Surprise Offer 2 - Chapter 5 of 45

	Surprise Offer 2: is a direct continuation of the story about Lily and her ‘brother’ Lance. Can she find acceptance and her place in the world as Lily instead of Lance? Emotions run high as Lily’s new best friend and ‘adoptive’ family members move things forward at lightning speed. Can she handle it all? How will a surprise just before Thanksgiving change everything? Lily and Sammie are back, ready to take on the world with pigtails and dancing, in a way only ten-year-old little girls can do.

Previously:

When dinner was over, Aunty cleaned Lily's skin before painting the rag doll look on her face. Looking in the mirror, the little girl saw she had a pink triangle nose, pink cheeks, small pink lips, and fake lashes underneath her eyes. After a bunch of pictures, Granny looked at the time and told the little girl she had 30 minutes until they had to leave. She was told to get back into her Minnie Mouse slippers.

Thirty minutes later, the rag doll was back in the white mary janes and going with Granny to her SUV. The rag doll was getting stage fright as they traveled. True, there was no stage, but still, this was her first gig.

Granny pulled in front of a house, maybe a block from Lily’s brother’s school, in the opposite direction from the Vanderbilt house. She followed Granny to the door, holding the container of face paint she had been handed. She took in her surroundings once they were allowed in; the house's common area was decorated for a birthday party. There were various dolls scattered around, and paper dolls were saying Happy Birthday. She could see why she was a rag doll.

Two four-year-old girls had stopped in their tracks and just stared at her when she walked in. The one with the words ‘Birthday Girl’ on her shirt ran up and hugged the rag doll.

Lily said, “My name is Raggedy Lala. What are your names?”

The birthday girl shyly answered, “Mia.”

The other girl answered, “Alisha.”

“Let me set up a face painting area, and then I will paint your faces,” Lala said.

Lily asked an adult if she could use the kitchen table. After getting permission, she set up her face-painting area. She got the birthday girl to sit on the chair near her impromptu workstation. When the birthday girl was asked what she wanted on her face, she just shrugged.

Smiling, since that gave the doll free rein, Lala slowly but surely painted a rag doll on one cheek, holding four balloons on Mia's face. Each eye was a balloon, and there was also a balloon on each side of the nose. Additionally, a big four was on the other cheek.

Alisha was a little more straightforward. She asked for a pink and blue butterfly. Once both faces were done, the rag doll went hand in hand with the girls to the adults.

“The girls and I are wondering what is next,” Lala said before whispering to the nearest adult who looked in charge. “I never did this before and only found out I was doing more than face painting an hour ago.”

“Don’t worry, Lala, you are just another birthday guest today,” the adult smiled down at the little girl, who was only a little more than a head taller than Mia. “Girls and Doll, we are going to start with a game of musical chairs.”

That is precisely what they did, and Lala purposely made sure she was the first girl out. The adults, including her Grandma, smiled at her for doing that. She wasn’t sure if Mia rightfully won the musical chairs or if Alisha allowed her to win, but the birthday girl won.

The adult in charge said, “Next is pin the tail on the donkey. We probably should have done this before the face paint. Maybe if I tie the blindfold lightly, I won’t ruin the face paint.”

Grandma Gilbert came to the rescue and showed how to tie a bandana around the hair, so it blocked vision. “They might be able to see their feet, but they can’t look straight ahead.”

Lily verbally eeped when a thick bandana was tied around her forehead, blocking her vision. As Granny said, she could see her shoes but couldn’t look straight ahead. She could hear but not see as the adults were laughing while the younger girls took their own turns putting the tail on the donkey. Suddenly, the blind Doll was spun around multiple times. When she stopped spinning, an adult put a tail in her hand and adjusted its height. Next, she was encouraged to walk forward until she hit the wall. She stuck her tail on the wall before someone removed her bandana, allowing her to see again.

The Doll could see that she pinned the tail mid-body, Alisha pinned her tail to one of the donkey’s rear knees, and the birthday girl pinned it to the donkey’s head. The three girls were invited to sit on the couch, with one of the four-year-olds on each side of the Doll. A few pictures were taken before the doll was handed a present.

The adult in charge said, “This is ‘pass the parcel.’ Lala, please remove a layer of wrapping paper before handing it to another person. They will unwrap a layer, and so on, we go. There are various gifts the unwrapper can keep.”

