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Alex was straightening some of the condiments when he heard the
bell on the front door jingle. Raising his head over the aisle, he
saw Katie enter the store.
“Hi, Miss Katie,” Kristen called out, popping up from behind the
register. “How do you think my doll looks?”
From where he was standing, he could barely see Kristen’s head
above the counter, but she was holding… Vanessa? Rebecca?
Whatever the doll with brown hair was called, high enough for
Katie to notice.
“She’s beautiful, Kristen,” Katie answered. “Is that a new dress?”
“No, I’ve had it for a while. But she hasn’t worn it lately.”
“What’s her name?”
“Vanessa,” she said.
Vanessa, Alex thought. When he complimented Vanessa later, he
would sound like a much more attentive father.
“Did you name her?”
“No, she came with the name. Can you help me get her boots on,
though? I can’t get them on all the way.”
Alex watched as Kristen handed Katie the doll and she began to
work on the soft plastic boots. From his own experience, Alex
knew it was harder than it looked. There wasn’t a chance a little
girl could somehow muscle them on. He had trouble putting them
on, but somehow Katie made it seem easy. She handed the doll
back and asked, “How’s that?”
“Perfect,” Kristen said. “Do you think I should put a coat on her?”
“It’s not that cold out.”