Avery Laurel: A Doll's Life
Ok...I had tried to be nice, I had tried to be patient, I had tried to stay calm, but I couldn't take it anymore!
"Isaac Hanson!" I shouted as I kicked the bathroom door, "Hurry up! You've been in there forever!"
"Just a sec Avie." Was all I could hear of his muffled reply.
"You said that ten minutes ago." I mumbled under my breath as I slumped down to the floor and leaned against the door.
Just then Zac came out of his room across the hall.
"Hey Ave, what's wrong?" He asked as he crouched down next to me.
"It's Ike. He's taking forever! I don't get what's so different about today. He never takes this long any other time." I pouted as I hit the door with my fist.
"Oh…well, you know how he gets before his dates and all, probably trying to like, straighten his hair out or something stupid like that." Zac said trying to make me feel better.
Right when I was about to say something, the door flew open which made me fall backwards right into Isaac's legs.
"Hey Avie, I told you to give me a sec." Isaac said as he reached down and lifted me to my feet. "I'm sorry I took so long, but now it's all yours. And to make it up to you…um…you can look in my top drawer and see what kind of surprises I have in there ok?"
How could I stay mad after an offer like that? Ike isn't one to let us dig around his room for no good reason! But still…he did make me wait forever, let's see what else I can get out of him.
Turning slightly, I looked up at him with the most pathetic face I could muster without laughing.
Zac took one look at me and started cracking up. "Ooooh...Ike, she has that face. You better be extra nice or she'll tell on you."
Swinging my leg at Zac, I missed hitting him by just a fraction of a inch. Darn, not close enough to do any damage.
But still, Ike ignored Zac. Picking me up, he carried me into his room and shut the door.
"Ok, you got me. How about I show you a secret? Something that no one else knows? But you have to keep quiet."
A secret? Now he's talking.
"You know how Jessie is mad at me? Cuz I stepped on her doll on accident?"
Accident? Yeah right…he broke it while playing football inside the house. But, who am I to argue.
"Well...check it out."
Isaac opened his closet and pulled out a really big box. Setting it on his bed he pulled off the lid and set it down on the floor.
Looking over carefully, I could see a ton of tissue paper inside the box, but I could also see what was underneath.
Gasping, I reached into the box and pulled it out. I was right. It was "The Doll". The doll that both of us had been asking for. Not the kind of doll you play with, but a beautiful porcelain doll, with long curly blond hair, big brown eyes, and the prettiest blue dress. He had even picked up the accessories. Comb, jewelry, the kitten! The whole works.
And he had got it for her birthday. Figured. She's the older one, she always gets what she wants. I get leftovers.
Sighing I placed the doll back in the box. "It's great Ike, she'll love it." I said trying to hide the hurt in my voice.
He didn't buy it, but he didn't question either. "Good…I wouldn't want my sister to hate me for life now would I?"
Not even giving me time to answer, he grabbed the box and shoved it back in the closet without the lid.
"Well...I have to finish getting ready Avie, why don't you go find something else to do? I think Mom could use some help with Zoë."
Zoë? He couldn't even see them. Just say it, you don't want me around.
Ha...as if I could say that to his face. Turning I walked out without saying goodbye. Serves him right. He always did like Jessie better.
Just my luck, out the door and who's the first person I see? Jessie.
"Hey Avery, want to help me bake some cookies? Mom said we could." Jessie said as she practiced some ballet moves around me.
I guess it's not Jessie's fault that Ike is being a dork.
"Sure!" I smiled as Jessie grabs my hand and pulls me downstairs.
An hour later the two of us are covered in flour, sugar, egg, and whatever else we had thrown in the mixing bowl.
Mackie is sitting on a stool watching us. Licking one of the beaters of course. Cute kid. Acts like Zac on a sugar buzz, but I love him to pieces.
"I want more!" Mackie giggled as he polished of the batter.
"Mac, you're going to get sick." Jessie warned as she handed him the other beater.
"Yeah Mac," I chimed in, "The tummy ache monsters are going to get you."
Mackie's eyes got really big around. "Tummy ache monsters?"
"Uh huh. Go ask Tay about them."
"Ask me about what?"
Whoops, speaking of Tay, guess who just joined us.
"Tay-Tay," Mackie squealed as he jumped off the stool and onto Taylor, "What's the tummy ache monster?"
Taylor gave me and Jessie a look. You know...the 'I can not believe you guys' sorta look.
"Well," Tay started as he put Mackie down, "The tummy ache monster is the monster that chases little girls when they tell their brother silly stories."
Me and Jessie both took a step backwards.
