#Meet Josefina

[graphicpolicy]

IDW and Mattel team for American Girl graphic novels!

IDW and Mattel team for American Girl graphic novels! #comics #comicbooks #graphicnovel #americangirl

IDW Publishing and Mattel has announced a first-ever line of American Girl original graphic novels, featuring all-new mysteries based on American Girl’s beloved historical characters and original modern-day characters, plus a reimagining of the fan-favorite historical introductory “Meet” books.The first graphic novel release, Julie and the Blue Guitar: An American Girl Mystery, arrives on June…

[roseunspindle]

What I Read in November 2022

never could find most of these as a child, so as an adult with money, I shall now read these books. ^_^’ also they are very cute. 

re-read, still fun (though not sure why Percy picked on Persephone so much?)

so I begin the trauma again... XD

this was so good, i loved “A Man Called Ove” and this book lived up to that. 

ah Ciel and the need for (slightly petty) revenge. Still not sure about someone already ranked an Earl getting to attend the school but...

I’d been reading this online and nearly given up on it, as the translators kept changing as did the quality of translation, then spotted this at walmart and happily snatched it up. ^_^ Looking forward to volume 2

the start of the Tiny Train arc XD

very fun, also kept thinking in all caps while reading this, didn’t know I could... XD 

not sure I liked the conclusion to the Fullbring arc? Though Byakuya subtly stanning Ichigo was great. 

this is one I had pre-ordered the instant i knew it was coming out. I adore it!

[britishchick09]

the historical and goty lineup in ag's february 2024 catalog! :D

[alliluyevas]

Felicity/Addy/Josefina has been the hardest choice for me so far because I really like all three dolls and their collections and stories. With all the other ones I have a clear frontrunner and maybe one other doll I really like.

[c0rpsedemon]

this goat was my biggest opp as a kid

[minawritesfanfic]

You are who you eat

Dexter Morgan x Reader

Word count: 2k

Summary: You thought you were the only rational serial killer in maimi but when you walk in on a certain someone from work, you realize you’re view of the world was very shallow.

Part 1

Previous | Next

☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆

I hummed to myself as I walked into work, Miami Metro Police Department. In one hand was four cups of fresh coffee and in the other a donut that I’d bought for myself, I greeted the girl at the front desk, Alissa, we said a quick hello and exchanged pleasantries before I continued down the hallway towards my office. I greeted nearly everyone I saw as I passed them making idly plans to visit this person, go to that persons birthday, and go swimming with another. After three more invitations I finally managed to make it to my sweet corner of the station and was greeted by familiar faces, only Jackie looked up at me with a smile. Sterling and Josefina l exhausted after pulling an all nighter.

“Good morning, you guys look like you need this.” I set down the coffees on their desks and looked up gratefully.

“You’re a godsend mi vida, you’re the reason I live.” Josefina said as she sipped away at her coffee and I just laughed as I set down my own coffee.

“You’re welcome, how come you guys are still here?”

“I’m still finishing my report but then I’m leaving.” Sterling said stretching his arms for a bit before grabbing his coffee.

“I was on my way out, just waiting for you to get here. These are for you to give to homicide, while I am going home to sleep for five days straight.” She grabbed a box off the floor and handed it to me.

“Uhh what’s this?” I asked as I damn near dropped the box from to how heavy it was, inside there were various old looking laptops.

“These are all the new computers that need to be distributed to the homicide department, but first we need to make sure they’re all using the correct and up to date software. Heads up most of them don’t.”

“So this is what all the approved overtime was for, just great. Alright I’ve got it from here, I’ll see you Thursday Josie.” I said as I set the box on the floor beside my desk.

I waved to Josefina as she left before sitting down at my desk, I booted up my computer and checked my email for my assignments for today. There were only three thankful so I decided to get those out of the way before starting on the computers for the homicide, I sent a quick reply and stood. I grabbed my coffee and took a sip as I stepped out the office, first on the agenda was a blue screen in one of the departments upstairs. I happily sipped at my coffee as I made my way to the elevator and as I pressed the button for the next floor I heard someone call out for me to hold the elevator. I did and a guy I had seen around a few times stepped into the elevator with his bag and he thanked me smiling politely. The elevator stopped at the next floor and we both stepped out, the man went straight ahead to homicide and I watched him for a moment before heading to left to internal affairs where I’d been requested and went to see what the issue was.

Thankfully I managed to finish all my assignments and with the computers for homicide at a reasonable hour, so I still have time to start preparing for my next meal, pot roasted Roger Hicks. Full time car salesman part time scum bag, he came on my radar after his name popped up in an ongoing case. After meeting with him in person and visting his home it was clear that he was exactly the kind of scum I thought he was, and tonights was the night I take him and turn him a more refined dish. I decided to stake out at the car dealership, wait for everyone to leave then strike him just as he’s leaving.

Finally the sun had set and I knew it was time as I saw Roger leaving the office, he had his bag over his shoulder and seemed to be in a good mood. I quietly got out of my car, I doubled checked my surroundings and started to cross the parking lot towards him when he suddenly turned around. I ducked back where I was and hid behind one of the show cars and realized that there was someone behind him, I peeked out from my hiding spot planning to hide until they left Roger alone but to my surprise they started to strangle him with something I couldn’t make out from afar in the dark. I was baffled and frustrated as I couldn’t even make out the other persons face as they had their back to me, all I could do was silently watch as the took the now collapsed Roger and rolled him into their van. I was speechless and frozen in place but composed myself as they got into their car, I had to find out what they were going to do to him. I got back in my car and watched as they high tailed it out of the parking lot, I turned my car on and followed them out.

It was a short drive but I made sure to be careful that whoever this was didn’t catch me followikg them, and I watched as they pulled into the driveway of a house I recognized. One of the victims houses, Ann Cohen, a chill ran down my spine as I drove past the house and parked further up the street. I got out and walked back to the house sneaking up on the side, I tried peeking in through the windows but I couldn’t see much of anything. I was going to have to break in, I sighed and went around to the back door which to my luck was still unlocked. I was thankful I wouldn’t have to lock pick anything because I absolutely sucked at it, I entered the house quietly and shut the door behind me. The house looked relatively untouched beyond some of Ann’s things being packed up in boxes, it was saddening knowing someone so full of life had it snuffed out and tainted. The thought revived my anger reminding me why I had chosen Roger for my next meal, I should be the one killing him not doing whatever this weirdo was trying to do.

