“Can you say please?” I sigh.
“Hollis said I could.” He glares.
“Sorry!” Hollis shouts, rushing in, her arms full of boxes.
Taylor Grace’s nostrils flare as she stares at Hollis. “Another traitor.”
Hollis sighs. “Taylor…”
“It’s Taylor Grace,” my ex-best friend snaps at Hollis, who runs behind the counter to start taking orders from the people in line. “And you have her working for you now?” My ex-best friend turns on me, furious. “She’s replacing me. You pushed me out.”
“Yes, Taylor, I told you I needed help. It’s the Christmas rush.”
“And now you’re going to hire him, too, I bet.” She points at Gideon, who is glaring at the therapist.
“He’s just rigging up the Christmas tree, Taylor. Because not everything is a vast conspiracy to take you down. The rest of us in town are trying to put on a nice Christmas market. Not everything is about you.”
“Gaslighting!” Taylor Grace shrieks.
Hollis winces.
“They’re all gaslighting!”
“No one is gaslighting you except that therapist,” Gideon tells her as he checks the cable. “He’s putting all these ideas in your head.”
“Don’t listen to him, Taylor Grace.” Dr. Merriweather puts his arm comfortingly on Taylor Grace’s back. “He is, in my professional opinion, mentally ill.”
“Is that your new boyfriend?” Gideon nods to Fedora.
“Um—” Fedora frowns.
Taylor Grace giggles.
Dr. Merriweather looks shocked.
“I think we need to have another therapy session about this.”
“Beware,” Gideon tells Fedora. “You stick your dick in crazy, and look what happens. Run, brother. Don’t walk. It’s not too late to save yourself.”
“Gideon and Willow are working against me!” Taylor Grace screams. “I bet you two are in a relationship behind my back.”
“I don’t have time to be in a relationship because I’m trying to run the shop and clean up after your mess!” I holler. “Now purchase something or get out of my Christmas stall.”
“This isn’t over,” Taylor Grace shrieks at me. “Karma is going to get you.”
“I wish karma would actually help during the Christmas rush if karma’s so concerned about the state of the Jingle Bites Café!” I scream after them.
The Karen clutches her little boy.
I grab a bag of Christmas crunch candy and thrust it at her. “Here. Merry fucking Christmas.”
“Well. We won’t be patronizing this stall anymore. And I’m going to complain to the mayor and the grand master of the Christmas market.” She shoos the little boy away.
Fuck them, I am emotionally deregulated.
I slump against the counter and breathe in the scents of snow and Christmas. Normally, it’s my favorite time of the year. I love the way the entire small town of Harrogate comes out to put on a month of Christmas festivities. I love the Christmas food. I even love Gran’s annual holiday sweater party.
Now?
