The Home Place

Doll County Day Care, early morning.

Jenny: Oh, boy, new giant dollies!  I love the new center so much!

Fred: And army dudes!

Batgirl: John, I don't think you've met my sister Charlotte.  She's considering your day care for her children.

John: Of course.  Step inside, Mrs. Jackson, and have a look around. 

Charlotte: Why are they all barefoot?

John: You'd be surprised how many germs ride on the soles of your shoes.  Also, it saves injuries if the kids get too rambunctious.

Batgirl (after Charlotte has gone inside): Don't count on her as a client.  She's probably not going to get custody - the judge has already awarded temporary custody to her stepson.  She's just keeping up appearances.

John: Shame.  Your girls were always a delight and if their cousins are anything like them...

Batgirl: Honestly, Joe and I have a better shot at custody than she does.  

John: I didn't know you were trying for custody.

Batgirl: We aren't.

Sylvia: Hi, I'm Miss Sylvia.  Welcome to bedlam.

Charlotte: You work here?  What are your qualifications?

Sylvia: My minor is in Education and I love children.  

Charlotte: And your Major?

Sylvia: Environmental Sciences.  I attend the local university.

Charlotte: What's this?  Surely the children aren't expected to read this?

Sylvia: Guidelines for the parents.  It amazes me how little some of them realize the needs of children.  My personal favorite is number 42.  

Jenny:  Look, Auntie Charlotte!  A astronaut lady doll! 

Charlotte: Be quiet, Jennifer, the adults are talking.

*****

Saturday morning, at the Oriental Buffet.

John: Pocahontas and I narrowed the options down to the houses we're looking at today and we want your opinions, since you'll be living there, too. 

Pocahontas:  If you have misgivings about a place, tell us.  No matter how dumb you might feel it is.  

Anakin: What if Mommy gets permission to have me again?  

Pocahontas: Then you'll have a nice place to visit your sisters.  Trust me, boy, we're still gonna be in your life unless she takes you to Mars.  

Anakin: Or maybe she could come live with all of us! 

Pocahontas (chuckles): I suppose anything is possible.  We're having this conversation, aren't we?  

Roxy: Cause of me and Anakin.

Kelly:  I helped! Dint I help, Nakoma? 

Nakoma: I'm sure you did.  Once we settle on a house, can we start planning a wedding?

John: What do you think?  Me and you could do some male bonding in that garage.

Kelly: I wanna male bondage, too! 

Anakin: Male means boy, you goofball.  Like rebuilding muscle cars together and stuff.

Kelly: Cars don't got muscles.  Daddy, tell him!  Cars got motors!

John (winks at Anakin): Yeah, Anakin, you goofball.  Cars don't got muscles.

Roxy: I like that porch and flowers all around it.

Pocahontas: Yes, but those flower beds take a lot of work to maintain.

Roxy: No problem.  Albus will come do it for us.  He has a nice garden at The Point.

Pocahontas: Albus will have his hands full with his own garden, wherever he ends up.  

Roxy: I still can't believe Batgirl's mean sister is making him move.

Pocahontas: Me, too.  But you know what?  I bet Albus would love to teach you how to garden.  Then, if we decide on this house, that will be your job.

Kelly (crying):  Don't like this house!  It is mean!

Anakin: There at the top of the steps, when you turn the corner toward the bedrooms.  I felt like zombies were gonna bust through the wall and eat me.  

Nakoma: I thought I was imagining things until I saw how you guys were reacting.  Roxy wouldn't even go up the stairs.  But John and Pocahontas didn't notice anything.

Anakin: Kids are more sensitive to stuff like that.  Ghosts or whatever.

Pocahontas: There seems to be a consensus on this house, but it's only three bedrooms.

Nakoma: Are you still on about that?  I told you I'm fine sharing.  But I do think we girls should get that room with the balcony.

Roxy: If we gotta fit three beds in there, shouldn't we take the biggest room?  The blue flowery bedroom is the biggest.

Nakoma: Kelly's is a toddler bed.  We can fit into the balcony room.

Pocahontas: Kelly will outgrow that toddler bed in no time.  Roxy's right.  Besides, I'm calling dibs on the balcony room.  

*****

Ladies' Lounge, Doll County Country Club.

Helena: Lottie Gordon.  I need to have words with you.

Charlotte: My name is not Lottie Gordon, it's Charlotte Jackson. What do you want, Helena?  Going to bully me some more like you did in school? 

Helena: What do you call buying out a major source of revenue for Barbieville and shutting it down?  I'd call that bullying.  

Charlotte:  I don't care.  I came back to rub it in all your faces that I'm not trailer trash anymore, and I'm going to do it.

Helena: No, Lottie, you are still trailer trash.  Money does not buy class. 

Charlotte:  I'll have you know -- 

Helena: I know what I need to know.  You will not put half of Barbieville out of work on my watch. 

Charlotte: You can't stop me.  I can buy and sell you fifty times over.

Helena: You can't buy and sell the entire town if we join forces against you.  And trust me, we will if you keep this up.  

***Reminder to readers: Charlotte's offspring live at Our Toy Story on Facebook.*****