AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Just one more thing. We’ve gotten a request from Highland Heights Apartments. They want to have their units ready to show Christmas Day.”
Since Stina’s independently owned company also provided custodial services for other establishments apart from Ever After Sweet Shoppe, being assigned to clean other places wasn’t that unusual.
This pronouncement, however, made time tick louder in my ears.
“Christmas Day?”
“It’s part of their promo to get people moving in right after the holidays. They’ve hired a light service and want each of their units spic and span. I told them we could accommodate their needs.”
“By working on Christmas Eve?”
That meant I’d have to start working by at least midnight for the units to be ready to show in the morning.
“You have somewhere better to be?” Stina crooked a single brow.
Stupidly, I’d been hoping for an invitation to the family’s Christmas lunch, the way Stina used to do before the whole Pris and Derek fallout.
But I hadn’t been included in any family gatherings since that happened.
It was just as well, I supposed. The other reason I hadn’t quit my job here yet was because it paid extremely well. Ineeded as much money as I could save up before leaving, and working Christmas would get me holiday pay to boot.
Even so, it still stung. If Mom was still alive, she’d never have stood for this.
At least she wasn’t around to see how low I was stooping for the extra pay.
“Are Charlotte and Pris coming too?” I asked.
“What do you think?” Stina gave a pointed smirk before stalking out.
“Sorry I asked,” I said to the empty breakroom.
Two years. I hadn’t been invited to celebrate Christmas at Dad’s house for two years. I couldn’t believe my stepsister still blamed me for her breakup with Derek. Sure, I’d dated him after he’d ended things with Pris, but that hadn’t been planned, nor had it lasted long.
From the way Pris acted about it, anyone would have thought I’d gotten between Pris and Derekwhilethey’d been dating, which wasn’t the case at all.
I attempted to brush it off. Grammy Carroll, my late mother’s mom, had caught wind of their shunning last year. She’d invited me to celebrate Christmas with her.
Hopefully, Grammy would again.
“I’d rather spend the holiday with her anyway,” I told myself as I removed my sneakers, unzipped, and stepped out of the jumpsuit.
Rather than folding it nicely as Addie would have done, I wadded it into a lump.
I had to take my frustration out on something. Might as well be something that couldn’t feel.
I wished I’d had the forethought to pack a dry pair of socks with me, but who would have known I’d spill water all over my foot? Ignoring the wetness the best that I could, I adjusted my black undershirt and retrieved the red blouse hanging in my locker.
Ordinarily, I wore pajamas beneath my jumpsuit, but I had to look half-decent if I was going to meet Samantha for that fabric.
Changing quickly into nice jeans and the button-up blouse, I slipped my arms into the sleeves of my winter coat. I dusted powder on my cheeks, whipped on some mascara and eyeliner, fluffed my hair, and grabbed my purse before popping back up to the seventh floor.
The meet-up didn’t take long. Samantha had the bag ready and waiting by her office door. I thanked her and made my way back to the elevator.
Excellent. With this donation, I wouldn’t have to beeline to the store for anything else before Christmas.
The kids in the hospital would each have a colorful new pillowcase Christmas morning.
Stitches for Sierra, my non-profit charity organization, was the one thing that brought me true joy, especially this time of year. I needed this after Stina’s stingy displeasure.
