Isabel’s Secret

Isabel’s eyes darted around the room. Nobody’s here, she concluded to herself.

She fixed her eyes on the prize and locked them there, knowing she’d have to make this quick before anyone else returned.

There. That’s where she wanted to go – Madison’s personal little library.

Of course, the much bigger, absolutely humongous one was in the homeschool room. But Isabel didn’t want to go there. Here was were her favorites were, and while nobody was watching, she was determined to finish at least one chapter of the book she was reading.

Isabel pulled Missing Grace out from between the other beloved books, nervously tossing a glance over her shoulder. She was the eldest of all the Girls of Many Lands dolls – she was supposed to make sure none of the others left their stands for adventure. They were too expensive, she knew. Too fragile and valuable. They were retired, after all.

And that was why if anybody found out where Isabel had been day after day, she was in big trouble.

Uneasily but excited just the same, Isabel opened Missing Grace to the page number she had memorized the night before and immediately dove into the book.

Her eyes devoured the words on the page, soaking up every wonderful feeling it gave her to be lost in another world. A world where Isabel could be right alongside Kit and her friends as they solved a mystery; not her dull, boring, day-after-day life of standing on display.

A creaking noise interrupted her storyland adventure. Immediately Isabel turned her back on the book, slamming it shut and hiding it behind her.

What was that? She asked herself anxiously. Isabel held her breath as she waited in torment to see if the noise would continue, if someone really was there.

Isabel’s heart dropped to her stomach with a sickening, sinking feeling as Leyla walked in curiously. Busted! Isabel knew.

“Hey, Isabel. What are you doing here?” Leyla questioned.

“I was just about to ask the same thing,” Isabel returned quickly. You aren’t supposed to be out of your stand unless it’s for meal breaks.”

“Neither are you. Dinner was over an hour ago. Surely it doesn’t take you that long to use the bathroom.”

Isabel winced. She was going to be in huge trouble.

“You might as well find out where I’ve been going for the past few days,” Leyla sighed as she walked up to the books. “I know I’m not supposed to, but I have a secret love for reading. I was just coming here to finish reading – hey, where did Missing Grace go?”

Isabel smiled, pulling out the book from behind her.

Leyla’s jaw dropped. “You too?”

“Yup,” she grinned. “I have a secret love of reading as well, Leyla.”

“Then let’s read together,” Leyla suggested, and so the two friends opened up the book and began to read.

“You know, we don’t have to keep this a secret,” Leyla suggested.

“But we’ll get in so much trouble!” Isabel objected.

“I bet the other girls sneak off to do things, too. Let’s talk to Madison and ask her if we can have more free time away from the stands if we’re careful.”

Isabel smiled again. “I like the way you think.”

And so; what started out as a secret turned into a love that all of the Girls of Many Lands dolls now enjoy. Every day they are allowed to get lost in a good book as reward for standing in their stands like good little dolls. Well, besides when they sneak away…

Love,

Madi and the GOML Dolls

P.S. WARNING!

Never try to change your GOML dolls! There’s a reason they were made for older girls who supposedly didn’t want to “play” with dolls but collect them. Their clothes were not made to come on and off. I learned this the hard way.

My original plan for this post was Cécile secretly trying on Barbie clothes because she was tired of her original outfit. I couldn’t take her top off without taking off her bracelets… but she is so old, the elastic in the bracelets around her wrist have crumbled. Gently trying to ease them off her wrists, half of the elastic busted and the mini beads flew off.

I couldn’t even get this one off and it still busted. And trying to put the other bracelet back on I broke it even more. :( I was so furious at myself for doing that!

Lesson learned for sure. Never, ever try to change your GOML dolls. They weren’t meant to be played with. I wouldn’t have been so mad at my self if GOML dolls weren’t retired, but they are, and are very valuable. Grr. I can’t believe I did that. :( :P

Take my advice and please don’t try to change your GOML dolls! They’re too valuable! :P

Have you ever done something stupid involving your dolls that you wish you hadn’t?

Love,