Ted's Dolls 34: Candace

If you haven't read any of the prior Ted's Dolls stories, you should start with Ted's Dolls 1: Jane before reading this one. Candace, Edwin, Mary, and Freddie were introduced in Ted’s Dolls 10: Edwin and last seen in Ted’s Dolls 27: Mary.

Freddie was the first of his study group to get his lunch and claim a cafeteria table for the group. Mary arrived shortly after he sat. “Hello, Mary.”

“Hi, Freddie,” she said softly.

“I didn’t see you all weekend. Did you do anything interesting?”

“You know what I did.”

“Yes. I was just hoping you’d want to talk about it so I gave you an opening. It’s called having a conversation.”

She glared at him.

“You rarely talk to me, Mary. I sometimes think you don’t like me.”

“You aren’t as bad as I first believed.”

“I will have a wonderful day knowing you’ve warmed up to me.”

“Don’t get a swelled head.”

“Far too late. So? Weekend?”

“I spent the weekend in Ted’s room as a porcelain doll. Happy?”

“Thrilled. What’s Ted like when he’s alone.”

“I don’t know. He’s just a normal person, I suppose. Plays a lot of Gold Ore’s Bait.”

“And Paris?”

“She wasn’t there the whole weekend.”

“Really? Never mind. Did you enjoy it?”

“Did Mary enjoy what?” Candace said as she and Edwin arrived together and sat down.

Freddie caught Mary’s expression and said, “The latest episode of Downtown with Abby.”

“Oh, don’t talk about that. We didn’t get a chance to watch it yet.”

“That’s too bad,” Freddie said.

“I didn’t think you watched that show, Mare.”

“I usually don’t.”

“Oh? I talk about it with you all the time.”

“Yes, you talk about it all the time. I thought I’d try watching it so it would make more sense.”

“I’m sorry. Do you want me to stop talking about it?”

“No, no. I enjoy our conversations.” Mary said, picking up her tray, “I just remembered I needed to see Professor Owlry and her office hours are short today. See you later.”

“What’s up with her?” Edwin said.

“No idea,” Candace said. “She’s been acting a bit weird lately.”

“I’m sure she’ll work through it,” Freddie said. “She’s a tough one.”

When they were finished, Candace and Edwin kissed as their next classes were at opposite ends of campus. Freddie followed Edwin and caught up to him. “Got a minute?”

“Sure, what’s up?”

“Mary. She misses seeing Candace on weekends.”

“Oh. Why didn’t you just tell Candace?”

“For the same reason, Mary didn’t tell Candace. I didn’t want to come between you and your doll. And if Mary isn’t going to say something, it surly isn’t my place to do so.”

“That’s never stopped you before.”

“I’ve grown.”

“Do you think this is my fault?”

“I’m just telling you what I’ve observed. What you do with the information is up to you.”

“Thanks.”

* * *

“Mary?” Candace said. “She would tell me if something were wrong.”

“She would?” Edwin said. “Didn’t she push you into my arms?”

“Sort of. She didn’t know I was the doll you kept receiving. But she understood immediately when I told her you were a doll in my room.”

“And now you say she seems distant. You think that’s just a coincidence.”

“Oh, but? Why would she need to stay away when I’m not a doll?”

“When was the last time you spent time with her on a weekend?”

“Oh, no,” Candace could not mask how upset she was. “I’ve spent every weekend as your doll since Halloween.”

“Except Thanksgiving.”

“I didn’t see her then either. I’m a terrible friend.”

“Don’t kick yourself too hard. She could have said something.”

“I just don’t think of Mary ever needing anything.”

“No?”

“She’s quiet. She’s shy. But she doesn’t put up with bullshit from anyone.”

“Except you.”

“Don’t say that.”

He pulled her close and they held one another for a moment.

“I need to find her, now,” she said.

“Want me to come with you?”

“No. Getting her to talk in front of both us would be even harder.”

*

Edwin entered Candace’s room. “Are you going to get dinner before transforming for the weekend?”

“Yes. But I’m not dolling this weekend.”

