CHARLIE GETS HIS FIRST DOLLHOUSE

Charlie looked at the big present before him in awe.

"It's a big one!" he squealed excitedly.

Jessica smiled, "Sometimes good things come in small packages," she pulled the young boy into her lap and tickled him, "Like you."

Charlie giggled and managed to crawl out of his mom's lap, "Stop, stop. I want to open my present, mommy."

"Of course you do," Jessica ruffled his hair, "This is a very special one, Charlie. It was mine when I was a little girl," she hesitated, "But you know how we have to put your dresses in the back of your wardrobe? We might have to do that with this too."

Charlie tilted his head, "Dad won't like it."

"Perhaps not," Jessica said quietly, "But I don't care. If you like it, we'll always find a way."

Charlie grinned and averted his gaze back to the present. He stood up and began ripping at the paper until it all lay at his feet. He bent down on his knee and looked at the big, antique dollhouse before him.

"Wow!" he exclaimed.

"Do you like it?" Jessica asked tentatively.

Charlie looked up at his mom and beamed, "It's so pretty. Did you really play with it when you were little?"

Jessica smiled, "I did. I spent hours a day in front of this dollhouse. My mom had to tear me away from it," she chuckled.

"I love it, mama! But a dollhouse needs dolls!"

Jessica laughed, "It does. I have some stored away but I thought you might want some newer ones. Mine might be a little old fashioned – "

"I want to play with your dolls, mommy!" Charlie said, "I like old fashioned things. I want to play with the dolls you played with when you were little."

"Okay, I'll get them out for you, baby," Jessica grinned at her son's enthusiasm as she left the room. It only took her a few minutes of rustling around in some old boxes to find a few of her old, porcelain dolls. She came back to her patiently waiting son.

Charlie smiled, looking at the dolls, taking each of them in his hands, "Wow, they're so pretty! Look," he held up a fair skinned, blonde doll with wide blue eyes, "This one looks a bit like little Ali! I bet she will grow long hair like this, it's so beautiful," Charlie looked up his mom, "Thank you so much, mommy. I love them."

Jessica held him close and tight, "My pleasure, darling. But remember what I said – "

"We have to hide it," Charlie nodded as he pulled out of his mom's embrace, "I have an idea. Sometimes I hide my dresses under the floorboards in the wardrobe! There's lots of space down there under the house! We could get a nice cover so it's all safe and not get dusty!"

"Oh, you are so clever," Jessica was always amazed at her son's brain, "That sounds like a very good idea. I'm sorry you have to hide your things away, sweetheart."

Charlie sighed, "It's okay, mommy. I know dad isn't so nice like you are. He doesn't understand why I don't like trucks and boy things. When I grow up, I'm going to build a big house like this one and you can come and live with me but dad isn't allowed. Then we can play with dolls all day and won't have to hide things."

Jessica's heart melted, "That sounds lovely, Charlie. I promise, one day things will be much better."

Charlie nodded, "I know, mommy. I love you."

"I love you too, honey," Jessica placed a hand on his cheek, "Very, very much. As long as it's you and me, you play with your dolls as much as you want."