Becky's Doll

Kyle

Kyle's POV
March, 2002

I remember the day being amber coloured and bright. I stopped the engine of the car as I pulled over a familiar white building with rainbows and flowers painted on it's walls. As soon as I got out of the car, I was greeted by a beaming gap toothed smile. Hunching over, I extended my arms towards her. Like a whirlwind, she ran into my arms.

"Daddy!" She squealed loudly. I pulled the four year old closer to me. She looked up at me. The lower half of her face had been heavily smeared by chocolate.

"Have you been eating chocolate?" I asked her.

"Was I?" She shrugged. Gently I swiped my finger at the corner of her lips and showed my chocolate coated finger to her. She erupted in giggles.

"So how was your day at office?" She asked me. She looked adorable with her eyebrows scrunched up.

"The usual. Boring and tiring," I answered, almost sighing. Picking her up from the ground, I carried her to the car. Playing with the ends of her pigtails, she quirked her eyebrows at me. She was like a small ball of mischievousness.

"So how was your day at kindergarten?" I asked her as I pulled the seatbelt over her body. She wriggled against the seatbelt.

"The usual. Boring and tiring," She mimicked me. I chuckled loudly.

"Daddy! I want to go to a park," She said as I resumed my driving. I was feeling too tired to take her to a park. My limbs ached painfully. My body was looking forward for stretching in the couch, watch an action movie and drink half a bottle of cognac. How can anyone resist that?

My kid was probably the smartest four year old out there. As soon as she saw the resistance and refusal crossing over my features, her face morphed into one that resembled the puppies in the pet shop, begging the customers to take them home. How can anyone resist that?

"Allie- bear! You know how to manipulate your old daddy, don'tchya?" I said as I pinched her cheek lightly. She furiously rubbed at the spot where I pinched her while giggling at my silly nickname for her.

"I am not a bear, daddy! I am Allie. Allie James," She announced proudly. I took a new route to the closest park in the area.

"Uh- huh, Allie-bear," I teased. The four year old crossed her arms underneath her chest, feigning anger and pouted. I subdued my incrementing urge to coo at her cuteness like those adolescent girls as well as old grannies did. I pinched her cheek again.

"Will you concreate on the road?" She demanded almost sounding like her mother. They almost looked similar too while saying it.

"It's 'concentrate' Allie-bear," I chuckled but did as my angel had instructed.

"That's what I said," she denied. I stared at her determined face. Her nose was scrunched up. She was just like her mother.

"Yes, that's what you said," I agreed with a smile on my face. I pulled into a small, local park. Unlocking the belt herself before I could help her, she ran out of the car. I went after her, calling out her name as she tripped on the gravel path.

Allie stopped at the playground looking entranced by the vibrantly painted slides, swing sets and sandboxes. Almost instantaneously, she took possession of a swing beating a little boy to it. The boy backed off looking heartbroken while Allie continued to swing with her stockinged legs up in the air. I didn't know what to make of the evil smirk adorning her features. Maybe, I had spoiled her too much.

I sat on the park bench and stretched my back against it's wooden frame. The fresh breeze was relaxing and the smell of wild pine and wood smoke infused into my nose. It was such a pleasant evening. In the distant I could hear Allie squealing as the same little boy pushed her in the swing. Maybe the detour to the park was nice for the both of us. My phone chimed and I picked it up to see that I had received a message from Hailey.

Hailey: Won't be coming home for the night. Going out with Gemma.

I frowned at her message. I didn't know what was going on with her. But she has been acting strange for days now. I suddenly remembered of how Allison's sweet face darkened when Hailey distanced away from her.

Me: Alright. Don't stay out too long. And don't drink. Remember you are pregnant!

Hailey: Yeah, Don't worry. I won't, babe.

"Look at this, daddy!" Allie cried as she came running to me. I looked up confused to see Allie clutching on a beady eyed doll.

"From where did you get that?" I asked. Allie raised the handmade doll so that I could have a look.

"That lady gave it to me," She said, pointing at someplace next to the swing set. Suspiciously, I stared to find absolutely nothing there.

"Oh! Now she's gone,",She exclaimed with her hands on her tiny hips. I grabbed her by her arm as I stood up from the bench.

"Come on. Let's go find that lady and give it back to her," I told her. She stared at me with an expectant tearful gaze.

"No, daddy. It's mine,",She cried, clutching the doll more closer to her.

"No, sweetie. You must give it back to that lady," I pressed. She shook her head vigorously.

"No. That lady told me I can keep it and it's mine," She said, looking fearfully. I sighed as I sat back on the bench.

"Alright. But you must give it back if she asks for it. And why do you like this dirty doll anyway. Don't you have better dolls then that?" I asked. She smiled as she climbed up on my lap.

"I want her. She looks so much like mommy," Allie exclaimed as she pressed the doll to her chest. I glanced at the doll casually and watched Allie play with it and sing rhymes from school. I smiled at her cuteness. She dangled her legs over mine. I couldn't help but think of  how it would be in the future. How will she react when she comes to know that I am not her father? Will she be angry or will she accept it? I couldn't imagine her distancing away from me. In fact I wanted her to be unaware of that.

"Allie. Do you want to see a bird nest?" The little boy from before shouted from afar. Allie stopped playing and looked up from the doll. With a huge grin on her face, she dropped the doll on the ground and ran to the boy like the whirlwind she was. I watched  her jump and down with excitement on seeing the nest.

"Daddy! Come here! Will you pick me up? I wanna see the babies. Pweease," She screamed, looking at me with her puppy dog eyes.

I picked up the isolated doll from the ground. Yellow woolly hair fell over it's green beads for eyes. Allie was right. It did look like Hailey. Even the shape of the face was roughly similar. What a strange coincidence!

"Daddy!" Allie shouted again, rather impatiently.

"Yes. Yes. Coming,"I called to her as I subconsciously stuffed the doll in my pocket. I guess I'll give it to her later. But it slipped my mind. I found it several years later in the attic when I was searching for my toolset. I don't know why I picked the dusty discoloured rag doll up then from the attic. I must have imagined it but when I did so, it's red smile grew wider!

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One more bonus chapter to go. Thanks everyone.