Ship of Dolls

by Shirley Parenteau

  “Delayed?” Tears blurred Lexie’s eyes as she tried to look at Grandma.

  “Something’s held her up. You know your mama. It’s always the last minute with her.” Grandma turned toward the gangplank. “By the time we sort out our luggage, no doubt she’ll find us.”

  Mama should be here now. Something must have happened to her. A sick feeling shivered down through Lexie. She couldn’t leave the rail.

  On the dock, a marching band played bouncy music that should have made her feet dance. Lexie stood as if glued to the deck, searching past the band and through the crowds, hoping for a glimpse of Mama.

  “Come along,” Grandma said in her no-​nonsense voice. “We’ll join the others collecting luggage.”

  “If we leave the rail, she might not see us.”

  “She’ll see us.” Impatience edged into Grandma’s words. “Come along, Electra.”

  They threaded past crew members carrying luggage onto the dock. When Lexie and Grandma located theirs among the rest, Mama still had not come. Grandma sat on her trunk while Lexie walked restlessly back and forth. Sailors shouted as they worked cranes to lower freight. Seagulls swooped and screeched. She felt as if her thoughts were swooping and screeching right along with the gulls.

  Hope lifted briefly when her steps carried her near the ticket office, but Mama wasn’t there, either. What if Mama was hurt? What if a motorcar had hit her while she was running to the dock?

  Grandma would say, “Never borrow trouble.”

  Lexie made herself study a travel poster with a picture of a Japanese temple and a young woman in her kimono. And her obi, she told herself. Obi was what Miss Tompkins called the wide sash wrapped around the kimono’s middle and folded in a huge bow at the back. The narrow sash like a rope that went around the obi and held the big bow in place was the obi-​jime.

  The poster said, Come and visit the Land of the Rising Sun. Then there were a lot of words in different languages that might have said the same thing. Lexie wished she had Emily Grace with her, so she could show the doll where she would be going. The poster said the people in Japan wanted visitors. That must mean they would be happy to welcome Emily Grace and the other dolls.

  She looked around for Louise, wondering if she still had the doll with her, but Louise and her mother had gone. Millicent and her father stood a short distance away with an older couple, all of them sharing hugs and tears.

  Lexie tried to feel happy for Millie, but deep inside, she envied the little girl. She should be caught into Mama’s arms by now. Mama should be saying, “There you are, kiddo! I’ve missed you like crazy! We’ll never be apart again!”

  She would be here. She would be. She was just delayed, like Grandma said; that was all.

  Slowly Lexie walked to Grandma, but she couldn’t resist looking back at Millicent and her family. Mr. James and the older man were loading luggage into the trunk of a big black car with soaring fenders and wide running boards. When Millie looked over and saw Lexie watching, she waved, holding Annie close.

  Lexie fought back a wrench of regret. Annie! How could she have given away her doll?

  Mr. James glanced around, then said something to the others before walking over to Grandma. “Is someone meeting you, Mrs. Lewis?”

  “Thea . . . my daughter-​in-​law . . . has apparently been delayed,” Grandma answered. “I see your family found you.”

  “Yes.” He glanced toward the others, but his forehead creased. “Your daughter-​in-​law may have sent a message. Have you asked the ticket agent?”

  Relief flooded Grandma’s face. She lurched to her feet. “I hadn’t thought of it. I’ll do that right now.”

  Mr. James gestured for her to sit back on the trunk. “Please. Allow me.” Before Grandma could argue, he strode across the dock to the crowded office.

  “It never crossed my mind,” Grandma told Lexie. “The agent will have a telephone. Your mother may have called.”

  There will be a message. Relief swept through Lexie. Mama wouldn’t leave us sitting here wondering what to do next.

  Minutes later, Mr. James returned with a folded paper in one hand. Lexie’s heart leaped. There was a message. Of course there was. She saw Grandma’s name written across the top. Mr. James waited while Grandma opened the note.

  “She’s joining people for an early supper,” Grandma said slowly. “She wants us to meet her at the restaurant. Here’s the address.” Grandma looked from the note to Lexie. “My stars, does she expect us to carry our luggage on our backs?”

