The Doll Girl [discontinued and horribly cringey]

Chapter Eleven: Reconciling

Evelyn regarded her niece carefully. "Fine," she sighed, "but first, you have to tell me everything."

"Outside?"

"All right, come in then." Evelyn swung the door open ungraciously, letting it bang against the wall. She led the way to the living room, tiny because the kitchen squashed it into a corner.

"So. What's up?" Evelyn asked as she sat down on a linty armchair.

"Weeeell... there's a new girl in my class and she's a doll girl and I don't know what to do!"

"Why would you need to do something?"

Brook was taken aback. Didn't the fact that there was another doll girl in her class call for action? "Um... because what if she doesn't know?"

"When the time is right, her mom will tell her," replied Evelyn serenely.

"But her mom isn't a doll girl! What happens if she doesn't know?"

"I'm sure she does."

"And... what happens if she doesn't?" Brook persisted.

"You worry too much. Let's go to the park. We can talk it over there... "

~~~~~~

"Well..." began Evelyn, plopping down on a park bench, "this girl, she just started your school, she is a doll girl or whatever, and you feel like you need to do something. Am I right?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Brook was distracted. "Look, there's nobody on the swings. Let's go."

"Me? I am a dignified adult!"

"Fine, old woman. Be boring. I'll go without you."

Evelyn was on her feet in an instant. "What did you just call me? I bet I can swing higher than you!"

Brook cocked an eyebrow. "You'll have to prove that one to me."

"Fine! Race you to the swings!"

~~~~~~

Mia rang the doorbell. Mrs. Willow was at the door in a flash. "Mia? I thought you were with Brook."

"No, I haven't seen her. I was actually gonna ask if she could hang out. I mean, I texted her, but she didn't answer, so..." Mia trailed off. "Well, if she isn't here, I guess I'll go."

"Okay, then. Call me if you see her anywhere. Bye." She shut the door.

"Who was that?" asked Mrs. Ryder, Elsie's mother. 

"Mia Studd, you know, one of Brook and Elsie's friends. I thought she was with Brook, but I guess not. I told her to call me if she sees Brook."

"Oh, let her have a bit of freedom, Marilyn. She's a teenager, now, after all."

"But I think she's been hanging out with Evelyn."

Mrs. Ryder was shocked. "Evelyn? I know she's been living here, but she... she would dare talk to Brook?"

"You know Evelyn. She's more of a child, really. She never thinks things through. I guess she never realised what would happen if I found out she was speaking to my daughter...  And believe me, something really is going to happen to her if she's told Brook what she is. After all, she didn't think twice about telling you, and you're not even one of them. Oh, I'm sure she must've told Brook!" despaired Mrs. Willow.

"It's okay, she had to know anyway," consoled Mrs. Ryder.

"But you know I'd rather tell her myself than have her tell my daughter. And now... Brook will probably hate me now."

"But you don't know if she's been talking to Evelyn," insisted Mrs. Ryder.

"But I do! The other day she demanded I tell her who Evelyn is. She told me you said that she's just like Evelyn. Of course, I know you'd never say that, so she made it all up!"

"Well, no, I would never say such a thing, but what if... oh, I don't know, what if some girl at... at their school found out somehow, and then she told Brook?" suggested Mrs. Ryder.

Marilyn sighed. "That's very unlikely."

"How so?"

"Well, she's been going out and not telling me where she is and a week ago I swear I saw her at the house at the end of the street. That's where she lives."

"I don't know...Well, I think I should be on my way back now. Elsie and her dad will be back now..." she got up.

The women said goodbye and Mrs. Ryder left.

Marilyn glanced at the clock and started to wait.

~~~~~~

The sun was setting as Brook walked home. She checked her watch— six thirty. What time was she supposed to be back by again?

"Three o'clock... Shoot." Brook broke into a run. By the time she reached her house, it was six forty. Nervously she unlocked the door and stepped in. Silence. There was nobody there. Brook quietly made her way into the kitchen.

Uh oh...

Marilyn was sitting at the table, her eyes looking haunted in the last light of the dying sun. "Where," she started, in a rasping voice, "have you been?"