I froze as I approached the living room and saw what this mystery person had done to it, it was covered in plastic and as I stepped closer I could see pictures on the wall that I realized where Roger’s other victims. Most notably though was Roger fucking Hicks laid out bare on a table covered in plastic wrap, I crouched down and decided to watch before doing anything rash. I watch through the plastic as this mystery man talked to Roger, I still couldn’t see his face as he had again had his back to me but as he began to walk around I saw him.

“Looks different under plastic but you spent an evening here… with Ann Cohen.” He said pointing to the corner of the room, “You took her last breath from her right over there. You remember?” I barely managed to supress my gasp of surprise. I know this guy, I work with this guy.

“No! You’re- you’re wrong, I couldn’t.” Roger denied adamantly and clearly confused.

“Well you would and you did, and you were about to do it again. That’s why we’re here.”

“No, this is insane. You got the wrong guy I-I sell cars, for godsake. I’ve never hurt anyone in my life- definitely not a woman.”

“Why can’t I do that?” The man asked ignoring all of Roger’s pathetic excuses.

“Do what?”

“Lie like that. I mean I thought I was good, but you, it’s.. mwah.” He said walking away to the other side of the table grabbing something that I wasn’t able to see.

“I don’t lie!”

“Okay, that one was weak.”

Roger started to try and buy his way out offering the man but he had a rebuttal to everything he said, it was almost funny watching their interaction. Roger trying everything he could but nothing seemed to work on him, as he so easily saw through his lies. Though as Roger brought up his girlfriend things seemed to take a different turn and he had the man’s full attention, even though his words were uncaring but his body language portrayed a different picture. Roger didn’t see what I saw though and started an angry tangent about how awful women were but he wasn’t rambling on long before the man stabbed him in the chest. I took that as my cue to leave, I knew who this guy was and what his intentions are but I need to learn more I do anything rash. I stood up but my legs were weak from being on the floor for so long, I reached out to the thing neared to me and accidentally knocked over a lamp.

I turned and saw him looking directly towards me but I figured he couldn’t make out my face in the dark, I bolted out the door and back around the house. I could hear him scrambling out to follow me but he didn’t follow me for long, I figured he thought it was better to clean up after himself than chase me. I sighed and got back into my car, driving off without giving it a second thought. My heart was racing and adrenaline pumped through my veins, I had seen a lot of things as a serial killer but never something like this. Sure I’d seen organized and carefully killers before but never like that, that was the king of kill room where nothing was left behind. It was the perfect crime scene, part of me was jealous I hadn’t though of it first it was so much smarter then staying in one place where I could be found. Not that I was going to give up the cozy spot that was my morgue kill room, it was like a third home to me but I couldn’t still admire this guy’s dedication to the craft.

The drive home was quiet, I was so consumed in my thoughts I hadn’t even bothered to turn on the radio. I just couldn’t get what I saw out of my mind and all yhe anger I felt over having my target stolen simply faded away, I was enamored and fascinated by him. Though I needed to do some more research as he may be another person I need to add to my grocery list, I hoped I wouldn’t have to. From his words it seemed like he had targeted Roger specifically because of what he had done to both those girls and was planning to do to another, maybe he killed murders and serial killers like me. Maybe that was me jumping the gun, but it was nice to hope because that definitely wasn’t his first time killing. My mind wandered on and on even as I started unlocking my front door, I pulled out my key and swung the door open before shutting it behind me. I carefully took off my shoes at the front door and proceeded to plop down onto my couch, a wistful sigh left my lips as I started up at the ceiling. I couldn’t wait for tomorrow to come as it would give me the chance to find out who this mystery guy was, for now all I knew was that he worked in homicide. Which was likely where he found Roger, I managed to get a glimpse at the case when I was restoring some files on one of the detectives computers. I wondered what he kept as a trophy for his kills, maybe he photographed them like me. After every meal I turn my victims into, I scrapebook it. Its perfectly inconspicuous and allows me to broadcast it to the whole world with no fear of someone questioning, because without context its just a compliantion of dishes I have made. Regardless it was getting late and I had work in the morning, with a groan I rolled off the couch and disappeared into my bedroom not even bothering to shower before bed.

☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆

[syntheticavenger]

On My Mama - Four

As I said... my version of a rom com.

Santiago 'Pope' Garcia x Female Reader

Tyler Rake x Female Reader

Andy Barber x Female Reader

Jax Teller x Female Reader

Word Count: 5K

Warnings: 18+ ONLY, language, breeding kink (brief), jealousy, angst, mentions of divorce, co-parenting, a touch of possessiveness (blink and you'll miss it), a nice surprise at the end.

Summary | Being a single mom with a complicated relationship with your ex-husband makes for an interesting summer after a school event and an unexpected errand puts you front and center with some eligible contenders for your attention.

Josefina places the bags of groceries on the kitchen counter, surveying the kitchen with a frown. Her niece will be here within days, her brother mentioning her arrival like it’s a national holiday. She knows he’ll give her an earful about everything she’s bought but she doesn’t care – cookies and cereal aren’t going to start any bad habits – and as she starts putting things away, she hears soft footsteps, looking over her shoulder at a woman clad in a workout bra and leggings, sizing her up before Josefina closes the cupboard, turning around to look at the leggy brunette.

“You must be Josefina,” the woman says, giving her a smile that Josefina does not return. “I’m -”

“Julianna,” she answers for her. “I know who you are.”

“Santi has told me so much about you.”

She’s straining to make conversation, the slight edge of her voice so fake that it makes Josefina’s teeth hurt. Wherever he found this one, it’s another square that won’t fit the whole in the peg that he’s looking for.

“Funny,” Josefina speaks up, folding one of her bags before placing it on the table. “He’s never mentioned you.”

Julianna doesn’t seemed please by her comment but at the moment, Josefina doesn’t care. She’s seen them come and go, watching them try to stake their claim on her brother like a piece of meat, knowing that they won’t last.

This one in particular seems to be irritated that she wasn’t mentioned. Truthfully, none of them get past the few dates. The only one that stuck around was you and for a time, their parents were pleased that Santiago had finally settled down.

This one is all wrong, right down to the long acrylic nails and too perfect hair.

“We’re… getting to know each other.”

“By spending the night? Hmm,” Josefina says with a nod, continuing on to unpack the next bag of groceries. “Did you need something?”

“I was just leaving, actually.” Julianna’s voice takes on a harder tone, one that Josefina knows all too well.

The uncomfortable silence that falls between the two women is interrupted by Santiago, who stops in his tracks at the sight of his sister who looks behind Julianna to look him squarely in the eyes. She can tell by his expression that he doesn’t want her to cause a scene or say something that could start an argument.

“Nice to meet you,” Josefina says with a short smile.

