Hello Dolly

Chapter Two

As soon as we got home, Lori introduced Lucy to everyone in the house. Our aunts, uncles, and cousins, all whom were invited each got introduced to her.

"This is Lucy! Lucy, this is my..." Lori would say, going up to each of our family members.

"Why, aren't you a pretty doll!" Our aunt Lucinda beamed at Lucy as Lori held her up to her. Our aunt was a doll collector, having been one since she was a little girl. She had a whole room that had nothing but dolls in her house. I don't know how it is that our uncle and cousin could stand being in a house where one room was taken over by dolls. Looking over at her, I could tell she wished she could get her hands on Lucy and add her to her precious collection.

"Where did you find the doll?" Mom asked, holding our baby brother, Isaac.

"At Angelos Antique store." I said, taking Isaac from her, bouncing him up in my arms.

"How much was she?"

"She was twenty dollars at first, but then Mrs. Angelos decided to give it to her for free since it's her birthday."

"Well that was sweet of her!"

"Yeah. It was." I said, kissing Isaac on the cheek. He squealed, his chubby little hands reaching for my face.

"Isaac! Look! Look at Lucy!" Lori held the doll up high so he could see. Isaac looked down at it and poked the dolls face, a perplexed look on his face as he kept feeling the doll's hard, porcelain face.

"Okay everybody! Time for cake!" Dad announced as he came out of the kitchen holding the cake.

"Yay!" Lori exclaimed with joy, running towards the kitchen table and seating herself at the head of it. She held Lucy up and placed her in front of her on her lap. Everyone got up from their seats and gathered around as they began to light the seven pink colored candles that were placed on the cake. Once the candles were lit, everyone began to sing Happy Birthday to Lori as she beamed at everyone around her.

I took my phone out of my pocket and snapped a quick picture of them both before the song ended. Once it did end, dad told Lori to make a wish and blow the candles out. She shut her eyes tightly for a few seconds before opening them back up and blowing her candles out. Everyone clapped their hands, smiling at her. Afterwards, everyone sat down and ate cake. Every now and then I'd glance over at Lori. She'd eat a few forkfuls of cake before offering Lucy some. She kept talking to her, stopping whenever one of our aunts or uncles would ask her something. When she'd answer whatever it was they'd ask her, she'd turn back to Lucy and continue talking to her. She then laughed, as if Lucy had made a joke or something, and kissed her on the forehead, then gave her a hug.

"She sure does love that doll don't she?" My older cousin, Noah asked, looking at Lucy and Lori.

"She sure does." I said, taking a bite of my slice of cake. It was chocolate, Lori's favorite and soon, it'd probably be Lucy's said favorite.

"That doll gives me the creeps." Noah's little brother and our cousin who was only a few years older than Lori, David, whispered to us.

"I think all dolls give you the creeps." Noah replied, nudging his shoulder. "Especially the ones at Aunt Lucinda's house. Man, I feel sorry for Alexa."

"Yeah, but not as bad as that one." David said, nodding his head at Lucy.

"Well you probably won't see her around for much longer." I said. "She'll end up at the bottom of Lori's closet when she gets her Christmas presents this year. She probably won't even remember her after that."

"I hope so." David replied, continuing to eat his cake.

Afterwards, we all sat around and watched Lori open her birthday presents. Like at the table, Lucy sat on her lap. Lori squealed with excitement as she opened each of her presents, showing it to everyone and finally to Lucy, commenting on how great her presents were.

"Thank you everyone!" Lori exclaimed with happiness. Getting up from the floor with Lucy in her hands, she gave everyone in the room a hug.

After about two hours, the last of our family members left the house, thanking us for a wonderful party and wishing Lori a happy birthday again. Once everyone was gone, we then proceeded to clean up. Since it was her birthday, Lori didn't have to help clean up so she got to watch TV in the living room and watched Isaac as he played in his play pen.

As I cleaned up, I'd hear Lori talking to Lucy. She'd explain to her about a certain scene or commercial playing on TV. After about twenty minutes, I finished my chore and went over and sat next to them on the couch.

"Lucy and I are watching Tom and Jerry." Lori explained to me.

"I can see that." I said back, watching the cartoon.

We continued to watch the show together for the next little while. When the show went on commercials, Lori got up from the couch.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"I'm going to the bathroom. I'll be right back." She said, running towards the bathroom at the end of the hallway.

Isaac who was in his playpen, crawled over towards me and grabbed the bars, standing up and smiling at me. I smiled back at him and got up from the couch and walked over to him. I took his hands off the bar and held his little hands in mine. He stumbled a couple times but remained upright as I held on to him. Pretty soon I knew he'd start walking and he wouldn't need anyone to hold his hands.

He let go of one of my hands and reached out behind me, babbling. I looked behind me to see what he was reaching for. He was reaching out for Lucy who had her head turned to look at us. I could've swore she had been facing the TV when Lori had left.

"I'm back!" Lori said, running back into the living room. "Hey Lucy! Are you enjoying the show?" She picked up the doll and sat it in her lap. "What?" She brought her ear close to Lucy's face. "Aww!" She then turned to look over at me and Isaac. "Lucy says that Isaac is adorable!"

"Well that is sweet of her." I said to her, my eyes still on the doll. I opened my mouth to get ready to ask her if she had left Lucy like that when mom and dad walk into the room.

"Mom! Dad! Lucy said that Isaac is adorable!" Lori repeated to them.

"Aww! That really is sweet of her." Mom said, bending down next to me.

"Tell Lucy thank you." Dad said to Isaac, stepping into the playpen and picking him up. Isaac continued to babble and reach out for Lucy.

"I think he likes Lucy too." Dad said, looking over at them.

"Well why wouldn't he? Who wouldn't like Lucy?" Lori asked, looking over at her. "She's amazing!"

"I'm sure she is honey. Now let's go to sleep." Mom said, standing back up from where she had been and walking over towards Lori.

"Okay mommy!" Lori took mom's hand and they both walked out of the living room. I stood back in the living room, looking at the doll until she disappeared around the corner along with Lori. For a second, I felt a chill run up my spin but I brushed the feeling off, turning the TV off and heading to bed.

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Author's Note: Hey guys! Hope you all enjoyed chapter two! Please don't forget to comment, vote, and share!