I was studying in my pink and white room when I heard three knocks on our cracky wooden door, my mom had told me she would fix it but she always forgets, I stood up and wobbled to the door and opened and what I saw next made me stand up in happiness.

What was standing in front of me was... Grandma!?!?!

"Hiiiiiii" I said happily as I hugged my grandma, I could smell her old fashoined "CK" perfume. "I missed you so much my grandma said as she added my mum into the hug. When my grandma finished hugging and kissing me and my mom I bolted into my room and closed all the books I had began and went put to play with my grandma. Everything was smooth until...

It was May Bank Holiday, and a sunny one at that. Mum had the barbecue already ready, fire leaping from the steel basin and into the sunny sky like orange ribbons. The smell of cooking burgers and sausages made my stomach rumble already, as I trailed out the door, dragging a wagon of toys behind me.

“Goodness, Mae, what do you have there?” Grandma asked as she saw me come into view.

I spun around in my princess dress and showed her the toys, placing them one by one on the grass in a circle. “My teddies!” I said brightly, pointing them all out. “They’re having a picnic with us.”

Grandma smiled and leant down to join me and the teddies on the lawn. “Well, is there room for two more?” She asked, winking. From her bag she produced a long box, wrapped in pink flowery paper.

“Mum, what did you get her? She has enough toys!” My mum looked over from the grill and tutted, smiling despite herself.

“Nonsense, Louise. This is a special doll,” Grandma said, pushing the box towards me. “Just for you, Mae.”

I grinned and tore the paper off. Inside sat the most beautiful doll I had ever seen; a girl with shining turquoise eyes and dark skin like mine, hair as soft as feathers, dark and tumbling across her back. A peacock feather pinned back her curls, and she had sparkly blue eyeshadow and green lipstick, matching her long, indigo silk dress. When I held her up to the sun, the dress shimmered in shades of green and purple, and the train of gold feathers on her dress glimmered. She had matching shoes too, golden heels with a single turquoise gem set into the toe.

I turned her over in my hands, entranced. She smelled, ever so faintly, of Grandma’s CK perfume.

”Grandma,” I whispered. “She’s beautiful!”

Grandma smiled at me. “The Peacock Princess. I made her myself.”

Mum came over now, staring in shock at the doll in my hands. “Mum! How much did that cost!”

Grandma only shrugged. “It was a labour of love. Take good care of her, Mae.”

And the doll’s eyes gleamed back at me with something human.