"And Susie just had it?" said Phil, turning the device over in his hands. "How'd she get it?"
"Your guess is as good as mine, but I think she took it right before we left," said Anna. "You didn't leave it out, did you?"
"No, I don't think this is mine... No brand name or other marks, either. What do you think it is?"
Roy's plan had almost worked. He had almost reached the device when Anna looked back and grabbed it off the table. Now he could do no more than shift uncomfortably in his comically large padded high chair while the adults figured out what to do. He had been so close...
Anna thought for a moment. "We never did find the remote for the old TV, before we sold it?"
This caused Brittney to look up, and shoot a smirk at Phil. He returned it with a glare. "It couldn't possibly be, we looked everywhere." Roy was incredulous. The device looked like a cell phone, if anything. How could these people possibly confuse it for a remote?
Brittney lowered her phone. She gushed, "Well dad, obviously we didn't look everywhere. If even Susie could find it, it must have been pretty easy to find."
"Brittney!" scolded Anna. Brittney made a face, and looked back to her phone.
Phil's frown deepened. "You know, now that I think about it, it's possible that one of my coworkers left it in my toolbox. I'd better check with them just to be sure,".
"Just to be sure?" Anna spat.
"Just to be sure." Phil retreated back down the hallway, taking the device with him. Roy felt a wave of despair as he lost sight of the remote. No, this couldn't possibly be happening! He felt the emotion wash over him, and soon enough he was crying again, kicking and screaming.
"Shhh shhh. I'm here Susie, it's alright!" Roy found himself once again cradled in the arms of Anna. "Oh no, we can't go out like this. We'll have to go on the walk another time,". He saw Phil walk back the other way, carrying a toolbox, and go out the front door. His wails only got louder.