Ted's Dolls 25: Jane 3 (Patreon)

If you haven't read any of the Ted's Dolls stories before, you should start at the beginning with Ted's Dolls 1: Jane. This story continues directly from Ted's Doll 24: Ted 3.

Ted drove his mother's minivan to a multi-car dealership on a nearby highway. They sold over five different models of cars in one location. The dealership was enormous. Jane was nervous in the passenger seat. This was the first time she was making a big purchase. She was on a video call with her father, several thousand miles away.

“Don't let them talk you into a bunch of dealer-added features. They're all ripoffs,” he said.

“You already told me that, Daddy.”

“I wish I could be there. They are going to assume you're a dumb girl and overcharge you.”

“I have Ted here with me.”

“Good, good. Make sure they think he's buying the car as long as you can or they're try to sell you something pink with too many miles on it.”

“We'll be fine,” She said. “Ted, tell my father we'll be fine.” She held her phone up to his face.

“I'll make sure she isn't ripped off, Mr. Panabaker.”

“See that you do,” he said. “You're a good kid, Ted.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

“Jane, don't get something too sporty. You don't want the car stolen from the campus parking lot.”

“Yes, Dad. We're here. I gotta go.”

“Remember no dealer-added junk.”

“I will. Give my love to Mom.”

“I love you, Dear.”

“Love you, too, Dad.” She disconnected the call.

“Nice guy,” Ted said as he turned off his car.

“Dad worries about me even more now that I have a job with--” her voice dropped an octave “--unsteady income. I won't be young and beautiful forever.”

“Not as a person, no.”

* * *

After walking around for a couple hours, Jane finally found a car she was interested in. Ted had been waving off salespeople the whole time. Finally, he waved someone over.

“Good afternoon. I'm Glen. I've been watching you go around the lots and shaking off the sales staff. Have you made a decision?”

Ted said, “We're interested in this vehicle.”

“A fine vehicle. Is it for you or your companion?”

“Does that matter?”

“No, it doesn't. You two are similar in height although this model has automatic adjustable seats so both of you could have your own settings for the seat position and the side mirrors.”

“That's fancy,” Jane said. “Probably not a feature we would look for first though.”

“So, you care more about practicalities? This is a hybrid car, which generates electricity while in fuel mode and saves fuel when in electric mode. Kind of the best of both worlds since you don't have to have a dedicated charging station where you live.”

“They're talking about putting charging stations on campus. But, they haven't done so yet.”

“College students?”

“Yes,” Ted said. “Is that a problem?”

“As long as your credit checks out, it should not be.”

They went indoors to a desk on the showroom floor with a name plate: Glen Cortnick. Ted led the negotiations and was able to talk Glen down several thousand dollars before he said, “Did I mention we're not financing? We'd like to pay by bank check. Can you shave another couple thousand off because of that?”

“I certainly can try. I'll have to run that by my manager.” Glen was stonewalled immediately when he tried to add some additional features to the car. He then excused himself so he could talk to his manager.

By the end of the day, Jane was driving her car off the lot at a price that even satisfied her father, whom she had called before signing the paperwork. Jane and Ted drove back to Ted's house where everyone congratulated Jane. She offered to take them all to dinner at a restaurant of their choice.

Ted, Paris, and Cat rode in Jane's sedan. Cat sat in the front passenger seat. Arthur, Patricia, and Libby led the way in his car. Their table for seven was waiting for them when they arrived and they were quickly seated. Cat maneuvered a seat next to Jane because she had not had a chance to ask her about being a doll.

“What's the longest time you've spent changed?” Cat said.

“There was three day sale at the boutique I use to work at where I was a mannequin for three days. Speaking of which, I want to start heading back by noon. I have my first runway show Tuesday and Wednesday nights. I need to practice my walk.”

“Isn't walking easy?” Libby said.

“Normal walking is easy. Runway walking has a certain style and attitude.”

“And it has a purpose,” Paris said. “A runway model has to walk in a way the flatters their clothing because the clothing is the purpose of a runway show.”

“That's right,” Jane said.

“Clothing is just clothing,” Libby said.

“Not at a runway show. Clothing there is fashion.”

