Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
Spencer
“We have reservations for three for tea under Thanukos,” I informed the hostess at the restaurant inside the Everydoll Boutique.
We’d already been through the store so that Riley could choose a doll to bring for tea.
Though I’d promised that we’d go shopping more afterward so that Riley could get some outfits for hers and Grace’s doll could have her hair done.
“Would you like doll seats?” the hostess asked.
“Three, please. Spence, you’re getting a loaner doll.” Riley grinned and pointed to a wall of dolls that diners could borrow for the duration of their meal.
“You choose,” I replied.
Riley, who was wearing a long black lace-up dress and clunky shoes, chose a doll as the hostess grabbed three doll seats and three menus and brought us over to a table.
Grace held my hand, the doll the professor gave her clutched to her chest. Her blue T-shirt dress complemented her eyes.
It didn’t really match her slip-on sneakers, which had peaches on them.
Maybe I should get her slip-ons that coordinated with all her T-shirt dresses, since that’s what she primarily wore outside work.
The restaurant was crowded with families, most with multiple children. Many of them wore party hats, as this was a popular place for birthdays. But there were also tables full of only adults, having a good time, some of them also wearing party hats. Everydoll had an almost obsessive following.
I pulled her close to me. She had her I’m overwhelmed face on.
“Oh, is that a Gracie doll? She’s in impeccable condition other than her hair. She looks like she just sat on a shelf,” a random omega asked as we walked past.
“Yeah, it is, and old doll hair gets like that,” Riley retorted.
We took a seat. The hostess affixed seats for the dolls so that they could sit next to us. We put our dolls in them so they could join us for tea. Riley had chosen a boy doll in a tennis outfit for me to borrow for the duration of our meal.
“Someone will be back to take your order,” the hostess told us.
I turned the menu over to the beverage list and handed it to Grace. “Riley, what are we getting today?”
Afternoon tea had several options, but it was for the entire table.
“Oh, we should get the special-tea, since that has the most food. Also, a pot of jasmine green tea?” Riley asked.
Grace nodded. “Sounds good. Now, do I get a beer or a cocktail with a silly name? Perhaps a mimosa?”
“The champagne here is mid, but they have a very nice wine list,” I replied.
Grace ended up with a beer, I got a glass of merlot, and Riley ordered a blinking mock-tail.
“Did you have fun at the gym today, Grace? I love that place.” Riley took a sip of her drink.
The two of them had gone with Jett to the boxing gym this morning. I’d played a little golf, since I was healing up fine.
“I like it. Next weekend I’ll have my motorcycle license, and we can take my bike?” Grace took a drink of beer.
Oh, how I love the way my good doctor’s pink lips looked wrapped around the neck of the bottle.
“Perfect. You looked good when you were practicing earlier. You’ll pass your motorcycle test no problem,” Riley agreed.
“Yes, you’ve got this,” I assured. Once again, I’d joined her on my own motorcycle, and it was fun going around the neighborhood with her.
“Here’s your tea.” The server brought a pot of tea and put it on the table. She gave each doll its own tiny teacup. “I’ll be right back with your food.”
Riley looked at Grace. “We’re allowed to take the doll teacups home.”
“I think we should build a blanket fort and make the guys have a tea party with us in it.” Grace took a picture of her doll with the teacup.
“Which guys?” Riley laughed, doing the same.
A grin spread across Grace’s face. “All of them.”
“I’m there,” Riley agreed.
“I’d do it,” I told them. Evan, Wes, and I played tea party with Riley many times over the years.
Grace leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. “I know.”
The server brought over a tower of sandwiches, savory pastries, fruit, and treats and set it on the table. “Enjoy.”
We started eating. Riley kept feeding her doll and taking pictures.
“Spencer, you haven’t fed your doll anything. So neglectful.” Riley laughed.
I pretended to feed my brown-haired loaner doll some sandwich. Grace snapped a photo. A moment later my phone buzzed, and I saw that she put it in the group chat.
“Are you enjoying yourself, my good doctor?” I gave her a fond look as I took a sip of merlot.
Last weekend had been frightening, but all week Grace had been in good health and was only occasionally grumpy because she felt smothered by the others. She was looking forward to returning to the lab.
“I’m enjoying the company. Do you think Tru would like to come here and have tea? I know she’ll be in camp most of the week, but I’d like to do a few special things with her.” Grace bit into a savory pastry. “I love bacon.”