So the girls did that. As promised, there were various small gifts in the wrapping. The doll scored herself a pink hairbow, a doll-themed coloring book, and a pink shiny scrunchy. The other girls had their own small piles. Finally, it was handed to Lala in what appeared to be one layer of wrapping paper. Lala didn’t unwrap a layer and just passed it to the birthday girl. The birthday girl’s Mommie quickly blocked that pass and instructed that the rag doll had to unwrap it. While shrugging, the doll unwrapped it to discover a small baby doll. The Mommie said, “Don’t worry, Lala, Mia has enough gifts.”

She tried to give it to Alisha. Not that she didn’t want it. No, she felt weird, as the hired help, taking any gifts. Just like with Mia, the doll was denied giving it to the other four-year-old.

Alisha’s Mommie said, “My daughter has a lot of dolls, have it.”

Grandma whispered in Lala’s ear, “It has been 90 minutes. They are winding down. You can stay for presents and cake, or graciously depart since your time is up.”

The doll whispered back, “You had me at the cake.”

Grandma whispered in one of the adults’ ears. She assumed that it was to tell that the doll was staying. After a quick unwrapping of the birthday girl's gifts, the promised cake was served. The doll saw that there was a rag doll on the cake that looked like Lala, the rag doll. Grandma must have forewarned them of what Lala was going to look like.

The doll had really enjoyed herself. This felt like play instead of work. Plus, she earned more money than she had ever made in her life. Also, this cake was worth staying for. She went over to pack up the face paint, but saw that someone had already.

The birthday girl’s Mommie asked, “What name should I make the check out to?”

“The doll doesn’t have a bank account yet. Make it out to my store, Gilbert's Costumes,” Grandma instructed. She accepted the check and asked, “Is the extra 50 a tip?”

The Mother agreed with that statement. Raggedy Lala hugged each of the girls before heading to her Grandma’s SUV. She needed a bag to put her new gifts in so she could carry the paint and her gifts.

Back in the car, the two of them headed out of the neighborhood. Instead of heading for Grandma’s house, they headed to the Vanderbilts’ house. Raggedy Lala and Grandma walked to the front door. The doll let both of them into the house. Mommie indicated she was in the family room, so the pair headed there.

Mommie asked, “How did it go, Lily?”

“I really enjoyed it,” Lily responded with a big smile.

Daddie inquired, “What is in the bag?”

“Party favors that they made me take. I tried to give the baby doll to both girls and was vetoed both times,” Lily told the parents.

Mommie said, “Get out of that so your grandma can take it back.”

“It is hers to keep. She will need it again eventually. I am sure this is not the last time Raggedy Lala shows her face,” Granny commented.

Lily asked Granny, “How much of my new earnings do I owe for this outfit?”

“You pay for anything?” Granny said, acting shocked. “I refuse to even acknowledge that option exists.”

Shrugging, the Doll looked at the door before turning back to Granny, “You going to be talking to Mommie and Daddie a bit?”

“I think so. Why do you ask?”

While smirking, the rag doll responded, “Can I borrow the face paint for about 30 minutes?”

“Ok, Raggedy Lala, what are you up to?” Granny inquired.

Still smirking, the little doll tilted her head and batted her eyes, “Nothing! Ok, maybe something. Someone's clean face next door won’t stay clean.”

Granny chuckled, “Yes, you can paint Sammie’s face. The hatch should be unlocked.”

After she gathered the facepaint, Lala went next door and rang the doorbell. She knew she had been instructed to let herself in, but that would ruin the illusion. Mrs. Berger soon answered the door and said, shocked, “Can I help you?”

Whispering, Lily said, “Mrs. Berger, can I paint Sammie’s face?”

“Lily, is that you? I didn’t recognize you. Samantha is in her bedroom,” Heather Berger chuckled, letting her second daughter in. With a big smile on her face and shaking her head back and forth, Heather gestured towards the stairs.

The doll crept upstairs with her face paint and let herself into Sammie's bedroom. The best friend, who was reading at her desk, looked at her door upon hearing it open and was shocked at the sight in front of her, “What? Huh? Who are you?”

Smiling, Lily answered, making no attempt to hide her voice, “My name is Raggedy Lala, and you have won a free face painting.”

