“Sure, Peppermint.” Marty wasn't so sure if he was in the mood to make new friends. He was content in beingMr. Scrooge. “Maybe I'll go swim a few laps today just to warm up to the idea. I'll call you when I'm prepared to leave. Bye.”
“Bye, Marty.” Peppermint ended the call with a heavy heart. In his mind, he saw Marty sadly go back to shoveling his snow-covered driveway. “I better call Candy, Blizzard.” Peppermint had put Candy's phone number onto his cellphone. He hurried and called her. Candy was inside of the quiet grocery store. “Hey, Candy, sorry to be calling so early. I was on the horn with Marty, my old friend I told you about. He accepted the job offer.”
“That's great, Peppermint. I'm sending a money transfer at Western Union right now. I hired a young man from Brooklyn who calls himself theCalzone.”
Peppermint laughed. “The Calzone?” Candy assured Peppermint that Ralphie sounded like a mafia character from the 1970s. Peppermint rolled his eyes. “First you hire aValley Girl, as Betty pointed out, and now a mafia wannabe. Candy, I have to say that you sure know how to hire the strangest people.”
Candy winced some. Peppermint was speaking the truth. “Well...I felt God...nudge me some, Peppermint. I know theValley Girland theCalzonearen't exactly...desirable hires, but I sense that God brought them to me for a reason.”
“Well, if that's the case, then expect my full support and cooperation. I'll treat those kids with a tender hand,” Peppermint promised. “Marty, on the other hand, may need some tough grease to get his wheels turning.”
Candy sighed as Brenda Wilkins, the old woman who ran the customer service counter at the grocery store, worked to send the important money transfer to theCalzone. Not only was Candy now very rich, but she was also very kooky, at least in Brenda's view. Oh well. That was life in Pine Snow.
Chapter 6
“This place isn't so bad.” Ralphie dropped the black suitcase he was holding onto the floor in the silent foyer. The suitcase caused abamsound to erupt through the long halls of the castle.
“Like, quit sayingAyo,” Sandy fussed at Ralphie.
“Ayo, you talk like a beach girl,” Ralphie snapped. “All you say islikeandtotally. Learn some new words.”
“Alright you two,” Candy pleaded as she closed the front door of the castle, “let's be kind to each other.”
“Kind? These two have been at each other's throat for hours,” Betty fussed. She rubbed her eyes and then shook her head. “I need a cup of coffee. Peppermint...Chris...where are you?” she yelled.
A giant white wolf walked into the foyer instead of two men. Blizzard eyed Sandy and Ralphie and then growled a little. “Ayo, that...whoa!” Ralphie ducked behind Sandy. “That thing is gonna eat us!”
“Ms. Baker...uh, like...is that the wolf you told me about?” Sandy began shaking in her boots.
Candy heard some snickering. “Very funny, you two!” she called out and then walked over to Blizzard. “And you...taking part in some silly prank.” Blizzard quit growling, ducked his head down, and quickly covered his face with a pair of giant white paws. “That's more like it.”
“I wasn't scared...I was just...checking the door...” Ralphie crawled out from behind Sandy.
“Scaredy cat.” Sandy pushed Ralphie away from her.
“Ayo, watch the threads. This leather jacket cost me ten bucks. I found it on sale in a thrift store. The owner told me this jacket belonged to a guy who knew a guy who knew Bob Ross.”
“The painter?” Betty asked.
“The one and only. Bob Ross rocks Brooklyn. I said what I said.” Ralphie flipped up the collar on the black leather jacket he was wearing.
Sandy shoved her hands into the pink coat Candy had bought her as two men appeared. Candy didn't like strange men. However, when she saw Chris and Peppermint walk into the foyer, snickering to themselves, she relaxed. “Hey, like, that guy really does look like Santa Claus,” she pointed at Chris. “And the other one looks like...Paul Bunyan.”
“He looks like that guy on television...Dennis Quaid. I saw him act in a movie about some Christian singer. He did okay playing the part. I said what I said.”
“Moron.” Sandy rolled her eyes.
“Sandy, be nice,” Candy pleaded.
Chris could clearly see that Candy had her hands full. “So, where is Snowball? I thought you were bringing him along.”
“Here.” Candy unzipped her heavy white coat, and Snowball stuck his head out. Blizzard immediately locked his eyes on the little guy. “You be nice,” Candy ordered Blizzard. Blizzard eased forward, sniffed the air...and then wagged his tail. Candy carefully put Snowball down on the foyer floor. Snowball sniffed Blizzard's nose, and he licked Snowball’s face. Snowball let out a happy bark. Blizzard followed through with a happy sound of his own and then rolled over onto his back. Snowball began licking him all over his face.
“Will you look at that?” Peppermint asked. “Blizzard just made a new friend.” Peppermint was right on target. From that morning forward Snowball and Blizzard became the best of friends. As a matter of fact, Blizzard became so protective over Snowball that he didn't let a single stranger near the dog.
“How, like, totally cute.”
“Ayo, quit sayingtotallybefore I lose it—”
