The next morning Molly attempted to support her head on her overnight bag, she was in her mother's car, and her mother was giving last-minute reminders. "Remember you are a guest this week, don't forget to set a good example for Bonnie, remember sometimes you have to be a caregiver this week, not just a playmate and vice versa, and remember that Bonnie is shy," she said.
"Man mom maybe you should remind me to breathe and blink," Molly remarked sarcastically, as they pulled up to 1225 Sycamore Street she jumped out of the car and gave a hurried farewell before running out of the vehicle.
Mrs. Anderson greeted the tween at the door with a warm smile, "Hi, Molly."
"Hi, Mrs. Andreson," Molly greeted back a little shyly. While Mrs. Davis was friends with Mrs. Andreson, Molly hadn't seen the Sunnyside receptionist since her days at the preschool.
"My goodness," Mrs. Anderson exclaimed, "the last time I saw you, you were only knee high and now look at you, you're growing into a beautiful young woman."
Molly blushed, "thanks."
Mrs. Andreson picked up a suitcase, "I really can't thank you enough Molly," she went on, "my husband is a bit of a workaholic and was already on a business trip when I got pulled into this."
"You're welcome, but I'm only available because of my report," Molly admitted.
"Well, thank goodness for your procrastination; without it, I would lose my job," said Mrs. Anderson.
"So you going out of town for a business thing?" asked Molly.
"Yes, a seminar," Mrs. Anderson explained.
"So where is Bonnie?" asked Molly.
"She's right here," Mrs. Anderson responded, Molly thought she heard a small almost squeak come from behind Mrs. Anderson. "It's okay Hon, come on, she won't bite," Mrs. Anderson promised.
A girl slightly small for her age with chestnut hair, green eyes, and wearing a horizontally striped green dress stepped out from behind her mother's legs.
"Hi" she squeaked, looking up at Molly nervously.
Molly responded, attempting to sound enthusiastic, "Hi Bonnie," she greeted in perhaps a louder voice than necessary.
Bonnie immediately acquired the look of a deer in headlights and scampered off into the hallway, and the sound of a door closing penetrated the air. "Wow," Molly looked down at her phone, "five seconds and I already mess up," she told Mrs. Anderson in an apologetic voice.
"Oh no, no, Molly, it's nothing you did. Bonnie has always been shy, but she'll warm up to you though," Mrs. Anderson promised.
"Well I hope so," Molly spoke in a hushed voice still worried.
"I promise Molly, now here's a rundown," Mrs. Anderson suddenly switched to a more business-like tone. "No candy or soda after six and no caffeine or she'll never sleep, no bedtime stories until she's brushed her teeth. Bonnie has to be in bed by eight, Bonnie used to take a nap every day, but she's been getting along without fine lately, of course, some day's she needs a lie-down, but I'll let you be the judge of when. Now, there are forty dollars in the cabinet above the stove if you want to order something, the emergency numbers are on the fridge if you need them, and if you have any questions my hotel number is on the list," she said.
"No late soda or candy, no caffeine, she has to brush her teeth before she gets a bedtime story, might need a nap, fridge, cabinet, hotel," Molly repeated.
"You got it, and there's some money for you on the table," Mrs. Anderson added before she called out, "Okay honey, I'm leaving, be a good girl for Molly." At that moment Bonnie returned to kiss and hug her mother goodbye and watch her leave.
When Mrs. Anderson's car vanished from view, Molly decided to make her move. "You know Bonnie, you're beautiful," she commented.
"Thanks," Bonnie spoke quietly with her head hung over as she stared down at her socks.
"So, um, you go to Sunnyside, right?" asked Molly.
"Yes," Bonnie replied.
Seeing it would take a while to get Bonnie to talk, Molly decided to see if she could get her to listen. "I go to middle school. I can tell you what it's like if you want," Molly spoke without really thinking.
"Um, no thank you... can I err go now?" Bonnie asked in an almost whisper.
"Yeah go ahead," said Molly feeling defeated as Bonnie scampered off. "This isn't going to be easy," Molly told herself. She needed to fill three pages of a report about taking care of this girl, and if Bonnie didn't want anything to do with her, she would fail her class. However, not a minute after this thought crossed her head did Molly begin to hear a voice from the other side of the living room wall.
"Hurry Buzz," said the voice excitedly, "One-Eyed Bart and One-Eyed Betty have teamed up with the Scary Witch, and they're going to break Evil Dr. Porkchop out of jail!"
