And this doll was it.
Well, this doll was part of it. Katherine’s tree was going up this year since it was in the stuff that had been in storage. Mom and Dad were coming to help us put it up.
Our embroidered stockings were going up on the fireplace, I’d found a recipe for cinnamon cookies online, and I’d even ordered us new funny sweaters for Christmas day. There were too many things out of my control at the moment.
Christmas and trying to make it as special and memorable as I possibly could was firmly within my control, and I planned on controlling the heck out of it. The doll was an integral part of all that.
Or so I’d thought until I finally made my way to the toy aisle of the store I was in. This was a stupid idea. I shouldn’t have left it this late.
But I’d kind of lost track of time and now it was either brave the mosh pit that was the toy aisle or fail my mission. I’d already had to fight my way this far into the store, and failing wasn’t an option. As afraid as I was to commit to going in, I had no other option.
I’d checked on the website before I’d come to the mall, and according to the information on there, they still had some units of the doll in stock. Or, at least, they’d had some units of the doll in stock.
It wasn’t inconceivable that they were sold out by now, but I’d come as early as I could. Katie was with Mom and Dad, and now all I had to do was brave all those people down that aisle to get her what she wanted most.
I went to lift my foot to take my first step toward the dolls, but it wouldn’t move. Crowds and tight spaces had never been my thing, and now I had to enter tight spaces created by a crowd. It was less than ideal.
My pulse spiked at the sheer amount of people between me and the doll. What if I freak out when I get down there and nobody lets me out and I fall and get trampled to death?
It could happen. I’d read enough news articles about the weird shit that happened on Black Friday that I knew nothing was impossible. I could get killed over a doll, and where would Katie go then? She’d have to deal with losing me too. So would my parents. They’re too old to raise another child.
Before I fell all the way down that rabbit hole, I shook my head at myself. Don’t be ridiculous. People are crazy on Black Friday, but they’re not that bad.
After taking a few deep calming breaths, I forced myself to move. All I had to do was to tough it out. I could do that for Katie.
The only upside to having taken the approach that I had from the front of the shop was that I was on the side of the aisle closest to the dolls. I’d bypassed the hectic traffic for the cash registers by remaining on the outside of them. Then I’d looped around the side of the last one to get in. I had to duck beneath the partition, but it had been at about waist height and only an inch wide, so that’d gone fine.
I’d mentally congratulated myself on my good thinking, but it hadn’t meant that I got to skip the crowds in their entirety. There were only a few feet between me and the dolls, though. A ton of people might occupy those few feet, but I’d get in and out in a jiffy.
People bumped into me once I entered the aisle. I made myself as small as I could while muttering under my breath. “It’s called personal space, people. Some of us like to have it.”
An employee appeared at the top of the aisle with a megaphone, raising it to her lips to try calm people down, but nobody seemed to be listening. “Attention shoppers. Can I have your attention please? If everyone would move in an orderly fashion and refrain from violence, you’ll all get what you came for and no one will get hurt.”
Exactly. That lady knew what she was talking about. It made a lot more sense to simply calm down, wait patiently, and move in a line. Get what you want. Get out.
Apparently, she and I were the only ones with that idea. Most people ignored her, but a couple hollered insults in her direction.
One woman with a cart filled with toy boxes and a year’s supply of tampons stepped away from the shelf, and suddenly, I could see the dolls. If only someone would make space for her so she, her toys, and her tampons could skedaddle, I’d almost be able to reach the box I wanted.
So close. As if the universe itself had heard my pleading thought, the woman managed to find a spot to squeeze through and I slid into the one she had vacated. Yes. I did it. I actually did it. I’m the best aunt and godmother in the whole wide world. Katie’s going to be so—
Another hand closed around the other side of the box as soon as I touched the side nearest to me. I yanked my gaze up properly for the first time since setting foot into this aisle and found myself looking into a gorgeous, familiar pair of brown eyes.
Oh no. Not him. Anyone but him. All I could think of when I looked into his eyes was the insane chemistry that had flowed between us the last time I’d been this close to his face. I’d spent all the time between then and now telling myself it had been my imagination playing tricks on me and that there was no way I’d really felt what I’d thought I had.
One second in his orbit and I knew that had all been a lie. The chemistry was there, and it made me want to tangle my fingers in his hair and kiss him right there in the middle of the mob.
Jacob smirked when he recognized me, and it was like someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over my head.
“It’s you,” he said, repeating the same words from Halloween. “Imagine that. How are you, Laurie?”
“I’d be better if you let go of the toy I’m getting Katie for Christmas.” I glared at him. “How are you?”
He chuckled, not seeming nearly as tense as I was about being in such a big crowd. The bottom of his jaw was slightly redder than the rest of his skin, and there was a scrape on the forearm connected to the hand holding the box.
“See, that’s funny. I’m not going to let go because this happens to be the doll I’m getting Allie for Christmas.”
I broke eye contact with him to glance at the shelf, praying to see another box sticking out behind this one. But, of course, that would’ve made things too easy.
“This seems to be the last one,” I said.
“I noticed. Why don’t you go ask that nice lady who was just screaming at everyone to calm down if she’s got another one in the back? That way, you’ll also go home with what you wanted today.”
“No thanks. I have a better plan.” I tightened my grip on the box. “Why don’t you go ask her about more stock in the back?”
He shook his head and chuckled again, but the sound was darker this time. “No way. I’ve just come from up there and I’m not going back. Do you have any idea how brutal it is at the electronic toys around there? I got slapped.”
“Oh, I thought that might just have been because of your personality.”
He snorted. “You didn’t seem to mind my personality so much on Saturday.”
“Temporary insanity.” I waved my free hand. “Just like my bright idea of coming shopping on Black Friday.”
“Insanity is one explanation for it, I suppose.” His eyes locked on mine, and I had to grab onto the world with both mental hands to keep it from melting away again. “Regardless, I’m getting this doll for Allie. Sorry, Laurie. You’re going to have to go find another one at a different shop.”
“Katie has wanted this doll for ages,” I said, my tone imploring but not begging. “It’s all she’s been talking about. It’s not even December yet and she’s already written Santa about it.”