The chipped ceramic cat on the table winked at her. Clara giggled, picturing herself as a mischievous little girl again, sneaking cookies from the jar. She reached for the fluffy, slightly threadbare teddy bear tucked amongst the mismatched teacups. His one button eye was missing, giving him a perpetually surprised expression. "Oh, you," she murmured, clutching him to her chest. A wave of childish glee bubbled inside her; it was a feeling that made her toes curl in her shoes.
She bartered with the elderly woman running the yard sale, offering the woman a ridiculously low sum for the bear. The woman’s wrinkled face crinkled in amusement, but she agreed. Clara skipped back to her car, teddy bear clutched tightly, imagining all the adventures they would have.
Back in her apartment, she immediately started rearranging her furniture, creating a fort out of blankets and pillows in the living room. She gathered all her favorite childhood books and piled them beside the fort. Then, she plopped herself inside, the bear nestled beside her, and began to read aloud, her voice high-pitched and animated, mimicking the voices of the characters with exaggerated flair.