“Lily? I mean, okay, Raggedy Lala,” the best friend answered while spinning around in her desk chair to face the rag doll. Lily started to paint a ballerina on one of Sammie’s cheeks and a bunch of flowers on the other cheek. She made the two eyes more flowers.

The artist declared, “Ok, my canvas may now look at herself in the mirror.”

Sammie turned to look at the mirror on her vanity. Moments later, Sammie hugged the stuffing out of her best friend.

The living rag doll stated, “I would love to stay, but I need to get Granny back her face paint. I may be back.”

“OK, but you need to stay like that, Lily. Sorry, Lala,” Sammie told her friend.

The rag doll put the face paint in the back of Granny’s SUV before entering the house to tell her where they were. Grandma responded by handing the doll a camera and instructing Lala to take pictures of Sammie’s face.

The doll went next door and let herself into the house. She followed the voices and found all three of the Bergers in the family room.

Mr. Berger was shocked by the little clown that casually walked into his living room. He assumed it had to be the neighbor girl since no one else would let themselves into the house, “Lily? What are you?”

“This is my clown slash rag doll for face painting gigs. Her name is Raggedy Lala. Your daughter won’t let me change,” the doll said with a blush, which actually showed on her face beyond the painted-on blush.

Sammie hugged the stuffing out of the doll, “She is my rag doll. Can I keep her?”

Ryan Berger just shook his head back and forth, “Lily, do you want to change?”

The doll shrugged, smiling, “No, I am just fine like this, Mr. Berger. As long as we don't leave the house, I really don’t mind.”

“Once again, you have shown great talent with Sam’s face.”

The rag doll blushed, “Thank you, Mr. Berger.”

“Am I feeding you, Raggedy Lala?” Mrs. Berger asked.

“Check with my Mommie, but probably yes,” Lala responded.

Sammie was told to smile, and three or four pictures of Sammie’s face were soon taken with Granny’s camera. Some more were taken with Heather’s phone, along with some of Samantha and Lala together.

Ms. Gilbert was soon knocking on the door, and Raggedy Lala handed the camera back to her adoptive Grandma.

Monday after school, the two friends walked into the Vanderbilt house. They were greeted by Lily’s Mommie, who told her daughter, “Your grandma dropped off an envelope of money. It is sitting on your dresser.”

The two friends continued upstairs to Lance’s … Lily’s bedroom. Lily wasted no time removing the Lance costume. She had Sammie help with the bobby pins for the wig. When Lily was dressed correctly, she went to the fat envelope sitting on her dresser with her name on it. She removed the stack of twenties and started counting out loud, “One. Two. Three. … 20. 21. 22.” She repeated that, except this time she counted by twenties, making stacks of $100. Four stacks with two more. That didn't total up to what she had expected, so she did it again, getting the same number. She expected less money. The last 20-dollar bill made it too much.

The two friends headed downstairs to Lily’s Mother’s office, “Mommie, Grandma paid me too much. She paid $440. With the 50-dollar tip, it should only be $432.50.”

“Your Grandma warned me you would say that. She told me that she would accept no money back,” Mommie explained.

Lily, by now, had figured out that Granny was stubborn and would not accept any money to correct the overpayment. She just shrugged and asked, “What do I do with this money? Probably not a good idea to keep in my room.”

“We will have to get you a bank account, but for now, we will put it in our savings,” Mommie told her daughter. “Any other money hidden in your room?”

“In my piggy bank, I’ve saved up $30 in allowance money since giving the money for the Halloween makeover. There is also my gift card for winning the costume contest.”

Mommie thought for a moment, “You can keep both of those as spending money.”

Leaving the envelope with Mommie, the two friends went to do their homework before playing video games.

Author's Notes:Comments and questions are always welcomed -- Thanks Becky

This story is complete, though we’re still wrapping up the proofreading process. I plan to post a chapter every Wednesday.

Four of the six short stories featuring side characters are already finished and will be released as we reach their places in the timeline. I’m currently writing the fifth side story while continuing to proofread this one.

In addition, I have plans for a sixth side story, a final chapter for KA, and a Katie Ann Universe Christmas story. Hopefully, that last one will be ready by Christmas—though, knowing me, I might miss that deadline.

As for Surprise Offer Book 3, the research is done, but I’m planning to take at least one story break from the series before starting it.