“I don't get it,” Libby said.

“That's okay. You don't have to care about fashion. It isn't life or death. Ultimately it is just clothes. But, some people get more excited about clothes than other people. Just like some people get more excited about dolls than other people.”

“My friend Suzie doesn't care about dolls. When I play with her, we play games where we run around.”

“See? You do understand.”

“I guess so.” Libby smiled.

“Your first runway show?” Patricia said. “What other modeling have you done?”

“I did the mannequins with Ted's help. I've also done an editorial shoot for a Brazilian women's magazine. Most of my winter break schedule is filled with photo shoots.”

“That must be exciting,” Cat said. “Have you been to Paris or Milan?”

“No, I haven't even left the state. Maybe over the summer or next summer I'll see about that.”

As dinner wound down, Jane got to flash her diamond credit card as she paid the bill. After the waiter left, she said, “I so unused to being able to just whip out a credit card.”

“That is a nice credit card to have,” Paris said.

“Have I finally impressed you?”

“Please. You don't have to impress me. I asked you to join our sorority. I don't usually have to do that. You are doing well on your own.”

* * *

When they got home, Libby said, “Are either of you going to be my doll?”

“I can,” Cat said.

“I figured you would. I was asking Jane and Paris.”

“I'll do it. Spend more time with Ted, Paris,” Jane said.

“You did it last night. It's my turn.”

“No, you haven't spent a night as yourself with your boyfriend. I insist. Ted, hit me.”

“Do you want me to spend the night with you human?”

“Why wouldn't I want that?”

She leaned in and kissed him as Jane began to change into a little doll.

Sunday morning, Ted woke up with his arms wrapped around Paris. The Jane doll was lying on the nightstand. Ted must have forgotten to lock the door and Libby had come in to return the doll. Luckily he and Paris had been under the blankets. He got up and got dressed. When he was ready to go downstairs, he nudged Paris.

“Oh, good morning.” They kissed momentarily.

“I'm going down to breakfast. I'm going to start the restore of Jane. So, you have about twenty minutes to figure out if you want to get into the bathroom before her.”

“Thanks.”

Downstairs, Ted found Libby and his mother eating breakfast. “Morning.”

“Good morning, Theodore.”

“Did you find Jane?” Libby said.

“Yes, you shouldn't have come into my room.”

“I knocked.”

“Did I say you could come in?”

“You grunted. I took that as a yes.”

One by one everyone arrived at the kitchen table.

“I hope you all had a good time this weekend,” Patricia said.

“I had a fabulous time,” Paris said. “It's too bad we have to go back to classes.”

“Yeah, thanks for having us,” Jane said. “I think we should leave around noon so we don't overstay our welcome.”

“Nonsense. If you want to leave at noon so you time to do stuff on campus that's fine,” Ted's mother said. “You don't have to leave on our account.”

“That's nice of you to say.”

“I can always use more dolls,” Libby said.

“You are a very good doll owner,” Jane said.

* * *

It was a four hour drive back to campus. Ted had called dibs on the back seat so he could nap. Paris was seated in the passenger seat as Jane drove. Ted gave her directions until they were on the highway and then fell asleep in the back.

After an awkward silence, Jane said, “Why do you do it?”

“Do you have any idea how many people ask me that?” Paris said.

“It's a valid question. But, I'm not talking about the obvious stuff.”

“What's the obvious stuff?”

“You're a beautiful, powerful woman and you let Ted pose you in lewd poses for anyone who walks into his dorm to see. I'm sure that's the question most people ask you about. Why do you put up with his Freshman shenanigans?”

“And you don't want to know that?”

“Oh, I do. But, that's secondary. I want to know why you enjoy being a doll so much. When did you know being a doll was hot?”

“Let me turn that around. When did you know being a mannequin was hot?”

“I was six. I was always attracted to mannequins in the mall. Always wanted it to be me in the window.”

“I was probably nine. My friends wrapped me in duct tape at a slumber party. I was hooked. But, I never really liked bondage. Bondage isn't the same as immobility, at least, not without a lot of time leading up to the point of immobility.”

“Yes, it's the immobility,” Jane said. After a moment passed, she said, “Now about the other part...”

