Michael could not make up his mind what to give his fiancee Emma for their wedding. He did not want to repeat himself but  nothing came into his mind. Suddenly, Michael noticed a toyshop. "Well, why not buy her a toy." He entered  the toyshop. He moved from one place to another until he came up to the doll department. He was dazzled. It was difficult to choose the best one. A doll in a luxurious dress caught his attention.

It was  a wonderful china doll. There was a  mechanism that let her move. By  pressing the button on her back she would begin to speak. Her vocabulary was more than enough. The doll was very attractive.

“Honey, I have a present for you!”

He held out a box and Emma took it.

“Oh my, what a nice surprise! she is so lovely and seems to be alive. I will put her on my bed. Thank you, darling.”

Michael and Emma were talking about their forthcoming wedding all evening long. Having seen him to the door, she continued playing with the doll, with a childlike excitement.

"You can stay in my bed but, let`s take off your dress first. It`s so dusty."

She undressed the doll pressed the button and talked to her a lot. The doll was treated as a friend. The last Preparations for the wedding were coming to an end. On her wedding day  Emma wanted to wear the same dress that her doll had on. They had already  determined a date for the wedding.

“Michael I want to take her with me, I got so used to her. Don`t you mind honey?”

“Of course, I don`t mind. Be seeing you tomorrow bye.”

When Michael left, Emma decided to go to bed. The doll was with her as usual. Suddenly she began to feel unwell. Emma  decided to call Michael and ask him to come.

“Darling, I am not feeling quite myself, come please.”

She had  hardly approached her bed when she heard the sound of footsteps and the  door open. Emma calmed down as she thought that Michael had already  come. She fainted shortly after. Michael was surprised to find the front door wide open. He was looking for her everywhere but she couldn`t be found. What he saw in her bedroom caused such a terror as he had never known   before. There was an old lady lying on  Emma`s bed. She was  gray-haired and her face  was wrinkled with age. He looked at her in astonishment. The thin and wrinkled hands looked so frail and sad. The lady was clutching the doll in her hands. She looked at Michael and asked:

“What`s the matter, honey? You look so  surprised.’’

Michael didn`t dare  to tell her about her appearance.

“I am dying, Michael put her with me when I die please.”

“No, you won`t die. Our wedding is  so  soon have you forgotten?".He stammered.

But, she held the door tightly and died.

“Where is it, that damn doll? Emma wanted  to be buried with that doll.”

Michael was looking for the doll  everywhere. He knew that he should fulfill his promise.

The funeral was arranged yesterday. Now everything was over. Michael could not  still understand what had happened.     
 
“It must have been an incurable disease and the excitement caused by the wedding  preparations only accelerated it.”

He would say that calming himself down.

Michael was still in his bed when he heard somebody tapping at the door.

“Who can it be so early”-He asked himself.

He got up reluctantly and went to the door. 

He opened the door and saw a young woman standing in  front of him.

“Where have you been so long? I actually  thought that you were not at home.”

“Good God, is that you?”

He could hardy speak.

“Of course it`s me! Who can call on you at 7 a.m. in my dress, by the way. Are you alright Michael?”

“No, I `m not!”-He thought.

“Come to me darling!”

She fell into his arms. They were standing kissing and embracing each other. Suddenly his fingers touched a strange object on her jacket.

“What a strange thing, it`s more  like a button  than a clasp!.”-Thought Michael.