Christmas Eve Day
I tapped my fingernails nervously on the wall behind me, jostling the cascades of garland hanging from the ceiling. Burl Ives’ “Holly Jolly Christmas” piped in through the hall’s speakers as workers from the different offices mingled and pretended to like each other. The clock above rolled over to two o’clock… only two more hours before I could leave this stupid party and actually enjoy Christmas Eve.
The girls’ club clustered across the room in their tight little black dresses. Monica fingered the gold chain hanging into her plunging neckline. Her long, bare legs slid into black, sparkling stilettos. One leg remained bent, even as she shifted her weight. The thin fabric of her dress clung to her hips, leaving little to the imagination. What did I do to land in the lower end of the gene pool?
Cole, last year’s conquest, whispered in her ear, but her attention kept drifting to the door. She’s waiting for Jack.
Giles slipped across the room in his thrift store suit and saved Monica by presenting Cole with his Secret Santa gift.
Monica slithered away, and the girls’ club instantly swarmed around her. She leaned forward and pushed Amanda to the side. A wry smile crossed her lips as heavily painted eyes fixed on the entrance.
Jack strode through the door strutting like he couldn’t lose. His crisp white shirt cuffs peeked out beneath a jacket tailored to accentuate his broad shoulders. He adjusted a gold-wrapped box tucked beneath his arm — Shoot… it got here on time — and rested his eyes on Monica. He took three steps toward her, before catching my gaze.
My heart leapt into my chest as he headed in my direction. A warm smile crossed his lips. Was he my Secret Santa all along? Was he just trying to drive me crazy thinking it was Monica?Tickles of excitement fluttered through me as he kissed me on the cheek.
“Hey, Slugger. You look amazing. New dress?”
I swished my hips, letting the deep emerald fabric glide across my legs.
“Yeah, it’s new. Do you like it?”
His amazing smile warmed to the sweetest of grins. “You always look great, Jilly-Jill.”
He leaned toward my ear. His fingertips lightly caressed my bare shoulder as his chin jostled my earring. I gasped, startled as my body quaked at his touch.
“So,” he whispered. My heart skipped a beat. “Where’s Steve?”
I pulled away. A frigid chill slapped me back to reality. “Steve?”
“Yeah, isn’t he here yet?” His gaze slipped back to Monica.
How could I have been so stupid? “No, I haven’t seen him. Why?”
Jack glanced over my shoulder. He leaned down, placing another light kiss on my cheek. The presence of his warmth so close lingered, even as he leaned away. “Have a great night, Slugger. Merry Christmas.”
He released my chin and swaggered across the marble floor toward Monica. The girls’ club parted, giving their trampy leader room to work.
Monica placed her hand on Jack’s arm and acted surprised as he handed her the golden box. My fists tensed, ready to pummel the harlot to the floor. A sob built up in my throat. Oh, Jack…
“Jill?”
I gasped, pulling away from a touch on my shoulder.
Steve drew back his hand, his eyes wide. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“No, you didn’t scare me.” I dabbed away a tear, hoping my cheeks weren’t as red as they felt.
“Are you okay?”
No use trying to deny it. “I just thought of something sad. It’s stupid. I’m fine.”
Steve smiled. Dazzling, perfect teeth complemented stunning blue eyes.
“Well, I hope this cheers you up.” He handed me a professionally wrapped box, gleaming with sparkles and ribbons.
“You got me for Secret Santa?”
His eyebrows rose. “To be honest, Jack got you. He owed me a favor, so I asked him if he’d trade.”
I glanced across the room. Monica threw back her golden mane and laughed. The ache in my stomach sank deeper. “Jack traded me for Monica?”
“Yeah, Jack is really biting the bullet for me. I definitely got the better end of this deal.”
“So, you wanted to get rid of Monica that bad, huh?”
His eyes narrowed. “Huh? No! Well, yes, but what I really wanted was you.”
A tremor ran through me, a rush of adrenaline shaking me to the core. “Me?”
He shifted his shoulders. “Well, yeah. Come on, Jill, I’ve been trying to get your attention for months.”
“You have?”
Steve laughed. “Jack said you’d say that.”
I glanced across the room. Jack winked at me. “He knew you and I would be together tonight.”
“Yeah. Why?”
My eyes narrowed. He set me up. “Nothing. I’m sorry.”
Steve pointed at the box. “So, are you going to open that, or are you going to keep me in suspense?”
“Oh…” I took a deep breath and pulled at the long curly ribbons. Steve took the paper from my hand as my fingers ran over a long jewelry box. I glanced up at him, an unspoken question on my lips.
“Open it,” he said.
