Just A ToyMaker's Child : Part 1
It's already evening turning into night at around Davis' family household. Andy, the 10 year old boy, was keeping an eye and also playing with his 4 year old little sister, Molly, while both children were waiting for their mom to come home from some serious business she has to attend to this late at night.
Their mother left in a hurry and she put Andy in charge of his sister for a while until she's back. But until now, there's no sign of their mother coming home yet and Molly is starting to cry a bit.
"When is mom going to be home, Andy?.." Molly asked while rubbing her eyes tiredly. It's way past her bedtime, especially since she's just a 4 year old. But Andy didn't mind too much. He knew his sister was missing their mom for a couple of days now. Their mom was strangely very busy with something and has to go out in some odd hours, and then back with the added stress featuring in her face.
Andy and Molly tried to help, but their mother just gently brushed them away and smiled gently while saying that they already help her a lot with just being there for her.
Andy knew his mother was tired, it's one of the many reasons why he tried his best to keep Molly busy, even when their mother is home. But when Molly already asking for their mother, well.. even Andy didn't know what to do or rather tell her.
"I don't know, Molly. But, she'll be home soon." Andy replied gently to his little sister's question, and tried to distract her again, "How about we play again? Who do you want to be this time?"
It worked, and Molly quickly skimmed through the scattered toys on the ground at their living room. But before she said who she wants to be, a lightning struck loudly making both kids jumped from their seats on the floor.
Molly isn't scared of thunders anymore since a while ago, but her mom isn't home yet, and she's tired, so she did what her 4 year old mind can only think of, she screamed in frightened.
Andy was out of options in what to do except trying his best to comfort his little sister. He hugged her and tried to sing her to sleep, but Molly was stubborn enough to stay awake, even when her eyes dropped a couple of times. Molly did cry a little more, but she finally calm down when the lightning stop and the rain came in as a change from the frightening noise of the thunder.
The soft trickle noise of the rain hitting the roof and the windows almost lulled both children to sleep, but then both of them hear the sound of their front door was opened and was slammed shut afterwards.
Both children quickly get up and went downstairs to greet their mom. But what they see, stop both children at the bottom of the stairs.
Their mother was relieved to see their children still awake, "Andy, Molly, Oh I missed you two." She hugged both of them when they stop dead at their tracks, "I know you two are very tired right now, but I like you two to meet, Kina Lynson Greysworth. She's 3 years old, and she's going to stay with us from now on."
At their door, both children can see a short little girl with grey hair and grey eyes, hence her name, and she was trembling since she was freezing from the rain outside, and some other things that their mother didn't tell them yet but will someday.
"She's freezing, I'm going to prepare some warm bath for her, can you keep her company for a while? She's going to be your new little sister." Their mother smiled to both kids. Both kids were silent, but Molly break it by asking, "So she can be my little sister?"
Their mother smiled gently, "She already is."
At that Molly squealed in happiness, she always wanted a younger sibling of her own. She's tired being the youngest in the house. Even though this girl was just a year younger than her, Molly was ecstatic to welcome this girl as her new little sister. Molly then went to the younger child and asked her some innocent questions like, 'what's her favorite color' and 'what's her favorite food' and stuffs like that. While Molly is keeping Kina company, their mother gestured to Andy to follow her to the bathroom.
When both their mother and Andy were in the closed bathroom while she was preparing the bath, she also started, "Can I tell you with something very important, Andy?" she asked solemnly but still gently to her oldest child.
Andy immediately tensed up and nodded. Andy's mother look at him for a while before saying, "I've been very busy with something, and that something is Kina's legal guardianship. Kina's mother is my third cousin twice removed. It's a little bit complicated, but her mother was my best friend for a very long time since we were children. We lost contact for a few years, but when we meet again, she was carrying Kina back then."
Andy's mother stop for a while and Andy didn't dare to interrupt. His mother took her time before saying, "She.. died when Kina was only a year old. She lived with her father since then, but.. recently, her father died, and their house was burned down because of a wild fire. But that's not the only reasons why I adopt her, Andy."
She was quiet again and now Andy was curious, "What is it, Mom?"
Andy's mother exhaled deeply and said, "She has a maternal great grandmother.. That was very persistent in taking her in. But I know her, Andy. She's not capable of raising a child. Because.. because she forced them to do courses and recitals, just like she did to Kina's mother when she was young. Then she neglected their needs. The one who take care of them is her butler. But I can't Andy.. I can't just leave her alone with that woman.. I just can't…"
With that, Andy's mother broke down to tears. She was silently sobbing, but Andy quickly embraced her from the back and said to his mom, "Don't worry Mom. I understand. Molly will understand too. We already think of her as a part of our family Mom. We'll be the best older siblings and family she would ever had, aside from her own family."
