Still Doll

Henry pulled Kanon by her wrist impatiently and continued walking down the hallway. He’d woken Kanon up from her sleep, insisting that she’d follow him. She really believed she had no choice, seeing the look of urgency on the boy’s face. It seemed important for her to see whatever he planned to show her. She’d imagined seeing a path of roses like she’d read on her books. What she saw instead of this ridiculous scene was far more surprising.

“Promise to help me?” he asked, now that they stood in front of a large closet in the study room.

“Help you with what?” she said, confused.

He sighed, not wanting to answer that with words, but rather show her. Henry placed his hands on both handles and pulled the doors open. Kanon stared in shock. There, hiding within two jackets, was a small, fluffy, little creature. It had slightly long ears and a small nose. The little critter was a brown sort of color and its feet were small and powerful looking, in a way. It left you the kind of feeling that made you think that if you dared spook it away, you could not catch up easily. Kanon found it to be, strangely, the most attractive thing she had ever seen. It was cute, in other words.

Henry picked up the bunny in his arms and cradled it to his chest. “Isn’t it cute?” he said.

“It is,” she whispered.

“Do you wish to hold it?” he asked.

Taken by surprise, she simply nodded. She carefully took the bunny from Henry’s arms and carried it in her own. The small animal made itself comfortable and rested its little head on her chest. This made them laugh a low, genial laughter. After a short moment of silence and adoring looks at the critter, a thought swept through her mind. “Does Alexander know?”

“No,” he answered, in a tone that said he thought it was obvious by now. “I’m afraid he won’t let you keep it.”

“Me keep it?”

“Yes, you. A present for you, Kanon.”

She smiled. “How lovely,” she said, cradling the bunny like a newborn baby. “We’ll have to ask him.”

Just then, as if on cue, the lights in the room lit up and soon enough stood a confused face at the door. Alexander looked at Kanon, then at the little creature in her arms and at Henry. His gaze stayed a bit longer on Henry, making him feel uncomfortable, Kanon could see. He wouldn’t speak a word; standing there and looking at both of them as though no words described what they’ve done. But they didn’t do anything. They even had the bunny to prove it. Though that wouldn’t exactly help, seeing as it can’t talk and-

“What are you doing here?” Alexander asked, taking a step closer.

“Nothing,” Henry replied. “Just giving Kanon a little present.”

“Present?” he said. He took a good look a the creature one more time before saying, “Are you sure? Because I don’t recall having to hand something in the middle of the night being called…giving a present!”

“Alexander-” Kanon began to say but was hushed to silence when he quickly put a hand in front of her.

“I’ve heard enough,” he told her. To Henry: “I want you out of my house by tomorrow, Henry. Do you understand?”

“But-” She was silenced again.

“Not another word!” he ordered.

Henry looked at Kanon hopefully, thinking she would help. Thinking that she wouldn’t be able to stand this, that she would protest. And he was right, of course. The more Alexander threw menacing sounding words at Henry-like William-and kept telling her to silence and stay out of it-like William-all the more she couldn’t stand it.

“No!” she snapped. Alexander, shocked, turned to her and studied her eyes for a moment.

“What?”

“He’s done nothing, Alexander,” she said softly, hoping to persuade him. Her hopes were again shattered.

“He’s done everything!” Alexander protested. “He’s a bad influence.”

“How can you say that?! He’s been nothing but nice to me!”

“He’s brought nothing but trouble!”

“He’s just a boy!”

“Just a boy?! He carries as much gold in his pocket as he does in his hair, for heaven’s sake, Kanon! He’ll be fine, it’s not like I’m kicking him out to the streets!”

“It’s still wrong to blame him for something that’s not his fault!”

“It is his fault!”

“Uh, I disagree,” Henry cut in.

“Silence!” they said in unison.

“I won’t have you yelling at him for any second longer,” Kanon told him, stepping closer and holding the bunny even tighter.

“And what exactly can you do about it, little doll?” Alexander said, his voice full of bitterness.

However, no longer had he said those words that Kanon hurried past him and ran out the door. By the time he had realized what he’d said, Kanon was gone and locked in her bedroom. Henry shook his head at him disapprovingly. Alexander let out a frustrated groan as he sank into a chair.

“What?” he said sharply.

“Foolish little boy,” Henry answered in a knowing tone; a devious smile tugging at his lips.

That’s when he understood what he’d meant. Henry had won. Alexander was made blind to what was really important instead of keeping Henry away from Kanon. Foolish, he was definitely so.