Taylor continued. "He sneaks up on them like this…"
With that, Taylor took two big steps and grabbed both of us from behind.
I started screaming first. He was tickling me!
"Tay...ta...ta...Taylor!" I couldn't stop laughing, he had me pinned to his side and he just kept tickling me!
I could hear Jessie breaking into fits of laughter right next to me.
"Tell Mackie you're sorry." Tay said loosening his grip just a little.
When neither of us said anything, he started to tickle us again.
"What's going on in here!?" Suddenly our Mom's voice rose up out of nowhere. "Taylor, let your sisters go! Mackie, put that bowl down, Jessica Grace, Avery Laurel, I said you could make cookies, not have a food fight!"
Taylor reluctantly put us down. "But Mom, they were telling…"
Mom cut him off in mid sentence. "I don't care. Help them clean up in here."
Taylor shut his mouth and moved to wipe off the counters.
Mom, gotta love her. I can't handle being a kid, how she manages being a mother of seven is beyond me. Tough love, that's what I hear my brothers call it behind her back. Zac says she could whip any army into shape, then cook them all a four course meal without breaking a sweat. I don't doubt that.
About ten minutes later, me and Jess were loading the last of the dishes while Tay and Mac cleaned the counters and stove top. More Tay than Mackie, but he was trying.
By the time we had finished, Mom had pulled the cookies out of the oven and had set six places on the table. On each plate she had set some cookies, and had poured a glass of kool-aid for all of us.
I glanced at the clock. Tay spoke for me.
"Isn't it a little close to dinner to be eating cookies?"
"Maybe. But you guys did such a nice job of cleaning the kitchen that I thought you deserved something special to tide you over." Mom just smiled at us. Well, at least we knew we weren't in trouble. Mom never stays mad very long. Unless you do something really bad, like when Isaac, Taylor, and Zac stuck my barbie on the Christmas tree.
By the time we finished the cookies, all was well with our family. Mackie had forgotten the tummy ache monsters, and I wasn't so mad at Isaac anymore.
Zoë was sitting in her high chair trying to eat a cookie. Most of it was winding up on her shirt. Maybe chocolate chip wasn't our best idea.
Mom had left to go start dinner, so it was up to me and Jessie to clean Zoë up. Taylor had already dragged Mackie off to change his shirt before dinner.
"Eww..." Jessie pulled Zoë out and held her at a distance. "Guess we have to change more than just her shirt!"
I nodded and then ran upstairs to get everything ready. On my way past Isaac's door, I remembered the doll. Once little peek wouldn't hurt, would it? I slid in through his slightly open door.
Once I got the closet open, I had to strain on my tip toes to reach the box. Since it didn't have the lid I could just reach it. Pulling it slowly, I could hear it sliding across the shelf.
There, got it, just a little bit further...
~~CRASH~~
Jumping backwards I just missed being hit with the box as it crashed to the floor. Unfortunately, the doll wasn't as lucky.
"Oh no!" I murmured as I flipped the box right side up. She had a huge crack across her face, and one of her legs had broken off. Isaac was going to hate me!
I grabbed everything and shoved it back in the box as a sinking feeling came over me. There was nothing I could do about it now. Shoving the box back in the closet, I shut the door and ran out of the room and into the nursery.
"There you are," Jessie was holding Zoë on the changing table, "Could you pass me a diaper?"
I mumbled a reply as I handed her the diaper.
After that I think I zoned out. I know I didn't eat dinner, I know that cuz my stomach is growling. Dad sent me to bed early, I guess he thinks I'm sick. But I'm not sick, just scared.
Ike has always forgiven me before, but I never did anything that stupid before! I'm the only person who knew the doll. I'm doomed.
My door creaked as someone pushed it open. Please don't let it be Isaac!
"Sweetie?"
Good, only Dad.
"Yeah?" I whispered from under the cover.
"How you feeling?" he asked as walked over and sat down on my bed. He smelled like roast, probably cuz we had it for dinner.
"Hungry." I sighed as I peeked my head out.
"Do you want me to bring something up for you? I can have Diana warm some up for you."
"I'd like that." I said avoiding eye contact. I still felt awful, and I was afraid I was going to cry any moment.
"Ok, I'll be up in a minute with it. You just rest."
Before he left, Dad leaned down and gave me a kiss on my forehead. I gave him a weak smile as he went out the door.
There's my Dad for you, over protective as always, even while at home. Oh well, saves me the trouble of trying to find food later.
I just laid there until my door swung open again, this time it was Zac, and he had my food.
"Hey squirt, here's the food you wanted." He may be calling me names, but his smile let me know he was just playing around as always.
