Battle Lines

Early morning.  PJ Granger sips a hot drink at the Doll County bus depot.  

PJ: I hope my receptionist is dealing with the canceled appointments okay.  Good thing most of my patients like to sleep in.  

Belle:  Who are you talking to, Mom?  

PJ: Myself.  It's a bad habit, I know.

Belle: It's quite common, actually.  Just frowned upon, so most people don't admit to it.

PJ: How was your trip?  Are you hungry?  

Belle: I'm starving.  I hope James is cooking up a huge country breakfast for us! (They both laugh, knowing James can barely boil water.)  Dad said to apologize for the last-minute notice. 

PJ: He doesn't need to apologize. It's not like they gave him decent notice that he was being deployed into a war zone.  

********

Back in Barbieville, at the Mayor's office.

Rose-Grace: How long has this been going on?  Why wasn't I, as the mayor, notified of it?!  His very presence in this town is a threat to my citizens...  (takes a moment to calm down)  I guess I need to yell at the Feds for that part, don't I?  Your hands were tied.

Lynch: I wasn't even aware of most of the details, myself.  I just knew he was allowed to relocate here under certain conditions.  But now that he's messed up so royally, they've just dropped him in our laps.What do we do? 

Hank: I swear, none of this is my fault!

Rose-Grace: Don't hand me that crap!  I've got an eight year old at home with a better understanding of personal responsibility!  You made the choices that put you here!  (Turns to Lynch) Well, I guess we should get this over with.  (Buzzes Kyra to let in Pern.)

Pern takes one look at Hank and lunges across the room, clearly intending bodily harm.  

Hank: Pern, calm down so I can explain.

Pern: Oh, hell, no.  You don't talk to me.  You don't come anywhere near me, or my boy, or even the cat he got for Christmas!  I'll kill you!

Lynch: The mayor and I will handle this, Hank.  You stand there with your mouth shut.  (To Pern) I'll let go if you can control yourself.  

Pern: HANK?!  (starts laughing bitterly) OK, Chief, I'll behave.  I wouldn't want to hurt Hank.

Rose-Grace: Mr. Higgins came here as part of the Witness Protection Program.  Although he'd been strongly advised that a return to a previous home was a bad idea, it was the only way they could get him to cooperate.  

Lynch: He was confident that he wouldn't be recognized by anyone here and agreed to avoid all members of the Nedakh family, but we still had a few incidents of people thinking he looked familiar.  Albus even confronted him once, but...   

Pern: He had his face rebuilt after a car wreck.  (to Hank) That and a couple decades of aging was enough, wasn't it?  None of them knew you.

Rose-Grace: Don't talk to him, Pern.  Talk to us. 

Pern: I guess y'all want me to keep my mouth shut.  If he's involved in something that bad, I'll do it, but not for him.  For this town, because it's been so welcoming.  For my boy and his sisters.  But not for Hank.  Never for Hank.  

Lynch: Pretend he's a guy you just met.  If you can't hide the anger, write it off as bad vibes.  Hell, make up a lie that he called you ethnic slurs at work if you want.  (Hank mutters something.)  Didn't we tell you to keep your trap shut? 

Pern (slyly): He bolted from Sunburst when he found out I was cooking because I'm a junkie.  He didn't want me putting AIDS or Hepatitis into his taco plate.  (If looks could kill, Hank would be dead.)  Way to undermine my sobriety, jackass.

*******

And at the Medical Center: 

Marcus: First of all, I want to tell you that you've done nothing wrong.  Your work is superlative.  But we have to remove you from the team caring for Billy Jackson.

Boudica: It's his wife, isn't it?  Because of my mother locking horns with her? 

Marcus:  The reason she gave was tensions between your families. She claims not to believe he is aware of us, but every time you work, there's a clear improvement in his vital signs.  Simply put, you're good for his morale, but I can't convince her of that. 

Boudica: Isn't there anything we can do?  She's undermining his care.

Marcus: There's no obvious abuse or neglect, so I'm not sure.  I've got a call in to the legal department.  We'll do what we can. 

Wheelchairs

One doll I requested from Santa was the Fashionista in the wheelchair.  The first reason was articulation - not only does she have working knees and elbows, she's on the Made To Move body.  Mattel can have my money (or Santa's in this case) for giving me that.

The other reason was the wheelchair itself.  "But, Jeanie," you say "I can see the Becky wheelchair right there!  Marcus has been using it since, like, forever!" Well, dear reader, Mattel gets kudos (and Santa's money) for being inclusive.  There is another Fashionista, one with a prosthetic leg, but I'm not planning to get her.  She's only got the basic five points of articulation and her face is nothing special.

Marcus has requested the new wheelchair, though.  It's an improvement over his current one.  

