The Homecoming

"There she is!" Mariah called from the window. 

Veronika and Mandy were in the upstairs hall when they heard Mariah's voice. "She's home!" they both said at once. 

Then they both went down the stairs as fast as they could, which isn't fast, because they are small and the stairs are as tall as chairs.

All of the dolls rushed out to help Jolena with her things. Veronika and Billy carried her suitcases in for her. 

Emil brought the big bag with the skis and ski poles.

Charlotte brought Jolena's ski helmet and goggles.

While Mariah paid the driver of the taxi, Mandy brought Jolena into the house.
It was so good to see Jolena again. She gave each of them a hug, because she likes hugs, and she knows they do, too.

While the other dolls put Jolena's ski equipment away and her laundry into the basket in the laundry room, Mandy and Mariah made some pretend tea, which is very easy and quick to make. When the tea was ready, the dolls all sat down in the living room to enjoy their tea and catch up on everything Jolena had done in Chile.

Jolena talked about seeing her friend Elizabeth and getting to ski with her.

She talked about the dolls who had come from other countries to train in Chile, too, because they didn't have snow in July where they lived.

She told them about all the new tricks she had learned to do on her skis.

Finally, when she had told them all the important things about her trip, she looked around at her sisters and brothers. "Now," she said. "Tell me what you all have done! What did I miss?"

All the other dolls started talking at once. Jolena couldn't make any sense out of it. "Wait!" she cried.

"Let's do this one at a time," Jolena suggested. "We'll just go around the circle, and one person at a time can talk." They thought that was a good idea, so that's what they did.

First Emil said, "I got locked in the dishwasher when Billy and I were cleaning up after cooking dinner!"

"Oh, my!" Jolena exclaimed. "What did you do?"
"I banged on the door," Emil said. He held out his hands to show Jolena how he banged on the door of the dishwasher. 

Then he explained that Billy and Charlotte had let him out.

Each doll had something to say, and Jolena listened to each one and nodded or shook her head or tried to roll her eyes.

When it was Billy's turn, he said, "Some workmen came last week and replaced all the windows on the back of the house."

 "We got to watch!" Billy added.

Veronika was next. "Mandy and I got new shoes last week," she said, holding up her feet, so Jolena could see.

"Veronika," Mandy said, "That's what I was planning to say." 

"Go on, everyone," Mandy added, "and I'll think of something else that happened while Jolena was gone. You can come back to me."

Charlotte said, "I've been learning a new piece on my violin. It's by Mozart (MO-tsart) and very...um...challenging. I have had to work hard on it, but I think I can play it for you soon."

Mariah said, "I'm going to be in a play at school at the end of the month. Billy has been helping me learn my lines. They picked me for it because they needed a few dolls who look different from the others."

"My, you all have been busy!" Jolena said. Then she looked at Mandy. "Did you think of anything else, Mandy?" she asked.
"Yes," Mandy said. "Wait until you see the zucchini (zoo-KEEN-ee) plants! They already have blossoms and that means that soon we will have some zucchini to pretend to eat." 

"Let's go look!" Jolena said. "Zucchini is good roasted or in soups and stew."

"I like zucchini on pizza!" Billy put in.

"If you wait too long to pick one," Emil suggested, "It will get very big, and you can use it for a baseball bat."

Mariah laughed. "When you get done playing baseball with it," she said, "you can scoop out the seeds, fill the hole with some yummy filling and bake it, maybe with some cheese or bread crumbs on top."

All the dolls wanted to go look at the zucchini plants, so they did. They were all happy to have Jolena back home again.

Then they turned around, so Jolena could see the new windows on the back of the house.

"Lovely!" Jolena exclaimed.
"Yes, they are very nice," Emil agreed.
"They are something called energy efficient (IN-er-gee ee-FIH-shint)," Billy said. That means they will help keep the house warm in the winter and cooler in the summer. That will save The Writer and her husband money."

"That's wonderful," Jolena agreed, "but I meant it's lovely being home with my brothers and sisters!"
It was lovely to have Jolena home again, too.


Cast--
Veronika: Götz Classic Kidz Vroni
Mandy: Götz Happy Kidz Katie 2015
Jolena: Götz Happy Kidz Lena in Aspen
Charlotte: Götz Happy Kidz Anna in Paris
Mariah: Götz Happy Kidz Mariah, "Chosen" from My Doll Best Friend
Billy: Götz Happy Kidz Lily at London
Emil: Götz Happy Kidz Emilia

Note: No dolls were harmed during production of this blog. All dolls shown are Götz Happy Kidz or Classic Kidz. If you like these stories and are willing, please make a donation of any amount to a charity that supports pediatric cancer, such as CURE Childhood Cancer, St. Baldrick's Foundation or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
"The Doll's Storybook" is not affiliated with Gotz Dolls USA Inc. or Götz Puppenmanufaktur International GmbH.
Watch for the next story each Friday afternoon at 2:00 PM Pacific Time.



Like our Facebook page: The Doll's Storybook

<a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blog/19832501/?claim=j3fj3mbb8kt">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Copyright © 2020 by Peggy Stuart