"Thanks Zac." I mumbled as I sat up and straightened out my covers. Middle of July and I still have a comforter, I'm crazy, I know.
Zac set the tray down on my lap. Lifting up the lid I saw a chunk of roast, some potatoes, and a heap of green beans.
Putting the lid on my night stand, I looked around for a fork, which I didn't see anywhere.
Glancing up I saw Zac holding his hands behind his back.
"Zac! I want my fork!" I said trying not to sound impatient.
"Guess which hand it's in."
"Left"
Zac held out his left hand, nothing.
"Right"
"Wrong-o!" Zac held out his other hand which was also empty.
Just as I was about to start complaining, Zac got a weird look, and then reached behind my ear and pulled his hand back with the fork in it.
I just stared at him as he smiled and put it down on my tray.
"How did you…I mean…it wasn't there…you just…" I was stunned.
"A magician never reveals his secrets." Zac answered as he laid down across the foot of my bed. "Besides, you wouldn't use it if you knew how I did it."
Like I would want to use it after he says something like that. Zac is sooo weird.
Finally I managed to shoo Zac out of my room and eat my dinner in peace. I left my tray on my nightstand along with the lid, and slid under my covers. Ike would be home soon. I had almost forgot about that while Zac was there.
I waited until I thought everyone would be asleep until I got back out of bed. Taylor is who I was looking for, he always understands me. I was hoping he wouldn't get too mad with me for what I had to tell him.
Cracking open my door, I saw a light on downstairs, probably Mom or Dad waiting for Isaac. Not that they don't trust him, they just want to make sure he gets home alright.
Taking a deep breath, I crept down the hallway until I reached Tay's door. No light was on underneath, but I'd take my chances.
Lightly knocking I held my breath until I heard Tay walking across the floor. For a new house, we sure had a creaky floor.
I giggled when Tay opened the door, he was only in his boxers and his hair was all messed up.
"Hey Avie Baby, whatcha want this time of night?" Tay asked as he opened the door all the way.
Avie Baby? Hadn't heard that one in a while, he must really be out of it.
"I really need to talk." I stressed 'really'.
"Oh, come in." Tay moved back into his room and stretched his arms out above his head. What do girls see in him anyway?
I followed him in and took a seat at his computer desk. So that's why he was still up. The screen showed me that Taylor was writing a letter, looks like it was to our cousin.
"Taybear...I did something really bad on accident earlier, and now Ike is going to be super-duper mad at me!" I said all in one breath as I stared at the floor.
"Like...what?" Taylor asked sitting down on the edge of the chair, which almost made me fall out, but I didn't notice till he had grabbed me to keep me from falling.
"Well, I'm not supposed to tell anyone, but he got this doll for Jessie's birthday…and I wanted to look at it, and when I pulled it out of the closet, the box dropped and it broke!" when I reached the end of that sentence I broke into tears.
I didn't care if he called me a baby, I know I'm eight, but I couldn't help it.
Taylor didn't say anything. He just lifted me into his lap and hugged me until I stopped crying. When I calmed down, I realized that now he was all wet. I kinda brushed some of my tears off of him, but they didn't want to cooperate with me.
It must of tickled, cuz when I tried again, Tay laughed a little bit.
"Oh Avery, Ike isn't going to hate you." Tay looked at me with concern in his eyes. "He will be upset, but he'll get over it. I'm just glad you didn't get hurt when it fell."
I don't know why, but somehow hearing that made me feel better. I squeezed Taylor as tight as I could, and then I climbed off his lap.
"Thanks Tay, I needed that." I said as I headed towards the door.
"No problem, what else are brothers for?" Taylor answered before he blew me a good night kiss.
I walked back down the hall and into my room. Tay hadn't said it out loud, but I knew I was going to have to face Isaac the next day. Ever gone to bed wishing you'd never wake back up?
Before I knew it, I had drifted off. I guess someone came when I was sleeping and cleaned off my tray, because when I woke up the next morning, it was gone.
I headed downstairs hoping that Isaac wasn't up yet. I was lucky, he was still sleeping.
Mom had made waffles, one of my favorites. A good start to the day at least.
Jessie was using the syrup to draw a face on Mackie's waffle, it had two really big eyes, no nose, and this huge mouth that was spilling onto the plate!
Mackie grabbed some strawberries and put it where the eyes were. Now it looked ever weirder. I spotted some orange slices on the table. Taking one of them I leaned across the table and gave Mackie's waffle person some hair.
I guess Zoë thought that it was funny, cuz right at that moment she started to laugh and giggle. Bad move Zoë, waffles pieces went flying all over her chair.
