Page 21 of My Secret Snowflake
Jazmine claps her hands. “Hi, I’m Jazmine. I came by to see if any of you want to sign up for ice skating with the little siblings next week. It’s open to all company employees, even those who aren’t currently volunteering with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.”
“Is that still on?” asks one guy from a corner—the opposite side from Aaron.
“Yes.” Jazmine walks towards Aaron, straight down the middle aisle between the desks.
“But how can they afford that? We’re looking for cuts everywhere.”
Kevin isn’t exaggerating. My stomach dips. Hurray for today’s emotional rollercoaster.
“Xavier says that L’Etoile is just testing us and we won’t have to make the cuts,” Jazmine says.
“They booked it a while ago,” Aaron says. “Xavier is paying for it out of his pocket. He said he’s not going to disappoint those kids.”
“Does that mean Xavier will be there?” Ernest asks.
“I would think so,” Aaron says. “I’m already signed up because I just joined the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.”
Jazmine grins at him. “Excellent. I’ll see you there.”
“Are you both going?” Ernest asks.
“Yes,” Jazmine says.
Reggie arrives with a stepladder and a box of snowflakes. “Is it okay if I hang up the snowflakes now, or do you want me to wait?”
“We can help,” Jazmine says quickly. “We should start back here. By Aaron.”
“I’ll help too,” Aaron says. He comes over to grab the stepladder as Jazmine picks up a box of decorations. They begin working together and chatting. I feel so proud.
Ernest comes over. “I’m Ernest. Can I assist you affixing those snowflake decals to the windows?”
I nod and glance at him out of the corner of my eye. Ernest is definitely attractive in his own, understated way. And the fact that there’s no immediate spark, like I feel with… Nope, not going there. I’m looking for hidden fires that smolder and burn for a long time, not instant sparks that blaze out quickly.
“I can’t believe the company is spending money on this when we’re not even sure if we’re getting our Christmas bonuses,” one employee grumbles.
Accounting definitely thinks Dream Company is doing poorly.I should cancel my appointment tomorrow to look at rental apartments.
But I really want to move into my own place by the new year.
“This isn’t an additional expenditure,” Ernest says. “We have these in stock from last year. And it’s better to keep spirits up than just give up.”
Go Ernest.
Ernest smiles at me, and we take the decals over to the window. I liked these snowflakes so much last year that I bought some for our bar.
“Do you have any special plans for the holidays?” he asks as we plaster decals to the windows. His breath smells of coffee.
“Just hanging out with family,” I say.
“That’s what the holidays are all about,” Ernest says.
“Do you have plans?”
“Mother lives with me, but we’re going to Florida for a week between Christmas and New Year’s.”
Mother?“Together?”
“Of course. I can’t leave her behind.”