Paris laughed. “Ted and I, before I asked him out on a date, had a rivalry. I stopped asking him to doll me and he stopped automatically dolling me when I arrived. We would then spend the next few hours seeing who would break first. So, even when I won and he dolled me without me asking, he would put me in those poses to see if I would be so scandalized that I wouldn't even come back.”

“Still, I would think it would be bad for one's reputation to be treated that way.”

“And yet, I don't think anyone's opinion of me is really any different than it was last year. All the assholes still think I'm a stuck up bitch. All the women who know me well, know I'm a bitch. Nothing's changed.”

“I don't think you're a bitch.”

“Then I've fooled you.”

“If you did, you fooled yourself first.” The two fell quiet for a few miles when Jane said, “Hey, Ted.”

“What?”

“When you two get back to your room, are you going to dollify yourself for Paris?”

“Hadn't thought about it.”

“Think about it,” Paris said.

“You know I don't like doing it.”

“You haven't done it for me yet.”

* * *

Emily arrived at her dorm room late Sunday night after Thanksgiving break. As she unpacked the laundry she had taken home, she said, “You should have come to the birthday party.”

“The birthday party last Tuesday? You know I had to get ahead of my homework before I went home with Ted for Thanksgiving,” Jane said.

“I suppose. Are you going somewhere?”

“What? No. I just got back myself a few hours ago.”

“You seem a bit overdressed for the dorm.”

“You mean the dress?” Jane said.

“And the heels.”

“I love wearing fancy dresses and high heels,” Jane said. She felt stiff for a moment as she spoke and then the feeling went away. “What was so good about this party?”

“I don't know. Lots of people. Lots of people who doll. I had a chat with Beverly about dolling. She was surprised that she missed being one of Ted's anonymous dolls after she stopped doing it.”

“You gave it up.”

“Yeah, I don't know if I'd still be doing it if not for Earl's and Rhana's game.”

* * *

Jane stepped out of the back staircase and stopped, turned to her left and swept her long skirt to the side. With a determined look, she walked down the dorm corridor toward the other end. Dance music with a heavy beat played in her ear buds and she made sure her four-inch pump laden feet landed on the floor with each beat. Her arms swayed with each step. She looked directly forward, trying not to dart her eyes from side to side. When she reached a tape mark she had laid on the floor earlier, she stopped. She splayed the skirt again, looked left, looked right, and then dismissively turned and walked back up the hall. When she reached the stairs, she turned to look down that corridor again before stepping to her right onto the landing of the stairwell.

She peeked around the corner into the hall and called out, “How was that?”

“Great,” Emily said from a spot not far from the tape mark. “Again?”

“Yeah.” She repeated the walk half a dozen more times before she picked up the phone she had set at the end of the corridor and walked toward Emily without as much swagger.

Emily stopped the video app in her phone and met Jane at the door to their room. “You're fabulous. You have nothing to worry about going to your first runway show.” Emily opened the door to their room.

Jane squared her shoulders and tilted her head slightly to the side as she said, “I am a fashion model.”

“Of course,” Emily said, trying not to roll her eyes. “You're a natural.”

“When I agreed to be a model,” she said. “I thought it would just be photography stuff.”

“Editorial and Print.”

“Yes, I mean Mark hasn't actually seen me move in front of a camera or walk a runway. Why would he set me up for a runway gig as one of my first normal jobs.”

“Being cast as a mannequin was mostly normal.”

“Hardly, you mean.”

“Mannequins are hard.”

* * *

“Hi, my name is Jane,” she said to young man sitting at a table at the entrance to a the backstage area of the hall. “I am a fashion model.”

“That's great,” he said without mentioning how awkward that had sounded. “You're in the right place then. Agency?”

“VTA.”

“Jane, you'll be working with Bittolé tonight and Rose Adder tomorrow. See that blue flag over there? That's the Bittolé station. Ask for Maggie. She's the Bittolé backstage manager.”

“Thanks.”

“Good luck.”

Jane walked over to the blue flag and was amazed at the chaos before her. Half a dozen models were being attended to simultaneously by twice as many attendees. A woman in her fifties was barking orders. In between barks, Jane said to the woman, “Are you Maggie?”

