A mermaid to love

 To throw away or refurbish and keep? Starla sat on her black and purple mermaid scale comforter holding a mermaid doll in her lap, it was the kind that lights up and sings and could be used in the bath tub it even changed color in the water. The problem with it was paint was coming off from wear and tear, and the hair was frizzy from sitting on out on the self for so long. Since she is going to move out soon, she needed to downsize most of her old things had been donated or her mother put away, but this one toy was special she loved mermaids everything mermaid actually. And this was her first, given to her on her 5th birthday by her grandmother who died that year, so she cherished it.  

 She pressed the tiny pearlescent button which made it sing and make sparkling music then it died. It needed new batteries too.

 Standing up holding it close to her chest, she went into the living room where her family was. Her father, was rushing out the door going to work and her mother was cooking breakfast for the children she took care of while their parents were at work. It was summertime which means no school and childcare was needed, Starla's mother was always happy to help.  

 When she came into the kitchen holding the doll a little girl she had never seen before looked up at the mermaid her eyes widened in amazment.

   "Pretty baby!"

 Starla held the doll tighter to her chest and turned away. The little girl pouted and hung her head. After setting the doll on top of the refrigerator, away from little grabby hands she took a good look at the new child at the table, she was clean and tidy but her clothes were a little big and thread bare. Her tiny shoes were scuffed and had holes in them. 

  "Momma who is the new kid?"

Flipping another pancake onto a platter she turned to her daughter.

   "You remember the new family down the street? Her father left them and now her mother has to pull extra shifts, so I said I would care for her while she is working".

Waiting for more, Starla grabbed a plate, but her mother was done talking, she never liked to gossip around young ears that absorb everything like a sponge.

  Later on that night the little girls mother came to pick her up.

  "Thank you so much, when I get paid I--".

  "No don't worry bout it you just get yourself back on ur feet," Starla's mother interrupted her.

   "Thank you so much" she threw her arms round her crying.

Tomorrow is her birthday and I have to work," her voice woppled a little bit, she was upset by not being able to be there.

  "Don't worry bout a thing I'll take care of it", she gave her a hug and patted her back reassureingly

  "Good night and thank you," she have her a watery smile and picked up her baby and left.

 Starla watched this and looked at the doll on the refrigerator, as much as her heart hurt to let it go the little would love it. She saw how she was staring it down the all day.  

   So she got out her art supplies and went to work. Making the doll almost as good as new, even changing out the battery. When she was done she put it in a shoe box with a tiny peal bracelet and wrapped it up.

  The next morning Starla came down to breakfast clutching the present to her chest, could she really do this? Now that it was time to give it away could she?

  "Is that for me?" The little girl looked up at the box in Starla's arms.

  "Yes, Happy Birthday!" She set the box down in front of her.

Hesitantly, she picked it up looking round at Starla's mother then back to Starla after a nod from both of them, she snatched it up and tore into it, paper went flying everywhere. She yanked the lid off and chucked it over her shoulder. She stopped wide eyed and mouth agape at the sparly pink and green mermaid with a jeweled crown and pearlescent shell button on her waist. 

 "Press the button", Starla urged.

Very slowy the little girl pressed the button the gasped then giggle as it sang and lite up. 

   Starla knelt down beside her so she was eye level with the little girl and took out the pearl bracelet after fastening it around her wrist she took the doll from the box.

  "This mermaid is very special, and magical. You gotta take good care of her and she will take good care of you. She is super special because you can cuddle her and take her swimming with you. She was from my grandma and I'm not going to need her anymore, so she needs someone to take care of again".  

   She handed her the doll and the little girl hugged it to her chest and ran off into the living room to show her off to the other children.

  "That was a good thing you did and I know it was hard." Starlas mother pulled her into a hug.

Starla just smiled and shrugged.

"Your grandmother is probably smiling down from heaven right now". Her mother went to clean up after breakfast.

Starla went into the living room to watch the little girl play the her new doll memories flashed through her mind like a kaleidoscope. Her grandmother sitting on the floor with her and both of them trying to mimic the mermaid, then falling over in a fit of giggles. Hugging herself she look over at to the picture of her grandmother smiling as she was glueing seashells together, tears running down her cheeks.

After wiping her eyes, she went to sit with the children and they all took turns singing and giggling. Then they started dancing around the the mermaids music. The boys grumbled about it being to girly and went off into the back yard to play.

"Did your grandma give this to you to?". The little girl asked as she fingered her bracelet.

"I made that for you do you two can have matching bracelets".

Squealing, the little girl threw herself into Starla's arms and they fell over laughing.