“Okay. So… you and Mary are good now.”

“No,” she teared up. “I haven’t found her.”

He took her hand. “That’s odd. Where could she be?”

“I have no idea.”

“When did you last check her room?”

“A few hours ago.”

He stepped out into the hall and knocked on Mary’s room a few doors down. No answer.

“Let’s just go eat,” Candace said, closing the door to her dorm room.

After dinner, they returned to Edwin’s room. Not long after they arrived, Freddy entered and dropped his book bag on the floor. “Who died?”

“No one died. We can’t find Mary.”

“Oh.” He picked his bag back up. “You didn’t hear this from me. But Ted probably knows where Mary is.”

“Isn’t Ted busy with his show tonight?”

“Oh, right,” Freddy said. “He’s probably not in his room. You might have to wait until tomorrow.”

“Let’s just head to his room and see,” Edwin said.

When they got to his dorm, he wasn’t in.

“I guess I really won’t be dolling this weekend.”

“I’m guessing you aren’t in the mood to study,” Freddy said.

“I don’t think we will tonight,” Edwin said.

“Catch you later,” Freddy said.

Candace and Edwin returned to her room. She flopped on the bed, feeling defeated.

Edwin sat down next to her without saying anything.

“I like being a doll,” Candace said softly.

“I figured that.”

“When I first had Ted deliver me to you I was so scared out of my mind that you would reject me that I didn’t think about what I’d actually done to myself.

“It wasn’t until the third time I wondered what I was doing. Was this a relationship? I’d ask myself. Only I knew we were together. How could it be? But, you’re… well, you’re you. And you treated the doll so nicely.”

“You don’t…”

“Let me finish. After you dolled for me. I was nervous again. I don’t mean how I ran to Mary for help. I mean after I returned you to Ted. What would it be like going forward? We worked that out. But I also had come to enjoy being your doll. And you certainly didn’t mind. I don’t become a doll during the week. I didn’t think spending the weekend as a doll was too much.”

“It isn’t too much. But it might be too long all at once,” Edwin said. “At least, it is for Mary. And based on what Freddy told me. I wouldn’t mind spending more time on weekends able to talk with you, not just to you.”

“You should have said something.”

“There was nothing to say. I’m fine either way. And I know how much you love hearing me read the reading assignments to you.”

A broad smile played across her face causing Edwin to smile.

“I do love just listening to you read to me. I don’t think it would be the same if I weren’t a doll.”

“We have this evening to ourselves. We could find out.”

* * *

Candace tapped gently on Ted’s dorm room door early the next morning. He didn’t respond verbally. But she heard the sound of someone slowly getting out of bed.

Ted opened the door. He was wearing underwear and nothing else. Behind him, Candace saw the remains of candles around the room. A shapely leg poked out from under the covers on the bed.

“Oh, god, I’m so sorry for interrupting,” she said.

“Shhhh, keep it down. It’s okay I had to get up soon anyway. I’m not doing any dolls today.”

“I’m not here for that. I was told you might know where Mary is.”

“Mary? Oh, Mary. Right.” He blushed. “Um… She’s over there.”

He pointed into his room, toward the bed. On the shelf behind the bed was a porcelain doll.

“The little doll?”

“Yes. I suppose she got an interesting show last night. Forgot all about her.”

“Why…?”

“I don’t deal in why. You’ll have to ask her. She’ll be a doll until Sunday evening. You’ll have to ask her your questions then. Don’t forget to come out and see the artshow, today.”

She didn’t protest as he closed the door.

* * *

“How did you know where Mary was?” Candace said after storming into Freddy’s room and slamming the door.

“She asked me for advice. Don’t ask me why she followed it.”

“That doesn’t sound like her.”

“I know, right? But, she was really distraught last week. She must not have been thinking straight.”

“Last week?”

“Yes, I assume you found her turned into a porcelain doll in Ted’s room.”

“How did you…?”

“This is the second weekend she’s done this.”

“Why didn’t she just talk to me?”

“You know the answer to that.”

“I do?”

Freddy just stared at her.