Dad laughed as he wiped them up with a sponge, after seven kids you come to expect things like that.
Mom was still standing over the stove, with Taylor peering over her shoulders holding his plate. Boy can he eat, but you'd never guess it though!
Zac was trying to get Zoë to eat the waffles, without it flying all over the place. He was making airplane noises and holding the waffle piece in his hand. It was cute, but I think Zac could of used the bib more than Zoë. She was spitting all over him when she laughed.
I took my seat next to Jessie, and watched as she carefully put butter in each little square. I think she got that from Ike, he can be such a perfectionist at time.
Isaac, I forgot about that again. Man, it was easy to forget things in my house.
While I waited for the next batch of waffles to be done, I wandered into the living room. Our blinds were only partly open, so I peeked outside. The normal gathering of fans was there. Geez, after a while you learn to recognize them.
After looking out for a few minutes, I went back into the kitchen when I heard Zac calling me. Only it sounded more like 'Ahee, thh wahels ar eh dee'. Told you he's weird.
Mackie was mostly done with his face when I came back, only one of the eyes and his hair was left. Our dad and Zoë were gone, probably went to change her, and wash her face. Jessie was loading her dishes into the washer, Taylor was wiping down his part of the table, and Zac was busy getting syrup all over his hands as he picked the pieces up with his fingers.
When I was about halfway done, Isaac came downstairs.
I cringed when he walked past me. He walked to the fridge and pulled out a jug of orange juice. I think he was about to drink out of the bottle until our mom cleared her throat. He looked up, and then went and got a cup.
"Morning Ike." Tay said glancing at me. "Have fun last night?"
"Mornin' Tay. It was pretty good. But she kept talking though the whole movie." Isaac sat down next to me and put his juice down.
"Hey girly." Ike ruffled my hair as he said that. I pouted at him through my tangles, but I don't think he saw. He was already saying hi to Jessie and Mackie.
After I finished up I quickly cleaned my place and went back upstairs to my room. I knew I had to face him, but I couldn't do it yet.
I looked through my bookshelf until I came to 'The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader', one of the books from The Chronicles Of Narnia. A book about boats, this ought to be good. I've read it before, but it was better than talking to Isaac.
Just when I got to the part where Lucy was heading up the stairs at the Magician's House, Isaac opened my door.
"Ave, we need to talk."
That certainly brought me out of my trance. "Oh, Ike, hi…um…hi?"
"Tay said you had something you needed to tell me?"
Ah, that Taylor! I could hurt him right about now.
"He said it was about Jessie's present." Isaac was still standing in the doorway giving me this quizzical look.
I couldn't take it anymore. I started crying again.
"Avie?" Isaac walked over to my bed and sat down next to me. "Avie, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"
"I broke it Ike, it fell and it broke and it can't be fixed and now you're mad at me!" I threw my arms around Isaac's shoulders and just kept crying into his shirt.
"Why didn't you wait for me to come home? I would of let you see it again." Isaac ran his fingers through my hair, getting them tangled in a knot or two.
"I don't know. I wanted to see it before you gave it to Jessie, before it became hers, maybe then I could pretend that it was mine." That came out pretty muffled considering I was still sobbing on him.
Isaac didn't say anything, he just picked me up and carried me to his room. Still holding me, he reached into his closet and pulled the box out.
I didn't want to see what I had done, but I knew he was going to make me look.
"It doesn't look that bad Avie, I bet you we could fix it."
We? Was he out of his mind? I'm the one who broke it!
I looked at the doll. He was right, it wasn't as bad as I had thought it was. The crack on her face could probably be covered, and the dress would hide her leg…
"So? You wanna help me?" Isaac set me down on his bed.
"You mean…you aren't mad at me? You aren't going to yell at me? Or get me in trouble?" My brothers have a habit of shocking me.
"No, I couldn't be mad at you Avie, well, not for long at least." Ike smiled as he put the lid back on the box.
I couldn't argue with that. I smiled back as he took me hand and led me out of his room. I knew what I was going to be doing, helping him fix the doll for Jessie. I guess it doesn't matter who gets what presents, Ike liked me just as much as Jessie.
Epilogue: I helped Ike fix up the doll, you couldn't even tell it had a crack on it. Jessie loved the doll when she got it on her birthday, Isaac told her it was from me too. I was surprised when he said that, but he told me afterwards that I had helped make the doll even more special since I was such a doll myself. We went out for pizza after Jessie opened presents, I don't think Zoë liked it though. She kept fussing and throwing olives at people. I was happy, I don't like olives very much! It was a great day overall, and I learned that all of us are just as important. Just, in our own different ways. How else do you explain my family?
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