"Now then, how about you put this on and I show you what everyone here thinks about you and your special day." Emily smiled and booped Vivian's nose before standing up and holding the dress out to Vivian.
The corpse child smiled and took it in her hands, holding it close to her destroyed heart before darting down the hall into the bathroom to try it on. Emily's only hope was that it actually fit.
Vivian was quick in changing but she stopped a moment to pull her tank top up over her body and look at her bare torso. There was an old mark, starting at her right hip and extending almost to her belly button, a little fresher and more precise as each mark grew. She had always been told that it was payback for killing her mother, and each year of her life she would get a new one. The one from her previous birthday hadn't even had that much time to heal, it was still open slightly and contained barely opened flesh.
Vivian shook her head fiercely. That wasn't going to happen this year, not with Emily.
Finally she picked up the dress and pulled it over her head, smoothing out what she could before walking into the living room where Emily waited with eyes closed.
"You can look now." Vivian said bashfully and Emily did, gasping at the sight.
"You look as beautiful as a princess!" She cried, clutching her heart and beaming.
Vivian would have blushed if there had been blood in her veins but instead she looked down bashfully and twisted her toe, mumbling a word of gratitude.
Emily tapped a finger to her chin and scowled judgmentally, earning a worried glance from the corpse child. "Something's missing," Emily got up and grabbed something from the bathroom and returned to walking around Vivian. "Yes, something very important," Vivian shuddered as a brush ran through her tousled hair and boney fingers combed against her scalp. "And perfect!" Emily smiled, giggling at how round Vivian's face looked with her hair pulled up.
Vivian looked upon her reflection with wide eyes before hugging Emily tightly around the middle, the older only smiling and patting her head.
"Well then, if that's settled," Emily began, stepping towards the door and opening it to reveal the eavesdropping Sam and Sam, who looked eager to be caught. "Shall we be off?"
Samuel and Samantha were nearly tripping over one another now, if only they were the first ones to tell Vivian, they had to be, they just had to be.
"Be off?" Vivian questioned, following the other children down the street as they giggled and whispered, Emily trailing leisurely behind her with a smile. "Be off where?"
"A surprise!" Emily stated, picking up her own pace to chase after the twins, insighting a game of chase between the children and her.
The ball and socket pub was dark, with only a few candles lighting whatever was inside and perhaps it was here a thin trickle of doubt began at Vivian's destroyed heart. What on earth was awaiting her in the pub which everyone else had so eagerly entered, after all it was dark as pitch and dead silent, surely it was closed and Mrs. Plum would be furious that they had trespassed after hours. But it couldn't be that bad if everyone else was going in there...
Vivian swallowed and began to open the old door slowly, an loud and echoing screech coming from the hinges as she pulled against the old iron handle to gain entrance.
She blinked her blue eyes and strained into the darkness, trying to make out any shapes or sounds that the afternoon light offered by streaming in through the open door, but to her dismay, nothing could be seen or heard.
The door slammed shut and the lights kicked on, Vivian shielding her eyes from the sudden change of dark to bright light as an uproarious cheer sounded from below her. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY VIVIAN!"
Vivian Bijou Cecilian opened her eyes and moved her hand away to stare in wonder at the sight of friends gathered for one thing, which she could only guess was a birthday party being held in her honor. Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes and she shook her head. This had to have been a dream that would all come crashing to an end eventually. But she opened her eyes and lo, it was not a dream, what she was seeing was truly for her and it was a wonderful sight to behold.
Vivian didn't know what to do or where to go first for everything was wonderful and amazing and yet her feet stayed rooted in that very spot, even when Bonejangles stood over her with a large grin, one she could only look up to and reciprocate.
"You know, Em, I think the doll is missing something," Bonejangles commented, taking his hat from his skull and rolling it over his shoulders and arms like he always did before plopping it back on his skull with something in his boney clutches. "I think the princess is missing her crown." And he was correct, there was no ringlet of any hue upon Vivian's head until he nested the band of silver from his hand upon its blue blonde perch.
Vivian beamed and giggled, an invisible barrier being broken and suddenly Vivian was all over the guests and the room exploring everything with wonder and amazement.
Emily watched with delight as did everyone else as Vivian discovered things she never knew existed, opened her gifts sporadically through the night, showed them off and thanked the gifters in between games and cake.
When more of the night calmed down, Emily called Vivian aside and knelt before her, taking a box from behind her back.
Vivian's eyes went wide. "Another gift? Really?" She truly was grateful, just overwhelmed by the outpouring of things. But Emily nodded so Vivian went about unboxing her next surprise. The paper was a metallic purple with a bright silver bow tied in an oversized loop on the top and nibble, curious fingers began to rip through the paper and reveal what was inside. Down to the box itself, Vivian Bijou Cecilian could hardly contain herself as the lid was thrown away in favor for the gift beneath, but what she saw within the confines of the box, delicately laid in tissue paper and staring up into the unknown with unblinking glass eyes was the doll which Vivian had eyed for months, only to fear her disappearance.
