I Called Her My Baby Doll

I called her my baby doll, because I knew she would like it. She smiled at me, but did not say a word. Giving me no nickname, which made me sad. You are my darling, I told her. I love everything about you. Even my tattered and torn nightie? She asked me. Hinting that she wanted another one. Her head was so big, the dress had to be custom made. My mother was sewing it with Velcro snaps Because how else could we get it over her enormous head? I kept this a secret, because her birthday was a week away. We went to the river and she said “Drown me please”. I thought this was weird, but I did what she wanted. She came up all full of water but she did not die. Baby dolls do not die, I told her. They have birthday parties. We were together almost forever until a dog ate her head.