush back. "Well then perhaps I should try it now before I become an old man." He replied dryly.
Under the supervision of Abe, Hannah's hair was brushed and pulled back into two simple pigtails. Hannah pulled down the hem of the old shirt she had been given and then looked up and smiled. Henry who had been watching her wondered how he had never noticed just how ragged her clothes really were. "I think we need to get you some new clothes." He decided.
Shocked was the only way to describe Hannah's expression. "New clothes? Is that allowed?"
Henry grimaced internally. "I think it'll be alright." He herded her towards the kitchen where her shoes and coat where. One look at the ragged coat and Henry mentally added it to the list. "Abe, we'll be back later. Don't hold lunch." He called putting on his own coat and scarf and leading Hannah down the stairs and out the door.
The hustle and bustle of New York City was overwhelming for Hannah, and everyone in the city seemed to be in Macy's. Since she was used to staying in a small apartment by herself all day, she held Henry's hand in a vice-like grip. As Hannah looked around the store with both nervousness and excitement, Henry was wandering around looking for the girl's department and completely lost. He caught the attention of a saleslady when he walked by her register three times in less than a minute. Assuming that he was doing the shopping instead of his wife, she decided to take pity on him.
"Can I help you find something sir?" She asked coming over to them.
"Yes, I am looking for the little girl's department." He replied straightening up and giving a polite smile
She hid a smile behind her hand. "Sir, you've walked past it three times. The girl's department is right there." She pointed to the area across from them and Henry blushed furiously.
"Thank you very much miss." Henry said taking Hannah's hand tighter in his and crossing over to the section of clothes. "What size are you?" He wondered aloud and Hannah shrugged. He reached behind Hannah's neck and grabbed the small tag on her shirt. "Hmm…this says size 4."
Hannah let go of Henry's hand and pointed at light blue shirt with long sleeves with a picture of a ballerina on it. "I like that one." She said.
Henry selected her size and got it off the rack. "I like that one too." He agreed.
The saleslady from before, who's name tag stated Lisa, approached them. "Shopping for anything special?"
"No, she just moved in with me and we need to buy some new things."
Lisa finished knowingly. "And you have no idea what to buy."
Henry nodded sheepishly. "I'm afraid little girl clothing is a bit out of my knowledge."
"No worries. I can help you make sure to get everything you need." She bent down to Hannah's level. "What do you say sweetie, can I help?"
Hannah eyed her wearily. She didn't like strangers and the store was still busy, so why was this lady taking such an interest in them? Better question, why did this lady look so familiar? "No." She told her raising her voice a little.
Lisa looked taken aback and Henry looked shocked. "Hannah, that was wrong. We do not speak to people like that, now apologize."
Hannah blinked back tears. "Sorry." She whispered, staring at her feet
Lisa smiled. "It's okay honey, this must be overwhelming." To Henry she said, "I would start with a few pairs of pants and shirts plus a couple sets of clothes to lounge around in. Things like leggings or something like that. I wouldn't go for too many dressy clothes though since little kids are always getting dirty."
Henry smiled gratefully and thanked her. Lisa left them and Hannah watched her go happily, she didn't know why, but she didn't like that lady.
Henry busied himself with looking at clothes and Hannah would point out something every now and then, like the set of pajamas with Cinderella on them. As he was picking out clothes, Hannah grew tired and bored. She wandered off and began pushing through the clothes on the rack. She pulled the clothes apart just enough before climbing inside and sitting on the ground. Henry pulled a small pink puff coat and turned around to show Hannah. "Hannah, do you like…" He trailed off when the four year old was nowhere to be found. "Hannah!" He called looking around. "Where are you? Hannah, this is not amusing, come out here at once." He told her. When Hannah failed to appear, his worry mounted exponentially. He quickly put the coat back and began to look around. He checked the dressing rooms, every corner where a young child might hide, and behind the sale associates counter. When he finally decided she was not in the girl's section he grabbed the nearest salesperson, Lisa.
"Is there a problem sir?" Lisa asked.
"Yes, the little girl I was with, she's gone. She's not anywhere in this section." Henry explained in a rush while his head moved back and forth still scanning the area around him.
Worry creased Lisa's features. "Don't worry, we'll find her. I'll call security right away. What's her name?"
"Hannah Elizabeth Morgan."
Lisa put the call through to security and people began to comb the store. Henry continued to search as well. Before a woman came up holding a sleeping toddler. "How old's your little one?" She inquired.
"She's four." Henry replied distractedly.
She shifted the child in her arms. "Well I don't know if this will help any, but when my oldest was that age he used to get tired and go sit in the clothes racks."
Henry turned fully giving her his full attention. "He did?"
The lady nodded. "Scared me silly the first time, I thought he had gotten lost."
"Thank you, thank you very much." He told her, beginning to look through each rack. He was beginning to lose hope of ever finding Hannah like this when he pushed aside the clothes on a rack nearest the coats where he had been when he noticed Hannah was gone. On the ground curled up in a small little ball lay Hannah seemingly fast asleep. Still a bit panicked, Henry kneeled down and checked to see she was still breathing. Sure enough, she was sleeping soundly and didn't even stir when Henry hefted her in his arms. He held her close for a moment, allowing his heart rate to go back to normal. He never thought he would ever feel that much panic after all the years he had been alive, but he hadn't taken Fatherhood into that account. Feeling much more relaxed with Hannah safely in his arms, he updated Lisa on the situation and she called security telling them that the child had ben found and was unharmed.
After reaching home and putting Hannah to bed, she slept the entire way home and was still out like a light, Henry told Abe about their little 'adventure'.
"Did you at least get the clothes?" Abe asked.
Henry's hand, which held a glass of wine, stopped on the way to his mouth. "In all the panic I completely forgot." His eyes widened as it dawned on him that all of what had had happened had been for nothing
Abe sighed. "Next time, how about you leave Hannah here with me and then go shopping. Or if you have to take her, keep a better eye on her. For all our sakes.
Henry looked over at Abe. "Abraham, I hope you realize that this is not my first time being a father, and one mistake doesn't make me a complete novice at it."
"Pops, I know that you've been a father before. The same way I know that you lost me at a baseball game when I was ten. You know, the time I was right behind you the whole time."
Author's note: Here's a random piece of trivia for you: the two stories about the lost kids are true, and I was that kid. I used to love sitting underneath the circular racks at department stores when I little and once fell asleep. My mom freaked out because she thought I had been kidnapped. The second one though was at a hockey game with my dad. I was walking a little ways behind him when he noticed I wasn't next to him anymore. When I caught up with him he said I had to hold his hand the rest of the time we weren't in our seats.
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