And she thought about how brutal it had been to listen to a different Prospector get ripped to shreds in some guy's trash compactor. Because his son, of all toys, had made it happen.
The conversation in the front had slowed down, and looking into the rearview mirror Jessica was shocked to see Mary's angry face looking back at her.
"What?" Jessica asked.
"Nothing." Mary turned on her signal and looked into the side mirror.
"I can see, Mary. I know you're mad."
"Fine, I am. I'm mad. Is that better?"
Jessica looked at the side back of Mr. Gibbs' head. "Mad at me? Why?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you waited years and years for someone to say they'd take care of you, and someone finally says it and you take off the first chance you get."
"It's nothing personal," Jessica told her. "But there's this toy in Michigan and I just found out, he and I were made as siblings."
"So? You're just stuffing and stitches. Your whole purpose is to amuse the simple-minded."
"Oh, look, the new Dairy Queen is open," Mr. Gibbs had broken in. "Who wants a blizzard?"
The females ignored him. "I know I'm stuffing and stitches, but the facts are facts; the whole world sees us as brother and sister. And if that's how you feel, why do you care at all what I do?"
"Because you were my favorite toy growing up and I lost you."
"Well, maybe you should have taken care of me then."
"I didn't think I was throwing away a living thing!" Mary snapped, unable just to look Jessica in the face. "Nobody cares that you were made as siblings. It's all make-believe, just like your entire job."
Jessica's brows went up. "You don't even know my job," she said. Her voice, although shaking with anger, was quiet. She did not want to distract Mary; only speak with her.
"Jess. You're a doll."
"I'm a valuable collector's item. There were only two Jessies made in the world."
"What?"
"And there were only two Woody dolls. That's why I'm going. I need to be with what little is left of what I am."
Mary sighed, focusing on her driving and occasionally looking in the mirror at Jessica. Suddenly the windows began rolling up. "No. You're not going," Mary said, as Jessica tried and failed to roll the window back down. "I already lost you once."
"Let me out of the car, Mary."
"No."
Jessica looked at Mr. Gibbs, who had decided to say nothing. While looking at him Jessica caught sight of his open bag, pinched between the passenger seat and the passenger side door.
"Fine," Jessica sighed, trying to quickly plan her escape. "I'll just have to annoy you. Forever and ever and ever and ever. Until the sun stops setting and the moon stops rising. If that's what you want. Clearly I'm too little to fight my way out of this. Too little and too insignificant." She was pleased to see Mary's jaw set and her eyes flash. "Yup, I know when I'm beat." She sighed and got down from the side of the door, sitting behind Mary's chair away from her watchful eyes.
Within seconds Mary sighed. "What's she doing?" she muttered to her father.
Mr. Gibbs looked at Jessica. "Looks like she's trying to sleep."
"Good."
"Is it? Sounds like kidnapping to me."
"If I can't have kids, I'm going to be one of those crazy toy-collectors like Uncle Al."
"You don't want to be that way. You've got a good thing going, don't you make a mess out of your life now. I want to die knowin' you were good."
While they continued to chat, Jessica dropped to the carpeted floor of the car and pressed herself against the back of Mary's seat, looking up at Mr. Gibbs. When he wasn't looking she scurried to his bag and crawled in.
"It won't be so bad," Mary was saying. "When my collection starts growing she'll come to love it. And maybe in time...be able to forgive me for what I'm doing to her."
"Would that be enough? Think about what you're doing to yourself. You're imprisoning her, Mary; you're taking away her life. Again. Now, you're still young; can you really live with that?"
"Maybe. I'll find out."
Jessica rolled her eyes and pushed herself backward into the darkest corner of the bag. She left it open, as zipping it would make too much noise.
"Curse all this traffic," Mary grumbled. "If it was light we'd be there by now."