Because often, while setting the scene, the pink chair will be nudged.  Marcus will fall out.  Marcus will knock other things down.  Jeanie will say bad words and have to start over.  The new chair has features that will prevent that (in most cases) and that's what we're after.

The first of these features is a clip to hold the doll in place.  The clip does make them sit forward a bit, but if they want to sit back and relax, you can remove it.

The foot rest moves on the teal wheelchair.  Being able to reposition Marcus's foot can help him stay put even if the clip is removed.  I can't do that with the pink chair!

The clip fits around him!

My favorite part - and a feature I was not aware of until unboxing the toy - is the brake.  Part of the reason Marcus was always falling out of the pink chair was that it would roll away at the slightest nudge.  The teal chair has a locking brake on both wheels. 

So Marcus gets an upgrade.  The pink chair will stick around, though.  It might be needed.  We never know what the future may hold for the citizens of Barbieville!

Zenobia's Weird Day At Work

Draco and Albus have been working hard at getting Witch's Cove ready for the winter.  

Albus: You've done very well today, considering that you've never done manual labor before.  

Draco: I still don't understand why you wanted me to do it.  Why didn't you just send me to Juvie?

Albus: I suggested you help me as your community service because, like many who have grown up in privilege, you fail to understand that manual labor profits a man in non-monetary ways.  Did you feel a level of satisfaction upon seeing the results of your work?

Draco: Yeah... I guess I did.  But I destroyed your home.  Aren't you mad?  

Albus: Of course I am.  I'm not a fan of the prison system, though, and I feel you can learn a valuable lesson this way.  You saw today that, if not for people like me, you would have none of the things your wealth buys you.  Everything you eat, all your material goods, came from people like me.  

Draco: How much was the damages?  I know Dad offered to pay it.

Albus (chuckles): I hope that by the time you've finished your community service, you'll see that the dollar value means little to me.  The simple fact, Draco, is that I haven't given up on you.  I've only given up on one person in my entire life.

*****

At another table, Hank is waffling over what to order.  

Zenobia: You should try the taco plate.  Pern has already mastered that one.

Hank: Oh, well....  Wait?!  Who did you say?!

Zenobia: Pern.  Our new cook.  You know Anakin Nadekh?  She's his mother.

Hank jumps to his feet and runs out of the building. 

Zenobia: Um... Okay, then.... 

Santa Visits Barbieville!

Courtesy of the museum, Santa photos are free for children under the age of twelve.  He arrived this morning after the parade.

Boudica: Seriously, Mom, can't you get an older lady to play Mrs. Claus?  

Helena: Some children are frightened of Santa and the opposite of old and male....

Guinness and Boudica:  Is young and female.

Helena: Besides, you aren't his wife.  You're one of his elves. 

The Sulu children are first in line.

Vivica: Santa, this is our new baby.  Her name is Dixie.

Santa: And what would Dixie like me to bring her?

Vivica: She likes juice.  Can you bring her juice?

Santa: Of course.  What would you and Bobby like this year?

Bobby: A Switch and PlayStation and Xbox and lots of games and... 

Vivica: Hey! Mommy said no being a greedy butt! (to Santa) But yeah, we've tried to be good so you would bring us a video game system.  

Ty Dean is next.

Ty: My big brother says all of your reindeer are girls.  He says boy reindeers lose their antlers in the winter.  But Rudolph is a boy name, right? 

Santa: Well, now.  Frodo seems to be under the impression they're normal reindeer.  He's mistaken, of course, since normal reindeer cannot fly.  You may tell him that some of my deer are girls and some of them are boys.  

Ty: YES!  Thank you, Santa!  (Runs off without asking for anything.)

Jenny Montez pauses to show Santa her candy-cane dress before the picture is taken.

Jenny: You picked a good helper this year, Santa.  Boudica helps Doctor Marcus take care of my Uncle Billy.  

Santa (exchanging a glance with Boudica): It was very nice of her to help.  My wife and elves are all very busy, you know.  

Jenny: And last year her big sissy helped you, but that silly Zenobia pretended to be an elf.  Why'd she do that for? 

Santa: Today Boudica is an elf.  My helpers always are.

Jenny: What I would like for Christmas is a big-girl bicycle.  Wif training wheels, so Daddy can take them off when I get even bigger.  I have been very good and don't even sass Auntie Charlotte.

Guinness is surprised to see Anakin.  

Kelly: Oh, Santa, look!  This is Anakin and he's gonna be our uncle soon!  His mommy didn't let you come to her house, but now he lives with us and you can bring him goodies, too! 

Santa: Yes, of course I'll bring Anakin goodies.  What would you like, young man? 

Anakin: Nothing for me, sir.  I'm very happy with what I have. 

Kelly: Ask him to help your mommy not get sick no more!  (To Santa) Sometimes Pern takes medicine wrong.  But we don't want her to get dead. 

Roxy: Kelly!  What did Pocahontas tell us about don't tell secrets that can make people cry?

