The Quest for the Missing Shoe

(The following should be read in an epic narrator voice. Preferably out loud.)

Gather near, my children, and I will tell you the epic tale of the Quest for the Missing Shoe.

Once upon a time, there were baby triplet girls who were adorable beyond reason. Their Mimi gave them magic shoes with powers to make the triplets look even more adorable (if possible) and very grown up. Their Mommy liked to put them in these shoes whenever she took them out, so everyone could admire them and their adorable grown up selves.

One day, their Mommy needed to go shopping at the Club of Sam. Of course, she was going to take her adorable girls (and her humble helper who shall remain unnamed), so she put them in their magic shoes. Before they could leave, however, one of the shoes belonging to the middle triplet, Abigailina, kept falling off. So they tightened the straps and went on their way, never considering the other shoe might be just as loose.

They arrived at the Club of Sam and got out the double seater baby coach and put Abigailina and Charlotta in it. Miana was given the special privilege of sitting in the seat of honor on the Mommy's shopping cart.

When everyone was settled into their seats, the Mommy and the helper set off, pushing the adorable babies in their magic shoes through the parking lot and into the Club of Sam.

Through the aisles of the store they walked, stopping here and stopping there for this item and that. They wended their way among their fellow shoppers (all of whom were, of course, awed by the adorableness that was the babies in their magic shoes) and walked from here to there and back again.

That is... until the humble helper looked down at the adorable babies and noticed there was one magic shoe lacking. Horrified (for magic shoes are not that easy to come by, you know), she at once alerted the Mommy.

In a frenzy, they retraced their steps, walking from there to here and again and back, wending their way once more through the crowds of entranced shoppers. But the missing shoe was nowhere to be seen.

They went to the desk of customer service to see if there had been any magic shoes turned in, but no. There had been none, they said.

At last, there was no choice but to buy their items and hurry back to the carriage, keeping an eye out for the shoe as they went.

Through the shopping line the Mommy, helper and triplets went, their prayers ascending to heaven that the missing shoe would be found (for, as I said, magic shoes are not easy to come by, you know! Especially when you are trying to match the shoes on three triplets). At last, the items were bought and the triplets and their entourage rushed to the parking lot and away to the carriage. As they rushed the prayer repeated again and again: "Let it be there, let it be there in the carriage, let it be there, let it be there near the carriage, let it be there!"

And then, just at this moment of ultimate worry and climax of prayers, there appeared a white speck beside their carriage. They hurried faster, eager to see -- and yes, indeed! It was the magic shoe! It had been sitting, undisturbed, by the carriage, earning the admiration of the world while it waited for the adorable baby it was made for to return.

With a cry of joy, the Mommy hopped up in the air and clicked her heels together (really, she did, I promise, ask her) and, rushing forward, clasped the magic shoe to her heart (also for reals), then tenderly returned it to its rightful place on the foot of her adorable offspring.

And that was the end of the Quest for the Missing Shoe.