Such a Doll Part 1

As the car rocked sharply to a stop, Bianca felt her cheeks burning. Her home sat on a low hill a short distance away and was still lit up, she could make out the features of the exterior even in the dimming evening light. Snatching up her garment bag and bolting from the car, moving quickly up the steps towards the front door.

“Uh, lady!?” Came a gruff voice. Bianca spun on the spot, the hem of her coat fanning out in a narrow cone. The driver was standing by his seat in the car. “Your suitcase?” he said, gesturing to the trunk.

Blushing and hiding her face, she quickly descended the low grade to the car. “Sorry, long trip.” She moved quickly, pausing by the trunk as the man opened it with his key fob. Laying on its side was her large Monos case. Pulling it free, she waved at him and began climbing back up to her home.

Lifting her keys to the lock, she halted. She swallowed hard and looked down at the suitcase at her feet.  She stood there pondering the small steel capsule contained therein. Shaking herself from her reverie, she keyed the lock open and swung the door open.

Cynthia’s backpack lay by the door, and she heard a commotion coming from the living room. Sighing, she smirked and patted the handle of her suitcase before abandoning it and heading down the hall. Music chirped and lilted through the space until she came into the room to see her daughter dancing in front of the television. An avatar mimicked her movements as she danced along to some pop song Bianca only slightly recognized.

She froze as Millie danced beside her, her gorgeous wavy locks swinging with her. She paused and flashed Bianca a bright smile before stepping away from Cynthia. “Ms. Ogromno! Welcome back.”

Cynthia flinched, a red bit of font flashed on the screen as she sheepishly joined the two adults. “H-hi Mum.” She said giggling nervously. “How was the trip?”

Bianca embraced her daughter, kissing her on her temple. She watched Millie move closer, swaying gently. The babysitter’s movements were so fluid, precise and gorgeous it was clear she was continuing with dance while at university. Bianca felt her cheeks flush. “It was very productive.” Bianca said cheerfully. “You two seem to be getting along, did you finish your report?”

Cynthia nodded. “Uh-huh! Millie helped me find some really cool sources.” She said, beaming up at Bianca. “We printed it and it’s already in my bag.”

“And your room?”

“It’s much better than when you left. We made a game of it didn’t we, Cyn?” Millie said sweetly. Her daughter nodded, brushing a lock of hair out of her face.

“Did you do something to your hair?”

Cynthia flashed a wide grin. “I did! Millie showed me how to use an iron to give my hair waves like hers!” Bianca arched an eyebrow but smiled. Millie returned to the telly, powering down the console and stowing away the controllers. Cynthia looked happier than Bianca had seen her in years, until Cynthia caught sight of the clock. “Shoot! I didn’t realize how late it was. Sorry Mom, but I have to head to bed.”

“Oh… OK. Goodnight, Baby.” Cynthia gave her a hug, before hugging Millie and flashing down the hallway towards her bedroom. “Well, that’s a surprise.” Turning, she smiled at the babysitter. “I must say, I half expected to find you by yourself when I got home. How’d you do that?”

Millie shrugged, smiling, and stepping aside and proceeded towards the kitchen. Bianca’s eyes were transfixed, the twenty year old woman wore a fitted black turtleneck jumper and a red skirt that sat at mid-thigh. She looked awfully dressed up, but in truth she knew that this level of polish was Millie’s default aesthetic. “I think we just clicked, she’s as nervous as any of us were at that age.”

Bianca chuckled as she followed along, the absurdity of the statement lifted her spirits. At twenty, Millie was barely older than her daughter. Still, that may have been exactly why the two had bonded so quickly. Her daughter had few friends her own age after all.

Following behind Millie, she paused by her garment bag. Kneeling, she plucked her phone from within, and winced. The app still displayed her long gone drivers’ information, with an option to leave a tip. Sending one, she looked to the kitchen, seeing Millie stowing clean mugs in the upper cabinet she smirked again. Unzipping her suitcase, snatching the stainless steel capsule from within.

Gingerly, she palmed the object and joined Millie in the kitchen. “Care for some tea with me?” She said as sweetly as she could.

Millie nodded, barely paying attention to the older woman. “Sure, I’ll put the kettle on.” She settled back onto her heels and moved to the far end of the counter. Retrieving a small carafe from a charging dock, she filled it with water and began filling it from the tap.

Bianca felt a bead of sweat drip down her temple as she retrieved some unstowed mugs from the drying rack. “What’s your fancy, red tea? Green? Herbal?” she asked, moving to her small tea rack.

“I’m easy to please.” Millie said, returning the carafe to the dock and flipping it on. Bianca set the mugs down and the two chit chatted while the water boiled therein. Millie busied herself by continuing to stow the clean dishes.

While she was distracted, Bianca opened the capsule and tipped a drop or two of her serum into the bottom of the mug with the green tea bag. The liquid seeped into the thin mesh of the bag. Bianca quickly dashed the mugs to the kettle and waited patiently for the water to boil.

“So…um this may be a little awkward, but can I ask a favor Ms. Ogromno?” Millie said, joining the older woman by the kettle. “I need an internship for my summer practicum. Does… your firm have a spot in your business office?”

The light on the charging dock flicked from red to green, and Bianca broke into a wide grin, staring at the kettle expectantly. As steam billowed out of the spout, Bianca lifted the carafe and poured it into the two mugs. She lifted Millie’s mug, swirling it subtly while handing it to the younger woman.

“As a matter of fact, we don’t. But let me make a call in the morning. I’ve got enough pull I could probably find a position for you.”

