The glass doors sighed open with a gentle hiss, releasing a burst of cool, citrus-laced air into the afternoon sunlight. Charity flinched instinctively at the change in temperature, more out of memory than chill. The scent, the sterile tang of lemon disinfectant masked by the softness of lavender conditioners, washed over her like an old curtain being drawn open. A scent that once meant control, luxury, status.
Now it meant exposure.
Evan strode confidently into the salon with her father, taking a seat in the lobby. Evans’ shoes clicked softly against the gleaming marble floor. In her right hand, she cradled Charity with the same casual possessiveness one might carry a soft clutch or designer handbag, her fingers wrapped snug around the tiny girl’s midsection, thumb pressed gently but unyieldingly against her back. To Evan, it was a protective hold. To Charity, it was a restraint.
The world loomed around her. Towering shelves of product displays sparkled under recessed lighting. Bottles the size of her torso stood like monuments on a white quartz counter. A champagne bar nestled in one corner beside cushioned lounge chairs, she once sank into with her phone and her schedule, always waiting for someone to serve her.
Now she was the one being handled.
The front desk came into view, a long stretch of polished marble with a sleek digital monitor and a vase of freshly clipped lilies perfuming the air. And behind it stood Melanie.
Charity saw her before she could even process it: the golden waves of hair perfectly framed her heart-shaped face, her long lashes blinking lazily as she glanced up from her screen. Her name tag still sparkled in pale script:
Melanie – Guest Experience Manager
The moment Melanie’s eyes landed on Evan, they registered only curiosity. But then her gaze flicked downward, to the diminutive girl in her hand. And widened.
There was no hiding. No shrinking. Charity stood still in Evan’s grasp, her pink collar snug around her neck, the glittering tag catching the downlight like a jewel, or a brand. Her heart beat against Evan’s palm as the receptionist did a tiny double take.
Charity saw it all in an instant.
Recognition.
Recalibration.
Satisfaction.
Melanie’s face remained the picture of customer service, but there was something else behind the curve of her lips. Something Charity had seen before, on smaller scales. It wasn’t vindictiveness, not exactly. It was more like justice.
“I have an appointment,” Evan said brightly, approaching the desk. “Evan Kingsley.”
“Of course,” Melanie said smoothly. Her voice was professional, sweet, just faintly touched with a lilt of amusement. “Let me just pull it up.”
She tapped her screen, the acrylic nails clicking softly in rhythmic strokes. Her eyes didn’t flick back to Charity, not right away. And that was its own kind of punishment. Charity used to command attention the second she walked in, ordering Pellegrino with lime, rearranging her standing appointments without notice, scoffing when the front desk couldn’t accommodate her preferred stylist on short notice. Melanie had always smiled and obliged.
Now she didn’t even need to look at her.
“I—” Charity started, throat tight. Her voice scratched against the inside of her chest, but she pushed it forward. “Vicky usually takes care of me. There should be a standing appointment… under Charity Stevens.”
The sound of her own name tasted foreign. And soft. So painfully soft. The kind of voice no one in the room had to respect.
Melanie’s eyes flicked downward, finally meeting hers.
“Oh,” she said, feigning pleasant surprise. “You’re right… There it is.” Her fingers paused above the screen. “Miss Stevens always had Vicky as her stylist. And a standing Friday appointment, of course. Special accommodations… if I remember correctly.”
There was a pause just long enough for Charity to feel the chill crawl up from the marble counter beneath her bare feet.
She remembered now. The texted demands. The time she asked Melanie to have someone pick up her dry cleaning between trims. The time she rolled her eyes when offered cucumber water instead of sparkling peach.
Melanie blinked. The moment passed.
Evan leaned in slightly, stroking Charity’s back with a single finger, firm and doting all at once.
“You heard my little,” Evan said, her voice syrupy-sweet. “Please transfer that appointment into my name. Evan Kingsley. Permanently.”
Melanie didn’t even look surprised. Just amused. “Of course, Miss Kingsley.”
The tapping resumed. Efficient. Obedient.
“Your account has been updated. Charity’s appointment has been transferred to your guardian profile. Vicky should be finishing with another client shortly.” A pause. “Would you like our Little Styling Kit prepared in the meantime?”
“Yes, please!” Evan chirped.
Charity didn’t speak. She just stood on the cold counter, collar snug against her throat, the scent of hairspray and botanical oils heavy in the air, and stared up at the girl who once had to pretend she didn’t hate working for her.
Melanie turned away without another word. But just before she disappeared behind the side panel wall, she glanced back, only for a moment.
A single look.
The kind you give someone who used to shove past you without looking. Who never thanked you. Who never learned your name.
Charity’s legs wobbled slightly as Evan gently adjusted her in her hand.
And for the first time in this place she once ruled, she felt truly, quietly small.
I’m guessing Charity was extremely demanding so it’s a reaction out of poetic justice, but screw melanie haha
I think everything went fine considering Charity was a demanding client and now was a little pet and the giant employee just smiled and looked and didn’t say anything. Again its a littles pride getting in the way of her having fun with her being a little. She could have said something funny about her being small and broke then ice. It will be interesting to see her with the hair stylist. If she wasn’t nice again she should break the ice with a little joke lol.
