Before sunrise, a gust banged the bakery door wide open. Dolly tumbled in after a swirl of red leaves.
The leaves slid under a wobbly table. Bump! Dolly knocked a little music box, and its lid flipped open with a tiny plink-plink tune.
Dolly whispered, "Oh." Then Dolly turned the little key again and listened.
Dolly carried the music box to the counter and wound it for the baker. The tune hiccuped, slowed, and stopped with a sad click.
Dolly tapped the box and shook out a pinch of flour. A sugar puff popped from the baker's sleeve and landed on Dolly's nose. They both laughed.
The baker listened close and said, "I know that song." Dolly nudged over a scrap of paper and a jam jar of brushes.
The music box played in short, tinkly bursts. Dolly dipped a brush in blueberry blue and painted a loaf, a window, and a windy leaf on the blank wall near the ovens.
The baker added a striped apron and a basket of rolls. Soon voices at the door called, "Paint a kite!" "Paint soup!" "Paint boots by the river!"
Dolly wound, painted, and made room. The wall filled with kites, soup pots, boots, and one lopsided pie that made everyone giggle.
Then the music box gave one long whirr and went still. Brushes stopped in the air as morning light slid across the half-finished mural.
Dolly opened the lid and found a tiny paper roll tucked inside. The bakery grew so quiet, even the crusts seemed to crackle louder.
On the faded paper was a drawing of the whole town around one long table. Dolly pinned it up and said, "Here goes."
Everyone painted the long table together. It stretched across the wall, with plates, bowls, buns, and places for all.
When the first customers arrived, Dolly set the music box on the window ledge. The mural glowed behind rows of golden buns and flaky pastries.
The baker cut warm slices. People pointed and laughed at their painted memories. Dolly turned the key, and the small tune danced out to the street.
Outside, a few red leaves spun past the window. This time, people stopped to smile before they went on.
