“That was the name of one of my teachers. She didn’t like her last name so we called her Miss Melanie. She was really nice to me. Once, I fell over and skinned my knee. I didn’t cry or anything. I’d learned not to cry as that just annoyed my dad. But she picked me up and hugged me. It was the first time I can remember anyone hugging me. Then she cleaned it up and gave me a piece of candy. So I’m going to name her Miss Melanie.”
“All right then,” Jared said in a strangely hoarse tone. “We’ll call her Miss Melanie.”
Angie stared down at her with a smile. “I need to find somewhere safe to put her, though.”
“Why?” North asked.
“Because I don’t want to ruin her. Or get her damaged or anything. She might get dirty. If I put her on top of the drawers, do you think she’ll get dirty? Maybe I can get her a special container or something?
“Baby, you’re supposed to play with her,” Jared said.
“I can’t do that.” Miss Melanie was special.
Jared got down off the chair and sat on the floor. Then he reached over and picked Miss Melanie up. She tensed, hoping he didn’t hurt her or anything. But he was very careful.
“You’re not going to wreck her. She’s yours to play with. That’s what she’s here for.”
“If anything happens, we can get you a new one,” North offered.
She gasped, horrified at the idea. “You can’t replace Miss Melanie! She’s one of a kind.”
“She’s not, though. I saw more of them online for sale.”
“No, no, it wouldn’t be the same. She’s my very first doll. She’s special.”
“She’s your first doll?” Jared asked.
“I always wanted a doll. I asked every Christmas and every birthday but I never got one. And now I have one and I want to keep her safe. Plus, Northie bought her for me.”
“Northie?” North asked in a chocked sounding voice.
“Yes, Northie bought her, which I’m sure makes her extra special.” There was a funny note in Jared’s voice as well.
She hoped that the two of them weren’t coming down with the flu.
Gently, she brushed back Miss Melanie’s hair.
“I understand you want to keep her safe,” Jared said. “But don’t you think she also wants you to play with her? She might get lonely otherwise, locked away in a box.”
“Oh, I didn’t think about that.”
“And if anything happens. If she gets dirty or her clothes get wrecked, we can fix that, okay?” Jared said.
“Yeah, okay, Daddy. I guess it would be better to give her hugs. I don’t want her to not know what a hug feels like.”
“No, we don’t want that. And anytime that you need a hug, you know that you only have to tell Daddy, right? And I’ll be right there with the biggest hug.”
Setting Miss Melanie down, she threw her arms around him. “Thanks, Daddy.”
“I am not good at hugs,” North said suddenly.
She turned to look up at him. He held a blue and white striped onesie in his hand.
“That’s okay. I won’t hug you,” she said. “You don’t need to feel like you have to hug me.”
“But if Jared isn’t here and you need one, I shall give one to you.”
“Oh. Thank you, Northie.”
