Read Online The Secret Life of Mrs. Claus by Carly Alexander - Free Book Online
Authors: Carly Alexander
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reflected in the toaster. I stopped dancing and heard him say that I needed to report for training the next day, but could I stop in this morning to fill out some forms?
I looked down at my flannel pajama bottoms, sweatshirt, and fluffy slippers. “I’m afraid I’m unavailable this morning,” I said in my most corporate voice, “but how about this afternoon?”
Most Wednesday nights were an abbreviated girls’ night out for us. Since Lanessa and Bonnie had to work in the morning, we kept it short—usually just a dinner. Since I had spent the afternoon doing paperwork at Rossman’s, I was the last to arrive at Bertha’s, a Fells Point restaurant famous for their delicious mussels and hence the bumper stickers that read, EAT BERTHA’S MUSSELS. Fells Point resembles a colonial seaport village set in the middle of a city, its cobbled streets and brick houses much coveted since it was saved from demolition in the 1970s. It’s also a hub of activity, with dozens of antique stores, novelty shops, restaurants, and popular bars.
“Drinks are on me!” I announced as I unwrapped my scarf and took a seat. “As of tomorrow, I’ll be earning a paycheck, at least for a while!”
Bonnie and Kate applauded, but Lanessa lowered her menu and cocked one eye. “Oh, Liv, I know you’re cutesy-wutesy, but don’t tell me you’re playing a Christmas elf?”
“Even weirder,” I said. “I’m going to be Mrs. Claus at the new Rossman’s.” I filled them in on my new job, the posh new look of Rossman’s, the ZZ Santa, the skating rink. “They’re hoping to put together a show on ice, though it doesn’t sound like they’re very organized. Either way, the pay is good, and I’ve got a job, ladies! I’m coming out of the slump. Once my bank account is solid and my ankle healed, I’ll be on my way again.”
“Going back to New York already?” Bonnie stuck her lower lip out. “You just got here, honey.”
“I am already so done with Baltimore,” I said, thinking of the mantra that had sustained me: This is temporary. This is temporary. “After Christmas, I’m out of here.”
“Mrs. Claus—how cute is that?” Kate said. “And it will keep you too busy to worry about your mother and Bobby and the show.”
I sipped some chardonnay and nodded. “Bobby who ?”
We exchanged news in rapid-fire delivery. Lanessa had begun pining for another lawyer she’d been working with lately, someone who worked in the office of a senator from Wisconsin.
“Dairy lobby meets state of Wisconsin,” Bonnie mused. “Sounds like a match made in heaven.”
“We’ll see,” Lanessa said. “Right now I can’t tell if he’s frightened or awed by me. Everything’s still so new.”
“Has he seen you chew up a brief and spit it out?” Kate asked.
“Sure. Just not his briefs.”
We all laughed, but Bonnie couldn’t seem to stop. I turned to her as she put down her wine and dug into her purse for a tissue. She was crying.
“Bonnie…” I touched her arm. “You okay?”
She nodded. “Fine. I just…” Her words were swallowed by a sob, then a hiccup.
“It’s Jonah, isn’t it?” Kate said, and as Bonnie nodded quickly I was once again amazed at Kate’s uncanny sensitivity, as if she sensed and could monitor a living pulse that the rest of us weren’t aware of. No wonder Kate was so good with animals.
“I just…” Bonnie sobbed again, and Lanessa pulled two clean tissues from her bag and thrust them across the table.
Kate pressed her fingertips over the back of Bonnie’s hand. “You miss him?”
Bonnie nodded.
“You wish it weren’t over?”
Bonnie shrugged.
“You know, it doesn’t have to be,” I said. “That’s the beauty of a separation. You’re not divorced yet.”
Bonnie shook her head. “He served me with the papers today. He wants the divorce now.”
“Oh, Bonnie…” Kate continued to massage her hand.
“You don’t have to sign anything right now,” I said, glancing back at
I looked down at my flannel pajama bottoms, sweatshirt, and fluffy slippers. “I’m afraid I’m unavailable this morning,” I said in my most corporate voice, “but how about this afternoon?”
Most Wednesday nights were an abbreviated girls’ night out for us. Since Lanessa and Bonnie had to work in the morning, we kept it short—usually just a dinner. Since I had spent the afternoon doing paperwork at Rossman’s, I was the last to arrive at Bertha’s, a Fells Point restaurant famous for their delicious mussels and hence the bumper stickers that read, EAT BERTHA’S MUSSELS. Fells Point resembles a colonial seaport village set in the middle of a city, its cobbled streets and brick houses much coveted since it was saved from demolition in the 1970s. It’s also a hub of activity, with dozens of antique stores, novelty shops, restaurants, and popular bars.
“Drinks are on me!” I announced as I unwrapped my scarf and took a seat. “As of tomorrow, I’ll be earning a paycheck, at least for a while!”
Bonnie and Kate applauded, but Lanessa lowered her menu and cocked one eye. “Oh, Liv, I know you’re cutesy-wutesy, but don’t tell me you’re playing a Christmas elf?”
“Even weirder,” I said. “I’m going to be Mrs. Claus at the new Rossman’s.” I filled them in on my new job, the posh new look of Rossman’s, the ZZ Santa, the skating rink. “They’re hoping to put together a show on ice, though it doesn’t sound like they’re very organized. Either way, the pay is good, and I’ve got a job, ladies! I’m coming out of the slump. Once my bank account is solid and my ankle healed, I’ll be on my way again.”
“Going back to New York already?” Bonnie stuck her lower lip out. “You just got here, honey.”
“I am already so done with Baltimore,” I said, thinking of the mantra that had sustained me: This is temporary. This is temporary. “After Christmas, I’m out of here.”
“Mrs. Claus—how cute is that?” Kate said. “And it will keep you too busy to worry about your mother and Bobby and the show.”
I sipped some chardonnay and nodded. “Bobby who ?”
We exchanged news in rapid-fire delivery. Lanessa had begun pining for another lawyer she’d been working with lately, someone who worked in the office of a senator from Wisconsin.
“Dairy lobby meets state of Wisconsin,” Bonnie mused. “Sounds like a match made in heaven.”
“We’ll see,” Lanessa said. “Right now I can’t tell if he’s frightened or awed by me. Everything’s still so new.”
“Has he seen you chew up a brief and spit it out?” Kate asked.
“Sure. Just not his briefs.”
We all laughed, but Bonnie couldn’t seem to stop. I turned to her as she put down her wine and dug into her purse for a tissue. She was crying.
“Bonnie…” I touched her arm. “You okay?”
She nodded. “Fine. I just…” Her words were swallowed by a sob, then a hiccup.
“It’s Jonah, isn’t it?” Kate said, and as Bonnie nodded quickly I was once again amazed at Kate’s uncanny sensitivity, as if she sensed and could monitor a living pulse that the rest of us weren’t aware of. No wonder Kate was so good with animals.
“I just…” Bonnie sobbed again, and Lanessa pulled two clean tissues from her bag and thrust them across the table.
Kate pressed her fingertips over the back of Bonnie’s hand. “You miss him?”
Bonnie nodded.
“You wish it weren’t over?”
Bonnie shrugged.
“You know, it doesn’t have to be,” I said. “That’s the beauty of a separation. You’re not divorced yet.”
Bonnie shook her head. “He served me with the papers today. He wants the divorce now.”
“Oh, Bonnie…” Kate continued to massage her hand.
“You don’t have to sign anything right now,” I said, glancing back at
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