Millie’s hoop earrings danced as she trembled before her, greedily sipping the contents of the mug. “Oh thank you, thank you!”

Bianca gently sipped her rooibos, and turned to one side, guiding Millie down the hall. “Join me in my office, tell me a bit about your goals for the pracitucm and that’ll help me find the right person to call.” She stepped lightly towards her locked office, plucking up her key ring once again.

“Oh! Um… I have been working with market models, and was hoping too…” The pause brought Bianca’s gaze over her shoulder; Millie was greedily sucking down more of the tea.

‘I must make a note of that effect, is it because of the tea or just the serum itself?’ She thought as she unlocked her study door.

“Sorry, thirstier than I thought.” Millie said. “Umm, and I was actually focusing on the success of the drug the company just brought to the US market.”

“That’s grad level stuff, innit?” Bianca said, stepping into the room. The office was cozy, a small desk with a tablet stand and wireless keyboard and mouse. An old pharmaceutical cabinet she’d rescued from a swap meet in Nowra. A large built-in bookcase occupied the north wall, containing some photos and old toys Cynthia had loved as a little kid. Her teddy leaned against a cracked and weathered Illustrated copy of Alice in Wonderland.

“Well, I am in a competitive program. And besides, this is good practice for Grad school.”

“Oooh, 'Dr. Millie' huh?”

Millie blushed, settling into a chair opposite Bianca. She shifted in her seat, her skirt rumpling somewhat. Swinging her feet idly, Millie tugged at her loosening collar. “Hehe, yeah. Something l-like that.”

Bianca tried to contain herself, to look busy as she pulled her tablet out of her drawer and set it in the stand. Millie was loopy, and almost seemed drunk. ‘Another note for my research…’ She mused, watching as Millie slumped back in her seat.

“Sorry Ms. Ogromno, I think... I’m... overtired.” She said, her voice softening with each word.

“Are you sure, cupcake?” Bianca asked, turning her attention to the younger woman. She leaned over her desk, looking down at the shrinking woman before her. Millie winced, reaching up to her earrings. Bianca leapt up and walked round the desk, kneeling down by the seat. Moving deliberately, she undid Millie’s earrings and set them aside. “You look a little under the weather.”

The little brunette rubbed her eyes with the backs of ever loosening sleeves, struggling to look up at her. In a moment though, she was fast asleep. Slumped flat on her back in the chair. Little Millie’s feet slipped into the orange skirt, disappearing into the fabric.

When the process was finished, Mira gently shifted the seemingly empty garments. Her prize lay serenely on a field of black cotton like a brilliant star when seen by the shore of the bay at night. Leaving her there, Bianca moved quickly to the bookshelf, and found one of her own childhood Barbie dolls.

Peeling the orange and white romper outfit from the doll, she returned to her waiting prize. “This will look adorable on you, dear.” She whispered, gently redressing the now tiny babysitter. She lifted Millie up, examining her carefully in the dim light of the office. Millie was a bit too big for the dolls outfit, and were they not stitched to allow little chubby fingers to dress and undress their toys, Millie may have found the limb holes constricting.

She walked back to the bookcase while carefully dressing Millie in the outfit and picked up Cynthia’s old teddy bear. The stuffed toy was nearly as large as the miniaturized woman. Marveling at her handiwork, she looked around for a box or suitable accommodation for her little guest.

“Mum! I can’t find my school jumper! Can you help me?” Grimacing, Bianca knelt down, setting her prize on the floor of her office. She took a moment to gently wrap Teddy’s arms about Millie’s small body before quietly exiting the room and locking the door once more.

“Coming!” She moved gingerly to the hall, and down towards her daughter’s room.

“I swear, Millie and I put the jumper away! Where did it go?” Cynthia stressed while looking under her bed. Bianca sighed, taking a moment to compose herself. Bianca moved the bedroom door, spying her daughter’s coatrack. A familiar gray and red cuff caught her eye, hidden behind the heavy waxed material of her daughter’s raincoat.

“Cyn?” She queried, nodding to the sleeve as she pulled it free.

Cynthia blushed, moving forward and retrieving the jumper. “Sorry Mum.”

She shrugged, smirking before leaving the room. “Goodnight dear.”

“G’night Mum.”

Bianca left the bedroom, walking back to her office. Unlocking the door, she walked back inside. Teddy had slumped to one side, and the tiny Millie was leaning back against his neck and shoulder. Her delicate, wavy hair bunched against her cheek. Sitting down in front of the toys, Bianca rested her hand on her chin.

Time passed slowly; she watched Millie breathing as she slept. Bianca careful notes of her observations of the shrunken brunette. Her clock chimed 1, and Bianca yawned. ‘Such a drastic reduction in size, she’ll likely be out for a few more hours.’

She went to bed, collapsing onto the mattress without even undressing. Before she knew it, dawn was peeking through the blinds of her window. She woke before her alarms went off, and she sped back to her office.

Bianca knelt by her tiny prize. Gently, she lifted Millie and the bear upwards, carefully carrying her towards the living room. As Bianca walked into the room, she heard Cynthia rustling around down the hall.  Thinking quickly, Bianca set her toys down on the floor, putting her body between the Tiny Millie and her anxious daughter. “Sorry Mum, gotta run, tell Millie thanks for me!” She said, whirling through the living room, grabbing her backpack and heading out the door towards her bus.

Bianca took a seat in front of her tiny prize. Eventually, Millie gasped, stretching and writhing against the toy as she fought back to consciousness. The tiny brunette sat up, looking at her surroundings. Grinning, Bianca loomed over Millie. “Wakey, wakey, little one.”