1:

There was a definite chill in the air. Outside, white powder dusted the front yard, revealing the dead grass underneath its loose crystals.

"This has got to be the dumbest show," Woody said. He said it often. Bo smiled to herself. It wasn't exactly as though they watched this soap for the brilliant writing.

Why did they watch this soap? It had started out of boredom a little less than a month ago. Andy was back in school, Molly was at Grandma's. The sudden death of their father had quashed Mom's maternity leave plans and she had returned to work, leaving every morning to show houses around the Tri-County area to prospective buyers. Ironically it would be their own home that was for sale soon, but for the moment the toys had the days all to themselves.

A little TV could pass the time, but it would all depend on what was on. Early morning game shows, educational shows for toddlers, disgusting talk shows, reruns of sitcoms that had been cancelled years ago, and then there were the soap operas.

The truth was Bo had been flipping through the channels and had only paused on the soap because her eye had caught a character with a beautiful blonde French braid. It was elaborately done and decorated with tiny silk roses. Watching the actress, who had nary a hair out of place, Bo wondered how she would look with that style. If only I had been given real hair, instead of porcelain...

"Hey." She was suddenly aware of Woody sitting on the arm of the couch, the newspaper crossword folded under his arm. "Whatcha doing?"

"Nothing much," she answered. "Just watching a little television."

He slid down to the cushion. "Just make sure you're back before the family gets home."

Most toys would have found it annoying and unnecessary of Woody to remind them of such a thing, but Bo wasn't most toys. In fact, she found Woody's need to look out for everyone rather endearing. She found him rather endearing...

"So," he said, interrupting her thoughts. He was staring at the screen. "What's going on?"

Bo looked at the show she hadn't even intended on watching. "I think it's a wedding." Her French Braid girl seemed to be a bridesmaid in sky blue.

He smiled wryly. "Wedding, huh? Uh oh."

"Uh oh?"

He settled into the couch, tipping his hat backward as he did. "Someone's going to mess it up."

"How do you know?"

"It's a soap opera isn't it? Just you wait. They'll wait until the priest asks if there's any objections, then someone will object, and it'll go all to pieces."

Sure enough, onscreen the priest, or rabbi in this case, sounded the time worn words: "If anyone present has any reason these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace..." Just then a serious looking man in a suit burst through the door. He was waving papers.

"Told ya," Woody said.

"Nice timing," said Bo. "What do you think it is?"

"He's obviously a lawyer. Somebody's still married."

Sure enough, the Bride-to-Be suddenly cried out, "Mercedes? You married Mercedes?"

"Didn't know it was legal, I bet."

"It was Vegas! I didn't know it was legal!"

The Bride delivered a hard slap across the Groom's face.

"And right in the kisser," said Woody. "Wedding's over. Thanks for coming. Pick up your gifts in the hall."

Bo giggled at his snarky comments. "How do you know so much about soap operas?"

"Ah well," Woody shrugged. "Andy's great grandmother used to watch them while cleaning. Well, that was after we got the TV. Before that, she used to listen them on the radio."

"There were soaps on the radio?"

"Oh yeah. That's where they started. Actually, they call them 'soap' operas because in the early days they would be sponsored by soap companies."

He's so smart, Bo thought. And funny and kind...Woody, why can't you see how much I adore you?

"I'm probably boring you," Woody said suddenly. He looked a little disheartened, so she touched his arm lightly.

"Not at all." She gestured to the television. "New scene. What do you think is happening now?"

Woody studied the TV for a moment. "They're divorced. Probably'll get back together and split up five or six times before one of them leaves the show..."

Once a day, Woody would join Bo in living room to watch the soap, which was called "My Beloved Family". That was, if he wasn't busy with whatever Top Toy duties he had on his roster. But more often than not, he went out of his way to make time for her. It made Bo feel warm inside, almost giddy, though she was too self-possessed to show it. His sarcastic commentary on the ridiculous plotlines amused her and soon she was providing her own. One hour a day, it was just them and the television.

And now it was February. "Oh no, not these two again! Boo!" Woody sniped at the TV. "All the red hot passion of two wet sticks."

"I disagree," said Bo. "Wet sticks at least have a chance of igniting a spark, provided they're dried out again."

"She was not worth leaving your wife for, Max!" Woody said to the well built man onscreen, as though the character could hear him. "At least she was a CIA agent!"

"Speaking of which, didn't she put a hit out on them after he dumped her? Whatever happened to that storyline?"

"I think they dropped it," Woody answered. "Actually I think they dropped her. She hasn't been on in weeks. It's too bad. She was the only character on this show with any brains."

As the Cowboy leaned forward, folded hands resting between his legs, Bo studied his cute face. It was twisted in aggravation, and with every simpering declaration of undying love from the onscreen couple, he just seemed to get more and more annoyed.

"Are you okay? You know they're fictional, right?" Bo tried to give him a sympathetic smile. "Max didn't really leave his CIA agent wife for a...well, I'm not really sure what Alison does..."

"It's not just that," Woody answered. He motioned toward the screen. "Look at those two. I mean, do they have anything in common?"

"What do you mean?"

He sighed. "It'd be one thing if they'd been friends first and then they fell in love. It wouldn't exactly be right, because he would've still been married, but at least it'd been kind of understandable. But that's not what happened. What happened is these two idiots got schnockered on champagne and started going at it like jackrabbits. Now they keep telling everyone within a five mile radius they're in love but that's not love!"

Bo raised her eyebrows. She knew Woody could be passionate but it had always been about Andy and his duties as a toy. She had never heard him talk like this before.

She scooted closer to him. "You really feel strongly about this, don't you?"

He looked surprised and then uncomfortable. There he was. The shy Woody was back. "Well, I, uh...just think..." he cleared his throat and avoided her eyes. "I just think that serious relationships should be based in friendship."

She couldn't help it. She leaned into him and rested her head on his arm. "You know what? I do too." She knew he was blushing. Probably a full blown fire engine red. He tended to blush at the drop of a pin. Heart on his checkered sleeve, that was Woody.

"We won't get to do this forever," Woody suddenly said.

Bo looked up but didn't remove her head. He was soft and she liked the way he felt. "What do you mean?"

"In a month, maybe two, Mom will start showing the house to buyers. We'll have to stay in the bedroom."

She snuggled closer. "Oh no. Will we ever find out who's the real father of Alison's baby?"

"More importantly, will I ever care?"

Bo laughed softly. If this was only temporary, she was going to make the most of it. She closed her eyes. No wonder Andy liked cuddling with Woody...

Oh Woody. Why don't you just come out and say you like me?