The girl and her sick doll

A new day has come, and the Bear without a Name is stretching his arms. He looks around in amazement. He misses Aunt Jans. She is late today, but luckily, he sees her walking into the shop a little bit later. he also sees the old gentleman walking down the alley and again he stops by the window end says: ‘That this shop still exists.’
A little bit later he sees the girl with her golden curls, and she waves, as usual to Aunt Jans. The day starts like any other day. That does not mean that every day is the same. No, on the contrary, no one day is the same with Aunt Jans. In the wool shop, you never know what surprises will come their way.
Bear sees a girl with auburn hair entering the alley, and she stands timidly in front of the shop. In her arms, she wears a cuddly toy wrapped in a soft warm blanket and she softly speaks to the cuddly toy: ‘Do not be afraid, dear Josien. We go to Aunt Jans and everything will be fine.’
Bear sees the tears in her eyes and understands that something is going on. He leans forward to see what is wrapped in the blanket. It is a doll with just as beautiful curls as the girl has. For a moment he gets the urge to call Aunt Jans but then he quickly puts his hand to his mouth. Fortunately, just in time. He had almost betrayed himself.

The antique doorbell rings when the girl opens the door and she steps inside shyly. She looks around in wonder. She is impressed by all those beautiful cuddly toys and for a moment she forgets her sick doll.
Aunt Jans gets up from her rocking chair and shuffles towards the girl. ‘Hello, Sweetie. What is your name and what can I do for you,’ she asked?
The girl sobs her name and extends her arms with the blanket to Aunt Jans.
‘Oh, my dear child. Is there something wrong with your doll,’ asks Aunt Jans and takes over the blanket from her.
The girl looks at her and wonders if she was right to come here. Aunt Jans is very old, maybe she is a witch, she thinks.
The other dolls and cuddly toys in the store also notice that something special is going on and are leaning slightly forward. They don’t want to miss something that’s going on in the store. In the meantime, Aunt Jans tries to put the girl at ease and asks if she might want a biscuit. The girl nods and loses her fear and whispers, ‘Madam my …, my Josien is very injured. Until bleeding. I even think she’s dying, or maybe she already is. She’s my favourite doll. Grandpa took her from a far country. That was a long time ago. The doll belonged to my mom. Mummy is dead and I miss her so much. I really can’t miss my favourite doll. She always comforts me. Can you make her better?’
Bear looks and listens carefully to what the girl has to say and secretly a tear flows from his eyes.
‘Just walk with me to the next room and I’ll see what I can do for her,’ Aunt Jans replies.
The girl walks behind her and enters a room that looks a bit like an operating room. For a moment she remembers the time when her tonsils had to remove in the hospital.
‘You have a real operating room for dolls,’ she says, and Aunt Jans gives her a handkerchief so she can dry her tears.
Aunt Jans is now looking at the doll and the girl is standing on a stool to see how Aunt Jans treats her favourite doll.
‘You see, she is completely covered in blood. Look…, her eye is hanging out. Do you see?’
Aunt Jans skilfully examines the doll and briefly rubs her chin. She looks at the girl thoughtfully for a moment.
‘Is she getting better again? Please tell me that she gets well again. I love her so much and I really can’t do without my sweetest cuddly doll.’
Aunt Jans takes the girl back to the shop and sits on her rocking chair. She takes the girl’s hands in hers and says: ‘Honey, she needs to get her strength back first. Come back in a week and I think she will be completely better again. But I promise nothing.’
She pats the girl a pat on her head and without saying anything she lets her out. She waves to the little girl till she’s out of the alley and then Aunt Jans walks back to her rocking chair. She gently shakes her head and a smile comes around her mouth. ‘That sweetheart, what will she be worried about her doll in the coming week. But that’s good, that makes her big,’ she whispers.

The hugs are delighted. They know that Aunt Jans is going to make sure that the girl’s doll looks like new again. They are all convinced of that. They quickly take a step back, so that they are back in their place.

The End