Andy's mother was proud of her children. And now, she was very proud for her oldest child. Not just because of his sincere words, but because of that determined eyes that assure her that he will try his best to be the best big brother Kina will ever had.
She hugged back her child and they stayed like that for some minutes before they heard Molly said from outside, "Mom! Is it still long? I wanna play with Kina!"
Their mother smiled and chuckled, "In a minute! Better hurry Andy. We don't want her to get some cold."
Andy smiled as well and nodded. Both quickly drawn the perfect warm bath for Kina. When it's warm enough, Andy went out and fetch Kina, before leaving both his mother and his new little sister in the bathroom.
Molly was pouting because she's not allow yet to help bath Kina, but Andy managed to entertain her until Kina was finally clean and already in Andy's old pastel blue pajamas.
Turns out, their mother already prepared everything for Kina's arrival, the clothes and the bedroom, along with some stuff which is placed at their spare room near Andy's. It's going to be Kina's room from now on. There's no toys yet in that room because their mother didn't know yet what toy that Kina liked so she only put her old stuffed long arms and legs tiger that she found in the attic and surprisingly still in a good condition on her bed along with some pillows and blankets.
Their mother was ready to put Kina to sleep in her new room but there's a phone call that she knows she can't avoid and knew that it will be a long phone call.
She asked Andy to entertain Kina for a while since Andy's mother already tuck Molly to sleep first, so Molly won't disturb Andy's plan for Kina. Andy grinned and nodded before taking Kina's hand gently in his, along with his toys to his room upstairs.
"That will be your room Kina." Andy said while motioning to the door near to his, "If you are afraid or in trouble or need anything, you can some to my room right here." He said while also pushing his door open while letting both he and Kina in. He dropped his toys on the floor where Kina promptly seated before he closed the door. He watched Kina gazed at his toys in amazement and a bit of a yearn feeling in her eyes.
Andy smiled at her before seating himself on the floor across from her, "You like toys too?"
For the first time, Andy saw Kina smiled earnestly and said, "Yeah.. Daddy used to make them." Before he noted that Kina's eyes was sad again.
"He made them? Wow, that's so cool!" Andy prompted which made Kina smiled again, "What types of toys that he used to make?"
"Lots of them. Daddy was a toy maker. He loves toys just as much as I am." Kina was grinning right now. She also looking at Andy's toys like she want to touch them, but she didn't. For a 3 year old, she sure got respect for boundaries of someone's belongings.
Andy loves his toys so much, and not many people allow to touch his toys. Molly was a bit rough while playing with some of his toys but she doesn't really like toys just like Andy, and besides, she was just a 4 year old. Andy then look at the girl who has become his new little sister, the one who just recently lost her father, and if he summaries from what his mother told him earlier, she had seem to lost everything. Her family, her house, her belongings..
But when Andy look at her again, she does lost everything in just 3 years of her life, but Andy suddenly realized that there is only one thing that she won't lose.
It's her memory.
Her memory of joyful times that she spend with her parents. She may won't remember them too much when she's older, but Andy knew he can help her to make new memorable ones with her. She is his new family. Andy has no doubt that she will have some fond memories of her own with her new family and probably, some of her old memories as well.
Just like how he remember his own father.
Andy's father died when Andy was just a 7 year old boy. He remembered how painful it is when he realized that his father won't be able to get up again from his eternal sleep. But he also remembered the joyful times that he spend with his father. He cherish those moments. And now, he was more protective of his toys that his father gave him rather than the toys that he got recently, since they are the only memento he will ever gotten from his late father. He treasured them very deeply, but as years passed by, he realized he could share those joy moments with someone else.
Andy smiled softly at her before saying, "You can play with them if you want. I reckon mom will be a while down there while answering the phone."
And that was the only invitation that Kina need to start playing with Andy's toys. And to Andy's amazement, Kina was gentle with his toys, like if they were a living thing.
Andy shook his head. It can't be right? It must have been her father that taught her to be gentle with her toys. With her father as a toy maker for a living, Andy was quite sure that that was the main reason why she was so gentle with his toys.
Little did he know…
"You like Slinky?" Andy asked when he saw her playing with his toys, but with quick observant eyes, he can pinpoint that her favorite toy is Slinky the Dog.
"Mm-hmm." She nodded. "Daddy likes dogs and I do too. They are very loyal and will never leave you behind. Daddy used to make toys that shaped like dogs for me to play with."
"Oh? Where are they now?" Andy asked curiously. He forgot.
And that was a wrong question.