I think Melanie was fine, just a smirk and a look back. that not bad. Plus she has a great rack lol.
I just hate looks lol just the random looks people will give me irl drive me up a wall. I’ll give someone something to look at if they care so much about what i’m doing XD
now that I’m not 6 and a half feet tall and in my wheel chair I’m under 4 feet tall, my wife and I walk around our fancy neighborhood and the walking house wife’s come up and talk to us and pat me on the head because I’m just cute now lol. I could handle just looks lol.
She was demanding. I forgot if it’s mentioned in this episode or another one but she has them getting her fancy water, picking up errands for her, etc
That was in this one.
Charity being humbled one episode at a time, you love to see it.
I’m too sympathetic lol i feel bad for anyone that becomes a little, even charity and Cindy who are in situations of their own making. I just feel bad seeing people not feel sympathy\empathy is all haha
I personally think as a disability being a little is great, live longer, different outlook, no travel for work, no more paying for stuff. You only got to make sure you find the right guardian. you get to see things for free lol.
Suppose one of Madison or McKenzie or both of them had gotten Smallara. Cindy wouldn’t have hesitated abandoning them to the system.
Same with Charity if Sara were infected instead of her, Charity would have made sure to get her and worked her to the bone,
lol i know, i know. I can’t help myself XD two wrongs don’t make a right and eye for an eye and stuff like that haha
Cindy 100% would have. Only greg and Madison would have probably stopped her.
That’s very jvader of you.
Very deserving imho.
So charity was a bitch!? In other news the sky is blue 🤣
I wonder what Evan will be like when she’s alone with charity, is this all show? Like what madsion is like around McKenzie but different on her own…
lol. I can’t remember if we see Evan at home this week or next week.
1) “To Evan, it was a protective hold. To Charity, it was a restraint“ Protection can feel that way.
2) “There was no hiding. No shrinking” no I think the shrinking was finished a few weeks ago.
3) “Charity saw it all in an instant. Recognition. Recalibration. Satisfaction.” Someone else from Charity’s past?
4) “Charity used to command attention the second she walked in, ordering Pellegrino with lime, rearranging her standing appointments without notice, scoffing when the front desk couldn’t accommodate her preferred stylist on short notice. Melanie had always smiled and obliged.” of course Charity’s a Karen.
5) ““Vicky usually takes care of me. There should be a standing appointment… under Charity Stevens.” I’m surprised she tried that.
6) “She remembered now. The texted demands. The time she asked Melanie to have someone pick up her dry cleaning between trims. The time she rolled her eyes when offered cucumber water instead of sparkling peach.” egotistic little bitch
7) “You heard my Little, Please transfer that appointment into my name. Evan Kingsley. Permanently.” I’m surprised Evan blacked up Charity here.
8) “The kind you give someone who used to shove past you without looking. Who never thanked you. Who never learned your name.” at least Melanie’s having fun.
1) It can especially when you are small. As charity has no real way to overpower Charity and does need Evan’s protection and help for survival
2) Imagine catching smallara as a little and being a littles little.
3) Well yes and no. Just an employee who recognizes charity for being weill charity about service.
4) That cant surprise you that she would be that level of entitled.
5) She still has her pride. Shes going throw what little weight she has around as much as she can.
6) Charity? Charity stevens? Never. You must be thinking about the wrong charity /s
7) Evan did want charity and does like her. As its not like Charity doesnt have people who liked her even if sshe was a B. She knew how to work a crowd.
8) Atleast enjoying seeing someone get what they deserve from her perspective.
1) agreed
2) Fuck, that’d be a shit life.
3) Aye, that she is.
4) not at all.
5) indeed, let’s see how far she gets.
7) True, I guess it’s not that big a deal.
I’m surprised Charity is looking at this as a bad thing. Compared to where things were going before Evan, her life is really looking up. If I didn’t know what Evan would be like in a year or so, I would think that Charity is set for life at this time.
To be fair the reader doesn’t really have much of a picture of what Evan is like in the future. As the reader only sees her without context and from the view of the parents with only their knowledge of the situation in Madison’s world.
Not saying Evan should be viewed as good or bad but the information is limited
I agree, a reader at this point that is unaware of Madison’s World should see Charity’s situation as very positive at this point. Looks she will be pampered. Sure beats rolling joints!
I would saya even if a reader is aware of Madison’s world. The reader doesn’t have the context of anything Evan does or says.They dont even know who she really is as a person. They see her for such a brief period of time. Plus the parents dont have the context or motiviations or reasoning behind the small snippet of her that is depicted.
At this point I think Charity has a decent outlook compared to how life with alejandra was going.
I hope Evan stays a loving parent for charity and hopefully will make charity a good doll.
In the story, Charity’s size is always specified as 5 1/2 inches. Yet in the art, like today’s she always appears much smaller than that. I bet none of a typical person’s fingers are 5/12 inches long.
Because the art is just a creative image based on the scene not intended to be a representation or accurate depiction of anything occurring.
The text is always canon the image is never canon. The image is the furthest thing from canon you will ever see.