Just a Job by Laura Sherman

Author:Laura Sherman
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Outside The Box Publishing
Published: 2019-11-26T05:00:00+00:00

Two days had passed, and Mildred was still entranced by all the toys in the nursery. In all her years at the orphanage, she could only remember one toy that she could call her own.

It was a doll made of rags that someone had made and donated to her orphanage one Christmas. She loved that doll and named it Sophia. It went everywhere she went. She fed it at mealtimes and slept with it at night. Maybe that’s why she was selected to be a nanny; someone must have thought she would want to care for children.

Looking at the shelves that lined the room, she saw four-dozen dolls, some still in their boxes. She was particularly drawn to a beautiful porcelain doll with a bright red dress and matching hat. Picking it up, she marveled at the detailing.

As she stroked the doll’s soft brown hair, she wondered what had happened to Sophia. When she left the orphanage at fourteen, she had been forced to leave it behind. No one was allowed to take anything when they graduated from an orphanage. That was the rule. Mildred had known that but clung to the hope that they would make an exception for her. They hadn’t. No one cared when she’d dissolved in a torrent of tears.

“Quit whining,” the matron had said. “You’re an adult now.”

It wasn’t fair. Nothing in life ever seemed fair.

“You’re hurting her!” Franny cried. The little girl frantically tried to reach the doll.

Snapping out of her recollection, Mildred looked down and noticed that she was twisting the dolls beautiful curls in her hands. She quickly released the strands and knelt down to Franny’s level.

“I’m sorry,” Mildred said, handing the doll back to her. “See? She’s fine.”

Franny smoothed her hair and walked off to the other side of the room. The little girl looked back at her with a hurt look.

Mildred felt a new sensation course through her. What is this? She had never felt bad about upsetting a child before. She stood up and shook off the feeling. She went back to looking at the other dolls. After a few minutes she looked over at Franny. The doll with the red dress had been discarded and Franny was playing with a light organ. As Franny’s little fingers danced over the keys, light poured from the instruments in various shapes and colors. The little girl laughed in glee.

Mildred went over to the discarded doll, picked her up and placed her back on the shelf. She ran a finger down the scarlet dress.

I wonder if Franny would miss her if I borrowed the doll?

Suddenly a sharp scream rent the air and Mildred’s entire body stiffened. In a panic she whipped around as her heartbeat doubled its pace. Franny was lying on the floor, holding her knee, howling.

“Owwy,” she cried. Fat tears fell from her eyes. “It hurts!”

Mildred bent down to her, frantically searching the child for injury. Clay also came over and squatted beside them.

“She’s okay,” he said. “She just tripped. That’s all.

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