There is a shuffle of footsteps and a close of a door, Josefina finishing her task before she feels her brother’s presence again. Whatever words had been spoken at the door had been in haste, Santiago’s voice hard as steel before the door had closed abruptly.

“Another one?” she asks, Santiago leaning against the counter, arms crossed as he looks at the floor. “She seemed… peppy. If that’s your type, I guess…”

“I didn’t sleep with her,” Santiago mutters, Josefina putting up her hands in defense.

“I didn’t ask! That’s your business.”

He doesn’t look like he believes her, Josefina busying herself by pouring him coffee. He’s clearly in no mood to banter back and forth, even if she wants to engage him in the conversation.

“I know,” Santiago replies, taking the cup she hands him. “It’s over, in case you’re wondering. If it even started.”

“I saw the duffle bag by the door,” she admits sheepishly. “She looked ready to go.”

“She asked about when she could see Mia.”

“Too soon,” Josefina agrees as he nods in agreement. “I’m guessing it was more than that?”

“It always is. I have boundaries, Fina. It was three weeks of dating, if you could call it that.”

Josefine perches herself on the counter, placing another folded bag next to her. She knows her brother has his own rules when it comes to women but she’s never seen him this irritated, the dismissal of the woman strong in his tone.

“What don’t you call your boundary what it is?”

“And what is that?” he inquires sarcastically.

When she says your name, Santiago scoffs.

“We’re not having this discussion.”

“You didn’t say I was wrong,” Josefina protests. “You can continue to lie to yourself, big brother but I know you best. You don’t just go over there early for Mia. You go over here for her. You shouldn’t have divorced in the first place.”

“Josefina,” he warns, the mug clinking on the counter. “Don’t start.”

“Who’s starting? I’m telling the truth. You didn’t move out of this house after the divorce.”

“Why should I? It’s mine.”

“It’s too big,” Josefina protests, hopping off the counter when he walks away. “Don’t walk away from me. It’s too big, Santi. You work too much, you come home to an empty house and maybe that’s why you don’t always return my calls. You’re depressed about being in this big house.”

It’s a stretch and she knows it – he’s been busy and she’s seen his packed schedule, one week in Spain and another in London, all for the name of business.

“I��m busy, Josefina. Plain and simple.”

She should stop while she’s ahead. By the pecking order of siblings, she’s technically on thin ice with all of her poking and prodding of his personal life. 

“Oh? That dinner with Mia? It wasn’t just her,” Josefina hints.

“She’s her mother, of course she would be there.”

“Lucian is one of her favorite restaurants. You used to take her there all the time.”

“We’re not having this discussion.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want to, okay? I have to pick up Mia tomorrow and I have her for a whole week. I don’t want to discuss the past, Fina. Nothing is going to change it, no matter how much you want it to. We’ve both moved on.”

Santiago heads up the stairs, leaving Josefina alone, looking at a picture of Santiago holding Mia when she was barely a year ago, his arm around you as you looked up at him and Mia on a cruise. It’s a picture that used to be his lock screen, now one of just Mia smelling a rose during a walk in a garden, no sign of you anywhere.

“Sure,” Josefina says to herself, looking up at the ceiling as she hears a door close. “You’ve moved on.”

🔥

“Did you get the invite?”

Laurie’s question makes you pause before you give an answer, index finger tapping on the bottle of sprinkles on the cupcakes you’re decorating. It’s a day before Mia’s last day of school and you’d promised her you’d bake cupcakes for her class, something you’re barely finishing after a long day of work.

“For the barbeque? I did, yeah,” you respond, feeling her eyes on you. “I didn’t say if I was going or not because I didn’t know if would be weird or -”

“Weird? God, no,” Laurie interrupts with a laugh. “He has it every year and had it before we were even divorced. I think you should go. Seriously.”

“That’s not weird? I mean, he probably was trying to be nice.”

“No,” Laurie denies, tapping more sprinkles onto the cupcakes. “He’s always thought you were beautiful.”

“Laurie!”

“Well, he did. I thought Santiago was hot when I met him. There’s all these dumb rules, right? You can’t think someone is handsome or beautiful because they’re married? Or they’re a friend of yours? It’s a physical attraction.”

“He was your husband.”

“He’s not anymore. Listen, if I had to pick the next person he started dating, I’d go with someone like you.”

“Laurie, stop it,” you laugh, trying to reach for the sprinkles as she holds it up high.

“Do you like Andy?”

“What?”

“Do you like Andy?” she repeats.

“I barely know him.”

“He likes you,” Laurie says with a grin, looking down at her handiwork. “It’s not a crime to like someone. I, unfortunately, won’t be in attendance at his annual party. My dear old Uncle Ellis decided it was his time to go and there’s a funeral service that I want to miss but I know I shouldn’t. Seriously, I think you should go. Meet other parents, there’s a giant pool and all the food you can eat. You can watch all the men grunt around the barbeque pit when the flames get too high. A circle jerk of meat lovers.”

You do laugh then, Laurie giving you a wink.

“It’s a summer party. What could go wrong?”

🔥

He parks his SUV next to yours, sliding out of the driver’s seat. He’s casual for once, dressed down in a pair of khakis and a black shirt. For the last day of kindergarten, most of the mothers are already in tears, patiently waiting to embrace their children as an important year of their growth and development comes to a close and with it, another milestone that is on the horizon: first grade.

He knows you aren’t ready to discuss it, especially now when your dark sunglasses hide your eyes, your hand lifting to wave to him when you open the trunk, pulling out Mia’s suitcase that he takes from you with ease, moving it over to his car. 

“Cake and ice cream?” you ponder out loud, Santiago breaking into a smile at your question.

“It’s what our daughter wants. Who am I to deny her?”

You go silent for a moment, Santiago seeing you focus on a truck that comes into view. He wants to ask you about the date that you haven’t mentioned, wondering if it’s anyone around you.

Or maybe the driver of the truck that makes you look away when they park.

“I had lunch at Arcana for a business deal,” he says, you attention back to him. “I’m happy to report they still have your lemon bar.”

You hum in approval, Santiago seeing a smile appear on your face. Arcana was your first date, Santiago pulling out all the stops to make sure he got a reservation that night.

“I miss that place.” 

The school bell rings, loud and ear piercing, as children pour out of the classrooms, backpacks bumping along amid screams of happiness, parents surging toward the gates as they yell out to their kids.

“I miss you,” he confesses, your head turning at his statement, the scruff of sneakers on pavement getting louder before he’s attacked by Mia, wrapping her arms around her father’s legs.

