The Backstory of Our Heroine, Greta
Twenty years later, Greta accepts her job as a nanny to Brahms, the creepy porcelain doll we all know and love. Greta is on the run from her abusive ex-boyfriend, Cole, whom she has a restraining order against. She makes the acquaintance of a cute grocery delivery boy named Malcolm. Malcolm stops by once a week or so.
After going over all the rules, the parents leave, taking a "vacation."
Greta must follow a strict set of rules to please Brahms. This includes feeding him and storing leftovers in a huge freezer, playing music for him, kissing him goodnight, and more.
At first, Greta scoffs and shrugs off her responsibilities. But she soon comes to believe that Brahms is real. He can move himself. He seems to have an actual consciousness. As events progress, it appears that the porcelain Brahms is a sort of vessel for the departed soul of real Brahms.
In a disturbing sequence, the parents, who are on "vacation," write a mysterious letter and send it to the house. They fill their pockets with rocks and drown themselves.
Greta feels connected to Brahms and starts to see her caretaker duties as a way of mending her heart in the wake of her broken relationship.