"Whenever Dad went anywhere, he brought home a doll or two for her," Liam explained, seeing where I was looking.
There was even a doll on her bed, between her oversized pillows.
Julia smiled and stepped forward to embrace her doll. "Someone I can depend on," she said.
"Why don't you help her to bed?" Liam whispered. "I'll wait for you downstairs."
"Okay."
He left, and Julia sat on her bed, looking a little stunned.
"How did we get here?" she asked, and laughed. Then she closed her eyes and wobbled.
"How about you get to sleep?" I said and knelt to take off her shoes. She laughed and then moaned and fell back onto the bed.
"Look at me. The one who should have known better," she muttered to her doll.
