Be My Barbie Girl

“I’ve had the best time with you tonight,” Michael said and kissed Sally.

They had just had their first proper date, despite speaking to each other for over six months. Because of the pandemic, they could not meet each other until now, but they had spent hours talking to each other during the lockdown. And because of that, Sally felt she already knew him inside out.

It was great to get to kiss him at last, and he was a great kisser. The best of the several dozen Tinder dates Sally had had before the pandemic. And he wasn’t just a great kisser. He was smart and funny. He ticked the right boxes and amazingly was still single.

She’d said so to her friend Lucy, who’d insisted there was something wrong with him.

“Great guys simply don’t stay single. And that’s a fact,” she’d said. Sally had laughed. Her friend was a cynical single whose philosophy was to use men and lose them. But Sally still believed in Mr Right, and so far she had discovered nothing annoying or alarming in Michael.

In fact, their first date had been perfect.

“I had a great time, too.” Sally enjoyed the warmth radiating from his arms that wrapped around her waist. “Seeing that it’s a Friday and neither of us is working tomorrow, fancy coming over for a nightcap?”

Of course, Sally knew what would follow the nightcap and normally she’d decline. But they had already known each other for months in the virtual world, so she agreed.

He kissed her again before unwrapping his arms and hailing a taxi.

He lived on the tenth floor of a new apartment block by the river. Sally didn’t count herself as a materialist, but she had to admit the location was a bonus.

She was curious to see how Michael lived as he pushed the door open and let her into a spacious hallway.

“The living room is straight ahead. I’ll get us drinks and be with you in a second. What would you like? I have Chardonnay or Merlot if you want wine. Or I have beer if you prefer.”

“I’d love a glass of Merlot,” Sally said.

She entered the living room and felt the wall for the light switch. Finding it, she turned on the lights.

“What the hell?” She stared at the walls surrounding her.

Tall bookshelves stretched across each wall, and every inch of shelf space was taken up by Barbies.There were Barbies from every era, all in pristine condition in their original packaging.

“There must be an explanation for this.” Sally muttered as she ran her hand across the nearest shelf. “Maybe he shares the flat with his sister.”

“Ah, you’ve seen my collection.” Michael said entering the room carrying two large glasses of wine. His smile was that of a proud father.

So no, the Barbies were his. Sally gaped from the Barbies to Michael and back again, searching for something to say. But there was nothing to say. He was a grown man who collected Barbies.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I took the liberty to pick you something more comfortable to wear.” Michael set the glasses of Merlot on a table.

There was something draped over his arm. It was pink and frilly and when he held it up, Sally saw it was a tutu. It was an exact replica of a tutu one of the Barbies wore.

The guy was insane and she had to get out.

“I just need to go to the toilet.” It was the best lie she could think of.

“It’s just by the front door.” Michael handed the tutu to Sally. “You can get changed in to this at the same time. I can't wait to see you in it. You look just like her.”

Sally nodded and lifted the corners of her mouth, hoping it came out as a believable smile and not a grimace. She took the tutu from him and slipped into the hallway where she dropped it on the floor before heading straight out of the door.

Maybe Lucy was right, she thought as she hailed a taxi home.