“I can’t think of a better place to take her. She’d love it,” I assured.
Everything for our Future Intern project with Rock Tech’s math camp was going well.
Our VP of Communications was excited about the positive press that it would bring.
I was excited because it made Grace happy.
She couldn’t wait, not just to spend time with her little sister, but to nurture Tru’s love of math and sense of wonder.
“Yeah. Ooh, you can make an appointment for the doll lab, and she can create a custom doll. You come and have tea, do a little shopping, then go get your doll,” Riley suggested.
“That sounds fun. But other siblings might be jealous if she comes back with a fully custom doll,” Grace said softly, plucking another treat off the tray.
“Probably just her twin and the little one. You can pick out dolls for them together. Oooh or make sister dolls.” Riley took a picture of her drinking out of the doll cup.
“That sounds expensive; this place is insane.” Grace looked around the crowded dining room.
I squeezed her hand. “I think it would be a fun treat, and a nice way to make some memories with your sister.”
After we finished eating, I paid the bill, and Riley took us back into the shop. The store had many levels, each one divided into different areas. We dropped off Grace’s doll at the doll spa.
“Oh, you have Gracie,” the omega doll stylist cooed. “Original outfit and everything. I’ll get her hair fixed up and perfect for you.”
Riley got a skate smash outfit for her doll as well as some other things. Grace just quietly took everything in, clutching a basket as she wandered around.
“Let’s look at the accessories, maybe they have a motorcycle.” Riley pulled my elbow.
“Where’s Grace?” I looked around.
“Spencer. Look.” Grace held a pink foil, crystal-studded box, with a blonde doll wearing a crown, a pink dress, and gloves.
“Would you like another doll?” I asked her. It was clear from her face that she did.
She nodded. “The one from Bren is really special, and apparently so is the one from the professor. I think I’d like just a doll so that Tru and I can play dolls together. It was hidden behind some dolls in another section. She’s adorable. Look at her dress. Even the box is pretty.”
“The one from the professor isn’t special, she’s just old, and you can’t buy her anymore.
They do that a lot, so people will buy more dolls thinking they’re collectable.
I mean, go amass a doll army if it makes you happy, but it’s not going to fund your retirement island.
” Riley looked at the box. “But she’s really pretty. You’re getting her that one, Spence?”
“You can choose another doll if you’d like, Riley. That doll is lovely, Grace. Of course I’ll get it for you.” I hugged her to me. Anything for her. Between my knife wound and her getting ill, I just wanted to give her everything.
“It’s so silly, but I absolutely want to make up for never having dolls like these as a kid. And, well, the toys I had that she gave away.” Her peach scent went salty with sadness.
I kissed the top of her head. “I’ll get you as many dolls as you wish.”
We went downstairs where there was an entire selection of transportation options for your dolls–from cars to horses to bicycles–even remote-control trains.
“Spence, do you want me to distract Grace when you pay?” Riley whispered.
“Not sure how one of those ended up on the main floor. Pink foil boxes mean limited special-edition, and they’re kept in glass cases in a room on the first floor.
That one isn’t just foil, it sparkles. I only know this because girls on my floor in the dorms collect these fuckers.
Anyhow, Grace might want to put it back if she knows how much it costs, and she should have the fucking doll.
Honestly, we should take her to Stuff-A-Stuffie, too. Let's buy her all the toys.”
“I agree. That’s a wonderful idea, though we might need to do that another time if we’re still going dress shopping. Wes and Evan are making dinner tonight,” I reminded her. Last night it was her and Jett.
Riley made a face. “And that’s a good idea, why?”
I laughed. “They’re trying.”
We finished shopping, Riley adding a remote-control doll motorcycle to the basket.
“Look, they’re having cookie decorating. Let’s make a cookie while Spencer buys our stuff,” Riley said as we saw a bunch of people sitting at small tables.
“Are you done looking? We haven’t seen everything, though I’m okay with making cookies and checking out,” Grace replied.
Riley nodded. “Yeah, we can go through the doll museum and look at the fancy dolls another time.”
Grace glanced over at me.
“Go on. Make a cookie for me.” I kissed her and got in line for the register.
“Oh wow, we still have these? Someone is very lucky,” the omega at the register said as he rang up my items.
“I’m the lucky one.” As the price flashed up, I saw what Riley meant. But honestly, it was nothing in the scheme of things.
I found them finishing up decorating sugar cookies.