The Dollhouse

Prologue- The Gift

The little girl sat brooding at the dining room table. Her chubby little hands were clenched into chubby little fists as the whole room sang Happy Birthday. They carried her five layer cake ablaze in twinkling candles to the placemat in front of her. She turned her head away in disgust.

"Loretta, please. It's your fifth birthday, everybody is here to see you," her father pleaded with her.

"I have an idea," her mother spoke aloud and then whispered something into his ear spiking curiosity in Lorrie and causing her to drop her scowl. She waited intently.

"We have a special gift for our special big girl," her parents sang in unison. They quickly ran out the door and reappeared seconds later holding a very large wrapped box with a big bow on top.

Loretta, being the spoiled child she was leapt from her seat at the end of the table and tackled the present from her parents,

"Gimme, gimme," she tore away at the strategically wrapped pink princess wrapping paper like a dog digging for his bone. When she saw the contents she gasped in delight.

"Really, for me?" She gasped, her eyes shining with pure happiness.

"Anything for our little princess," her mother cooed. So, Loretta grudgingly ate her slice of cake which the personal chef had accidentally made chocolate instead of strawberry and flashed dimpled grins at all the guests. Finally when everybody was gone she asked her parents the question she had been holding in out of smart politeness as to not anger her parents enough to take away her new toy.

"Can I play with it, now? Mommy? Daddy? Please?" She made her eyes glisten and pouted her plump little lips and her parents at that moment would have done just about anything for their precious little angel. Her strategic plan worked perfectly.

"Sure, darling. Let's bring it to your room and set it up."

The large box was heaved up the stairs and into them large room at the end of the hallway. Her dad set it down next to her canopy bed and wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead.

"There you go, sweetheart," he panted, gesturing to the assembled present that took up about as much space as her dresser.

"Thanks, daddy. I love you," she grinned giving him a quick peck on the check. "Now can you pretty please leave so I can play?" Her father nodded, completely under her spell. He walked out, shutting the door softly behind him.

"Finally," Lorrie muttered to herself, Kneeling before the miniature house in front of her. It was completely perfect like everything else that she owned, with a mahogany door and glass windows that opened and closed, a little foyer, kitchen, playroom, and bedroom, and little people in every room. It was the best dollhouse she had ever seen. And it was all hers.

Loretta picked up on of the small figurines, a little girl with curly blonde hair and bright blue eyes.

"Let's have a tea party," she giggled and her perfect little life continued.