Page 3 of Santa of the Creek
True, Barkasaurus Rex came with a reputation, but the fact I’d been matched with a small hairy hound from hell didn’t seem to faze her. Collier’s Creek residents were a strange bunch, but I loved them. I still didn’t want to date the dog. I’m an in-person dater. I like my men up close and very personal.
“When do you throw me to the wolves?” I pluck at the belt. How do people wear these things? I can barely breathe.
“Now is good,” she says brightly.
I stare at her. “Now? I don’t even get a sandwich as a bribe?”
“You get snacks at the facility. Shift your butt. Santa has a job to do.”
“You did this deliberately, didn’t you? Hey, leave my butt alone. Speaking of butts, there are holes in the suit.”
“I don’t think anyone is gonna notice, honey. They’ll be more interested in the presents.” Gloria squeezes my ass, although with this much padding I don’t really feel it. “Come on.”
“I’m coming, I’m coming,” I grumble.
“If I leave you to think about it, you might weasel out. Let’s go.”
I pick up my wallet and keys and let her herd me out of my house. “This is one afternoon,” I warn.
I don’t trust her non-committal, “Uh-huh,” at all. IknowGloria.
Collier’s Creek assisted living facility is on the edge of the town. It’s large, considering the size of the town, but folks like to retire here for some reason. I’ve been here many times. My aunt manages the place, and my boss, Randy, is one of those guys with a heart of gold who’ll do anything for anyone as long as he can plaster Randy’s Rodeo Grill and Bar over it. He holds dance afternoons here. The biggest mistake I made was telling him I can dance. Guess who hosts the afternoons?
Gloria drives. She really does expect me to run away. She’s driving her old woody wagon, and in the back is a large red sack full of gifts.
“Why are we doing this straight after Thanksgiving?” I ask.
“No idea. Maybe some of the residents don’t think they’ll make it to Christmas.”
“Gloria!” I gape at her, and she laughs.
“No seriously, I don’t know. It’s another Jake tradition like the tree lighting. But there’s a lot going on in Collier’s Creek up to Christmas, and it’s got to happen at some time.”
That makes as much sense as any explanation, I guess. We’ve had a fresh fall of snow. As I’m from Florida, I was entranced by the first fall of snow in October. Now I ignore it like everyone else. Gloria drives like a Creeker, with no respect for the road conditions. I close my eyes and pray to Santa that I’ll get there in one piece and not be taken to hospital in a Santa costume.
She screeches up to the entrance, and I swear the only reason I don’t get whiplash is because of the padding.
Gloria turns to me. “Go get ‘em, Santa.”
I stare at her in horror. “You’re not coming with me?”
I thought she was going to be here to protect me.
“Not today, hun. I’ve got the graveyard shift. The sheriff gave me a couple of hours to sort this out because Ben promised him wicked things.”
I bet he did. A thought occurs to me. “How am I getting home?”
Gloria winks at me. “A certain mayor’s brother is giving you a ride home. You can thank me later.”
I heave myself out of the car, grab the sack from the backseat, lean in, and grin at her. “If this happens, you can ask me to be Santa any time.”
She waggles her fingers at me and is gone, wheels spinning down the drive before I barely shut the door.
I sigh and pick up the sack, slinging it over my shoulder. I trudge toward the door and lean on the doorbell.
“Hello, who is it?”
Now, I know they have a camera on me, and they can see what I look like. And that right there was definitely a giggle. “It’s Santa Claus come to deliver gifts.”