Deciding to investigate, Molly silently tiptoed to the hall and noticed the door at the edge of the room was opened just a crack, so she peeked through.
Inside was Bonnie and variety of toys, some of which were once her brothers, surrounded her. Ham the piggy bank was under an overturned laundry basket and wearing Mr. Potato Head's hat who was nearby with one eye missing looking down from the bed his counterpart Mrs. Potato Head also with one eye and a cloth doll was on either side of him. Guards surrounded the laundry basket; Slinky the spring dog on one side, the three pizza planet aliens, and Rex the dinosaur.
*Roleplay*
"Should be moderately easy," One-Eyed Bart snickered evilly.
"I got dibs on the overgrown lizard," The Scary Witch added, grinning.
"And with evil doctor Pork chop at our side Woody and the others will fall," One-Eyed Betty chuckled maniacally.
"Don't count on it, Betty," said a voice from behind. There stood Woody the cowboy, Jessie the cowgirl riding on Bullseye the horse, and landing next to them was Buzz Lightyear the space ranger.
"Well ladies looks like this is going to be more fun than I thought," chuckled One-Eyed Bart as he cracked his knuckles.
"You two entertain the crowd, I'll pick up Porkchop," The Scary Witch proclaimed as she flew to the cell.
"Buzz, quick take care of The Scary Witch," Woody proclaimed.
"To Infinity and beyond!" Buzz shouted as he took off into the air in hot pursuit of the witch. Jessie prepared her lasso for One-Eyed Bart and Betty just as Buzz aimed with his laser at The Scary Witch as she flew gracefully through the air, it looked hopeless for the trio of villains, but Buzz missed, and instead of hitting the witch he hit the side of the cell.
"Nice shooting, Tex," The Scary witch mocked as she flew down. Jessie seeing the accident tried to get a rope on the witch but instead got the investigating guards tied up, the scary witch snatched up Evil Dr. Porkchop and flew off. One-eyed Bart pulled took out a remote control, and a flying saucer appeared at the edge of the cliff
"Thanks for making this easy sheriff," Bart said as he and Betty flew off behind the witch and Dr. Porkchop. Woody looked up at his worst enemies escaping not frightened but prepared to meet them again.
*End of role play.*
"No, wonder Andy gave this girl his toys," Molly thought to herself, smiling. Bonnie began to pick up and was untangling the shoe-lace from Rex, the aliens, and Slinky when she looked over and noticed Molly.
Knowing that she had been caught Molly chuckled and said, "busted," Bonnie seemed to freeze up. "No, no it's ok I come in peace," Molly joked, making the girl smile for a second.
"I can see that you're a very imaginative girl Bonnie," noted Molly, kneeling to Bonnie's level.
"Mommy says I'm very creative," Bonnie spoke in a normal voice but still refused to look Molly in the eye though she did glance at her as though hopeful.
"Well, care to introduce me around?" asked Molly.
"Ok," cheered Bonnie excitedly.
As time passed, Bonnie introduced Molly to all of her toys and each in extraordinary detail, and Molly noticed something about Bonnie. The shy and timid girl seemed to have vanished from her entirely and left behind a much more energetic, lively, and talkative girl where she had been. However, as Bonnie was on her last toy, she said something that made Molly feel slightly uneasy.
"Wanna play?" she asked, offering her Buttercup the unicorn. These simple words seemed to set off a war in Molly's head.
"No how, no way," said a voice in Molly's head sternly.
However, another kinder voice spoke up, "why not?" it asked simply.
"Think of your reputation at school," the stern voice reminded.
"And who would ever know?" the other voice gently replied.
"Just watch her play," the stern voice demanded.
"Interact with her, think about how shy she was at first now she wants to be your friend, and you're pushing her away," the other voice summarized.
"At the end of the week you will write your report, and you will never see Bonnie again," said the stern voice.
"And would you rather be remembered or forgotten?" the other voice asked.
Molly looked down at the unicorn, took it, and said admittedly a little reluctantly said, "Ok Bonnie, let's get started."
Initially, Molly was going to play with Bonnie for half an hour and then hint toward a movie, however that plan soon changed because Molly was having fun playing with Bonnie her imagination took them from vast rainforests to otherworld's and everywhere in between and at the end both sitter and child smiled. However, though she hid it from Bonnie, Molly also felt great shame playing with her.
