For @thetourguidebarbie because she deserves only fluffy insults full of kittens and fluff. Thanks for @garglyswoof for being awesome beta.
Teddy bears of various colors and sizes lined a glass case in the largest toy store in Richmond. There also was a random snow-white rabbit with button-eyes, a charming dog made of brown plush, and even a small baby elephant among the bears. But a blond little girl didn’t seem to be pleased by this magnificence of choice and was skeptically looking for toys for at least half an hour.
“Caroline,” Liz reiterated persistently, feeling a migraine coming on from the obsessive melody that sounded in the store. During this day, she’d repeatedly thought that dealing with rare criminals and desperate adolescents was much easier than her own six-year-old daughter, and although she in every way drove such thoughts from herself, the irritation grew stronger. “You need to choose something, baby.”
Caroline sighed heavily, and then poked her finger into the bulging belly of a soft blue bear.
“Do you like him?” the young saleswoman quickly asked, who’d watched with bewilderment as the girl meticulously chose a toy. She faced all sorts of children, saw the worst versions of small monsters who adored lying on the floor and screaming out their lungs, but this was the first time they’d encountered such methodicalness inherent to adults.
“He’s beautiful,” Caroline nodded, patting teddy bear’s foot. “But he is so cute he will not survive the meeting with monsters. They’ll eat him right away,” she added, looking at the shopgirl with her eyes wide open.
Liz tiredly rubbed her nose, cursing the new-minded psychologist that Bill had found somewhere.
“She has nightmares,” she explained to the saleswoman, whose, judging by her badge, name was Alice. “It’s hard for her to sleep and she is afraid of the dark, so we were advised to buy her some toy that could … protect her.”
Caroline nodded vigorously, confirming her mother’s words, and then hastily added, “I like them all, miss, honestly.” She looked at the counter again with a quick glance. “Especially that one, very similar to Mr. Cuddles. Just …” she leaned forward, closer to Alice, and almost whispered, “I need someone with teeth.”
