Follow Your Heart Auto Memories Doll

Chapter One

'Violet you know you really should try to be more inviting,' Iris' words rang out in her head again. Violet had been reciting these words in her head for nearly her entire delivery route thus far and every time she did the words became more and more confusing. The streets were filled with people today and her bag was even more stuffed with letters to deliver. She'd volunteered herself to deliver some mail today just to have something to do. She hadn't been out of the city in weeks and even in town, there hadn't been many requests lately. Business was slow and she hated waiting around for someone to need her.

"What does that mean," she mumbled to herself as she stared down at the cobblestones passing beneath her boots. "Inviting," she said the word slowly. She knew what it was to invite someone to an event, but how could a person be inviting? Did she need to ask if people wanted to accompany her everywhere she went? Even if she didn't want them there or even if she didn't need help with her work? Or did she mean it in another way? Violet had learned much over the past year working for the C and H post company. She had no problem interpreting other people's feelings, but when it came to interpreting her own she was nearly as lost as when she had begun her new job as an Auto Memories Doll.

She'd cried many different kinds of tears in the past year but she wasn't really sure how to tell them apart. Sometimes things people told her were confusing as well. 'You should eat more,' or 'Take care of yourself,' perplexed her almost as much as her current dilemma did. Most people she had come to know invited people to things through letters. Parties or Banquets were the like but what did it mean to be a more inviting person? Was she supposed to begin throwing these events? Was she meant to carry a bag of invitations on her at all times in case she bumped into someone she wanted to spend time with?

"Who do I even want to spend time with..." she thought aloud and her thoughts shifted, without warning, to the only person she'd ever wanted to spend time with. The only person she could no longer spend time with. Her arms folded across her abdomen and she couldn't help but let the edges of her mouth droop. She'd been told by Cattleya that being more physically expressive could help her understand her emotions more. Unfortunately, Violet had found that it did not have the desired effect. Rather, it seemed to have the opposite effect. Anytime she caught the muscles in her face moving, they almost exclusively formed her lips into a cold frown. She wasn't sure if that was because that was just where her lips liked to rest naturally or if that meant that deep down she was disappointed almost all of the time.

There were times when she caught herself smiling, sure, but whenever she did they did not last very long. Ever since Lieutenant Hodgins had finally told her that Major Gilbert was dead, her smiles at her memories of him quickly morphed into frowns, gritted teeth and, quite often, tears.

She shook her head softly and closed her eyes tight as she walked. Now was not the time to let those thoughts drag her down. She was on the clock after all, and delivering letters was meant to bring smiles to people's faces. Before she could open her eyes however, she felt something heavy hit her shoulder and she began to topple over. It wasn't a painful collision but she lost her footing quickly and when the heel of her boots slipped over the edge of the sidewalk she began to fall backward into the street. As her eyes flashed to the thing she'd walked into she saw a man there turning around to face her.

She found herself caught in the moment as she reached for him, her hand extended out for him to try and catch her from falling. His dark brown eyes seemed to light up with surprise and his short and greying black hair blew a little in the summer breeze. She watched as his hand flew out to catch hers and was relieved when it did, only inches before her other hand would have hit the cobble of the road. They stood there for a moment, staring at each other before they heard the horn of a motorbike, their eyes shifting over to see it before Violet felt the man pull her upward and to her feet, the bike passing by her moments later.