"I left this world, the world of playing pretend and toys away a long time ago," she thought to herself. "But is there any shame in that?" she asked herself. What bothered Molly the most about that question was up until a while ago she would have answered "no" every single time in an instant, but now that she was looking at Bonnie and watching the joy and innocence that her eyes shone with as they played together she wasn't sure. Growing up Molly let go of her toys and almost forgotten about them at an early age and hardly ever played with toys unless she was bored, but now she realized that she had missed a great time in her life. "But is it too late?" She asked herself; she knew she had already sold all her toys at the family yard sale years ago and for the most part had no real regrets, until now.
"Molly, are you ok?" asked Bonnie, concerned.
"Huh... oh yes, yes I'm fine," Molly responded, not altogether truthfully.
As six-a-clock came around Bonnie seemed to have worn herself out, so Molly guided her to the sofa and then slumped down next to her more tired than she cared to admit herself and flicked through channels until she found the correct child's programming. Bonnie, however, was not at first watching and as the program went through numbers, she was positioning her toys to the screen. "You're very fond of your toys, aren't you, Bonnie?" asked Molly, smiling.
"Well, they're more than toys, they're my best friends," Bonnie responded.
"Your friends at school must like the games you come up with," Molly inquired.
At that moment, the smile seemed to fade from Bonnie's lips."I don't have friends at school," she admitted.
These simple words broke Molly's heart, "that's too bad, Bonnie, you're nice to be with."
"I'm a fun girl," responded Bonnie, making Molly giggle, she decided to let the subject drop.
The time passed, and as the programming began to take on a softer and more peaceful tone, Bonnie began to yawn, finally laying against Molly's leg awake but on the edge of slumber.
"I think it's time we get you in the tub, and then off to dreamland," Molly spoke softly as she held a hand to Bonnie who looked at her toys, "don't worry, I'll make sure everyone is in bed waiting for you," Molly promised.
"Okay, thank you," Bonnie spoke, struggling to her feet.
"How's the water?" asked Molly as Bonnie stepped into a tub of foam.
"Just right," said Bonnie blowing a handful of bubbles into the air of the bathroom.
"I'll be right across the hall if you need me," Molly assured, Bonnie nodded as she reached over for a set of sponge letters. Molly carefully laid each toy on Bonnie's bed so that each toy would not fall off the edge of the bed when Molly put Bonnie in the center. Molly then went digging through the drawers for pajamas; she selected a pair of purple footie's, she also grabbed a pair of panties and went back to the bathroom where she found Bonnie practicing her spelling by sticking the letter's to the wall's surrounding the tub and giggling happily.
"Bon, are you washing or playing?" questioned Molly as she placed the clothing and a towel on the counter.
"Bon?" inquired Bonnie curiously.
"Yeah like a bonbon," said Molly feeling a little awkward, "you don't mind if I call you that do you?"
"I don't mind, but what is a bonbon?" asked Bonnie.
"It's candy, candy covered in chocolate," Molly explained.
Bonnie licked her lips, "sounds yummy." Molly watched as Bonnie struggled to wash her backside.
"Want me to get your back?" Molly questioned.
"Thank you," Bonnie thanked, handing her the washcloth. While Molly cleaned Bonnie, Bonnie distracted herself with the letters.
"That should do it," Molly finished.
"Look what I did, Molly," Bonnie proudly exclaimed as she pointed to one of the walls around the bathtub Molly looked up and smiled. Stuck to the wall and some were already beginning to descend were the sponge letters they spelled out, "BONIE + M0LY".
"You're sweet," Molly noted simply as she picked Bonnie up and wrapped her in the towel.
"Your nicer than all my other babysitters," said Bonnie as she reached over for the pajamas, she then took a big whiff of air next to Molly making the tween feel slightly uncomfortable for a moment, "and you smell better" she continued. "You even know my favorite pajamas," said Bonnie.
"Well, we have all week together, maybe we can go somewhere," said Molly as she zipped up Bonnie.
"That would be fun," Bonnie yawned, though Molly knew it was more from lack of energy then of interest.
"I think someone's ready for bed," Molly announced as she playfully poked Bonnie's stomach making her giggle sleepily. "Let's go Bonbon," said Molly as she reached out an arm to guide her. Bonnie, however, placed both her arms in the air pleadingly, "Carry me please," she requested, Molly smiled and kneeled to grasp Bonnie and lifted her slowly.
