Page 2 of Daycare Santa

With one hand, Nichelle rubbed her temple. “Gina, I’m sorry.”

“If you knew you were going to be sorry, you shouldn’t have done it.” She fell into the chair behind her desk. “How long have the two of you been carrying on behind my back?”

“A few months.”

“Don’t play with me, Nichelle. What length of time are we talking about?”

“Three months.”

“So, you’ve been with Boyd half the time he and I were together? How classy.”

Nichelle opened her mouth to protest, but Gina’s glare stopped her. She drew an unsteady breath and snapped. “How do you betray someone you’ve known this long? I just don’t get it.”

“We didn’t—”

Holding up one hand, Gina said, “I don’t want to know. Please sit.”

When she did, Gina continued, “Since we only have two years together in business, I suggest we splitAll Things Tastyaccording to customers. You get the ones you came with and I keep mine.”

Nichelle shifted on the edge of the visitor’s chair. “What about the ones who’ve come on board since then?”

The ball of resentment returned to clog Gina’s throat the instant her gaze fell on the miniature Santa at the edge of her desk. At the touch of a button, the figurine danced to a lively canned version ofWhite Christmas. Gina wanted to sweep it onto the floor, but taking out her anger that way would solve nothing. The fact remained that Boyd and Nichelle had ruined a perfectly good thing for reasons unknown.

She dragged her mind back to business. “We can email to advise them we will no longer be working together. They can choose which of us they want to patronize in the future.”

“About the business name—”

“What about it?” Gina clenched her jaw. “I came up with it before we got together, so you have no right to it.”

“I worked just as hard to buildAll Things Tasty.”

“Let’s get one thing straight.” Gina used one finger to tap the desk in time with her words. “My business was a success before you joined me. You’ve played your part and we’ve grown, but I’m not giving you my business name. I came up with it, so it belongs to me.”

Nichelle raised both hands. “I hear you. What about the equipment?”

“We treat them the same. We’ll sell our assets in common and share the proceeds.”

“So, this is it?” Nichelle shook her head but held Gina’s gaze. “You’re a cool customer. How can you decide these things right now, as ifnoneof what happened matters?”

“I’m dealing with this now becauseallof it counts. Why would I want you and Boyd around? I can forgive him because I’ve known him for less than a year, but you should have known better. You’re like family.”

Nichelle scanned the room with its paintings of Montego Bay seascapes and the small, evergreen pine Gina had decorated for the holidays. She’d enjoyed the sweet scent, but it may as well have carried the stink of stale cigarettes since they’d tainted it with their tasteless carrying on.

“So, this is really it?” Nichelle asked.

Gina propped both elbows on the chair arms and averted her gaze from her friend. “You made your bed, so you get to lie in it.”

Silence blanketed the room until piped Christmas music filled the air.

Gina hadn’t noticed it was missing. One of their staff members must have turned the system back on. How ironic that they selectedAll I Want for Christmas is You.

Nichelle’s lips twisted in a tiny smirk as she rose from the seat. “I guess you’ll be hearing from my lawyer.”

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