I feel your hand lifting me up from the shelf. Your warmth spreads to my fluff as you delicately squeeze my plushy body.
Is it the day you're replacing my batteries?
I can hardly contain my excitement! My head brushes against your fingers, nuzzling them rhythmically with each step you make.
I can't wait to be able to speak for you again!
You lay me on your desk, lit by a yellow light, and turn me to face away, exposing my back.
I love your touch... you're always so sweet and soft with me. I am blessed to be yours.
You carefully open the seams at my back and I give you all my trust, and remain perfectly motionless for you, so I give you no trouble operating on me. Once a hole is made, I feel your thumb and index finger around my fluff, grabbing my voice box. I feel so vulnerable, but you take such good care of me.
Your removal of the battery case tugs at its black and red wires, connected to the speaker sewed behind my mouth. You then successfully unscrew the black plastic box that fits perfectly in your palm. The lid is popped, and I feel you remove those pesky old batteries out of me. Did you just say they were leaking? Oh gosh, good riddance!!! Thank goodness you could help me in time... You put them in a dedicated disposal box.
Then you spend a few minutes cleaning the contacts inside the box with a cotton swab drenched in rubbing alcohol. Once it's dried, you pull out a fresh pair of... rechargeable batteries, you say? You slide them in my case and close it shut.
I want you to hear my voice again. There are so many lines you haven't yet heard me say! You seem to be just as impatient as I am, but you prolong the surprise by putting me back together first. Your soft hands squeeze the black box inside my back, and make sure it's facing the right way. A needle slides over and under my skin, and you talk to me the entire way through. Your voice is so soothing...
Finally, you're finished! Please test meeeee! All I want is for you to hear my gratitude! You don't need much convincing, and swiftly turn me to face you. Before I can take in the view of your gorgeous, giddy smile, you place your thumb against my belly, and press it.
Instantly, the circuitry picks amongst my hundred of recorded voice lines the one that best matches the current thoughts rushing in my head:
I... I thought it was gonna pick "thank you"...?
You laugh and tell me you love me back, and plant a kiss on my forehead.
This is the best day of my life.