"I told you it could have waited. I'd'a been able to get home without insurance; I've had to do it before when my account was empty. And when I didn't know what a bank was." They shared a chuckle. "I can't believe that was almost eighty...Uh, Mary, I don't mean to scare you, but I can't see your doll."
Jessica lurched forward, poking her head close to the open air. "I'm still here," she grumbled. "Where else would I go?"
"Where DID you go?" Mary demanded. "Let me see you."
"I'm under your seat! I can't escape, just leave me alone."
There were two seconds of uncertain silence. Then Mr. Gibbs said, "Just let her have this alone time. You've still got the rest'a your life to be a crazy kidnapper."
"The word is collector, Dad. Like you!"
"No, not like me. I store them for work. You're crazy like your uncle, that's what you are. Worse. 'Cuz you know what you're doing."
Jessica could have kissed him. Which reminded her...
"Hey, I've got something to say," Jessica grumbled. "Thanks for fixing me, Mr. Gibbs."
"Oh. Uh. You're welcome," he stammered. "Uh, have a nice nap."
"Thanks."
Jessica said nothing more. She closed her eyes and tried not to dwell on the possibility of him reaching into the bag.
-0-0-0-0-
Jessica was jostled awake and then a car door slammed shut, and beyond the teeth-like chain of the zipper there was a thin vertical strip of scenery.
"This'll only take a minute. And don't bother Jessie. You never liked when Susan or I woke you."
"Fine. But she's under house arrest when I get home."
"For how long?"
"Forever. That's the beauty of it."
"Hear that? Hear how crazy you sound? Why don't you just adopt?"
"I...can't!"
"Why not?"
"Because." Mary sighed. "I went there to look at babies when I was considering adoption, but I came too often and stayed too long; they got a restraining order."
"Then get a pet. They're domestic; you're supposed to keep 'em."
"I don't want a pet! Hairballs, poop, fleas, worms. I'll start with Jessie and buy some more toys to keep her company."
"Fine, ruin her life. Mess yours up and disappoint me too, but don't you ever ask me to babysit; are we clear?"
"Yes."
The bag spun and Jessica hunkered down when Mary came into view. She didn't seem evil anymore, just sad, and sinking to desperate measures to keep herself happy. But it was still creepy, and Jessica still wanted to get away.
Mr. Gibbs carried his bag and, unknowingly, Jessica into the building and stopped at the other end of a tidy waiting room. "Darrell Gibbs, renewal," he stated. And reached into his bag. His hand patted Jessica several times, then he grabbed his information and withdrew his hand.
Jessica covered her eyes and tried not to panic.
Soon Mr. Gibbs reached back into the bag, and Jessica tensed, prepared to meet Mary's illogical anger. So she was surprised when she was set down on the pristine counter of an otherwise empty washroom. "What're you doin'?"
"I can't go with her. I have to find my friends!"
Mr. Gibbs nodded slowly at her. "Well..." he sighed. "This was our stop. If you have to leave, now's your only chance. We're headin' home."
Jessica nodded.
"I'll tell her when there's no sign of you."
"Thanks, Darrell. I'll never forget your kindness. If you ever come to Sunnyside Daycare, I still owe you two favors."
"I'm afraid I won't make it back, cowgirl."
Jessica stared into his sad eyes, seeing a truth she didn't want to acknowledge.
"Just the way it is," he said quietly.
Jessica didn't know how, but suddenly she felt cold. "Then tell me two things I can do."
He thought briefly. "Forgive my daughter. You don't have to go with her. But forgive her."
"Okay. I'll try," Jessica whispered emotionally.
"And...well, I can't think of a second thing, so just do something nice for someone else."
"Like what?"
"Anything. You said you'll never forget my kindness...Be that person for someone else."
"Okay..." Jessica nodded numbly. When he knelt she placed her little arms across his cheeks, kissing the one that touched hers. Then he stood and walked away, turning to look back at her one last time. They waved at each other and then he was gone; and finally Jessica broke down, sinking onto the counter and crying as though she could.