Anakin: That's not what she meant, Roxy.  (winks at "Santa") My mommy's problem isn't a secret, anyway. 

Kelly: Fine then.  You can ask for a car with muscles. 

Anakin: I'm too young for a car, goofball.  (To Santa) We will write to you at the North Pole with our wish lists. C'mon, girls, other kids are waiting!

The three youngest Pike children clamor onto Santa's lap.  Well, two of them - Orlando needs Boudica to soothe him a bit.  

Fred: My big brothers said to ask you for a really big toy box because my toys are taking over our room.  But me and the babies really bad want you to make a baby grow in Silvie's belly.

Santa (shocked): Silvie?  Sylvia Guinness?

Fred (giggling): No, silly.  Silver Stream.  Grandpa Mace's girl horse.

Santa (relieved): I'll see what I can do. 

Santa: Stacie, you didn't want to be in the picture? 

Stacie (leans close and whispers): I know that's you, Mr. Guinness, working for the real Santa.  Don't worry, I won't tell the littles.  Grandpa Mace will handle the horse baby thing.

Guinness: Good to know.  And thank you, Miss Pike.

Anakin: Come on, Stacie, hurry. Our grown-ups are waiting in the lobby.  We're going to the Oriental Buffet!  

Stacie: I love that place!  Sushi is so good! 

Anakin: Yuck.  Raw fish.  What did you say to him, anyway? 

Stacie: Just letting him know his secret's safe with me.  Besides, we know he's gonna report back to the real Santa.

Anakin: Uh, yeah.  No need to upset anyone, right? 

Tough Love Everywhere

In the early morning hours, Pern meets the other members of the Sunburst crew.  

Midna: Before we get started, I want to make a few things known. With Pern's permission, of course.  She's newly sober and wants to stay that way.  She's also new to the work force, so let's be gentle on her at first.

Pern: I can't thank all of you enough for giving me this chance.  This is my second try at living clean, I have no idea what I'm doing, but I promise to make my best effort.

Zenobia: I think I can hold off on the whips and chains until Thursday.  (laughter all around) No, seriously, we'll do our best to help as much as we can.

Esmeralda: But not so much you depend on us.  We can't turn you into a contributing member of society by contributing for you, can we? 

Jason (nods in agreement):  But first we gotta make sure all your paperwork is in order.  I'll take you to Violet. 

Violet: It looks like Midna got all the formalities taken care of.  Normally, I take care -- 

Pern: This is gorgeous artwork.  Did you do it?

Violet: My husband and stepchildren don't celebrate Christmas, so my stepdaughter painted that to replace my Merry Christmas one.  

Pern: She's good.  How old is she?

Violet (sternly): Midna hired you against my advice.  Fresh out of rehab, never worked before...  (smiles) I'd love it if you proved me wrong.  And Samantha is thirteen.  

Pern (confused): Okay?  Would challenge accepted be the wrong thing to say here? 

Violet: Absolutely not.  Now, Jason is waiting for you in the kitchen and I've got inventory to do.  

******

Doll County Courthouse, Judge's chambers

Bonnie: Your honor, the probation office has no objection to the proposed action regarding Draco Malfoy.  All parties involved have agreed to the terms.

Draco: Mother, tell them!  I didn't agree to anything!

Helena: You are a minor.  I agreed in your stead.  

Albus: I already have a list of jobs he can legally do at The Cove.  

Bonnie: I've reviewed that list with Mr. Dumbledore's employer and with Mrs. Malfoy.  It is a bit unusual for the defendant to do community service under the supervision of the plaintiff, but under the circumstances...

Helena: Albus Dumbledore is nearly the only person in the county who can't be swayed by the Malfoy name.  There's a very real concern that anyone else will be and that Draco will not learn the intended lesson.

Judge: Very well then.  We'll make it official in court this afternoon.

*****

As the third graders leave Suzie's classroom at the end of the day, they're a bit surprised to see Anakin coming in.

Roxy: Do you got detention or something?  

Dan: What did you do?

Anakin: I didn't do anything.  I just wanna talk to Mrs. Dean for a minute.  (He waits until they're gone.)  Is that okay, Mrs. Dean?  You said if any of us ever needed advice.... 

Suzie: Of course, Anakin, what's bothering you?  

Anakin settles in at a desk.

It seems like moments later when Nakoma taps on the classroom door.

Nakoma: Roxy told me you needed to talk to Mrs. Dean, kid, but it's been almost half an hour.  

Anakin: Oh, sorry.  (to Suzie) Thanks for talking to me.  Sometimes it helps to have somebody not, you know, family to talk to.

Suzie: I understand.  If you need to talk some more, I'll run your sister off.

Anakin: No, I'm gonna do what you said.  I think it's a good idea.

Anakin stops to hug her on the way out.