"You look like you could crash until Halloween Bon," Molly said.
"But, if I did that I would miss all summer, and I don't think I can sleep that long," Bonnie said reasonably.
"It's an expression Bonnie," said Molly with a giggle.
Arriving at Bonnie's room, Molly tucked her in bed and said, "Nighty night Bon."
"Night Molly," said Bonnie leaning in and kissing her on the cheek.
"You're sweet," Molly repeated as she watched Bonnie drift into sleep and turned out the light before sneaking into the hallway.
As Molly closed the door, the phone in the kitchen began to ring, and she ran to pick it up. "Hello?" she said.
"Hi, Molly just checking up how are things?" came Mrs. Anderson's voice.
"Great Mrs. A, Bonnie is just fine," Molly reported.
"And how are you?" asked Mrs. Anderson.
"Me, I'm fine, great actually, you were right Bonnie warms up fast," Molly admitted.
"Could I talk with Bonnie?" inquired Mrs. Anderson.
"Oh no, sorry she's sleeping," said Molly.
"You got Bonnie to sleep early?" asked Mrs. Anderson, amazed.
"Yeah, we played for a while, and she wore herself out," Molly explained, "wore me out too," she added.
"Well I am impressed, it takes a lot just to keep up with Bonnie, when she wants to be she is a hurricane of energy," said Mrs. Anderson.
"Yeah, I noticed, but she's also lovely," responded Molly, "by the way how goes your business thing?" she added.
"Oh well, you know, the new manager brought us all for child development lessons," said Mrs. Anderson.
"Why would you need those lessons?" asked Molly.
"That's exactly what I said, but he says he wants me to be able to create an entrance that's best for a child's development," said Mrs. Anderson.
"Shouldn't he be focusing on the classrooms?" asked Molly.
"Oh he is, he wants to remake Sunnyside to where it's the best place for children to learn over the summer, he's redoing everything even the janitor's closet," said Mrs. Anderson.
"Sounds a little demanding," said Molly.
"Not really, he's letting everyone make their own choices about how they want their rooms and zones he wants everyone to be a team, and on the same ground. However, he is talking about a lot more work, more meetings, and more parent involvement but it all even out he's open to suggestions and is raising everyone's pay," said Mrs. Anderson.
"Sounds like you're going to be busy," Molly commented.
"I'll hardly be home all summer," responded Mrs. Anderson sounding worried. "By the way, it's a good thing you got Bonnie to bed early with that storm rolling in," she added.
"Storm?" asked Molly nervously.
"Yes, it's going to pour all night, well anyway I'll let you go, good night," said Mrs. Anderson.
"Good night," responded Molly as she hung up and looked into the shadow-filled hallways.
By ten a clock, the wind was blowing furiously, as the thunder roared like a lion, and the lightning made the shadows of Molly's guest room dance across the walls as she lay wide awake and shaking slightly. Molly quickly dove under the covers as a lightning bolt lit up the room. "Come on Molly," she told herself as she poked her head out from the covers, "you can do this, stop being such a baby, nothing is going to happen," she told herself confidently. However, at that moment, a massive roar of thunder hit her ears and sent her back under the safety of the covers. Ever since Molly was little, she'd been terrified of the dark.
Molly remembered those terrifying noisy and stormy nights from when she was younger; she would always cower under the covers and sometimes under the bed. Molly looked guiltily at the nightstand. Throughout her life, there was only one thing that combated her fears of the dark Bo Peep the night lamp and doll that at one time had been her best friend. Molly remembered their days bittersweetly the hours she would lay in bed with her talking to her, playing shepherd with her, those stormy nights when Bo chased away the shadows Molly could always count on her but... "I guess Bo couldn't count on me," guiltily finishing her thoughts. Just a few years ago, claiming to be too old for toys and claiming that she no longer needed something as silly as a night light Molly put Bo in her box of items for a yard sale. Molly still remembered feeling her heart die a little when a young girl picked her out and took her home, always remembered that first night of looking at the empty nightstand crying still and still remembered Andy who had shaken his head in disbelief.
Then it came footsteps on the hardwood floors of the hall; Molly panicked slammed her head on the pillow and shut her eyes tightly only to be responded by the sound of the door creaking open.
Molly heard light footsteps getting closer and felt a light poke in her side, "Molly?" came a frightened whisper, Molly opened her eyes and there stood Bonnie looking terrified and from the red puffiness of her eyes she had been crying.