“I do,” Candace said. She sat on Freddy’s bed. “She probably figured if it was her who pushed me and Edwin together, if she said anything it might pull us apart.”

“Something like that,” Freddy said. It took him a moment to make the decision before he sat next to her. “I followed her to her room last week when she left the study group early. She let me into her room and asked me for help. I told her she should become a doll to find out what you see in it. She accused me of being gross, nothing new there. I reminded her that Ted doesn’t just do sex dolls. When we were done, I told her, I was sure the right advice would have been to go talk to you. No idea why she went with my plan.”

“When did you become… not wise… more like sideways wise?”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. And I’ve always been me. You just choose to only see the face I present.”

* * *

Pretty Doll watched Owner and Owner’s girlfriend sleep. Doll wondered why watching nothing happen was not boring. Doll was sure its other self would have been bored. But Doll just stood on the shelf where Owner had placed it and was happy. Owner stirred and woke up. Owner and girlfriend cuddled and spoke softly to one another.

Owner and girlfriend were dressed when another woman entered. After talking the new woman went into the bathroom. Owner was going to make a new doll. Doll was excited. Owner removed other doll from bathroom and put other doll on sofa. Doll had seen this many times. Doll wondered what being a big doll was like. A Renter arrived and big doll was taken by Renter.

Time passed. It was dark outside. Owner picked up Pretty Doll. “How was your weekend?” Owner said.

It was great, Doll thought.

Owner removed Doll’s dress and placed Doll on the bathroom floor.

Mary was standing in the bathroom looking at herself in the mirror. She took her clothes out of the milk crate and got dressed.

“Hi, Ted,” she said as she left the bathroom and put the milk crate on the stack. “How did your exhibit go?”

“Oh, that’s right. You didn’t get to see it. I’ll send you the video Tamara made. It’s well made. To answer your question, it was exhausting. But everyone involved seemed to have fun. And people seemed to like it.”

“Cool,” Mary said. She just stood there for a moment.

“Was there something else?”

“No, I guess I should get going.” She still just stood there. “I think... I think I want to be rented.”

“If that’s what you want. Normally I’d tell you to just use the app, but I want to make sure you get a good renter for your first time. Stop by during the week and I’ll set something up.”

She nodded and left Ted’s room. She return to her dormitory and was going to go straight to her room when she passed Candace’s door and stopped. She tapped lightly on her door. Candace opened the door almost immediately.

“Mary!” She threw her arms around her friend and gave her a big hug.

Mary stood there unsure what to do. “Hi, Candace.”

“I’m sorry,” Candace said letting her friend go and stepping back into her room. “Come in. I have questions and hopefully I have answers.”

Mary entered. “You’re not with Edwin?”

“We aren’t joined at the hip. Why didn’t you tell me you wanted to see me on the weekends?”

“I didn’t want to impose.”

“Impose? We’re besties. You can tell me anything.”

“Okay.”

“It’s funny. I couldn’t be a doll this weekend and yet you could. I have wanted to see you all weekend. That was a smack in the face after Freddie, of all people, explained why you were… upset?”

“I don’t know if I was upset. It was just a small sadness that didn’t outweigh your joy.”

“That wasn’t for you to decide. I want to know about all your sadnesses, and joys, and any other emotions. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“So, what’s it like spending the weekend in Ted’s room?”

“Nice.”

Candace just stared at her friend and waited.

“I don’t know. He wasn’t there most of the time. Probably because he was busy with his exhibit both weekends I spent there. I liked being able to relax.”

“Isn’t that the best?”

Mary was thoughtful. “Would you do something for me?”

“Anything.” Candace leaned forward to show she was fully listening.

“I told Ted I wanted… I wanted to be a… big doll and… and be… rented.”

“Really? And you want me to tell you about it?”

“No, well, if you want to talk about it, sure. But. I was wondering if you would… also be rented with me.”

Candace sat back. “I’d have to ask Edwin if he would mind.”

“He won’t mind.”

“He probably won’t. But I have to ask. Could be fun.”

“Especially if we do it together, Bestie.”

“Together,” Candace said.