Page 103 of The Hockey Grump Saves Christmas

“Yes,” Victor says. “Since you’re leaving in the new year anyway, Divina is ready to dive right in.” He takes a step toward me and lowers his voice. “She has another opportunity to take if she can’t get going here right away.”

Fuck me. She’s blackmailed him into laying me off so she can get her satin-gloved hands all over everything. And he’s said yes. Said yes to a complete stranger over his loyalty to me, who’s worked hard and loved these kids for six goddamn years.

What kind of heartless bullshittery is this?

Or is it my fault? Have I not done enough? Not worked hard enough? Not made everyone happy enough for them to allow me to see out my final Christmas play?

And why hasn’t Gabe shown up? And why is that bothering me so fucking much?

I so badly wish he was here to witness this injustice, to see how ridiculous it is, so we can talkabout it later.

“Yes,” she says, “Nothing like jumping straight into a production to get you into the swing of things.”

“And you’ll still be paid, of course.” Victor places a patronizing hand on my arm. “Just think of it as extra vacation. Wallow in the holidays. Get some extra quality time with your aunt before you move off to your exciting new adventure.”

“New Orleans, I hear,” Divina says. “I was in a production set there once. The sets were so atmospheric. I played a fortune teller.” She leans forward as if what she’s about to tell me is top secret. “My predictions were crucial to the main character’s development.”

An image of her in a silk headscarf and caftan, long-nailed hands circling around a crystal ball, flashes across my mind. How fitting since I did not see this coming at all.

“Bye, Miss Natalie.” Three of the kids smile and wave as they head toward where all the parents are parked by the sidewalk.

Divina is going to ruin it for them.

I might feel sick to my stomach, but a hardness grows in my chest.

No, no. I can’t let this happen. They can’t snatch this away from me at the last minute.

“Surely I can at least see the play through?” The tremor in my chest is obvious in my voice. “It’s only five more days to Christmas Eve.”

“It’s a vital part of my craft that I?—”

“We think it’s best.” Victor cuts off Divina and wins himself a withering look. “Divinabelieves it’s best for her creative juices that she jumps right in now.”

“See you tomorrow,” Grayson says. He and Kristopher pass by, slinging their skates over their shoulders.

“See you…” my words tail off and my heart breaks as I realize I can’t say “tomorrow.”

Has this morning really been the last time I’ll work with them?

Divina looks sideways at Victor. “As I was saying.” She turns to me. “I need to get under the skin of the theater company. And that’s so much more effective when you dive into the middle of a production.”

“Well, it’s not so much the middle, more right at the end.” My blood is pumping now, knees trembling, part in shock, part in fury, part in wanting to run off and tell Gabe all about diabolical Divina and her terrible plans.

“Byeee,” the gang of five girls who always hang out together call out in their sing-song voices as they pick their way down the icy steps from the bandstand and head toward Main Street. I wave, knowing for certain they’ll be going straight to the Bearded Bean for hot cocoa topped with a mound of whipped cream and the sprinkles of the day.

“So.” Divina holds her hands in a prayer position under her chin. “All I need?—”

“Did a bird have to die for that?” And there’s Abigail by my side pointing at the feather in Divina’s hat.

I cover my surprised giggle with a cough. I love this kid so fucking much my rattled heart might explode right this second.

“I’m not sure that’s the best of manners, young lady,” Victor says, like he’s never spoken to anyone under the age of fifty-seven before.

“Oh, it’s totally fine.” Divina’s smile is sickly sweet. “Young inquiring minds are what I’m here for.”

She bends her knees and leans forward,thrusting her hat so close to Abigail’s face that the little girl is forced to step back.

“Touch it if you like,” Divina says, shaking her head so the feather jiggles.

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