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“Dolly!” A voice suddenly exclaimed and Grian couldn’t help but turn toward it, only to be met with a child running right toward him.
Grian tensed, his grip on Jimmy’s collar tightening. He was lucky Jimmy was so tall and that the kid couldn’t have been older than 4. It meant that, up on his shoulder, Grian was at least safe from being grabbed by the child all of a sudden.
Still, it didn’t help Grian’s heart when the kid ran right up to Jimmy’s legs and made a grabbing motion up towards him. “Can I see?” The kid asked, still making grabbing motions.
Jimmy blinked, glancing toward his shoulder where he could just barely see Grian sitting there. Jimmy gave a nervous sort of smile to the kid. “Um, sorry, but Grian isn’t a doll. He’s a borrower and my friend.” Jimmy tried to explain as simply as he could. But the kid tilted his head, looking at Grian again. Grian remained tense.
“Borrower?” The kid asked, still seemingly confused. Jimmy sighed and looked around, realizing the child was alone.
“Where are your parents?” Jimmy asked, wanting this conversation to end as soon as possible. He just knew how uncomfortable this must be making Grian.
The kid pointed behind him and, as if summoned, an older woman rounded the corner. “There you are. What have I told you about running off?” The woman said, scolding her child.
“But doll!” The child said, pointing up toward Grian. Jimmy let out a sigh as he realized the child hadn’t seemed to understand what Jimmy had said. He couldn’t exactly blame him though. He was only a child.
The mother looked to where her son was pointing and seemed to finally notice Jimmy standing there. And a moment later, her eyes went to Grian. “What about the doll?” She asked, looking back at her son.
Grian let out a small noise that Jimmy only picked up because he was close to his ear. Jimmy himself tensed and couldn’t help but take a small step back. It was one thing for the kid to call Grian a doll, he didn’t know any better. But this fully grown woman should know a borrower when she sees one.
“I want to see it!” The kid demanded and the lady met eyes with Jimmy. She looked frustrated and unbothered all at the same time.
“Well? Are you going to let him see it?” The woman asked and Jimmy balked at the nerve of her.
“Excuse me?” Jimmy asked, his eyes wide. The woman narrowed his eyes at him.
“He’s just going to continue to make a fuss unless you let him see. I’ll make sure he gives it right back.” The woman said, clearly unbothered with what she was saying and the implications.
Jimmy swallowed the lump forming in his throat. “He isn’t a doll.” Jimmy emphasized, all but glaring at her as he said it.
The woman waved her hand and Jimmy’s jaw almost dropped at her audacity. “Yeah, yeah, but surely he’s used to being held? My son only wants him for a moment.” She said and wow, just…wow. She clearly didn’t see anything wrong with what she was saying and Jimmy realized more than ever that he needed to get out of there.
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen.” Jimmy said and took another step back. He then turned around and started to walk away but as he did, he felt a presence close in on him.
“Jimmy!” Grian yelled and Jimmy turned back around quickly, just in time to see the woman reach for Grian on his shoulder. He jerked away from her and reached up to grab Grian himself, confining him in a firm but gentle grasp and bringing him off his shoulder and close to his chest instead. He stared at the woman with wide eyes.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Jimmy asked and the woman had the nerve to look upset at his reaction. The woman started rattling on about how much of a jerk he was being but Jimmy was barely listening. There were a million other things he wanted to say to this woman but he knew none of them would get through to her. She clearly didn’t see borrowers as people and nothing Jimmy did or said would change her mind.
Jimmy rolled his eyes as the woman went on and simply turned around and left. He could hear the woman screaming at him to get back there and the kid crying on the floor because he didn’t get what he wanted. He felt a bit sorry for that kid, growing up with a mother like that.
He ignored the woman and left the store entirely. He’d have to come back later to get what he had actually come for, but for now, he just needed to get Grian home.
He didn’t relax until he was back in his car. He let out a small sigh and opened his hands up to check on Grian. “Are you okay?” Jimmy asked and he watched as some tension left Grian’s shoulders as he realized they were back in the car.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Grian said, though his answer was a bit short and he was carefully looking away from Jimmy. Jimmy frowned.
“Don’t listen to her. People like that are just…jerks. And dumb.” Jimmy said lamely but that seemed to be enough to get Grian to crack a bit of a smile.
“Yeah, they are dumb, aren’t they?” Grian asked, looking up at Jimmy finally.
Jimmy smiled. “Very dumb. Now come on, let’s get home and away from all these dumb people.”
Grian hummed. “Actually, I want Mcdonalds.”
Jimmy blinked. “But…I was gonna make my green bean casserole tonight.”
Grian grinned and there was a glint of mischief in his eyes. “I just got called a doll and a random woman almost grabbed me to give to her kid. I think I deserve it.” Grian said, not at all trying to hide the fact that he was very much using this whole situation to get what he wanted.
Jimmy couldn’t help but laugh. At least he knew Grian was okay.
“Alright, alright, we can get McDonalds.” Jimmy said and Grian cheered. Jimmy set him down in the cupholder, which has since been turned into a miniature seat for Grian, complete with padding and everything, and started up the car.
Jimmy still felt bitter toward the woman and everyone who saw Grian and borrowers in general as she did. But, for now, he pushed that to the back of his mind as he pulled out of the parking lot and towards the nearest Mcdonalds.
He knew Grian was a person and he would protect him from those that didn’t see him that way. No matter what.