Nell and her mom love to go shopping at the mall. Her mom always lets her decide what store that they visit and shop in. In case you didn’t know, Nell is six years old. Her birthday is in June and she will be seven then.
Today Nell thought it would be a good day to go to O’ Brian’s Shoe Store because it is close to the ice cream store and just maybe mom will buy her a cone of her favorite, peach and nuts.
As mom and Nell pull into the parking lot mom says to Nell, “Now Nell, remember where we park. You know that I forget some times.” Mom only pretends to forget so that Nell will get use to remembering things like that.
Once mom parks the car and Nell and her go into the mall Nell starts looking into all the windows. Every store has something new and interesting to look at. One has clothes on dummies that look board and funny looking while another has kitchen tools all shiny and bright.
Nell is having a great time. Mom and Nell go into O’ Brian’s Shoe Store and Nell starts looking at all the dress shoes. “Mom!” she says. “Look at the pretty dress shoes.” Mom smiles and tells her that today they are looking for gym shoes for school gym class. “Oh Mom.” Says Nell.
A young girl comes over and asks if she can help them and mom says “Yes we would like a pair of gym shoes for Nell.” “OK.” the girl says. When the girl brings Nell her shoes Nell tries them on and they fit just right. Mom gets up and walks over to the line to pay for them. The line is very long and Nell starts to get board. She wanders to the front door and looks out. Across the way she sees a bookstore. Nell always likes to read books ever since she learned how.
Nell runs across to the bookstore and looks in the window. Then as Nell walks to the end of the window she comes to the entrance. She looks back into the shoe store and sees that the line to pay is still very long and decides to go into the bookstore and see what’s there.
Nell wanders around and sees a book that she might like and starts to read it and the more she read the more she wanted to read. Before she knew it she had forgotten all about her mom.
Nell’s mom paid for the shoes and took the bag from the girl behind the counter. She turned around and looked for Nell. “Nell?” she called out but there was so much commotion going on around her that she could not hear if Nell answered her call or not.
Mom walked around the whole store but could not find Nell. She walked out into the hall and looked both ways. No Nell. Mom started to get worried and called out Nell’s name again but still no answer.
Nell was still reading the book that she found and didn’t hear her mother calling her name. Nell’s mom saw a guard walking nearby and waved to him. “What’s the matter lady?” He asked. “I can’t find my daughter Nell.” The guard and mom walked back into the shoe store and looked all around then back into the hall up and down a few stores on either side. No Nell.
Nell got so sleepy reading that soon she was sitting on the floor and closed her eyes and fell fast asleep. She was in a corner behind some shelves and no one noticed her sitting there.
Her mom and the guard went to the main office to report that Nell was missing and that all stores should be on the lookout for her. Nell’s mom was very worried and gave a description of what Nell is wearing and her size and color of her hair.
Nell woke up and rubbed her eyes. “Oh my!” she said and jumped up. She ran out of the bookstore and into the shoe store and looked at the line of people paying for their shoes but her mom was not there. Nell started to be afraid and looked for someone to ask for help. She remembered her mother’s warnings to not talk to strangers but everyone in the store was a stranger.
What should she do? Nell saw the young girl that had waited on them and walked up to her and said, “Did you see my mother leave?” and the girl said that yes her mother had left quite a while ago. Nell told her that she thinks she lost her mom and that she needed help in finding her.
The young girl took Nell to the front door. There she looked left and right and asked Nell if she saw her mom. Nell looked and then said no to the girl. They walked back to the counter and the young girl picked up the phone and called the guard post. The guard answered and the girl told him about Nell.
“Yes, we are looking for Nell and her mom is here with me now. We will be right there.”
The young girl says to Nell “Your mom will be here in just a moment.” Nell felt better when the girl said this. When Nell’s mom came back into the store she hugged Nell and then asked her where she had been. Nell told her about the bookstore and falling asleep.
Nell’s mom was glad to see her but she told Nell that she should always stay close to her whenever they go shopping just because of something like this.
When they got to the parking lot Nell said she was sorry and that it won’t happen anymore. Then she pointed to their car and mom and Nell walked over and got in and drove home.