“Katie, I don’t…why are you giving thisto me?”
“I’ve had it long enough. It’s yourturn.” I watch my sister as she caresses the doll’s little face. My mom hadplanned on giving it to Annie as a Christmas gift one year, but apparentlyAnnie made the comment that she was too old for dolls. She was ten, after all.So my mom tucked the doll in a cupboard. After Christmas I found it and my momlet me have it. Even though my mom had technically given me the doll, Annie andI used to fight incessantly over it all the time. She eventually did grow outof dolls, and I tucked this one away, keeping her safe. “I didn’t know what toget you besides the necklace. To me, you seem to have it all. Then I thought ofthe doll and how we always fought over it, and thought maybe you would likeit.” Annie sits down in a chair near the door. “Are you all right? Do you needsome water or something?”
“No,” she says, half laughing, halfcrying.
“Are you laughing or crying? I can’ttell.”
“Both.” She laughs again, wiping thetears out of her eyes. “I’m amazed.”
“You are?” I say with awe. “About what?”
“You,” Annie huffs.
“Oh okay. Um—I don’t think I understand?”
“You’re amazing Katie. You fell in loveand I watch the way you are with Cole. The way he is with you. You love withyour whole heart, holding nothing back, and so does he. It really is a wonderto see.”
“Oh well, thank you.” I couldn’t imaginenot putting my complete self into loving Cole.
“Mark and I started marriage counseling.”
“Oh, I—”
Annie holds out her hand, stopping me.“Things aren’t bad, yet. But we’ve fallen into a rut. I had to beg him to haveanother baby. I look at you and Cole, and I want that back. I want Mark to puthis arms around me, to kiss my neck. Hell, have sex with me with six people onthe other side of the door.”
“Annie, I—I don’t really know what tosay.” I sit down on the bed across from her.
“It’s okay, really. We are okay and thecounseling has helped. We just need some help to get us back to where we were.”Annie stands up, wiping away her tears. “Thank you so much for the doll. Ipromise to cherish her the way you have. Okay, give me a hug.”
“I love you, George,” I say, squeezingher sides.
“I love you too, Katie.”
“Who do you want next?”
“Um—Kurt.”
“Kurt? Okay.”
I pull out Kurt’s gifts, sitting them onthe bed.
“Hey.” I turn around to find Oliviastanding in the door.
“Olivia, hi.”
“May I come in?”
“Sure,” I say without hesitation, eventhough I’m really not sure what she wants.
“Your dress is beautiful.”
“Oh, thank you. Um—hopefully, the bridalshop let you know what happened with the other dress.”
“Yes, they did, and I made sure I saw therefund come through on my card.”
“I appreciate the gesture of you wantingto pay for my dress. That meant so much.”
“Well, I meant what I said.”