Immediately, Molly reached over and turned on the light and moved over to make room for Bonnie. "Come on up here Bon, and tell me what's wrong," Molly spoke as she watched Bonnie crawl next to her Molly noticed that the tot had Woody and Dolly the rag doll in either hand.
"I had a bad dream," Bonnie explained. "I dreamed that mean monsters had me and they were pinching me and poking me and then they dropped me, and I kept on falling and falling until I was so close to the ground but right when I was about to hit it I woke up," she recalled. Bonnie began tearing up, Molly brought Bonnie into a hug and patted the child on the back gently. "Then the house was making scary noises, so I came here," Bonnie added as she wiped her eyes dry.
It broke Molly's heart to see Bonnie so upset, she thought of a way to cheer her up eventually an idea hit her. Molly reached under the bed and pulled up a flashlight. "Shadows can be scary Bonnie but not so much when you know how to manipulate them," Molly explained as she flicked on the flashlight and handed it to Bonnie who looked up from Molly's now slightly tear-stained shoulder curiously took it.
"Watch," Molly instructed as she put her hands together and made a bird hand shadow.
"Birdie," Bonnie spoke as she watched in amazement.
"Right," said Molly as she turned her bird into a dog making Bonnie smile and then turning the dog into a hopping rabbit which made Bonnie giggle.
"See Bon even shadows can be fun if you know how to use them," said Molly as she reached over and turned out the light.
"Maybe," Bonnie admitted, "but I still don't like them," she finished.
"Well, you can sleep here if you want," Molly offered, "We'll keep each other safe," she continued pulling out a pillow from her stack for Bonnie who took it and snuggled herself between the sheets.
"Thank you, Molly," said Bonnie.
"Hey, Molly, were you ever afraid of the dark?" asked Bonnie curiously.
Molly hesitated before answering, "a little... ok maybe a lot," she admitted seeing the purity in Bonnie's eyes.
"What did you do when it was dark?" asked Bonnie curiously.
"Well, I had a friend, who lit up the dark and kept the shadows away, every night she lit up my room," Molly reminisced bitter-sweetly.
"Wow, what was her name?" asked Bonnie.
"Her name was Bo Peep, and back then she was my best friend," Molly told Bonnie who was listening with great interest.
"What was she like," asked Bonnie.
"She was a doll, and she was part of a lamp," said Molly.
"Bo Peep was a toy? neat," said Bonnie.
"Bo Peep was a shepherdess," Molly explained and added after seeing the confused look on Bonnie's face. "That means she took care of sheep and I always felt like I was one of her sheep, that she was protecting me every night, she listened when I talked, she would comfort me, we would do everything together, and Bo and I promised..." Molly stopped suddenly before continuing in a more hollow voice, "we promised we'd always looked out for each other."
"Did you guys keep that promise?" Bonnie innocently inquired.
Molly glanced at the bedside table before responding, "one of us did."
"What happened to Bo Peep?" asked Bonnie curiously.
Molly went silent for a moment then finally answered, "I... made a mistake... I...thought someone…. else... might need her so I... gave... her...up," Molly spoke quietly.
"I wish I could've met Bo," Bonnie responded.
"She would have liked you," said Molly.
"Did Andy like Bo?" asked Bonnie.
"You remember my brother's name?" inquired Molly.
"Well, he did give me some of my favorite toys, and he did make me promise to always play with them, so yeah, I remember him," replied Bonnie.
"Yeah, Andy liked Bo," replied Molly; she then smiled and went on, "he would always take her and use her as a damsel in distress in his games."
"Damsel in distress?" asked Bonnie.
"She was always the one that everyone had to rescue," Molly explained Molly then smiled more broadly. "I remember, I used to get so upset when Andy would take her," she said. "I used to make all these protection plans, one time when I was seven I rigged her so touching her would set off my alarm clock, but it surprised Andy so much he tumbled right into my door," she continued. Molly looked down at Bonnie and saw her eyes dropping but went on with her story, "I ran up and slammed the door open right onto his head, I still remember what he said 'next time just lock the door' had a bump on his head for a week," Molly laughed. "Kind of funny huh Bon," she said "Bon?" she repeated when no response came. Molly looked down and saw Bonnie had fallen asleep on her chest. Molly pulled the cover over the pair of them, kissed Bonnie on the head and said, "and they lived happily ever after," before easing into sleep.