****
Hope stayed all day on the ground next to the bush on a cold wet and windy day. The owner of the house worked at the local Library and wouldn’t be home until late. By then it was dark so Hope went unnoticed. It wasn’t until the following morning that the front door opened and Miss Taylor saw the doll lying on her back beside the Rose bush.
Picking up the doll she saw at first glance that it must be very old. The damp weather had stuck Hope’s eye lids down and she looked as if she was fast asleep. Taking her inside she removed the wet dress and bonnet to dry the doll in a towel. As she sat Hope up the eyelids opened as if being woken from a deep sleep. Miss Taylor looked at the doll with odd eyes and smiled. “Good morning” she said “I see you’ve woken up. How on earth did you end up here in my front garden? What a beautiful doll you must have been. I have never seen a doll with one blue eye and one green. I will have to find out where you’ve come from. I’m off to work but I will be home lunch time!” As she walked back to the front door she turned and said. “Bye Rose Bud I’ll see you soon.”
At the Library Pat Taylor went to the computer section and searched for doll’s made around 60 years ago. She was surprised to see simular dolls to Rose, in good condition were worth quite a lot of money.
That week Pat asked her neighbours if anyone had lost an old doll with odd eyes. The answer was no, so back on the computer she searched as much information as possible on how to restore Rose Bud to her former glory.
She inquired about the prices of real hair at the dolls hospital as that was most important. An appointment was made and Rose sat on the back seat of Pat Taylors car strapped in by a seat belt for safety. On arrival at the hospital Rose was handed to the receptionist. “Are you having this dolls eyes corrected today?” she asked.
“Goodness No!” said Pat. “Rose has beautiful eyes. She’s only having her hair restored.
A week later Pat stood at the reception desk waiting for the receptionist, who appeared from behind a curtain carrying a white box. She placed the box on the counter and lifted the lid. There in the box with her eyelids closed and her beautiful brown hair in a Platt was Rose Bud looking very pretty.
Very pleased with the transformation, the bill was payed and once again Rose was taken for a drive in the car.
Today was Friday and Pat was heading straight to the Library. She knew that Friday was a busy day so didn’t have the time to take the doll home first.
Instead, she took Rose out of her box, lifting her up to see the eyelids open to reveal those beautiful eyes. She introduced Rose to her work friends before setting up a special place on the library counter, so that she could be seen and admired by customers all day long.
Towards the end of the day an elderly lady, being supported by her daughter approached the counter to return a book. Seeing the doll with odd eyes she gasped and almost fell over. “That’s Betty!” she said. “Really that’s my Betty with odd eyes. She has hair! She didn’t have hair when you took her to the charity shop!” she said speaking to her daughter.
Over hearing the reaction Pat fetched a chair for the old lady to sit on as she looked frail and unsteady on her feet.
Annie told her the story of moving house and having to part with the doll. Pat told of finding Betty in her garden by the rose bush, so had automatically named the doll Rose. Bud.
While they were talking a young girl with thick lenses in her glasses approached the counter to return a book. She was holding her mother’s hand when she suddenly screamed. “Ahhh! I can see Hope! Mum! I can see Hope. Look there, she has my eyes, look mum please look!”
Seeing the doll that had odd eyes but also had hair Faith’s mum told her she’d made a mistake.
Alerted by the child’s scream and reaction to Rose, her mother and Pat Taylor tried to calm her down.
“Tell me about your doll and what happened to her. Where did she come from?” asked Pat. Faith told her story about the charity shop and that Hope had been stolen from the car.
“This is all coming together” said Pat as she introduced Annie and her daughter to Faith and her mum. “It’s amazing that we are all here today and live locally.”
“Obviously we all care a great deal about this rare doll with odd eyes. I would like to make a suggestion.” said Pat.
This library is opening a new section on “Antiques” How do you both feel about giving the doll her original name “Betty?” We could all give permission to donate her to this library where she can be on display in a cabinet for everyone to admire.”
As we all live locally you can visit her whenever you want too and I’ll be here to make sure she is well cared for.”
They all agreed thinking it was a very good idea.
The following week the local news paper printed a beautiful picture of Betty in a lovely glass cabinet. Standing on her left was Faith with a huge smile. On the right was Pat the librarian and seated was Annie the elderly lady looking very happy indeed.
The End.
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