The Never-Forgotten Doll

The Plan

I knew no other gift would do, so I emptied my elephant bank and counted my money. I had exactly eight dollars and forty-nine cents.
It was already Thursday. There was no time to save up any more. I put the eight dollars and forty-nine cents in a sock and folded it up. I had a plan, but I wasn't sure it would work.

On Friday after school, I went to see Mr. Mullingan. "I really need that doll, Mr. Mullingan," I said. "I have eight dollars and forty-nine cents to pay you right now, and I will help you out in your store every weekend until I have paid the rest of the money, which will probably be forever."
Mr. Mullingan scratched his head. "After you asked about that doll yesterday, I went to take another look at her. And it's the darndest thing---she's more damaged than I thought. One of my workers must have laid her head on some wet wood stain. The back of her hair is just ruined. I don't know who's going to pay much for her now. I reckon eight dollars and forty-nine cents is a fair price."
"You've got a deal!" I shouted.
When Mr. Mullingan took down the doll, and showed me her "ruined" hair, I got the best idea ever!

The time passed slowly at Miss Maggie's that afternoon. When she asked me what was in the bag, I told her it was a secret and she mustn't look inside.
"Aren't you mysterious today?" she teased.

When I got home, I raced to my room and unwrapped the doll. I took out my brown magic marker. I laid the doll down and laid her on a piece of construction paper.
Then, very, very carefully, I colored all of her blonde hair brown. The stained part disappeared and she was even more like the doll Miss Maggie remembered!
There was only one thing missing and I knew where to get it. I took my favorite and only party dress out of my closet and laid it on my bed. There, right at the neck was a pink satin ribbon.
I cut it off with my safety scissors, being careful to cut just the threads that held it on, and not the dress. I tied it in the doll's new brown hair. She was perfect! But what would Mom say when she found out about my dress?