Kina quickly went gloomy again after his question and said, "They got burned.. The all got burned down with the house…"
Kina was clearly trying to contain her tears, but she couldn't, so she cried softly and sniffles, remembering again that she had lost everything in that day.
Andy felt terrible.
He forgot about that and he stupidly asked her about it. He would smack himself in the face for his idiocy but now, he needs to comfort her first.
"Hey, hey.. I'm sorry.. I really am.. That was very stupid of me. Please don't cry.. Ehm.. look, look! There's an evil Doctor Porkchop heading your way, Arghhhh!" Andy then covered his face while pretending that his toy Hamm was attacking him.
His reaction was more than what he wanted. Kina clearly and bubbly laughed. A little bit teary from her crying but she laughed. Her laugh was contagious, and soon, Andy was laughing too with her.
They soon play about some western stories with Sheriff Woody to the rescue. Again, Andy saw that Kina was very attached to his toy, Slinky the Dog. Maybe Slinky remind her of her own toys? Andy wasn't sure, but what he sure of, is Slinky clearly made Kina more happier than when she came here.
Andy was deeply in thoughts at this while Kina was playing her own story. Slinky was one of the three toys, which were Slinky, Mr. Potato Head, and Woody, that his father gave to him when he died. Those three toys are his mementos from his father. Woody was clearly Andy's favorite toy along with Buzz Lightyear. But his toys make him happy when he sad, and they never judge him like anybody else did.
So why not he share those feelings with the girl here?
"Hey, Kina." He called, Kina look up at Andy and gave him her attention.
Andy gulped, but he was very sure about this. He's making the right decision, "Do you want Slinky to be your first toy here?"
Kina was shocked, "But.. he's your toy."
With the pronounce of 'he' instead of 'it', Andy knew that he has made the right decision, he nodded at her as to confirm it and said, "I would like to give him to you since he made you very happy. Do you think you can take care of him for me? Slinky was from my late father, and seeing you interact with him so joyfully, I know you will take care of him like I would." He chuckled lightly before adding, "Who knows? Maybe you'll be able to take care of him better than I do."
"But.. why are you giving the memento of your father to me?" Kina asked.
"Because I want to share those happy moments with you. So far, I can see that Slinky made you very happy, and you don't have any toys yet, so I guess I would like to give you one as your first toy here. Well, mom already gave you a stuffed tiger in your bedroom, but that's from mom. I would like to give you as well. And besides, I know you will take a good care of him. You like dogs because they are loyal, and Slinky is the most loyal dog I've ever seen." He laughed slightly, "So, here." Andy gave Slinky to her hands.
Kina was surprised, but she loved the toy dearly already. She hugged her new toy closed to her chest and nuzzle it. Andy smiled at her interaction. He knew he will miss Slinky as his toy, but as far as Andy sees it, Kina need Slinky more than he did. So for him, this was the right choice to made.
When Kina was overjoy with her new toy, Andy's mother came in and said, "I'm finally done with the phone call. Do you play with Andy, Kina?"
"Mm-hmm." Kina nodded and stand up showing her new mom of her new toy, "Look Mommy! Andy gave him to me! He's special!"
Their mother smiled softly at Kina but gave a questioning glance at Andy, since she knew that Slinky here was one of her late husband's toys. Andy just smiled and gave a thumbs up behind Kina's back to his mother.
His mother was very proud of him. She never saw Kina smiled that big for the entire month after the fire accident. If Andy can bring her to smile again, then this decision with Kina as their new family member, was a right choice that she made.
Kina and Andy was finally tucked in to sleep, and their mother went to her room to sleep as well. But what they didn't know is that Kina was pretending to sleep until she hears her adoptive mother was finally went to bed. She get up and used the light from the crack of her door to see her new toy that she got from her new big brother, Andy. She smiled at the toy but the reason she likes this toy so much was not just because he's a dog.
It was because of something else.
Her father always put the year of when the toy was finish made, on the bottom of their foot. It was so unique that it becomes a trademark of her father's handmade toys. Kina knew this, because her old toys were all handmade by her father.
She just has to make sure..
"Hey there.." she whispers to Slinky. "I know you're not allow to talk with people, but I know you are alive. My Daddy was a toy maker, and because of that, he knew the secrets of the toys, which was they are alive. He told me this, so I would take a good care of my own toys back then. I know I can't convince you yet just with that, so how about if I tell you that my daddy's name is Archie Julian Greysworth?"
At that, Slinky become alive and breathe in some air. He was flabbergasted, but his eyes can't deceive him, he knew that eyes from anywhere, along with that unusual color of hair.
"You are Archie's daughter?!"
A.N : My english wasn't the best since it's not my first language, but hopefully you enjoy this piece :) I'll see you all in the next chapter!