It was the very same china doll that sat in the shop window, with the fur collared magenta dress with bows and ribbons on the skirt and Alice blue hair so perfectly curled and quaffed behind her head. Vivian took her out of the box with a trembling hand and held her tightly, a chaste kiss being planted on its forehead. Ribbons of tears streamed down her face before she crashed into Emily to hug her in gratitude for the toy, something she would treasure forever and a day.
As the night wore on it became harder and harder for any of the children in attendance to stay awake, so anyone who cared for them began their adieus and left. When it came time for the lethargic birthday girl to leave everyone else began cleaning up the party and making sure the haul of gifts was set aside to be gathered later as Emily picked up that Darling little girl and carried her home, doll in hand.
It had been a busy one month since Vivian's birthday for Emily had enlisted her help in clearing the guest room of whatever Emily had stored up in there, intentionally or not.
With it fully gutted, Emily decided that now would be a good a time as any to bring something up to Vivian, who was currently sprawled across the couch reading to her doll and explaining the little picture book on a princess from a land far away.
"Vivian, love," Emily called, perching on the edge of the sofa and regarding those blue eyes attention fondly even though she felt like a terrible mess of worry. "Can I talk to you about something?"
Vivian narrowed her eyes momentarily and pursed her lips, the happy expression shifting in a moment but she kept a mask on, an uneasy sense of dejavu washing over her at the phrase "Can I talk to you about something," which she knew to bear bad news.
Anytime her father had said that she was due to get beat in some form of the word. Her uncle used that phrase whenever he had to leave her or if he was talking to her about her obsession, as it was called, but it always meant things weren't going in her favor.
Vivian Bijou Cecilian sat up and looked around, her doll kept close yet far enough away that she wouldn't get hurt or taken from her, there was nothing she could see in the immediate area that could be used to hit her with, but a hand could do a fair amount of damage, but Emily wouldn't do that, would she? After being so nice, was it all an elaborate trap? Vivian knew if she had a heart it would be hammering out of her chest, gushing through the opening caused by her father. But at least, being dead and all, she wouldn't feel anything physically.
She grew terribly uneasy which didn't aid Emily in gaining confidence to say what she needed to. Taking a deep breath, Emily at least tried. "You know how you've been here almost a year now?" Vivian looked at the door and nodded, Emily was going to kick her out onto the streets, she was tired of her, she'd done something wrong, but what, she knew not. "Well usually after a year most people go through a very painful experience and-"
Vivian breathed a sigh of relief, Emily wasn't even talking about her living situation. "Yeah, Sam and Sam told me about that. They said it's the only time you feel pain."
"Very good then," Emily smiled quickly before turning away, another question bubbling on her pursed lips and Vivian watched her intently now, a slight sense of ease worked into her. "Do you like living with me?" Emily asked at random and Vivian now stared at her.
"Yeah, you're really nice and things." Vivian admitted softly, reaching for her doll and petting her hair.
The air grew tense and silent and it was this thick air that Emily took in before continuing. "Vivian, you see there's a little catch in our system of things here and well what I'm meaning to ask is...would you like to stay with me? Forever? As in a sort of family unit?"
Vivian Bijou Cecilian knit her brows, what Emily meant was a bit confusing. They already lived together, so why would Emily ask her to stay? Vivian liked it here and she made that bluntly honest. "...You're not going to send me away, are you?" Vivian asked in a hushed tone looking down at the floor.
"No, no!" Emily stated quickly, moving from perching on the edge of the couch to looking Vivian eye to eye from the floor. "There's a little law that states if a child, meaning you, dies and has no relatives to be found someone can take them in if the child would like, if the child and host, meaning me, live together for a year and the child can decide, if it's something the host would be interested in too, if they want to stay together as a family." she held Vivian's hands in her own and smiled but the confusion was still mirrored in her small blue eyes.
Emily sighed and went on. "The thing is... would you like me as a mother, Vivian?"
Vivian's eyes were wide and her mouth pressed into a thin line. She rolled them and made a popping sound. "Yeah," she drawled and Emily smiled a little. "But I don't know about the whole mom thing," the smile fell and it was clearly visible how broken that statement left Emily. "I've never had a mom and I never got to see anyone with a mom either. You're the first lady to actually be nice to me and stuff... I wish I knew my mom and what she was like now, but everytime I try and picture her I just see you," Vivian said softly, glancing at their intertwined hands. "You're really smart and funny, you give really good hugs, you tuck me in at night and read to me and you've given me somewhere to stay without asking anything in return. And even though I know we're not supposed to be able to feel, being dead and stuff, your hugs always make me feel really warm and safe, like nothing in the world matters."
Emily looked about ready to cry, but she didn't. In that strange roundabout way, Vivian had said yes, and the knowledge of such a thing was overwhelming.
Vivian returned the hug and nestled closely, giggling. "You could be my Em-mom-ily."
Emily giggled and kissed her forehead. "What did I ever do to deserve you?"
dawwwwwwww! So cute. The end is coming up soon so be ready.
What do you think might happen to them now? With it only being two months from the day when Emily can officially lay claim to Vivian as HER child?
Or shall any dead relatives lay claim?
Read on, stay safe and blessed, and review please.