December Kisses || chaennie

Chapter 3

For once, I made it to my eleven o'clock shift without being tardy. I waltzed into the store, practically gliding with how giddy I was over the fact that I made it on time. It was like I was more aware of the world because suddenly people—strangers started smiling at me. Even the horrendous Dara, someone who despised me, offered a reluctant smile.

I got behind the counter and looked up at the clock. An even larger smile broke out on my face. I tied the green apron onto my waist and out of nowhere, Dara popped up in front of me with a glower.

I pointed up to the clock, cockily. "You can't be mad at me, I made it here on time. Three minutes early."

"As impressed as I am, take off the apron."

"This is an abuse of power," I said, following her orders.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not firing you."

My eyebrows raised. "Then I'm taking my uniform off because...?"

The smile I thought to be genuine, turned into something sinister. "Have you forgotten what day it is, Rosie?"

"Happy Birthday, Dara."

She slapped my arm. "It's not my birthday, you fool."

My lips pursed. "Consider that my birthday wishes for your actual birthday, then."

"Rosie," she said, sniffing. "The kids will be here in a few minutes. I've got a costume laid out for you. Get dressed. Channel your inner child, which I assume isn't much of a reach and bring joy to those children wanting to meet Santa Claus."

My eyes closed.

I ended up wearing the costume. According to Dara, I established via text that I'd volunteer to wear the Santa Suit. My phone confirmed that, yes, she wasn't lying just to spite me and also informed me that Jennie had sent me a reminder text that morning about the ordeal. Declining the job meant giving Dara more reason to fire me so I got into the fat suit and sat in my assigned chair by the entrance of Starbucks.

Children tugged their parents toward me so that they could whisper what presents they wanted for Christmas. Kids under the age of ten liked to pet and tug on beards of strangers, I'd come to learn for the next two hours.

Two familiar faces walked in my direction, hand in hand with near identical smiles. I offered a frown at one and a proper and genuine smile for the other.

I helped the girl onto my lap and grinned. "Guess what?"

The little girl's eyes became curious. "Rosie?"

"Oh damn." I looked away. "Santa promised to not give me coal this year if I helped out with the kids. Yano?"

"You're not Santa?"

"I am just as magical." I winked at her. "Sadly, I'm not him. No."

"You're fat now?"

"What?"

"You're fat," she repeated, with a serious face.

I looked to Jennie, who smirked instead of intervening. "Well...Ella..."

"I'm wrong?"

"Yes."

"I'm done guessing now."

"Oh." My stuck-on moustache tinkled my nose. "I was just going to tell you that you're my favourite Kim."

"Okay." She looked down to her fingers and started ticking them off, one by one. "I want, a teddy bear, honey, bees and a beehive."

I blinked. "Um."

Jennie finally stepped forward and plucked her sister from my lap and allowed the next kid in line to have their chance with Santa Claus. The next hour or two was gruelling. Kids liked to expel farts, snot, burps—anything that was a bodily function, they did it.

The job finished. I clamoured inside Starbucks and changed out of my suit before Dara could ask me to return to the position for overtime. I wouldn't be able to say no to extra cash, she knew that, so by removing the possibility from occurring, I was saving everyone a grumpy Santa.

I might have flipped Dara off as I left.

She had no proof.

The security cameras had blind spots that I happened to know about...

"Rosie," called Jennie, sounding amused as I shoved my hand into my coat pocket.

"No."

"No?"

I walked by her. "You did this."

She caught up with me and chuckled. "You sound betrayed, when in fact, you should be thanking me."

"Thanking you?" I shook my head. "Nope. I've endured things you'd never dream of today. I've had my dip into hell and I plan on never returning. Ever."

"What?!"

"Ever!"

"You quit Starbucks?"

"What?" I looked at her panicked face and burst out laughing. "God no. I've quit Christmas."

Now that, that made her shocked face nothing in comparison to the way that it fell at that news. Her footsteps slowed. I didn't notice until I was a good ten feet ahead of her.

I brought her arm in to loop between mine and started her walking again. "Joke."

She released a sigh. "It wasn't just a practical joke."

My forehead creased. "Maybe I was a little mad too."

"No, not you." She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "As delightful as it was to see you squirm, it wasn't about. That happened to be a bonus. You'll notice in your next paycheck a significant amount added compared to your usual."

"Jennie..."

"Christmas isn't something you can just, shut down."

"I know."

"Don't threaten that. Please."

My head dropped. "I was joking."

She laughed. "So was I, but mine turned out to be something beneficial."

"Bah. Humbug."