A girl and her doll never part

*This is a sequel to my story “Hannah’s doll”. The beginning is a story that one of the characters is telling another. Gacha Club character designs are on my wall. Enjoy!*

“No! Give it! It’s mine!” Katita cried out, snatching the pink box away from Melanie.

Today, Daddy was taking them out to the toy store for their good report cards. Inside the box was a plastic Princess doll with long, blond hair and bright green eyes. Her dress was a shimmering ruby. Her tiara matched perfectly.

And both girls wanted the doll.

Tears bristled in Melanie’s eyes. She wanted the doll and she wanted it now!

“Melanie, turn around.” Daddy said.

Melanie did as she was told and turned around.

Daddy held a box with a dark-skinned doll, who had long, brown hair reaching down to her waist. The top of her dress was of a dainty white lace, the bottom purple satin. She wore a white hat adorned with magenta roses. Her makeup was perfect and pretty.

“Katita can have the Princess doll and you can have this one.” Daddy said, handing to her.

Melanie’s hands stretched out towards the doll, her new best friend.

…………………………………………………

“Katita has the Princess doll, whom she calls “Princess Vee” and I had my doll, whom I called “Vivienne”. Princess Vee is one of those childhood mementos Katita wanted to keep, but I thought that I would give my doll to you.“ Melancholia finished. She still thought of hugging Vivienne in storm-ridden nights.

“Now I feel guilty for leaving it behind.” Hannah laughed lightly, but Melancholia could see the pain in her eyes.

“What happened to the doll, dear?” Melancholia asked.

Hannah sighed, smoothed over her wedding dress, and stood a little closer to her.

“When I was little I brought it to school and some girls threw it in the sewer. I was upset about it and ignored Marianne, who was my friend at the time, for a few days because she said it wasn’t that important, then I found it today and she said that it was either her or the doll, so I just..left her out there. In the snow.” Hannah said.

“She had you choose between her and a doll? Seems rather silly to me.”

“It’s okay. I have her.”

“Mhm.” Melancholia said, storming up to Marianne, heels clicking on the polished floor. She had a few things to say to her.

Hannah held up her skirts and tried to catch up with her, but was no match.

…………………………………………………

“Excuse me, Katita, may I have a word with Marianne?” Melancholia asked.

Katita shrugged and walked away. Marianne seemed happy and at ease.

Well, not for long.

“Did you really ask Hannah to pick between you and a doll? Do you really care that much?”

“She told you about that?”

“Yes, yes she did.”

“Look, I don’t want her to have an unhealthy obsession with dolls and then pay more attention to dolls than me-“

“Why do you think that she won’t care about you?”

“Because I read online that people who collect dolls usually love them more than people and are crazy and-“

“Look at her.” Melancholia said, gesturing to Hannah.

Hannah had given up on following Melancholia and was laughing with a cousin at the snack table, eyes sparkling with joy.

“Does she seem crazy to you?”

“No.”

“Do I seem crazy to you?”

“A little bit.” Marianne smiled a little, then her eyes dawned with realization.

“You collect dolls?”

“Yes, I do. And I’m as happy as can be.”

“Don’t believe the stuff you read online. It’s full of miserable people who are too scared to have wonderful things like dolls in their lives.”

Marianne mumbled something, which wasn’t helpful, considering her hearing ability was deteriorating.

“What? Sorry, I didn’t hear you.”

“The doll isn’t too far from here.” Marianne said loudly and clearly.

…………………………………………………

“I’m sorry for making you choose, Hannah. I thought you’d like the doll more than me.” Marianne said. They were outside, in the same spot where Angelique was left. Snow still drifted from the sky, but she didn’t feel particularly magical.

This was the part when Hannah left. When Hannah didn’t like her. When-

She was laughing?!

“You thought I’d like a doll more than you? That was your actual thought?”

Hannah stopped laughing, but her eyes still had that leftover sparkle.

She clasped Marianne’s hands gently.

“If there’s anything you taught me, it’s to forgive one’s mistakes.” Hannah said, embracing her.

Melancholia smiled as she bent down to pick up the decaying doll in the snow.

“I’ll fix it and mail it to you when I’m done.” Melancholia said.

“Promise?” Hannah asked, her inner child present in those large brown eyes.

“I promise.”

…………………………………………………

Hannah brought the package inside, heart beating rapidly with joy. It had been months since their marriage and now, she and Marianne had their own house, with a few dolls, too. Marianne was actually starting to like dolls. Some of the dolls in the house were from her.

But this package could be the package.

Hannah ran to the hallway closet and grabbed the big scissors, the ones that cut open packages. She then rushed into the living room, where the package sat at the table, and opened it.

Bubble wrap, bubble wrap, bubble wrap…

With shaking hands, she brought up…

Angelique.

Hannah’s eyes brimmed with tears as she held the doll close to her chest.

Angelique was just as she remembered her.