Page 11 of Naughtying Up St. Nick

“It amazes me that you went to college in a huge city and still think the world revolves around you.”

“You’re doing this on purpose.”

“You’re the one who barged into this place like you owned it. I’ve been here four years.”

“So what? You’re punishing me for getting involved in something that’s supposed to be just yours?”

I clench my jaw so I don’t respond. This is how she always gets. Turning something around as if I’m the one who did something wrong, and I yield to her every time. At first it was because I loved her, but over the years, it started to be easier to just give her whatever she wanted so she wouldn’t make me miserable. I even stepped out of the way when she came to head the village this year because I’d rather be here for the kids.

But I’m drawing the line at her dictating who I can and can’t be with.

“We both know I’m more competent in this job than you could ever be,” she says, her voice low. “And I don’t want you to fuck this up.”

“I’m not going to.” It comes out through gritted teeth. I hate myself for not standing up to her more. For not telling her to go fuck herself. For letting her use me for so long.

But just like all the other times we’ve fought, I swallow back all the words I want to say. She’s not going to care, and I don’t want to waste my breath.

***

I’m so irritated with Jackie that I want to leave as soon as our argument is over. But I made a promise to be here, and I’m not going to break that. And I feel like I can’t leave after seeing the way Jackie treated Zeke—the toddler who got scared at the top of the slide the other day.

I should’ve fought to be the one in charge. The older couple who used to run it asked me about it, but that was after Jackie had come back to town. After I learned that she was gunning for the position. So I just told them I wasn’t interested. I didn’t want to spend my holiday fighting with Jackie because I took something she wanted. I hate that she chose this year to reappear, the same year Cal did. I don’t want her anywhere near him. She has a habit of finding what I want the most and taking it. Maybe I should look at it in a more mature way, but the truth is, she’s the same now as she was in high school.

I think a small part of me was hoping she would grow up while she was gone, and I hate that I’m disappointed. I hate that I’m still waiting for her to start being my sister again.

“Harlow?” A timid voice jerks me back to the present, and I turn to find George at my side, staring up at me with wide blue eyes. My stomach sinks when I realize that one of those eyes is bruised purple and green.

“Hey.” I give him a smile. “I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you too.” George takes a step forward and wraps his arms around me hesitantly, like he’s afraid I’m going to shove him away.

I meet the eyes of his social worker, Lily, and she gives me a sad smile. The most recent foster home must not have worked out.

“Who gave you the bruise?” I ask, the anger churning in my gut.

George steps back and opens his mouth to respond, but Lily interrupts him with a hand on his shoulder.

“You don’t need a name,” she says firmly, as if she’s reading my mind. “There’s nothing you can do about it. It’s been handled.”

I bet I have a better way of handling it.

She turns to smile down at George. “You should go get in line to see Santa.”

He wants to argue with her; I can see it in the set of his shoulders. But he doesn’t. He simply turns and heads for the line of kids slowly moving toward the red chair at the front.

“Where’s he going to be for the holiday?” I ask.

Lily sighs. “I’m not sure yet. We thought we had another place lined up and then found out the guy ran an illegal dog-fighting ring.”

“And there’s still nothing I can do?”

“No.” Her lips press into a thin line. “We’re thinking of sending him to Boise. Maybe he’ll have a better chance in a bigger city.”

“Have you talked to him about that?”

She shakes her head. “The truth is…he might not have much of a choice. We’ve exhausted the foster homes in the surrounding area, and we have no new ones coming in any time soon.”

My chest aches at the thought of George getting sent away. It’s bad enough that they can’t find a foster home to take him in but to be moved from a whole town?

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