| |
“IS IT POSSIBLE THAT you’re exaggerating a little bit?” asked Brinley Smyth-Brentwood, raising an eyebrow at her younger sister. “Is your boss really that bad?”
“He truly is,” said Charlotte.
“These things all really happened? You’re not embellishing them?”
“I’m telling you, Brinley, I’m serious!”
“Well, he sounds terrible. I’m sorry you had such a ridiculously awful day.”
They were sharing a piece of chocolate cake at the local inn’s dining room, catching up since they hadn’t had a chance to get together for over a month. A fire crackled in the Mistletoe Manor’s fireplace, and a handful of townspeople had sought refuge from the cold evening, enjoying dinner at nearby tables. It felt a million miles away from the chaotic snowboarding factory on the other end of town.
“If anything, I’m glossing over just how bad it really is there,” said Charlotte. “I mean, take this for an example.” She reached into her purse and pulled out a small brass plaque. “This came in from the UPS guy, just as I was leaving. I haven’t had time to put it up by my office door. I thought I’d bring it as proof of what my life is like now.”
“This is for your office door? That means you have your own office! See? That tells you that you’ve really made it!” Brinley took her reading glasses from her tote bag, put them on, and squinted at the plaque. “Charlotte Smyth: Spreader,” she read aloud. “What in the world is that supposed to mean?”
“My official title is Spreader of Cheer. Apparently, there wasn’t room on the plaque to fit it all in, so this is what Shane Letcher had Shelly in the purchasing department order for me.”
“Seems a little dirty. And creepy. And aggressive. Or is my mind in the gutter?”
“You think?” Charlotte tossed the plaque back into her purse. “Enough about that place. From the sound of it, my days there are numbered. If I can’t spread an appropriate amount of cheer between now and a month from now, and then knock our holiday party out of the park, I’m done.”
“As in fired?”
“As in fired,” said Charlotte.
“How can someone as hardworking and reliable as you get fired?” asked Brinley.
“Maybe Shane’s bluffing. Who knows? It’s tough to tell when he’s serious and when he’s kidding. Part of me thinks this is all some big practical joke.”
“Maybe you need to set the record straight right away. You know, show him you’re not the kind of person who’s going to take his crap. Have you tried telling him to be less of a jerk?”
Charlotte laughed. “I can’t even correct him on what day I started without him getting irritated. I highly doubt my life will improve if I tell him off. Plus, I need this job.”
“Wow,” said Brinley. She shook her head. “When O’Leery Snowboards came to Windy Pines three years ago everyone thought it was going to be so great. It’s sad to hear what it’s really like there. They have about fifty employees, right?”
“Yes,” said Charlotte, “but most of them came along from their Winter River office. I’m one of the only locals. I’m not even sure why they relocated here.”
“Probably because they were able to get such a good deal on that old paint warehouse,” said Brinley. “You probably don’t remember this because you were too little, but years ago Burt Wilkinson had a really successful business going there. He bought paint and distributed it around the country. The story is that he heard about a huge shipload of paint coming into Seattle. The buyer had changed his mind and didn’t want to receive the shipment. This was sometime in the seventies, I think. Burt drove up there, bought the shipment, and had it trucked here to his warehouse. It was lead-based paint, right around the time they were starting to ban it. He figured he could unload it all in a hurry before the ban went into effect, but it turned out to be easier said than done. He went broke. The rest is history.”
“I remember that his daughter Candi babysat me a couple times, but that’s about all I recall about the Wilkinsons,” said Charlotte.
“It was something I overheard grownups talking about,” said Brinley. “A lot of people worked there back then. They all lost their jobs, and they were furious at Burt for investing so much money in a product he couldn’t sell.”
“Poor Candi. No wonder she always looked depressed,” said Charlotte. “Well, thanks for the history lesson about my temporary place of employment.”
“This all makes me glad to be a stay-at-home mom. Despite the bad hours and having three mean little bosses trying to push me around, at least I have job security,” said Brinley.
“Ha,” laughed Charlotte. “You make a good point.”
“Seriously, what’s your plan?” asked Brinley, unable to hide her big-sisterly concern. “Your new apartment must cost a fortune. It has its own washer and dryer! And a full-sized fridge. And a community pool!”
“I know,” said Charlotte. “Why did I have to be so greedy?”
“For real, what are you going to do if you lose your job?”
“Well,” said Charlotte, “I’ll start looking for some better job soon, but in the meantime, I need to do whatever I can to keep the job I have. Which means I need to make my co-workers happy. I’d like to actually spread some Christmas cheer to them. They all look so miserable! But I’m starting to think it won’t be possible. Shane Letcher thinks I’m the dullest person he’s ever met, and that I won’t be able to understand the cool vibe that encompasses people who work at a snowboard factory. And you know, maybe he has a point. I’m not wild and crazy. For another thing, I hate snowboarding.”
“You hate all sports,” laughed Brinley. “And winter. And snow. And being cold. Remind me why they hired you?”
“To torture me,” said Charlotte.
“From what you’ve told me so far, you might be right. But I think you’re fun, even if you aren’t wild and crazy.”
“Thanks,” Charlotte said glumly.
“Mind if I have the rest?” asked Brinley, her fork poised to spear the remainder of the cake.
“It’s all yours,” said Charlotte. “That reminds me: What kind of dessert would you like me to bring to Thanksgiving?”
“Cookies might be nice. Or bars. No pies, though. Mark and Nicolette have those covered,” she said, naming their brother and his wife.
“I can manage both. Don’t be disappointed if they’re store-bought, though. It looks like I’m going to be working some really long hours coming up.”
“Any ideas about how you’re going to cheer up an entire miserable company?”
Charlotte sighed. “No ideas that my boss will probably like. I’m steering away from wholesome things like feeding the hungry and clothing the poor, because that kind of stuff seems to really set him off. I think his idea of spreading cheer has to do with bringing extreme experiences and homey fragrances to the company.”
“Install a zip line through your parking lot! One with laundry detergent scent crystals that are set free every time you use it,” said Brinley.
“That’s not a bad idea,” said Charlotte.
“I was joking.”
“I know, but it’s the exact kind of thing my boss would love.”
“Well, then, you have your first idea. As for the next one, you’re creative. I have faith in you,” said Brinley.
“Thanks,” said Charlotte. “I appreciate the vote of confidence, even if I’m not sure I believe it.”