“You should care more or you won’t have any staff left. Sara wasn’t happy this morning. She said there’s no leave until January.”
“November and December are our busiest times. If we’re going to make any money this year, I need all hands on deck. So tell that to Sara next time she’s huffing about wanting to see her boyfriend. She can take all the time she needs in January.” At this rate, we’ll all be free to do whatever we please in January, when the bank calls in the loan.
I need a Christmas miracle to catch up with repayments. I borrowed from the bank when my wife was alive. We had big plans for this place when she inherited it from her father. It was his father’s before that. A family business passed down through generations. When my wife died, any plans and passion we had for the shop died with her.
The last six years have gone from bad to worse and with the growing debt, I’ve had little to smile about lately. The only thing I look forward to seeing is Joy’s smiling face every morning.
3
JOY
“Steve, your costume’s arrived.” The sweet aroma of sugar fills the air. My mouth fizzes and waters just looking at the pop rocks and fizzy cola bottles.
His eyes light up. “Is it sexy?” He wipes his hands on his apron and takes the packet from me.
I pull my eyebrows together. “Can an elf be sexy?” I shake the visions of Steve and Archie from my head.
He shimmies to the music in the background, playing Christmas classics. “Sure it can.”
I reach over the counter and pick out a gummy. “Whatever floats your rubber dinghy.” I grab another sweet.
Steve slaps my hand away. “Hands off. Have you never seenLord of the Rings?”
“Isn’t that before your time? I always pinned you as more of an Avatar fan.” I steal a lollipop when he isn’t looking.
“I like them all.” He guides me away from the counter. “Stop eating the goods. You’ll get me sacked.”
“Oh, chill. Nick isn’t going to count the sweets in a stock check.”
Steve raises an eyebrow. “Want to bet?”
I suck on the blue lolly, thinking he has a point.
“I reckon he comes down in the evening and weighs everything out. You know, he fired the last girl who worked here for stealing sweets.”
“Come on. I’ve had one lolly. She was eating us all out of a job. That’s why he got the CCTV installed.” I turn around, remembering I’m on camera.
“I reckon he goes home every night and watches the tapes to keep tabs on us.” Steve chuckles.
I stick my blue tongue out at the lens in the corner of the room. If Nick is watching, I’ll soon know about it.
“You’re a brave girl,” Steve says with another laugh.
“I’m putting you down for extra shifts until Christmas to cover the grotto. Is that okay?”
“Just make sure I’m on the same shifts as Archie.”
“I’ll try my best.” I sing along toJingle Bellsas I make my way to the wooden toy section—a small nook at the back of the store that we’ve turned into the Christmas grotto.
Archie and Harry have already moved the fireplace and set up another tree that Nick had in his loft. Molly hangs the ornaments on the branches, dressed in full elf costume. Her hat jingles as she nods her head to the Christmas music in the background. Everyone’s pulled together to make this work.
Only ten of us work here, including Nick. But everyone comes together like a little family when needed. Plus, I’ve told the staff that if this goes well, there might be a little bonus for everyone this year. Fingers crossed. It certainly made Sara stop moaning about her cancelled plans. And she seems happy to actually do some work today.
Mr Price, our caretaker, gets himself comfy in the big green Shackleton chair I found at a local charity shop yesterday. “Oh, this is comfortable, lass,” our Father Christmas says as he sinks into the plush vintage cushions. A jolly man with kind eyes and glasses. I couldn’t have found a better Santa if I’d put an ad in the shop window.
“Not bad for a tenner, right?” My smile widens when our first family approaches, asking Jules where they buy a ticket to visit Santa. This is definitely going to help make us some extra revenue this year.
I suck on my lollipop as I do my rounds. The early learners section is always a hive of activity. The noise from the toddlers drowns out the music as I approach.