“Yes. Are you one of my girls?”

“Jane Panabaker.”

“Mannequin Girl? Let me see you walk. Just go over there and back. Layla, Carlos, come here.”

Jane strutted her stuff. When she was halfway back, Maggie said, “Perfect, you can walk. How are you in heels?”

“I love wearing fancy dresses and high heels.”

“Right. Layla, dress number four for Jane.” She clapped her hands twice and Jane was swept into the chaos.

“She called you Mannequin Girl?” Layla said.

“I was the model for a line of mannequins that recently was released.”

“I heard about her,” Carlos said. “Is this your first runway?”

“Yeah, are things always this crazy?”

“Crazy? We're still a few hours from the show. Wait until it gets closer to walk time.”

“What were you doing before you became a mannequin model?”

“I'm a freshman at RCU.”

“You go to RCU? Is it true there's a wizard there?”

“What do you mean?

“My cousin says there's this guy there who can turn people into... You were a mannequin weren't you?”

“Are you daft?” Layla said. “She ain't no mannequin.”

“No, no, no, there's this guy who turns people into dolls and mannequins. My cousin said she spent an evening as a sex doll and it was the best night of sex she ever had,” Carlos said.

“Find out where your cousin gets her supply of mushrooms cause that's just nuts.”

“No, it's true,” Jane said. “A friend of mine can turn people into dolls and stuff. I was a mannequin and they did a perfect mold of me to create a line of mannequins with my friend's help.”

“You're yanking my chain.”

“I swear, Layla. I never laid eyes on Jane here until today.”

“Show me.”

“My friend isn't here so I can't demonstrate it for you,” Jane said. “But, I have pictures.” She took out her phone and showed them pictures of her as a mannequin and being taken apart for molds.

“That's crazy,” Layla said.

Several of the nearby models started looking at the pics and asking questions. By the time the runway was ready to start, most of the Bittolé models and crew knew who Jane was.

After the show, several people were allowed backstage to check out the clothes up close. A tall, fit man in his late twenties made a beeline for Jane. He removed a pair of sunglasses as he approached. “You are even more beautiful in person,” he said without preamble. After a second he said, “Where are my manners? I'm Stockton Perry.” He was impeccably well-dressed and manicured, as was most everyone else at the show. She did not see any jewelry on him.

Jane shook his hand. She was aware that the models nearby had taken a step back to whisper about something. “You know who I am?”

“I do, Jane. A friend of mine sent me a portfolio of yours a month ago and when I heard you would be here, I canceled a trip I had been looking forward to so I could meet you in person.”

“A trip where?”

“Maui. I haven't been to Hawaii in ages. But, there's always next winter.”

“Should I know who you are?”

He laughed. “No, probably not unless you're a stock trader or read financial magazines for fun. I run several hedge funds.”

“So, you are very rich. Why are you talking to an eighteen year old backstage at a fashion show?”

“You're very sharp,” Stockton said. “I promise you. My intentions are mostly pure. You're represented by Mark at VTA. He called me a few days ago and said you'd be here tonight.”

“And tomorrow. Why me?”

“I won't be in town tomorrow. You, because he wants you to invest with the best.”

“Mark just happens to know a hedge fund manager?”

“We went to college together.”

“Mr. Perry,” Maggie approached the two of them demurely. “Jane needs to get changed.”

“Nonsense, she can keep the dress. It's so lovely on her. Put it on my tab.”

“I have to clear that with my boss.”

“You do that.”

Maggie turned and walked away.

“There's also the fact that everyone here is cowed by your presence.”

He sighed. “I have a reputation for destroying business enemies. That reputation makes the models think I'd sink their careers or something. I'm powerful but not that powerful. I'm a big fish in some ponds and a tiny fish in others. You and the rest of the people here have nothing to worry about with me. But, they don't believe me when I say it.”

“You are smooth. And it's obvious you hang out at fashion events looking for-- investors.”

“This is where I invite you to talk somewhere more private. I know a cafe a few blocks from here that's open late. We could walk or take my limo.”