  “There’s ample space in my parents’ town car,” Mr. James said. “It will be our pleasure to transport you and your luggage to Lexie’s mother.”

  “We can’t take you out of your way,” Grandma exclaimed.

  Lexie wanted to protest, Yes, we can! She tugged at Grandma’s sleeve. “They have room, Grandma.”

  Mr. James looked toward the town car again. Millie stood beside the front fender with her grandmother’s arm around her. It looked like Millie was giving one-​ or two-​word answers to the older woman, but she was talking. She wasn’t stuck in silence like before.

  Tears glimmered in Mr. James’s eyes when he turned again to Grandma. “I can never repay the debt you are owed. Please let us do this small favor.”

  Grandma nodded, rising to her feet. “If our little homemade doll has helped Millicent, that is payment enough for us. But we will accept your kind offer.”

  “Thank you.” He hoisted Grandma’s trunk to one shoulder and took Lexie’s suitcase in his free hand. They followed him along the dock. While he lowered the luggage into the open trunk, Lexie climbed into the car’s backseat with Millie and Grandma. Mr. James joined his parents up front. He half turned to smile back at Millie, as if afraid she might forget how to talk again if he took his eyes off her for long.

  Mama’s going to look at me like that, Lexie told herself. She’ll be so glad to see me, she won’t be able to stop looking at me and smiling.

  The older Mr. James cranked down his window and rested one arm on the sill while the salty-​scented air blew in, mixed with the exhaust of motorcars and the smell of coal smoke. To Lexie, Portland seemed a small town compared to San Francisco.

  The waterfront bustled with ships unloading and people rushing everywhere. The city streets were even more thronged. She couldn’t see the tops of buildings on either side of the car. When she looked ahead through the front window, she saw buildings farther away, soaring into the sky. Could they really find Mama in this big, busy city?

  The fluttery feeling in her stomach said they could. It said they were almost to her. Mama must have had a good reason for not meeting the ship. The people she was with were important. Soon she would tell Lexie all about it.

  Maybe those people were important to Toby. The thought hit suddenly. Toby had insisted that Mama come with him to the restaurant. That made sense. It was Toby’s fault. It wasn’t Mama’s choice to leave Lexie waiting at the ship. It was Toby. That was just like him. She remembered him saying that children didn’t belong with people who worked at night and slept all day. Toby didn’t want kids around at all.

  Lexie put her disappointment and hurt into one big bundle with Toby’s name on top. Being left to find their way from the ship didn’t matter when it was Toby’s fault. And soon she would be with Mama.

  Thinking that made Lexie feel better. But she wondered how Mama, who had been married to wonderful Papa, had ever chosen Toby.

  They drove up a hill and down again and past a park in a big square where ladies pushed baby buggies, children ran about, and a band played. Enormous hotels and department stores cast long shadows. Before Lexie could see everything, Mr. James turned onto a side street and drove several more blocks.

  The streets were quieter here, lined with small businesses. From curtains in windows above and flowerpots on some of the sills, Lexie guessed people must live on the higher floors.

  “There’s your street address,” Millie’s grandpa called over his
shoulder. “There on the right with the dark-​purple awning.”

  Lexie leaned forward to peer through the front window, her heart pounding so hard she almost thought it would leap out of her chest.

  Millie’s grandpa pulled the big town car into a space right in front of the purple awning. Her father stepped out and came back to open the car door.

  As Lexie followed Grandma out, a door swung open below the awning. Mama rushed through. Her eyes matched the sparkle of her rhinestone earrings, and she was wearing the red top and pleated skirt that seemed to swing even when she was still. “You’re here! At last, kiddo! I’ve missed you so much!”

  Lexie fought happy tears. She clung to Mama, hugging her just as she had meant to do on the dock after running from the ship into her arms. Lexie could feel Mama’s energy vibrating through her. Her eyes sparkled. Her skirt pleats danced.

  Lexie remembered Toby saying, “Your mama never lets a minute pass her by without catching hold of it with both hands.” Grandma said an ordinary person got exhausted just being around her.

  That was Mama. Sometimes she forgot to eat or sweep the floor, but she was more fun than anybody, and Lexie couldn’t think of anything better than being together again.

