LOVING A MANNEQUIN

*BARBIE HEAVENWARD* Every small tick tock sound coming from my cheap fashion watch made my heart feel restless. My thoughts were occupied by the face of my sickly father  who was oddly low-spirited this morning while sitting on the bamboo chair in the yard of our old small house.  "Miss? Miss, hello?" The fair-looking old woman  snapped her fingers in front of my face. "Ah-huh?? What can I help you ma'am?"  I immediately composed myself and smiled at her.  The old woman was a bit hesitant as she eyed me from head to toe while pointing to the sleeveless white dress worn by our mannequin model near us. "Do you have a small size for that dress?"  "Yes ma'am. Please wait, I will look for it right away!" My hands were trembling as I searched the dress from the hanger rack stand. As I was about to hand the dress in a hanger, I accidentally dropped it on the floor.  "Miss, is your mind flying somewhere? You can't even hold the hanger well." "I'm sorry, ma'am."I quickly squatted down to pick the dress but I was glued when she yelled.  "Are you going to give me a dirtied one?"  "What is the problem here?" Came the voice of the boutique shop supervisor.  The customer faced the supervisor with her hands on her waist. "Your attendant seems sleeping." The supervisor glanced at me. "Barbie, what is wrong?"  "Ma'am, I am--"  "Never mind. If you have urgent things to do at home. Just go since you already had 35 minutes overtime. I will take care of the customer." That was my kind supervisor. She really knew me.  My smile broadened as I gave a slight bow to her. "Thank you ma'am!"  Immediately, I returned home with a small box of cooked noodles and chocolate round cake in my hands to give my father a little surprise for his 50th birthday tonight. I thought he might think I forgot his birthday, that's why he was unhappy. But I didn't expect that the birthday surprise I planned ended up sending him to the hospital when I found him lying unconscious on the floor as I reached home.  And my world seemed to collapse as I heard from the doctor that my father has a severe brain tumor and needed to have an immediate operation. No way! I could not let my father die with this illness. He was the only family I have. But I didn't have money for the operation.Where would I go to get money? After thinking, there's only one person that came to my mind that I could ask for help. She was Aunt Lucy, my father's sister.  Instantly, I went to the admitting area and borrowed a telephone. At first they didn't pick the call but I kept calling their landline. After a couple of calls, finally someone answered the telephone. "Hello? Who is this? What do you need?" Instantly said by a somewhat irritated female voice.  "May I speak with Aunt Lucy?" I politely asked.  It was my first time calling them so I was not familiar with their voice.  "I am Lucy. Who the hell is this?" She snorted.  "Aunt Lucy, I am Barbie. I am now in the hospital. Father is--" "I do not know anyone named Barbie." Aunt Lucy interrupted. I pulled the phone a bit away from my ears because she was slightly yelling. Her voice irritated my eardrum. "Mom, who are you talking with? You look so upset." A sweet voice of a girl said in the line.  Aunt Lucy's voice cooled down. "Nothing important. Just some random scammers." She replied and then dropped the phone. 'Scammers? Why did Aunt call me a scammer and even denied that she knew me?'  Presumably, Aunt Lucy had experienced being deceived before so she no longer easily believed whoever called her and just introduced themselves with random names. So, I decided to go to her house personally.  It took long before they opened their blue gate on me. Their house was big and the exterior structure from outside was beautiful. Far from the house I and father used to live in. The young maidservant of the house met me.  "I'm sorry Miss, but Madame Lucy doesn't like to accept visitors today. Please leave." She said directly in a sorry tone.  "I am not just your Madame's visitor. I am her niece, Barbie. I need to talk to her." I said, trying to squeeze myself in from the doorway.  She blocked the door, "Miss Barbie, I am really sorry. Madame Lucy strictly ordered me not to receive anyone. So I'm afraid, I had to turn you away." "If that's the case, then my apologies." Without further discussion, I hauled her arm going to the side and quickly invited myself in. She could do nothing anymore to stop me.  "Aunt! Aunt Lucy!" My ceaseless calls as I searched her shadow in their wide hallway. Later, as I reached the living area, Aunt Lucy's voice echoed from the second floor. She  looked down with her one hand bracing on the handrails of the stairway. She referred to the maid next to me. "Didn't I tell you not to accept any guest?" "Madame, she just barged herself in. I can't do anything since she is your niece." The maid stammered with her head's down.  "Aunt Lucy, I'm sorry for  bothering you but I really need your help. My father is in the hospital right now. He needs immediate operation." I continuously said.  She sauntered down from the stairs without saying a single word while staring at me coldly.  I already told her the situation but she still looked calm. 'What kind of reaction is that?'  "Your matters--  has nothing to do with me. " Aunt Lucy said as she boastfully slammed her butt on the silvery sofa with crossed legs. My jaws dropped wide as I blinked my eyes, trying to absorb in mind what she meant. "Aunt Lucy, how could you say that? My father is also your brother." I said tearfully. "He is, but so what?" Her left brows curved up. "He is just an outsider for me who always needed alms." "Aunt enough! I am here to borrow money, it's not that I won't pay." I clenched my fists.  So this was the real color of my father's kin. Though I knew they didn't treat us well but I didn't expect that even at this moment, she was heartless.  I couldn't imagine how father begged this ruthless sister of him before in order to lend us their small old house and let me work in their boutique shop. Since my mother got sick and eventually died, I and father had nothing left. I never even finished my study.  Tears raced to roll down on my cheeks. "Aunt, you are too cruel. It's fine that you don't help. But you shouldn't humiliate us." She laughed ridiculously. I wasn't sure what word of mine made her laugh. "My poor niece, look at you. If I am not kind enough to the two of you. You are now sleeping in the street and eating junks." I was shut. Though her words were too sharp but it was all true.  "Then thanks for your alms Aunt Lucy." I slightly bowed to her and walked out.