I had left the festivities at Hitty House for a few minutes to check on things from my usual look- out point on the entertainment center in the living room. From there, I can gaze out the window as well as observe the goings on of the household.
In looking out the window, I saw my person's beau coming up the front walk. The Dangerous Dogs must have sensed him too, since they began the most ear shattering barking and howling. That is the greeting they reserve for people they know and like. I won't go into their reaction to strangers or people they dislike, lest I digress into a whole blog on the uncivilized behavior of Dangerous Dogs.
I have accompanied my person and her beau (secretly...in my person's purse or pocket) on many outings over the past several months. After all, it is only proper to have a chaperone on such outings and I felt myself the logical choice for the job since I like tagging along with my person anyway.
I must admit, I approve of my person's beau. He is a nice, old-fashioned sort...just the type of person a Hitty admires.
On Christmas Eve, however, my person's beau seemed rather nervous if I do say so. He came in the house and sat beside my person in the living room. I was only half-listening to their conversation, having been distracted by the most lovely pair of cardinals at the bird feeder outside the window.
I was abruptly brought back to the conversation, however, when I heard my person's beau say, "....so, I guess what I'm trying to say is....would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?".....as he took a white box out of his pocket.
"WIFE!!!!!!" I exclaimed in shock.
Fortunately, most people can't hear dolls even when they shout or shriek in surprise and my person was too busy stammering out things like "Yes!...oh of course!..." and rather rambling on about being so very happy and such as she opened the box and took out a ring.
Both of them were so distracted neither one of them noticed when I fell into a dead faint from shock right were I stood. 
When I regained consciousness, the house was quiet and there was no sign of my person or her....Fiance. I looked out the window to see they had left in Fiance's car. 
Left WITHOUT me!!!!! They returned only briefly, quickly leaving again to attend a Christmas Eve party...and now a celebration of engagement too... at Fiance's parents home and then to go to Midnight Mass. I was NOT included in the party or at Midnight Mass.
I was rather dismayed and went to break the news to the other companions.
The house was soon in an uproar. Our person seemed so happy, and Fiance is a nice man....but, we couldn't help but wonder....what would happen now? Would our lives change very much? What if Fiance didn't approve of little dolls and their households ? I had heard our person tell Fiance a bit about "doll collecting" (A term we dislike....we are not stamps, or stones, or thimbles or on the same level as things people usually collect...we are companions. But, we also understand most people wouldn't approve of such a thing as companions and might think our person a bit daft in the head if she described us as we really are. So, we resign ourselves to being a collection for the sake of simple and sane explanation).
Fiance didn't seem bothered by my person's "hobby" (as if we are like socks to be knit, or scrapbooking or some such hobby). But still, he has never shared quarters with doll companions either and he might not approve when it comes right down to it.
Miss Merriweather, Master Elrond and I entered a long discussion about the possibilities of our new roles. Master Elrond was of the opinion that we might expect our person to not pay as much attention to us over the next few weeks in all the excitement, but that if we were patient she would return some of her attention to us soon enough.
Miss Merriweather and I were more worried. We know our person loves us dearly, but she has been rather distracted of late and tonight she forgot to even take me along with her. Master Elrond simply chuckled a bit and said our person just needed a bit of time to adjust to all the excitement and he was sure all would be well.
When our person returned home after Midnight Mass, it was quite late. She sat in front of the Christmas tree, silently staring at her new ring glimmering in its light, for quite a long time before retiring. She debated on keeping the ring on all night, but fearing it might be best to be more careful with it, she gently placed it in its box right by her bedside.
After our person fell asleep, we companions sprang into action. We wanted a closer look at this exciting but rather worrying thing. I carefully took the ring for us to better examine.
I have to admit, it was a rather lovely thing...but then, as Master Elrond can attest, so was that ring that caused all the trouble in Lord of the Rings . You know the phrase from the books or movies..."One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them." If you are a doll and have ever been shoved in a box and placed in a dark closet and stored for years, you can truly relate to, and fear, that last phrase there. I sincerely hoped this ring of my person's wouldn't mean us companions getting shoved in a dark storage space somewhere...out of sight and out of mind. 
We talked throughout the night, but reached no conclusions. Master Elrond suggested we simply talk to our person about our uncertainty. But, with our person being so happy, we did not wish to intrude upon her joy with our worries. After all, Mehitabel said she had never seen our person so very happy in all the 10 years she has been with her. Who were we to dampen her spirits? But, surely the wedding was a long way off we determined. Why, there was no need to worry at all until much later....surely. 
I held onto that thought until my person took me with her on a mysterious errand a few days later. When I peeked out of her purse at the shop we had entered...I quickly realized that the time to worry was now....
It seemed that in six months time, our lives would change forever and we would have a Master of the House as well as a Mistress in ....July.
I fainted again, but no one noticed since I was in a purse.
By the time we got home, I had quite recovered. The next two weeks were even more worrisome. My person forgot entirely to take me with her as she rushed off to work. Fiance visited often and he and our person held long discussions about the future. Dolls did not enter the conversation. I know because I kept up an unobtrusive surveillence in the living room (not to be confused with spying).
In general, our person was far too distracted to pay attention to us...too busy looking over wedding books and such when she was not at work (where I was no longer invited).I grew more worried as the days passed. Master Elrond continued to counsel patience.
Finally, just a few days ago, I was in my surveillence spot and I overheard a conversation that relieved all our worry. 
My person and Fiance were talking about keeping their hobbies and interests alive after marriage. My person begin talking about us companions (again as a beloved hobby and doll collection...but it was at least it was a start). Before long she took a deep breath and, pointing at me said..."and that is Hitty...she is kind of a....mascot who travels with me" (I'll forgive her calling me a "Mascot" like some silly costumed creature wandering around on a football field, since I understood she had to explain me in terms acceptable to the general public).
My person went on to explain that she enjoyed making miniature costumes for me and that she liked collecting minature things for me in different places. She explained how much she loved having her miniature doll homes in the house and how dolls had been special to her since she was a little girl. I held my breath, as did my person, and waited for Fiance's reply.
He paused a minute before saying, "Well...is she coming with us to the beach?" Fiance and our person plan to visit the ocean for their honeymoon. My person rather embarrassedly admitted I was, but Fiance would not even know I was there. He slowly replied...."Well...I suppose we will need to find some shops to get her some souvenirs."
My person and I both breathed a sigh of relief. Fiance told our person that he could see she really loved her doll hobby and that she must keep her dolls right where they were since they made her so happy.
Our whole household rejoiced! It looks as though we are soon to have a Mistress....and a Master...in our happy home! And, my person is again taking me to work and attending to her companion family now that the initial excitement has died down a bit. She even ordered me a bridesmaid dress in Tea Rose silk. So it looks as if I will be attending my first wedding soon! 
Yours Sincerely,
Hitty Rowan