  Mama hugged Grandma next and looked like she might hug Mr. James, but he looked startled and took a step back.

  “Thea,” Grandma said, “Mr. James and his parents were kind enough to drive us from the dock. We have luggage.”

  Lexie heard scolding in Grandma’s voice, but Mama didn’t seem to notice. “The super will take care of it.” She darted to a door next to the restaurant and called inside, “They’re here!” then rushed back to Lexie. “Your stuff will be taken up to my place. It’s all arranged.”

  With a grin, she shook hands with Mr. James, then leaned into the car to thank his parents. Lexie waved to Millie in the backseat. She had known the little girl for only a short time, but it was sad to think she wouldn’t see her again.

  Softly Millie said, “Good-​bye.”

  Hearing Millie speak, even if it was just one word, made it easier for Lexie to give up her doll. “Annie’s going to be good company, Millie. You tell her when you need a hug.”

  Millie’s father pressed Lexie’s shoulder, then climbed into the car with his parents. As Lexie watched them drive away, Mama turned, almost dancing with happiness. “It’s nifty to see you again, kiddo. Mother Lewis, it’s really swell of you to bring her to me. Come on inside, both of you.”

  “How big is your apartment?” Lexie asked. “Is it on the second floor? Do you have a good view?”

  Mama laughed. “You’ll see it soon enough, kiddo. First I want you and your grandma to meet my new friends!”

  Lexie didn’t want to meet anyone new. She had a hundred — a hundred hundred — things to tell Mama and questions to ask. But when Mama opened the restaurant door, the rich smells of clam chowder and the tangy scent of the bread Lexie knew was called sourdough reached out and pulled her right on in.

  She looked around but didn’t see Toby. He must be playing in a band somewhere. Maybe he would be away for a long time. She hoped so.

  A man rose to his feet at the nearest table while a woman beside him smiled at them. The man looked solid, with wavy red hair parted in the middle and a neat red mustache. Beneath the mustache, he offered a wide grin. “So this is your little girl. I see the resemblance. Welcome. Welcome!”

  Mama gave Lexie a little push forward. “This is Lexie. And Mrs. Lewis. Mother Lewis, meet Mr. Clayton and —”

  The man broke in. “Harold Clayton, photographer. Call me Hal. Everybody does. And here’s my better half, Sylvia.”

  Mrs. Clayton seemed nice, with kind eyes and a friendly smile. She wore a brown dress and a neat brown cloche with trim brown hair curling from beneath. She’s brown all over, Lexie thought, amused. Like a mouse, a friendly one.

  Mrs. Clayton looked at her husband in the fond way most folks looked at a puppy or a kitten. “The mister doesn’t put much stock in formality.”

  Mama laughed. “You two! Aren’t you the bee’s knees!” She urged Lexie and Grandma into chairs at the table as a waitress came over with menus. Grandma murmured hello to the couple, but Lexie didn’t hear much enthusiasm in her voice.

  It didn’t matter. They were here, together with Mama again.

  Mama reached under her chair. “I have a surprise for you, kiddo.” She put a wrapped package in front of Lexie. “One of the gals at the club makes these. The moment I saw them, I knew I had to get one for you!”

  “What is it?” Lexie felt her smile getting even wider as she pulled off the string and opened the paper. A doll lay inside, a soft-​bodied lady doll, tall and thin, with a painted face, a column of a flapper dress, and a long pearl necklace. A glittery headband held her bobbed brown hair.

  “Isn’t she a kick?” Mama asked.

  “I love her!” Lexie held the doll up for everyone to see, then hugged her close. “She’s a grown-​up Annie! I’m going to call her Ann.”

  Grandma explained, “Lexie gave her cloth doll, Annie, to a lonely little girl on the ship.”

  Everyone had something nice to say about giving away Annie and how pretty the new doll was. Then Mama said, “Guess what! Hal and Sylvia are going to Japan with the dolls!”

  Lexie looked at the couple in surprise. “On the ship?”

