31 Days

15 - Broken

Warning(s): none

The bell over the door jangled as they entered the shop. The natural light washed over the rows of antiques and a calico cat lay sunbathing near one of the front windows. There was no one else in the store but the young woman behind the counter who was adorned with beads and had a blue scarf tied in her auburn hair.

Emily's mom gripped eight-year-old Emily's hand tighter. Emily looked around the shop, wonder beginning to fill her. It was like a treasure trove waiting to be explored, and somewhere, on one of the many shelves, something special called to her with a siren's song.

The woman sitting behind the counter looked up and smiled at Emily and her mom in turn. "Welcome, welcome!"

Emily smiled back at the woman. She seemed kind and warm.

"Hi," Emily's mom ventured. "I, uh, I was told that you might be one of the only local antique shops that might have..."

Emily didn't hear her moms voice after that, she was too preoccupied looking at the shop around her. She could still hear the siren song; there was undeniably something in the shop that was calling out to her. If only she could figure out what...

"Emily, honey?" her mom's voice floated into her ears.

Emily turned to see her mom. "Yes, mommy?"

"I was saying that you can pick anything in the shop you'd like since you've been such a good helper with Mommy's errands today."

Emily smiled widely. "Really?"

"Really!"

Emily giggled and began to wander the aisles.

Granted, she couldn't see above the fourth or fifth shelf, and certainly couldn't reach higher than the fourth, but she was hyper focused on what she could see from her height. She passed several dinnerware sets, a couple home decor items, and some random knick-knacks before she reached the end of the aisle. Whatever was calling to her hadn't been in that aisle. But she didn't lose an ounce of determination as she turned down the next aisle.

The siren song was louder in this aisle, and Emily felt herself grow more excited. She paid extra close attention to the shelves now, not wanting to miss the thing calling to her. The closer she got to the front of the shop, the stronger the call and the more she felt pulled to whatever it was she was meant to find. Finally, at the end of the aisle on her right side, she looked up at the fourth shelf. There, a beautiful sea blue fabric and a white shoe caught her eye. She grinned and ran to her mother.

"Mommy, I found something!"

Emily's mom turned and smiled at her. "You did?"

Emily nodded and grabbed her mom's hand, pulling her towards the aisle where she had found her treasure. She pointed up to the mesmerizing fabric on the fourth shelf.

"That one, Mommy."

Her mom frowned. "That one?"

Emily nodded fervently.

"Honey, that...that one's broken. She's missing a leg."

"I want her, Mommy."

Emily's mom paused, but then relented and took the doll from the shelf. Emily smiled giddily as her mom gave the doll to her. Her painted smile stared back at Emily, her grey eyes sparkling in the natural light, her dress appearing to move like liquid. Her beautiful brown curls cascaded down her back, and a little bonnet rested on her head. Her missing leg was hardly noticeable, but Emily didn't care. She thought the doll was beautiful even without her leg.

"She's perfect."