} 036 - [VIDEO] - babbytiems

[creatingalegacy]

[The video function suddenly turns on...to show a shot of a nearby wall. After much clumsy finagling with little fingers not subject to the same level of motor control as is normal for them, Amanda manages to point it towards herself--a tiny, chubby, 3-year-old version of herself. She's trying to glower, but she just looks pouty. Then she speaks

Comments

[whattheytellyou]

[And this gets a bit of a giggle from Sarah.]

You're adorable.

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[whattheytellyou]

[Sarah was sort of expecting that reaction; it was why she didn't simply grab Amanda and swing her into a hug bear-hug.

She should have hit Frank Young just a little harder.

She pulls her inmate onto her lap and holds her, offering her the bag of marshmallows. She doesn't want this flood to be the horrifying experience every other one has been for them.]

When I was a kid, I had this enormous gap in my teeth. I whistled a bit when I talked, at least until all of my permanent teeth came in.

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[creatingalegacy]

[Amanda grabs another marshmallow, and as soon as she's done chewing her second, that third one goes right in. She sits contentedly on Sarah's lap the whole while.]

I had buck teeth when I was little. Before they started falling out, anyway.

[This Amanda is about one year too young for that to be obvious.]

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[whattheytellyou]

Most kids have odd teeth.

[She snorts softly.]

When mine fell out, I never left them under my pillow for the tooth fairy. We didn't have the money for my mother to indulge that kind of thing. Tooth fairies, Easter bunnies. I was a little older than - well, you - when I stopped believing in Santa Claus.

[Just talking.]

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[creatingalegacy]

I never believed in that stuff. S'all stupid anyway.

[Holidays weren't really a thing at her house, to say the least.]

My mom got me a doll once. For Christmas.

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[whattheytellyou]

I wouldn't say it's stupid. Just...unrealistic.

[A real dreamer, Sarah Harding.]

What kind of doll?

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[creatingalegacy]

A rag doll. Orange hair. She probably got it from a Salvation Army store or something, it looked used.

[She really loved that goddamn doll, though. Also: MOAR MARSHMALLOWS right in her mouth.]

Re: Spam

[whattheytellyou]

It's the thought that counts, right? I mean, coming from an impoverished household, I guess it was difficult for her to-

[Not defending Amanda's parents.]

Most of my clothes came from the Salvation Army. Good life lessons in taking care of your possessions, at least.

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[creatingalegacy]

I didn't care that it was old.

[She was just way too thankful to have a doll, period. Her family would have had much more money if they hadn't drank and drugged it all away.]

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[whattheytellyou]

[She smiles slightly.]

Did you name it?

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[creatingalegacy]

Judy.

[Omnomnom.]

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[whattheytellyou]

Why Judy?

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[creatingalegacy]

[Little shrug.]

Don't remember anymore.

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[whattheytellyou]

My mother gave me a Barbie doll. You know, the old ones with the real eyelashes and the blonde updo.

[Another snort.]

I never played with it. I was too interested in books or playing outdoors. Not much to do in inner-city Chicago except sit on the stoop, but you take what you can get.

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[creatingalegacy]

I kept Judy til Da--

[Little grimace. Toddler instincts prompted that one.]

Til she got torn apart.