WIP Book

OPEN

Apr 6 2016

OPEN

The doll was in the window of the antique shop. The little girl tugged on her father's jacket sleeve and pointed at it. Her father laughed and nodded. It looked in pretty good shape, albeit a little dusty, but no damages. And the clothes weren't dirty or stained like so often happened in these places. He took his daughter's hand and then they entered the shop. The little girl pulled her hand out of her father's and ran to grab the doll. He smiled and looked around for the owner of the shop. He spotted the old guy hunched over behind a glass counter.

"Well good afternoon sir, my daughter has spotted that lovely doll in the window, how much do I owe you for it?" He pulled out his wallet and pulled out a handful of bills. The old man looked up from the jewellery he had been studying and searched for the little girl who now held the doll tight against her chest. "The doll? How much is she? She looks in decent enough condition. My daughter loves her."

"That doll came from a terrible house. The family were murdered by the little girl. She was only five. The estate brought all items to us. Much of it could not be salvaged but the doll was in pristine condition. She has a rich history and is even older than you think. The certificate that came with her shows that she is at least sixty years old. Still with her original clothes, shoes and hair ribbons." The old man's voice was raspy and barely above a whisper, as though talking only to the father. "Her name is Emily." He coughed and looked at the doll.

"Okay, so are you saying it isn't for sale? I don't care how much it costs. My daughter will not be happy if she cannot have it."

"She is for sale." The old man croaked. "How old is your lovely daughter?"

"Uh, ten? Why does that matter?"

"I will sell her for ten dollars. One for each year." He pulled out an old piece of paper. "And what is your daughters name?"

"Helena."

"A lovely name." The little girls father watched at the old man wrote his daughter's name on the paper. "Here is the adoption paper's for Emily. Helena is now her mother." He smiled and looked up at the father. "Now, that will be ten dollars."

"Fine. Thank you." The old man took the money and handed over the adoption paper. He looked down and saw several names scrawled along the lines under the term 'Name of Mother'. Each of them had a red line through the name and Helena's was in fresh black ink at the end of the list. He shrugged and tucked the paper into his pocket. "Right kiddo, time to go." Helena hugged Emily tight and ran to her father, taking his hand as they left the shop. He was confused as to why the shop owner had felt it necessary to tell him the story behind the doll but he just shrugged it off as a strange sales pitch. But the price of the doll confused him even more, he had been willing to pay one hundred for the old doll. Considering something in such good condition usually cost a lot.

"Thank you daddy, she's so pretty."

"Just like you my sweet little Peanut." He put his spare hand into his pocket and felt the paper in there. "The old man at the counter said that her name is Emily. Are you going to rename her or keep it?"

"I like Emily. It's a pretty name too." Her father smiled and helped Helena into her car seat.

*

"Alright Peanut, time for bed sweetheart."

"But Emily isn't tired yet." Helena complained and lifted her doll from her seat. "Daddy, can you read us a story? Emily says that Mommy and Tegan and Patrick need to listen to the story too."

"Well Peanut, we can ask them but I'm not sure your brother and sister will want to listen to a story. Go get ready and I'll go ask them and your mother."

"Tell them they have to. Emily wants them too."

"Okay, now go upstairs and get changed, don't forget to brush your teeth Peanut. A proper brush, not just a swish. Go now, take Emily with you." He watched Helena pick up the doll and hug it close. The doll's green eyes stared blankly over his daughter's shoulder. The doll's smile seemed to widen as Helena walked away with it. The father shook his head and went to find his other children in the den. They were playing a video game. "Guys, your sister wants you to come and listen to a story with her and her new doll." They groaned and started to protest. "Come on guys, she hasn't asked this for a long time, just this once."

"Fine." They said in unison.

"But we're coming back to finish off this game.

"Yeah, cause I'm whooping your butt Pat."

"Sure thing Tegs, keep thinking that."

"Alright guys, I will give you an extra twenty minutes if you come and listen to your sister's story time." The two cheered and high fived each other. "Let's go, make sure your sister is ready, I need to get your mother. Helena wants her there too."

*

"Okay Peanut, I'm turning off your light now. You have Emily right there next to you. Sleep well. Good night."

The room darkened and the door closed. The night light glowed softly in the corner, creating a soft glow from the corner. Helena smiled and turned her head to Emily. The green eyes twinkled in the low light, her long black hair was fanned across the pillow, mixing with Helena's blonde locks. "You're so pretty Emily. I'm so glad daddy let you come home with me. I'm going to take very good care of you, I promise." The little girl whispered and kissed the doll's cheek. "I love you Emily."

Helena hugged Emily close and closed her eyes, she was happy as she listened to her parents talk to each other over the movie they were watching and the cheers and boos from her siblings as they played their video game in the den. This was how it was every night. The quiet noises from her family was what she was used to. The sounds helped her sleep. She knew each of their footfalls on the stairs and in the hallway. The sound of each of their doors as they entered their bedrooms. Soon she would hear her siblings as they skipped up the stairs to their rooms. Both rooms being across the hall from hers. And her parents next to hers. And the bathroom at the end of the hall between her room and Tegan's.

Helena woke up and rolled over. She smiled when she saw Emily still laying next to her. "I'm going to get a drink of water from the bathroom Emily. Stay right here, I won't be long." Helena grabbed the glass on her bedside table and walked quietly to the bathroom. The rest of the house was now quiet. Everyone asleep in their rooms. Helena turned on the tap and filled up her glass. She hummed softly to herself as the glass filled. She stopped humming when she heard her brother's door open and close. He was probably heading to the bathroom. Helena turned off the tap and turned around to see her brother, but he didn't come. He probably went downstairs to the kitchen.