“You’re here!” she shouts, Santiago picking her up as she places her arms around his neck in a near chokehold. She doesn’t let go, her head buried into his neck.

“It’s alright,” he says against the shell of her ear, her tiny fingers pulling on his shirt. He knows she won’t let him put her down. “I got you.”

“I got scared,” Mia whimpers.

“About what, mini?”

“I thought you wouldn’t come.”

“I did, I’m right here. I love you.”

He presses a kiss to her temple, her face still hidden from view.

“I love you, Daddy,” Mia whispers, her head on his shoulder when she looks at her mother. “Hi Mommy.”

She reaches out her free hand to you and you take it, the three of you connected for a moment before your attention goes to Tyler, Hunter pulling him over to say goodbye to Mia.

“Santiago,” Tyler greets, Santiago shifting Mia so that he can shake Tyler’s hand, Hunter shifting his feet. He can tell the little boy wants to leave, Tyler striking up a conversation with you that he can’t focus on because Hunter keeps interrupting.

“My dad is getting pizza,” Hunter announces, Mia turning her head at his news. “Cause school is done.”

Mia cranes her neck to look at her father and for a minute, he hopes she doesn’t ask to attend. He has a whole week off to devote just to his daughter and the last thing he wants is to share it with more children and a man who is currently giving eyes at you.

“I want cake,” Mia says, Hunter making a face at her comment.

“Pizza is good,” Hunter replies, Tyler and Santiago sharing a look.

“Why don’t we get pizza and Mia and her dad can get cake, hmm?”

“Okay,” Hunter agrees, Tyler turning him around to herd him back to the truck. “Bye Mia!”

“You ready to go?” Santiago asks her, Mia nodding.

Placing her into her car seat, he steps back to let you say goodbye, Mia giggling when you kiss her cheek.

“I love you. Be good for Daddy, okay?”

“Yes, Mommy,” she agrees, sighing dramatically when she looks out the window. “I miss school already.”

“You’ll be back before you know it,” you promise her, stepping back from the car, bumping into him as he steadies you. 

“I’ll make sure to send you pictures.”

“I hope so.”

“See you in a week.”

“I hope we’re not cramping your style with your dates,” you tease, Santiago pausing at your words. He knows you’re being sarcastic so he answers in a way that he knows you’ll understand.

“Dating isn’t working out for me at the moment. I’ve got a priority and that’s Mia.”

He gives you a nod, closing the back passenger door and getting into the driver’s seat, the passenger side window lowering quickly before he speaks.

“We’ll be in touch.”

🔥

Admittedly, you’re fashionably late after trying on swimsuits, unsure of why you’re even going to wear one – not like you’re going to hop in the pool. Still, you settle on a one piece with a cut out, pulling on a pair of shorts and a loose shirt. Nervousness bubbles up in your belly, mentally trying to talk yourself out of it, even though Andy had sent you a text a day prior to check to see if you were still coming, which you had hastily replied that you would be there.

Cars line the curbs, the smell of barbeque in the air when you head up the steps, holding a tray of appetizers. He’d told you not to worry about bringing anything but it felt wrong to come empty handed, holding a case of beer in your other hand. The awkward walk to the front door isn’t long, the door opening as Andy immediately plucks the case of beer from your hand, shaking in his head in amusement.

“You’re making the rest of the guests look bad,” Andy greets you, opening the door wider, taking the appetizer tray from you before you can protest. “You didn’t have to bring anything, you know, but thank you.”

“I didn’t want to come empty handed.”

You follow him into the house, the large living room decorated minimally, hearing music get louder when you pass down the hallway. You can hear a loud splash, people laughing and the scent of sunscreen wafting through the air when you reach the kitchen.

“Help yourself to anything you want,” he offers, seeing you look at the food that is carefully lined up on the counters. “We’ve got beer, cocktails, juice, water, you name it.”

“Thanks, Andy,” you reply, seeing him close the fridge after placing the case of beer inside. 

He hands you a beer, looking over at heavily attended party in the big backyard.

“So many people,” you murmur.

“You don’t have to go out there and mingle. Half the people that show up come for the free food and beer, not that I can blame them. No pressure to say hello of course, you’re welcome to stay in the house.”

Your new lock screen is a picture of Mia in the pool, big sunglasses obscuring her face as she lounges on an inflatable donut. You wish you were with her, unsure if you want to go out there and greet people, even if you know it’s good for you to stop being anti-social.

“Alice is outside,” Andy mentions, nodding his head toward the outside. “You’ve met her before, right?”

“I don’t think I have.”

“She’s one of the new teachers at the school. She taught first grade last year.”

“Oh,” you reply, seeing her dance by herself, a margarita in hand. “I’ll have to say hello.”

“She’s new in town so she’s… getting to know people,” Andy says with a laugh when she waves to him.

You see Tyler outside, standing with a group of men when Andy follows your gaze.

“Ah, I think you see someone you know. I’ll leave you to it,” he says with a wink, heading outside.

You aren’t sure what to say at his words, seeing him leave so quickly that you aren’t sure if you offended him or if he had something to do. Opening the sliding glass door, the music is louder, skin on display, people milling around when you realize Andy is nowhere to be found.

Alice, the teacher Andy had told you about, raises her drink to you.

“Ah, you’re here,” she says with a flirtatious grin. “I’ve heard all about you.”

She pats a seat on the bench next to her, plopping yourself down as she looks out at the party.

“Probably a scandal that I’m here,” she says with a shake of her head. “Not that it matters.”

“Scandal?”

“You know,” Alice hints. “I’m a first grade teacher. Not supposed to be in a bikini and shorts, dancing to the music and drinking a marg. But I’ve met a lot of dads… and moms.”

She winks at you, her personality putting you at ease.

“How do you know Andy?”

“I, uh,” you pause, laughing at your answer. “I’m friends with Laurie.”

“No way,” Alice whispers, looking out over the crowd. “I don’t see her anywhere. I see Andy.”

You look up, a petite woman wiping something off his cheek. It’s an intimate moment that you can’t look away from, Alice titling her head at the scene, sipping her margarita. The woman laughs at something he says, Andy whispering against her ear as she nods.

“She’s thirsty,” Alice theorizes, seeing Andy hold onto her hands, taking a step back as she looks at him. “Even he knows it.”

You can feel her eyes still on you. You feel like you’re under a microscope, Alice narrowing her eyes at you.

“Do you know her?”

Shaking your head, Alice leans back on her hands after placing her margarita on the counter.

“I do. She’s another teacher. St. Mary’s, I think? We graduated around the same time, went to the same university. The Barbers are lapsed Catholics,” Alice informs you, thinking for a moment. “Or they were. She’s trying to save his soul.”