  “That’s right, Miss Lexie.” Mr. Clayton dropped his menu to the table. “I work for magazines. You may have seen a travel poster at the dock, one with a geisha in her kimono with a temple in the background? The Japanese are reaching out for tourists. So one of my magazines is sending us to make a photo spread of the country.”

  “You’ll be a long way from home,” Grandma said, sounding as if she wasn’t sure travel was a good thing.

  “A lot of people are making the trip,” Hal said, beaming. “Those with money to spare. Charlie Chaplin went over. And that writer fellow . . . Hemingway.”

  Mama’s eyes sparkled. “Hal’s going to take pictures of the ceremony tomorrow. Guess what, kiddo? You and I might turn up in his magazine!”

  Hal chuckled. “My better half came up with that idea. I’ll shoot pictures of the big send-​off here and then of the welcome the dolls get in Yokohama.”

  “I expect you will focus on the dolls, not on people,” Grandma said. Lexie knew Grandma hoped it would be that way. She wouldn’t approve of Mama and Lexie turning up in pictures in a magazine. To Sylvia, Grandma added politely, “It is an interesting idea.”

  Sylvia’s fair skin turned pink. “I see picture possibilities sometimes. The mister is the artist.”

  The waitress set bowls brimming with chowder in front of each of them, then returned with a big basket of bread. Lexie was glad she had food and the new doll Ann to think about, because Mr. Clayton took over the conversation, talking about things called apertures and lenses and light and other stuff the grown-​ups might have found interesting but was boring as anything to her.

  When Mama finally led her with Grandma to the apartment house next door, Lexie felt her curiosity come back to life. The first thing she noticed was Mama’s spicy scent, as if the small corner apartment reached out to hug her the same way Mama had. She looked through both windows at the lighted streets, marveling all over again that she was actually here in San Francisco.

  The luggage waited just inside the door. “Isn’t this the cat’s meow!” Mama said, twirling in the center of the room. “This little place brings us all close together.”

  “Like a family,” Lexie said meaning, like a family should be. Grandma didn’t say anything.

  Mama helped Lexie tug Grandma’s trunk into the bedroom. “We’ll share the sofa, kiddo,” she said. “The back drops down, so we’ll have oodles of room.”

  After two warnings from Grandma, Lexie stopped asking questions long enough to unpack her nightgown. Grandma raised her eyebrows. “Goodness, you have enough in your suitcase for a long stay.”

  That was bec
ause she meant to be here for a long stay, but it brought another question to mind. Lexie asked, “Where’s Toby? Is he playing his horn somewhere?”

  She hoped he didn’t come in late and trip over the open sofa or, worse, accidentally climb into bed with Grandma! She just managed to swallow a giggle. Grandma wouldn’t think that was funny.

  Mama answered lightly. “He’s down in Hollywood — can you beat that? Friends of his hooked up with an outfit playing background music for the flicks and invited him along.”

  “Flicks?” Grandma asked.

  “Moving pictures,” Lexie explained, trying to keep a leap of happiness out of her voice. Mama didn’t seem disappointed that Toby was gone.

  “I’m surprised you stayed behind,” Grandma told her.

  Sudden understanding left Lexie feeling bruised inside. Toby was gone. He hadn’t kept Mama away from the ship. She and Grandma could still be sitting there alone on the dock and it wouldn’t be Toby’s fault after all.

  It had to be his fault. There was no one else to blame . . . no one she was willing to blame. Maybe there was. Maybe it was Mr. Clayton’s fault. Hadn’t she thought that earlier?

  Rhinestones flashed in Mama’s ears as she answered Grandma. “They don’t have need for a songbird. Guess they don’t want to distract people from the story going on in the flicks.”

  She came over to Lexie, looking as if Toby were in the past and didn’t matter anymore. “I have something swell to tell you, kiddo, but it’s got to be a secret until after the dolls’ send-​off. I don’t want your thoughts pulled two ways, and we need to practice our song.”

  A secret from Mama would be something exciting. Mama didn’t care much about boring things. All that talk about photography had come close to boring, but Mama’s mind was probably far off on something else, something secret, all the time Mr. Clayton was chattering on. Maybe the photographer and his wife were part of the secret and that’s why they kept Mama from meeting the ship!