My fingers trembled. The lid slid off, and the shine of polished silver sparkled in the low lighting. My heart grew little fingers and started walking its way into my throat. Small ringlets of silver wound about a single gold rope, ending in an ornate braided knot.
“My mother’s necklace. How…”
He took the chain from the box and placed it around my neck. “Jack told me how you threw this out after Peters told you it couldn’t be fixed. Apparently Jack scooped it out of the trash and brought it in for a second opinion.”
I ran my fingers over the cold silver, the light metal replacing part of me I’d thought long lost. “Jack got it fixed?”
“Yeah. I asked him what to get you for Christmas. He said this would make your night.”
I gulped back tears as my eyes drew back to Jack. Monica leaned in to his shoulder, hands wrapped around his arm. His gaze left her, and our eyes met. My cheeks flushed as I touched the chain at my neck.
Jack nodded, and his mouth formed the words Merry Christmas, Slugger.
His smile reached into my soul, warming me — until Monica grabbed his chin and forced his concentration back on her. Her cackle riddled the room.
“You do like it, don’t you?” Steve asked.
I forced my attention back to my Secret Santa. “Yes. It’s great.” I glanced back to Jack. He was going to give it back to me. Why did he change his mind?
My thoughts raced back to the day before. Jack’s words seared through me: I wish you would consider that maybe she wasn’t my first choice.
My heart twisted, my hands trembled, shaking the jewelry box. It was me. I was his first choice.
“You’re not mad because Jack gave me the necklace, right? He told me to take credit, but I don’t want to start our relationship with a lie.” Steve’s smile dazzled more than any piece of jewelry.
“Our relationship?”
“Yeah.” He slid his fingers into my hand. “I like you, Jill. I always have.”
Monica slipped her purse over her shoulder and eased Jack toward the exit.
No!
She nuzzled Jack’s neck as they walked.
“Jill?”
“Steve, I’m sorry.” I dropped the white jewelry box to the floor as I darted toward the door.
“But…”
Steve’s sentence trailed off as the tapping of my heels on the marble floor echoed above the music. I slowed, placing myself between the exit and the happy couple.
Jack’s brow inched up.
A deep breath filled my lungs. “I need to talk to you.”
“Not a good time, Slugger. Call me tomorrow.”
“Jack, I need to talk to you now.”
Monica’s nose flared. I folded my arms in defiance of her self-righteous claim on my best friend.
“Tell you what,” she said. “I’ll run to the restroom while you boys chat.” I pretended not to notice the intentional slip while she nibbled Jack’s ear. “I’ll meet you in the lobby in five.”
Jack’s cheeks reddened. “Yeah, okay.”
His neck tensed as Monica slithered out the door, her body barely concealed in her sally-spray-on dress. A smiled touched the edge of Jack's lip, and I gritted my teeth. There was no way I was letting this happen. I grabbed his arm and shoved him into the coatroom.
Jack pushed my hand away. “For Pete’s sake, what is wrong with you? What are you doing? I handed you Steve on a silver platter!”
“Jack, you can’t go with Monica.”
“What are you, crazy? Of course I’m going with Monica!”
“She wants to have sex with you.”
A smile broke over his lips. “Yeah, I know. We’ve already taken a condom inventory. Safe sex covered, Mom. So — can I go now?”
“No! Jack, she doesn’t even care about you.”
He took my shoulders into his gentle, loving hands. “But she does. You won’t believe it, but she’s been thinking about me for years too.”
I grabbed the hair at my temples. “No she hasn’t! It’s a line! She rehearsed it in the bathroom. They flipped a quarter between you and Steve, and it landed on you. You’re just the guy on the wrong side of the coin.”
“Now you’re going too far.” His lower lip trembled. A sadness pleaded from his eyes, contradicting his words.
“Jack, please listen. I know about the necklace.”
His gaze darted down to my chain. “Yeah. So?”
“Why did you keep it? Why did you get it fixed for me?”
He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It does, Jack.”
He hesitated. Confusion clouded his eyes. “I have to go. Monica’s waiting.” He pushed past me.
“Jack, I…”
He turned. My voice caught in my throat.
“You what, Jill?”
My mind whirled. The first day I met Bill. The day he proposed on the beach. Nicole being born. The pain of Bill packing his bags. Nicole crying as he drove away. Years of happiness and misery channeled through me, leaving me limp and unresponsive.
“That’s what I thought. Merry Christmas, Jill.”
The sound of the door closing echoed through my skull, pounding and drilling before leaving me alone with only the voice of Bing Crosby singing “White Christmas” to keep me company. I threw my back against the wall and slipped to the floor, sobbing.