“He’s single,” you point out, Alice nodding.

“He’s not interested in her. She’s been at it since I got here. He’s been distracted.”

“Oh.”

“Oh,” Alice repeats. “Looking for his guest of honor that he found. I wonder who that could be.”

She stands, stretching before reaching for her glass, downing the rest of her margarita. “I’m sure there’s a swimsuit under there. Have a swim with me before it’s all over.”

Leaving you alone, she grabs a hot dog from the grill master, who is all too happy to check her out as she leaves, hot dog in hand.

Finishing your beer, you scan the crowd, your stomach rumbling, an indication that you need to eat. 

“Hungry?” Tyler asks, making you look up. He’s blocking the sun, aviators on while his damp hair sticks to his forehead, tattooed muscled chest on display. 

“Oh, hey.”

It’s entirely too early to think about kissing him again, a secret that you wonder if people around him know.

“What can I get you?”

“I can get it,” you respond, taking the hand that he offers, his hold lingering a little before he lets it go.

He walks with you toward the grill, close enough that your hands brush together. It isn’t that you haven’t texted him, both of you busy with work and your respective kids. Enough conversation to know that he would be there but that you would decide if you were going to show.

“What do you think?”

“It’s definitely more than I expected,” you confess, moving out of the way of two women who are dancing with each other. “Didn’t know Andy was into parties.”

“Once a year,” Tyler answers. “Then it’s back to his usual rule following. Sort of nice to get an invite this year, considering…”

He trails off, shaking his head when you look at him curiously at his sly remark.

“Nevermind,” he continues, giving you a grin. “Hot dog or hamburger?”

🔥

Vanessa has directed her attention to one his colleagues, Saul, who is enjoying the attention.  For a party that he organizes every year, this one has been one for the books, cracking open another beer, getting updates from his mother about Jacob. Not a word from Laurie, who usually wants a play by play of the scandalous details of the partygoers.

Unfortunately for her, almost every guest is behaving.

Per his unspoken rule, most will be out of here before sundown, the cleaning crews diverging on his property to scrub any existence of the barbeque. 

For now, he’s content to watch you fold your shirt carefully on the chair, shimmy out of your shorts, your body showcased in the one-piece swimsuit, carefully making your way into the pool. There’s something to be said about Tyler Rake, who follows you into the pool, beer in hand as you’re locked in a conversation with him.

Andy finishes his beer, tossing the bottle into the recycling bin without looking, his phone vibrating in his pocket. Looking at the number, he doesn’t answer it, seeing you place your hand on Tyler’s chest when someone swims past you, using him as leverage as his arm wraps around the small of your back.

Tyler and Andy’s eyes lock, Tyler nodding his head toward Andy, Alice swimming up to you when you leave him. Tyler gets out of the pool, telling you and Alice something before he picks up his phone, a towel around his shoulders.

As the host of this party, Andy maneuvers around the crowd, checking to make sure everyone is having a good time, the pool beginning to empty out as the sun begins to make its slow descent.

Alice gets out of the pool, wrapping a towel around herself.

“Leaving so soon?” Andy asks her, Alice nodding with a half-lidded eyes.

“You sure know how to throw a party but I promised I’d help my sister move tomorrow and if I stay any longer, I know I won’t want to help her tomorrow,” Alice teases, slipping her shoes on. “I appreciate the invitation, Mr. Barber.”

“Andy,” he corrects her, seeing her collect her things while you make your way out of the pool, no sign of Tyler anywhere. “Did you need me to call you an Uber?”

Alice waves him away.

“A Lyft is on the way!”

“Don’t tell me you’re leaving too,” Andy calls out to you, seeing your head swing toward his direction at the sound of his voice. “I barely got to talk to you.”

“You’ve been popular,” you speak up.

He knows that you saw him, peeling Vanessa’s hands off of him as she tried to come on to him.

“Popular? I guess you didn’t see everyone looking at you,” Andy replies.

You wrap a towel around your middle, looking for your sandals.

“They don’t look at me,” you laugh. “You had a nice line up of people wanting your attention.”

“So you were checking me out?”

He can see you blink in confusion, unsure of what to say.

“Vanessa?” he asks, seeing you shrug. “Not my type.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean it that way,” you protest softly, Andy enjoying how flustered you’re getting.

“So, you were looking at me.”

“I just wanted to thank you for inviting me.”

“Oh?” Andy picks up your sandals as you reach for them. “Relax.”

Sitting on the pool chair, he crouches down, helping you slip on your sandals, his hands warm on your wet skin, using the towel to help pat dry your skin.

“Thank you, Andy,” you respond, seeing Tyler come into view, engaging in a quick conversation with someone who catches him when he comes from around the corner.

“Don’t mention it. You don’t have to go so soon, you know.”

People know his rule, but he knows you don’t.

“I probably shouldn’t be the last one here,” you murmur.

“Why not?” 

He sees you swallow, knowing you don’t have a reason.

“People could talk.”

“I’m sure they would,” Andy says, looking over at Tyler, who doesn’t take his eyes off of you. “But what could they possibly say? Two single parents dared to have a conversation?”

You’re silent at his words, Andy standing at his full height when he helps you up, the towel still wrapped around you.

Almost as if he knows what Andy is thinking, Tyler signals to you, reaching you in record time while you search for your shirt and shorts.

“Hey,” he says, both of them watching you search for your clothes. “Everything okay?”

“I swore I put my shirt and shorts down over there,” you point, Andy looking over at the pool chairs. “Unless someone took them.”

“I can help you look,” Tyler offers, heading over as he searches.

“Or someone took them,” Andy reminds him dryly. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

“I’ll have to borrow your towel,” you joke, Andy shaking his head while Tyler raises up his arms in confusion after searching under each chair.

“I think Andy’s right, someone took your clothes. Probably mistook them for theirs,” Tyler says. “Do you want to borrow my shirt?”

Andy interrupts before you have a chance to answer. 

“Sometimes people try to be helpful and they toss the clothes inside so they don’t get wet. Come inside and I’ll look.”

Tyler looks at his watch, following you both into the house. Andy pulls out a chair for you, Tyler waiting for Andy to finish his search when Andy rounds the corner. He know he probably won’t find anything but it’s worth a search anyway.

“Rake,” Andy calls out. “Do me a favor, will you? Can you let Saul know he needs to turn off the grill? He’ll tell you yes. Can you make sure he actually does?”

At the open and close of the sliding glass door, Andy grabs one of his shirts, coming back into the kitchen, seeing you sit, replying to a text message.

