Made in Germany by Jordie Miller
A Birthday Special
Orchid sat alone in her room listening to the sad tune of the tiny ballerina that twirled and spun on her pedestal, her small fingers grasped the pink figurine lightly. As she stared into the painted face of the small, porcelain woman, she couldn't help but to dream of being nailed to a block of red velvet covered wood, and forced to dance endlessly to a five year-old heart's content. Tears began to well at the thought of not being able to cry out to her mother, unable to be held, or fed when she was hungry at the dinner table with Mama and Papa. In her own tiny fury, Orchid's grip on the woman tightened and she ripped her free from the velvet pedestal. One of the Au Pair's hired to care for Orchid stood in the doorway, "Miss Orchid, you mustn't destroy your things!" She exclaimed in a panic, fearful of her job. "Your mother is going to be so upset; this was your great grandmother's after all." Her thickly accented voice trailed away.
"She looked sad, Elke, so sad." Orchid replied sullenly, the tiny dancer still suffocated in the child's grip.
"Why did she look sad?" Elke inquired cautiously, Orchid had been known for giving loopy answers, an imagination that went beyond wild.
"She couldn't stop dancing, no matter how much she wanted to, Elke. I was tired of hearing her whine." Orchid lied. In reality, she was fully aware that the tiny dancer couldn't speak, let alone whine, but, in her head, hearing the tinkling sound of the key turning the gears to play "Clair de Lune" over and over, was as incessant as a whine to her. Orchid's Au Pair stood in awe of the child, she wondered what else she was capable of- Orchid's imagination was something to truly witness. The child stood, dropping the woman to the floor, "I'm bored now." And in a flash, she left the lilac room decorated with white accents. She crept carefully down the grand staircase, her hand scanting the mahogany banister, her footsteps growing increasingly softer once she heard Mama's voice.
"Do you think hiring a clown is really a good idea? I mean, my parents took me to a circus for my sixth birthday and I was traumatized for life."
She let out a dry giggle, then Papa spoke, "Trust me, Elaine, her name's Orchid, I don't think she'll mind a clown." He let out a nearly identical dry, breathy laugh. Orchid felt the excitement rush through her, she'd almost forgotten about her own birthday in three days.
She began to contemplate all the things she wanted for her birthday. Between dolls and clothes, and clothes for the dolls she already had, only one thing came to mind- next month's ballet recital. Tomorrow, at her ballet lesson, she would beg Madame Zoe for a solo, to really make this birthday special. Orchid shut her eyes tight and held her hands in small fists close to her chest, "Please, oh please, let Madame Zoe say yes. I want this more than anything in the world." After she heaved a dreamy sigh, Orchid opened her eyes, intent that her prayer had worked. Orchid darted back up the stairs, past her room and into her practice studio. A room with mirrors for walls and slick floors for easy pirouettes and barre's attached to the west wall. She quickly stripped her white summer dress with the lavender sash, and hopped into her black practice leotard and Pointe slippers. She nearly murdered the 'Play' button on her stereo in the flurry of excitement. Je'Taime, composed by Andre Rieu, began to fill the room as she worked tediously through her acrobatic routine for two hours.
Nearly passed out, and out of breath, she lay on the floor, the leotard sticky with sweat. She peeled it off and sat naked for a while as she cooled down. Her amber eyes drooped with sleep; she slowly picked up her leotard and placed it with the other dirty ones, and kicked her clothes into the pile as well. She poked her head out of the room, "Elke, can you come here?"
Her voiced echoed through the hall as the thin teenager came running to her aide, "Miss Orchid, y-you're naked." Her eyes bugged out a little.
Orchid nodded, her dark ringlets bouncing, "I got all sweaty and icky."
The girl grimaced, Elke smiled slightly, "Well then, let's run you a bath." Orchid complied without hesitation, eager to get the grime off her fair skin. As she eased herself into the mineral-oiled bath, her small muscles felt the tension leave; a small smile filled her cheeks. As Elke rubbed and scrubbed the shampoo and conditioner throughout her fine hair, Orchid shared her ambitions to ask Madame Zoe for a solo.
"Just don't get your hopes up too high, Miss Orchid, Madame Zoe is very stern, she doesn't agree well with change." Orchid's usually light amber eyes turned to a dark caramel with emotion.
"What would you know? You don't dance." She replied curtly, with a bite of attitude.
The rest of the bath passed in awkward silence as Elke held her tongue to refrain from saying anything that might risk her new life in America. Orchid hopped out of the tub, and Elke wrapped her up in a plush towel, one she was only lucky enough to feel, but never be able to enjoy the luxury that a five year-old does.
