Page 50 of The Santa Rules
“Is this about the workshop? We have inventory almost sorted and we were under budget.”
She saunters into the room, holding something in her hand. “Do you know what this is?”
“Sorry, I have a lot of work to do and a short planning period, so can you just tell me so I can help with whatever it is?” I try to sound sweet, but this woman is grating on my nerves.
“Something in the paper caught my eye last weekend.” She unfolds the clipping in her hands, holding up the ad that Raven ran for me.
“You do forget that Chuck works down at the Chestnut Mountain Newspaper, and he showed me your little ad. It’s so trashy that you think selling used goods is acceptable.” She tsks me, like I’m a dog who disappointed her by peeing on her rug.
“Not everything is used, and everything we’ve received so far is in good shape. I assure you it’s not going to be a tacky garage sale with random used goods and neon stickers.” Why am I defending myself to this woman?
Amber places a hand on her hip. “I knew you’d mess this up. You ruin everything you touch, just like your marriage.”
I swallow down the anger rising in my throat and tack on a fake smile as I stand from my desk and walk over to her. “I know you aren’t coming into my classroom to tell me how to do things. You needed help with the workshop; I’m helping with it. You don’t get a say in how Hardy and I run things. And as far as my marriage goes, it takes two people to mess that up and it was long over before your husband started running his mouth. And I might have been the best he’s ever had, but his performance was honestly forgettable. So, unless you’re here for pointers about how to please him in the bedroom, I suggest you leave so I can get back to lesson planning.”
She huffs several times, looking stunned that I would speak to her like that. Honestly, I’m stunned too as I hide my shaking hands behind my back. Normally, I’d take her vitriol and let it roll off me, but she made it personal, and I couldn’t bite my tongue anymore.
“This isn’t over,” she spits.
“This isn’t over,” I mimic. “Seriously, Amber, do you hear yourself? This is for the kids. This isn’t some movie where you’re the hero trying to expose some evil plot I’m masterminding. You’re being a dick.”
Her mouth drops open, and she turns and stomps off, her heels clicking extra loud as she goes.
“Umm, what was that about?” Lucy says, popping her head into my room.
“How long were you standing there?”
“Long enough to hear you call Amber a dick.” She walks over to my desk and sits in one of the chairs.
“Are your kids at recess right now?”
“Yup, inside recess in the gym. Too cold for outdoor recess. So, I’ve got about ten minutes for you to fill me in, then I need to make copies before they come back.”
“She saw the ad Raven ran about the donations. I totally forgot Chuck works at the paper.”
Lucy winces. “Shoot, we shoulda planned that better. Is that why she’s mad?”
“Yup. Oh, and she said I’m to blame for my divorce, and that’s how she knows I’m going to mess this up too.”
She shoots up from her chair, looking toward the door. “She did not.”
I tug her back into her chair. “Don’t worry, I gave it right back to her. But that’s why we have to make this the best workshop ever.”
“Need me to rally the girls?”
“I could use your help to get everything set up once Hardy’s done building the scenery. He said he could get some of the guys at the station to help too.”
“So, hot firefighters will be there? Say less.”
“It’ll be tedious, but we need to lay all the donations out and sort them by price. There might be some painting too, I dunno. I’ll have to check to see how far Hardy gets this weekend.”
“Will they be shirtless? In their gear?” She stares off as if trying to picture Hardy’s crew half naked.
“Focus, Lucy. There’s a lot left to do.”
“So how are things going with your firefighter?”
“He’s not mine, not really.”