“Looks like nothing turned up but you’re welcome to one of my shirts,” he offers, handing it to you as you eagerly put it on.

There’s something about the way you look in his shirt, something he’d thought about days prior. He’d meant to give you in the invitation in person but like always, work had gone into overtime, pouring over case files that had taken up much of his time.

Still, you’d been on his mind, Laurie casually sharing that she had been proud of you for taking the step to date. He could put two and two together. With how much you’d been on his mind, sleep never came easy and sending the late-night invitation text had been risky but it had paid off.

“It looks good on you,” Andy tells you, seeing Tyler still talk to Saul, pointing to the grill.

“Thank you.”

“How’s Mia doing with school being out?”

“She’s excited. She said she missed school but we’ve got a lot planned for her,” you tell him, correcting yourself quickly. “Santiago has his plans and I have my own. She’ll have a busy summer.”

“Jacob’s got a summer camp coming up but Laurie’s having second thoughts since he’s still young. I’d have to agree. Maybe next year but not now.”

Andy’s phone vibrates again but he ignores it, looking at the time, focusing on you listening to what he’s saying.

“I don’t think I could be away from Mia for that long either.”

“I agree,” he says. “It’s bad enough he’s away with his grandmother this week.”

“Mia’s with her dad this week too.”

Andy sees Saul point to the knobs on the grill, Tyler nodding.

“Free time for a whole week,” Andy draws out. “What’s a girl like you to do.”

“No idea.”

“Crazy idea but,” Andy pauses, seeing them start to head back in. “Maybe we could find a day or evening to do something? I’d like to get to know you better. Being in my shirt notwithstanding.”

Touching the fabric of his shirt, he waits for his answer, seeing Tyler and Saul get closer.

“I’d like that,” you affirm, Andy seeing Tyler reach for the door.

“You just made my week.”

🔥

The cleaners come quickly, Andy waving you goodbye as you get into your car with his shirt on and the towel around your waist. He doesn’t mind that you walked out with Tyler, nor that he gave you a hug before you parted. Saul, who had too much to drink, waits in the passenger seat for Andy to take him home. 

After he’s dropped off Saul with his wife, he finally looks at his phone, dialing a number back.

“You know my rule,” Andy greets the caller when they answer. “Never before eight.”

“Bit of an emergency, Barber. You know I wouldn’t call if I didn’t need the help.”

Andy slows to a stop, pulling near the curb while he wonders what could necessitate such a phone call.

“What’s the emergency?” Andy asks.

“I need you to find me another lawyer.”

“What happened with Olivia?”

“Considering she’s trying to get me to agree to split custody while simultaneously trying to sleep with me? That’s a hard fucking pass.”

Andy shakes his head in frustration. Family Law wasn’t his thing and Olivia had come highly recommended.

“Barber?”

“I’m here,” he responds, pulling away from the curb. “You need another lawyer. She was a referral.”

“Then refer me to someone better.”

“It’ll take a few days. I’ve been busy.”

“Sooner rather than later?”

“What’s the rush?” Andy asks, hearing the voice on the other end exhale loudly.

“Things took a turn for the worse and she’s got a good lawyer, one who will lie for her. I’m not putting my son in that environment. You’re a father too, Barber. You of all people should know how important this is.��

“I get it,” he answers him. “Surprised you didn’t want to take her up on her offer, though. That’s very professional of you.”

“Quality over quantity,” the voice says on the other end.

“I’ll find you someone,” Andy agrees.

“Thank you.”

“But Teller? If you call me again before eight, this consulting work I help you with? It’s done if you disrespect my boundaries.”

He can hear Jax scoff, loud music playing in the background.

“You got it, Barber."

[haveamagicalday]

Duel of the American Girl Dolls: Winners!

Elizabeth Cole's best outfit is : Riding Outfit

Cecile Ray's best outfit is: Meeting Outfit

Marie-Grace Gardner's best outfit is: Summer Dress

Caroline Abbott's best outfit is: Winter Coat

Nicki Hoffman's best outfit is: Red Vinyl Jumper

Isabel Hoffman's best outfit is: Year 2000 Outfit

Ruthie Smithens best outfit is: Play Outfit

Nellie O'Malley's best outfit is: Spring Party Dress

Claudie Wells best outfit is: Meeting Outfit

Courtney Moore’s best outfit is: Meeting Outfit

Emily Bennet's best outfit is: Meeting Outfit

Felicity Merriman's best outfit is: Riding Hat and Habit

Kaya's best outfit is: Pow Wow Dress

Josefina Montoya's best outfit is: Weaving Outfit

Kirsten Larson's best outfit is: Checked Dress and Shawl

Nanea Mitchell's best outfit is: Holoku Outfit

Maryellen Larkin's best outfit is: Poodle Skirt

Melody Ellison's best outfit is: Birthday Outfit

Rebecca Rubin's best outfit is: Meeting Outfit

Samantha Parkington's best oufit is: Plaid Cape and Gaiters

Molly McIntire's best outfit is: After School Party

Addy Walker's best outfit is: Tartan Plaid Dress

Kit Kittredge's best outfit is: Overalls

Julie Albright's best outfit is: Calico Dress

Ivy Ling's best outfit is: Chinese New Year Outfit

The best Truly Me Cute Dress is: Red Jumper

The best Truly Me Exploration outfit is: World Traveler in Ireland

The best collector doll is: Shimmering Silver

The best American Boy doll outfit is: Tartan Plaid Outfit

The best World by Us/Mordern Girl outfit is: Evette's Meeting Outfit

The best Truly Me Fun and Hobbies outfit is: Christmas Recital

The best Truly Me Beach Wear outfit is: Beach Outfit

The best Birthstone Collection outfit is: September Sparkling Sapphire

The best Truly Me costume is: Medival Princess

The best Girl of the Year outfit is: Kavi's Bollywood Outfit

The best Truly Me dance outfit is: Ruby Ballet

The best Truly Me winter wear is: Sugar Plum Coat

The best Truly Me casual outfit is: Plaid Skirt and Sweater

The best Truly Me bed time outfit is: Penguin and Robe

The best Truly Me sports outfit is: Ice Dancer Outfit

The best Truly Me holiday outfit is: Diwali Celebration Outfit

[enyoalkis]

Went to the American Girl NYC store with Slowpoke after work since AG just re-released the historical dolls Kirsten, Josefina, and Addy in their original Meet outfits and birthday outfits. For a while, I’ve been wanting Kirsten’s Birthday Outfit for Nellie. My Slowpoke thinks she looks great in it!

