She almost laughs.
So close.
Then she says, “It’s just kind of a hokey brand. Did you know the office has been fully decked out in Halloween decorations for weeks?” I raise an eyebrow but don’t interrupt. She’s gettinganimated, “I don’t mean, like, a bulletin board either. I’m talking wall to wall webbing, spiders, each division has a theme and an entry arch with things that make noise and pop out at you.”
“Sounds…fun?”
“One, no. Two, maybe happy-holidays-people could think that was fun from October twenty-first to thirty-first. They put it all up in September, Benedict. Sep.Tem.Ber.”
“Right, yeah, I see your point.” I imagine what I can remember of the Mellman’s office from images at the expo. I try to picture her there, rolling her eyes at some jump scare grim reaper. I start to remember a bit more about the place. “Wait, isn’t Mellman’s the office who goes a bit mad for the holidays?”
“Well, it’s not really Mellman’s. It’s Juniper Falls, the town. It’s a whole thing for tourists from October to New Years. But since basically all the residents work at the factory, it’s crept into Mellman’s building and the whole company culture. That’s why Halloween goes up so early because I think on the actual thirty-first a team goes in and redecorates for Thanksgiving. It was an interview question.”
My brow scrunches, “What was?”
“Do you enjoy celebrating all the fall holidays?”
“You’re joking.”
“I’m not, and they had some serious judgy eyes about it too.”
“And, so? Did you smile and say ‘Happy Christmas?’”
“Merry Christmas. We say Merry Christmas here.”
“Right. That. Did you lie?”
She locks eyes with me and gives me the biggest, fakest smile I’ve ever seen, and she raises her voice like a peppy cheerleader. “I love it so much! Is it too early to put up a tree in September?!”
My head jerks back. “Bloody hell.”
Her smile drops, “Scary, right?”
“That smile should be your bit for Halloween. Terrifying.”
She laughs.
Yes! Score one for me.
“I know, and I didn’t like lying but I needed the job.”
“You don’t enjoy the holidays then?”
She looks off into the distance. I can almost see the truth in her brain, things she’s editing out, or trying to reword. She ends up saying, “Can you imagine beingfromJuniper Falls?”
“Wait, from? You actually grew up there?” I ask, slack-jawed.
“Weird, right? And it was as horrible as one would imagine. I mean, as a little kid you think it’s great. Then you get older and realize year after year it’s the same cheesy stuff. The town got smaller and smaller too. Everyone is in your business. You thinkIdon’t have a filter? Forget it.” She says the words with a slash of her hand.
“Anyway, if you’re a people person maybe you’d love it even as an adult but, as you know, I am not the most social person.” I chuckle, but at the same time I wonder at her estimation of herself. Sure, she likes to call an early night but she’s spent two days with me and honestly, I’ve had a blast. She goes on, “It’s just a very social time. So many parties, photo opps, people being fake.”
“The small talk,” I add.
“So much of it! I don’t want to hear about your epic pumpkin bread recipeagain,Gary!”
I laugh loudly. Her eyes glance my way for a beat before she looks back out the window.
Reminded of how little she likes chatting, I leave her be for the last few minutes of the drive. Nigel guides us through a back door of the restaurant to a secluded corner booth.