Elke, caught in her own desires, did not realize the small girl squirming in frustration from being confined, "Let me go!" Orchid screamed, jolting Elke from her fantasy. She released her grip from the child, who ran for her room, leaving only a dreamy Au Pair to brush the damp towel across her cheek, to get a glimpse of a life she'd never lead. Orchid, nearly sprinting to her room to escape from the clutches of her space-case caregiver, slammed her bedroom door behind her.
Another one of the staff was cleaning up the jewelry box she'd destroyed in the hours before, "Well well, Miss Fontaine, running around the house naked again?" The aged woman laughed genuinely, a sound that was warmly welcomed in contrast to her parents' dry, fake giggles. With quick movements, the elderly woman managed to pin down Orchid and dress her in another sundress. This one was yellow with white frill lining the edges. As much as she fought, she'd lost. Furious, Orchid dashed down stairs; perhaps she'd have better luck with Mama and Papa.
"Hello Kitty." Mama greeted when Orchid reached the kitchen, Mama was sipping tea while staring at a catalogue for a present.
"Hi Mama." Orchid's smile lit up her face; surely Mama would understand the need to have Madame Zoe give her a solo, "Guess what Mama?"
Orchid's mother, Elaine, lifted her eyes from the magazine, "What?"
"I'm going to ask Madame Zoe for a solo." Orchid beamed, "I've been working really hard and I think I can do it."
Mama's smile dropped, "Kitty, do you remember what I told you about Madame Zoe? Just do what she says, and nothing else. Madame Zoe doesn't like it when people ask questions. You understand, right honey?" Mama's tone was sweet, like sugar itself, but there was eeriness to it. A foreshadowing feeling that something bad was going to happen. Orchid, once again in a furious huff, nodded. She wasn't going to give up so easily. She'd prove to Mama and Elke and Madame Zoe that she could do it.
She had to do it. Amidst the anger and hurt, there was news to be glad about. Papa had gone to the post office to pick up a package from Orchid's grandmother. Papa strode through the door, holding a huge, brown wrapped box. It was half his size.
"Kitty, I'm home! And, I've got a surprise for you!" He dropped the box gently on the hardwood flooring. He held a hand-made card in his hand, and as Orchid came running, he blindsided her. "Card first. You know the rule." He grinned sheepishly. Orchid rolled her eyes. "Fine." She sighed, emitting an aura of annoyance.
Papa cleared his throat before he began to read, "For my Orchid, my beautiful flower. It has been six years since you were born into this world, and six years I've been a happy grandmother. I couldn't have asked for a better granddaughter, you are truly awe-inspiring. As you grow older, you will find that the magic's of this world hindering beneath your feet, but I only hope that this gift will always remind you of the fantasy that is reality.
Forever loving you, Granny." Papa was choked up towards the end, by the familiar words his mother had written him long, long ago. "Alright, Kitty, you can open it-" Papa didn't finish his sentence before Orchid tore into the brown wrapping paper.
Nearly engulfed in bubble wrap and tissue paper, Orchid finally reached the prize inside. She pulled out a long, beautiful doll with black hair, acorn brown eyes, and very feminine features. He was wearing a black leather jacket, red and black plaid pants with chains dangling, large chunky boots, and there was a mole just underneath his lip on the left side of his face. He was the most beautiful doll she'd ever laid her eyes on, "Look Kitty, there's another one." Papa handed her a nearly identical doll, only the eyes didn't have the same smokey shadows around the almond shaped openings. There was a mole painted on his right cheek, just along the contour of the cheek bone. His sleek, inky braids cascaded down to shoulder length, his clothes were loose fitting and very fashionable, and a small silver ring protruded from his bottom lip. "Man, Mom really knows how to shop." Papa whispered to Mama. As Orchid examined them both again, pushing up sleeves, taking off jackets. She noticed the designs on the dark haired doll's arm and belly. She turned him over and found another on the back of his neck. Thrilled with these surprises she took off his shirt, only to find two more designs. One in a star pattern and one had words. As she repeated the process with the braided doll, a card fell from his over-sized jacket.
"Papa, what does it say?" she squealed with delight.
Papa read it quietly first, to assess its appropriateness. "Hello Orchid, My name is Tom. My brother, Bill, and I were sent by your Granny all the way from Germany to keep you company. If you treat us well, protect us and care about us, we will return the favor. Sincerely, Tom and Bill." His eyebrows furrowed at this puzzling card. Orchid smiled at her new friends, and she eagerly found a place for them in her room.