I was so tempted to buy a Josefina doll but… I can’t think of a way to make more space left in my room to display her.

See the cut below for the new store displays of Kirsten, Josefina, and Addy in their birthday outfits!

[changesforminnesota]

Josefina's Collection

I've been trying to be better with spending time with my collections when I get the urge, as a self care thing. Sometimes I'm like "but what am I going to DO with them??" I try to remember that looking at my things counts as quality time and there is no "wrong" way to enjoy my dolls. I also sometimes feel guilty that I don't make as many crafts or outfits as I'd like.

Lately I've been enjoying looking at pictures of people's collections. Some are more organized than mine, or more complete than mine (although damn I have a lot). But my collection is still valid and still gorgeous. So today I took photos of what I currently have from Josefina's collection.

Not pictured: meet outfit and school outfit which are both at my parents' house. And Josefina herself, who is also at my parents'.

[butch-reidentified]

personal update ~

SO, connecting with Nahua people and learning about the culture and history and language and everything has been such an absolutely WILD journey so far. the metaphor I've been using is like, if every Big Thing in my life that requires time and effort to process (traumas but also just surprises, abrupt and/or huge changes, big realizations, shocking news, etc) is a city inside my brain, deciding to pursue this and finally embrace this part of myself has been a Jericho ass experience - walls of the city crashing down, flood gates open type shit. it's exhilarating and healing and inspiring and fulfilling, absolutely, but there's also a lot of complexity and there's grief and rage I've been trying to suppress for a long time, and a pretty intense shift in my baseline perspective/way of interacting with the world around me. and it feels so much more authentic and whole, like something caged that needed to get out is finally free, but now that thing has to learn to survive in the wild. does that make any sense?

but one of the really really interesting experiences I'm having is that, like, SOOOO many of my tastes, my idiosyncrasies, the wildly strong sense of self I've had since birth and the traits that compose it... these are things adopted kids don't get to see any of reflected in the people around them growing up the way bio kids do. these are the things that drive us to find and meet our bio relatives. so all these things I expected to recognize, to see reflected back, when I met my birth mother as a teenager, it just didn't happen with her... at all. no recognition or spark or soul bond or whatever. not in her or her sister or her parents or her daughters, my half sisters. in fact, I drifted away from them pretty quickly, feeling like we just... didn't have anything in common, as counterintuitive as it might seem (I never met my birth father, for context, btw). I just sort of accepted that I was an anomaly and it was a mystery where my personality and tastes and quirks come from. but doing this work, learning about the culture most of the other half of me comes from, I'm actually experiencing that feeling I expected to feel when I met my birth mother. that giddy "oh, that's just like me!" feeling. over and over, about big and small parts of what makes me Josefina. it took me by such surprise, but I feel... it's hard to explain because I didn't feel inauthentic or incomplete before, but I feel MORE of myself now. like, larger in spirit, more robust in self? idk, and idk if anyone will have a clue what I'm trying to say here, but I wanted to update yall since so many of you helped me get to this point! 💖💖💖

[omgthatdress]

Josefina’s release (followed of course by getting a Josefina doll) was probably the most thrilling moment of my childhood. She was the last doll to come out while I was still playing with dolls, and I loved her!

Josefina is wearing a style of outfit called a “China Poblana,” which is named for a possibly apocryphal woman who was brought to the city of Pueblo as a slave from China. She refused to adopt the Mexican garb of the day and proudly continued to wear her Asian garb. Today you mostly see it worn during festivals, so modern Chinas Poblanas tend to be very colorful and fancy.

(The RISD Museum)

(Museo Textil de Oaxaca)

The China Poblana is considered the national dress of Mexico, often appearing in nostalgic art and advertising:

A lot of Josefina’s collection seems to have been heavily inspired by the art of Jose Augustín Arrieta, and her Meet looks in particular seems to have been inspired by this painting:

(credit @in-pleasant-company​ for finding it)

Josefina’s BeForever Meet look actually isn’t terrible, but the rebozo goes from having a lovely diamond pattern to no pattern, a huge downgrade.

[lunajanearabella]

๋࣭ ⭑⚝INTRO TO MY RP BLOG!!

((I do not own Ramshackle or the canon ramshackle characters on this blog, they belong to @zeddyzi so go support the creator of that masterpiece.))

๋࣭ ⭑⚝With that being said...

๋࣭ ⭑⚝𝓛𝓾𝓷𝓪 𝓙𝓪𝓷𝓮 𝓐𝓻𝓪𝓫𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓪 𝓑𝓮𝓻𝓻𝔂-𝓙𝓸𝓷𝓮𝓼 𝓕𝓵𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓼๋࣭⋆˚˖𓍢ִ໋🦢˚

Autistic

Same age as the scrap trio

INFP

Spanish & French

Female

She / Her / Hers

ℱ𝒶𝓂𝒾𝓁𝓎

Elena Jane Flores (Mother)

Daniel Berry-Jones (Father)

Mary Maximilian Hurtado (Step mom)

Josefina de el Monte Flores (Grandmother)

(Can't think of more names...TmT)

𝓕𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓼

Vinnie (More exactly her lover), Stone, Skipp, Sora, Zaria, Adi, Pebble, Maggot and the street cats.

𝓝𝓮𝓾𝓽𝓻𝓪𝓵

Tre, Maroon, Karma, Vinyl and Arville (sorry I Don't Know much characters)

𝓔𝓷𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓮𝓼

Ditch & his gang, Her father, maniatic lootbags and streetgangs!

𝓛𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼

Reading

Researching about anything

Literature

The arts

Her hair

Her mom

Romance books

Her jewelry

Vinnie

Sewing

Fashion design

Her garden

Sneaking out

The "strange feelings" she's having and that she hates (the feeling is lesbianism and shell 𝄞♬♪have to stop the world just to stop the feeling♬♪)

Hiding things from her dad

Eating

𝓓𝓲𝓼𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮𝓼

Violent street gangs

Snobby lootbags

Her annoying and weird suitors

Her father

Her step family

Mud

Itchy fabrics

Artblock

Her father finding out her secrets

Luna Jane Arabella Berry-Jones Flores, is my ramshackle sona and lover of Vinnie, She is a rich girl that has a mean and stuck up behavior at the start but slowly becomes sweeter, nurturing, nice and caringto more people, she's also very curious and since she decided to be different LOVES to learn new stuff, but please don't mess with her routine.