“I feel like I should call Mark and verify he knows you. But, how do I know he isn't also cowed by your  small fish power?”

He laughed. “Tiny fish. We can walk. There's paparazzi outside. They'll take a few pictures and you can be sure everyone in the world knows where you were at...” he looked at his watch “... ten fifteen PM on November 28.”

“Like you couldn't buy them off too.”

“We could just go sit over there,” he said. Pointing to a set of chairs against a wall.

“No, the cafe sounds nicer.”

“Good,” he said. He held his elbow out and she took hold of it.

They walked past Maggie, who said, “She can keep the dress. I'll have your clothes sent to your hotel, Jane.”

“Thanks.”

As they left the building, as he predicted, several paparazzi swooped in and took pictures of the two of them. He waved them off before they could ask any questions. Two rather imposing men stepped between them and the camera people.

“Who are they?”

“Security. Ivan and Lyle.”

“I hadn't seen them until now.”

“That's what I pay them so much for. I don't want people seeing my security detail unless my security detail needs to be seen.”

“So how did you get so rich so young?”

“That's a boring story. Blah, blah, blah. Step 1. It takes money to make money. Step 2. Getting in and out of crypto at the right times. Step 3. Profit. And so on. There's a Forbes article about my rise to wealth from a few years ago if you're truly interested.”

“You're an open book?”

“For money stuff, yes. That's how I get people to use my hedge funds beyond the prospectuses.”

“And then squirrel it all away in the Caymans?”

“I do not have any off shore accounts connected to my funds. You aren't an SEC undercover agent are you?”

“Would I say I was if I was?”

“No. I would hate to lose Mark as a friend if you were.”

They arrived at the cafe. The owner met them at the door and they were taken to a private room upstairs with overstuffed chairs and low coffee tables. The owner took their order and delivered it several minutes later.

In a tone mocking Stockton's voice, she said, “'I know a cafe near here.'”

“It's a bit upscale.”

“This latte is amazing.”

“I know, right?”

The conversation alternated between talking about their childhoods. His family was not especially rich, just well off. After that, he asked her, “What can you tell me about Ted?”

“What do you already know about him?”

“He's a magic wielder. There are very few of them in the world with any practical magic. His family's penchant for inanimate transformations is not really one of the highly sought out abilities.”

“What abilities are sought out?”

“Mind control, mind reading, mental manipulation, emotion manipulation, invisibility, stuff that can be easily used in espionage. Ted's brand of transformation requires him to be around so its utility is limited.”

“If you know all that, what do you want to know from me?”

“What's he like as a person?”

“He's direct, no-nonsense. A bit cold. A bit mischievous. He's a firm believer that adults are allowed to make bad choices and it isn't his responsibility to stop them. On the other hand, he is loyal to his friends. Trustworthy.”

“Trustworthy?”

“He has to be. If you are getting transformed by him, you have no idea really if you will ever be human again since only he can restore you.”

When the coffee's were finished, he talked briefly about the return on his primary fund being over fifteen percent for the last five years. But, he did not pressure her into investing. “I'll have my assistant send you some paperwork. You can fill it out whenever you are ready to put money into the fund.”

“It's getting late,” she said.

“Yes, you have another runway tomorrow, don't you? Do you need a ride to your hotel?”

“That would be helpful. It was within walking distance of the show but in the other direction.”

“I'll signal my driver to pick us up.”

The ride back to her hotel was quick. He opened the door to the limo before the driver could get around to do so for him. Then he helped Jane out of the limo. “You are very good in those heels. You've only been a model for a few weeks?”

“I'm not sure why I find it so easy either. Though I think I stood up too fast. I feel a bit light-headed.”

He walked with her into the lobby. At the elevator, he pressed the call button. “Well, I suppose this is where we depart. For your own sake, please invest wisely, preferably with my fund.”

“I'll consider it.”

The elevator arrived with a chime and the doors opened.

“Do you want to come up?” She said. She was not sure why.

“I wouldn't want to impose.”

She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the elevator. As the doors closed, she said, “It's no imposition.”

A man sitting near the elevator got up and walked out front. He spoke to the limousine driver, “Mr. Perry won't need you until morning.”