She starts off as mean and oblivious and naive as the others until one day she goes to one of the many ramshackle's next top sweetheart pageants as a guest for winning three times when she was a infant, and seeing a certain brunette scrap fight some lootbags, which somehow made her start to have "strange feelings" (she's gay and in love but she needs to listen to Chappell Roan to know that)

She then has more unexpected meetings with Vinnie that is basically Luna and Vinnie bickering, Vinnie pranking Luna in some way and Luna leaving confused, angry but also flustered at Vinnie's nature.

She then starts discovering herself and loses that obliviousness and wants to start getting to know scraps her and Vinnie slowly start becoming friends but always still with a tension.

The thing Luna still is oblivious with her feelings (GOOD LUCK BABE, YOU'LL HAVE TO STOP THE WORLD JUST TO STOP THE FEELING) and I think surely Vinnie thinks Luna is too good for her.

I didn't know how to make a intro for a blog so I took @small-world-au 's intro as a template (of course with their permission) so thankssssssss darling!

Here's some songs that remind me of Luna or her lady and the tramp thing with Vinnie.

(Maybe ill update this if I have more ideas)

Also Ramshackle is owned by @zeddyzi

VOICECLAIM: CASSIE "SKINS"

EDIT!

Luna after the occurrence with Vinnie she starts writing this tiny magazine, where she writes all the towns gossip, she obviously wouldn't be allowed to do this so she writes these tiny magazines with a alter ego called "Lady Amourville" and to not be discovered she also writes a bit of gossip about herself... At the start she writes only about the gossip between the rich folk but then as she becomes less and less ignorant she writes more and more about the scraps at a point where she writes about scraps equally if not more than the rich folk and it slowly becomes a testimony book and a way to show the rich folk that they're not so different from the scraps, that they all have they're dark sides, problems and love affairs and some metal and paper can't make them different from eachother. So it basically becomes a instrument to show her advancing as a character, and also that's it's heavily inspired in Lady Wistledown from "the Bridgertons".

(Maybe I'll start writing little chapters and things about her storyline in ramshackle and her romance with Vinnie, let me know if you'd guys like that and your completely allowed to make fan-things for the Ladytramp (Luna x Vinnie) ship and for my character, as long as you give me credit and also because I LOVE WHEN MUTUALS DRAW AND MAKE FAN-STUFF, FOR MY SELFSHIPS I'LL REBLOG YOU AND THANK YOU A MILLION TIMES LIKE A LITTLE GIRL RECEIVING A TRIP TO DISNEYLAND AND I'M SERIOUS!!!💕💕)

[doll-princesse]

Current dolls I want… I know Cindy isn’t going anywhere soon, and I heard there’s something going on with Melody’s bangs currently. Lila is for a Lyra Silvertongue custom, and Julie is because, like, Josefina mold supremacy. She got rereleased too apparently? I didn’t even know she was gone?? I’m a fake AG fan.

I already have Josefina, Addy, and two Kirsten’s, plus my diy version of Addy’s original meet dress, so I can’t bring myself to buy any of them…

AND my wallet is saying “NO”, besides.

[agbob-dollpants]

Meet Lila Monetti!

Hold up! Is today January first? Nope! It’s October 4th, but don’t be fooled! The new GOTY, Lila Monetti, has released today!

Lila is a competitive gymnast, and her coach is GOTY 2012, McKenna Brooks, who would not be 21 years old! Lila is also a horse girlie like Nicki Fleming and Saige Copeland. 🤸‍♀️✨💞🐴

She is a light skinned Josefina mold with Evette’s freckle pattern, Amber eyes, and a wig similar to Lea’s with a middle part and gorgeous highlights! 😍

Here she is compared to other similar dolls!

Don’t forget to show Kavi some love, too, though! Since it’s still her year! Also, thanks for reading! Lila is soooo cute and though her personality has been done before, I still love the doll! 💕

[bohemian-rhapsody-in-blue]

So...I may have impulse-purchased my first American Girl doll since 2011 (when I was 7)...

AGblr, meet Rebecca Rubin!

I've been obsessed with American Girl ever since I was 5 and checked out allllll the historical girls' books I could from the library, and my obsession had a resurgence in March of 2022 when my family visited Chicago and, for nostalgia's sake, popped into the American Girl store for like five seconds. Since then, I've been lurking on AGIG and AGblr, admiring everyone's beautiful dolls and collections and wishing I had the money to buy one myself.

Now that I'm working a few jobs and have some money saved, I impulse-bought Rebecca a few days ago as a "congratulations on getting through the semester" present to myself! I've loved her books since I was young (I think she was the newest historical doll when I was into AG—I wasn't following the company closely anymore by the time Marie-Grace and Cecile were released). And back in March 2022 when we visited the Chicago store, I was reading Bread Givers by Anzia Yezierska, a book about a girl from a Russian-Jewish immigrant family growing up as one of several siblings in a tenement on the Lower East Side of NYC...hmm, sound familiar?! (The book is really good, by the way—I'd 100% recommend it!)

I saw the Mercari listing for this girl and immediately fell in love with her sweet face—and the fact that she still had her mostly-complete pre-Beforever meet outfit, with that beautiful drop-waist! (One of my friends kept saying she wished she had that outfit herself. Honestly, same.)

Her hair's a little dry, and I think it's been cut a bit—said friend had to trim an errant long strand that had been missed. Some of her fingernails have been painted (subtly—you can't really tell unless you look closely), and her limbs are slightly loose. I don't have nearly the expertise or equipment to fix any of these things, and honestly, I'm not sure I want to. Maybe when I have some more experience and don’t have to be afraid of damaging her. But for now, I think these things give her charm—they show she's been well-loved in her previous life!

And as a bonus—I didn't plan this, but I ended up getting her on the first night of Hanukkah! Diversity win—and the best Hanukkah present I could have asked for 💖

Bonus: Rebecca meets Nina Zenik, my handmade plushie of the character from Six of Crows! (See the others here!) As two girls of Russian (or, in Nina's case, fantasy-Russian) heritage with a talent for acting, a flair for the dramatic, and red-and-gold outfits, I think they'd get along very well together :)

Now that I'm a wage-earner and I've proven to myself that if I want a doll I can just...go online...and buy a doll...I'm currently talking myself out of buying every single doll I see online for a decent price (Josefina and Luciana and Kaya and Kit and, and, and, and...). Maybe—and this is a big maybe—I'll get another one in a few months as a "congratulations on getting through the NEXT semester" present, but for now I think my American Girl collection is going to stay at one, or two counting my Molly back at home. But Rebecca won't be lonely—she'll have plenty of friends in my other plushies and Funko Pops, and my (human) friends serve as her loving "friendparents". And, of course, she'll have lots of love from me. 💖