It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Chick Lit

by S. E. Babin

  Our Christmas Eve was slow to start. I would have stayed in bed longer, but there was a turkey to collect and it was hot as hades. Too hot to sleep, even if I was a little hungover.

  Elspeth met me in the kitchen and made us each a bloody Mary while I made us smashed avocado on toast.

  “Hair of the dog.” She raised her glass in my direction. “You and Connor looked good together.”

  I arched a brow at her and slid her toast across the table. “Seriously? It’s way too early for this conversation.”

  “Nonsense. You need to move fast or it might be too late. He’s the biggest catch in town.”

  “A town I don’t live in, remember?

  “Details.”

  “It’s a big detail Elspeth.”

  “Poppy-cock. A little birdy told me there was a job open in town that’s perfect for you.”

  Damn that little bird. “Not exactly perfect, Elspeth.”

  She put her glass on the table and leaned forward bracing herself with two hands. I knew that look. I was about to get a lecture. I took a big sip of my drink. I doubted it would help, but it was all I had.

  “Now you listen to me Miranda. In the last few days, you’ve been happier than I’ve seen you in years. I know you don’t want to admit it because you’re not one to admit defeat or heck, even that you’re human half the time, but you’re happy here and you’re not happy in the city, are you?”

  I didn’t answer for a beat. “I’m not unhappy.”

  “Not the same thing honey. Not even close.” She gave the table a slam for affect. Once an actress always an actress. “I don’t know if it’s the sea-air, having family near or just being out of that terrible hospital full of tragedy or even if it’s Connor, but somehow the combination of all those things makes you happy. It’s not a crime to change your mind.”

  I lowered my eyes to the breakfast I’d only half eaten. She was right. I did feel lighter here, more free, more like the me I used to be. But I was on vacation. Would I feel this way if I worked at the local hospital full-time? I asked Elspeth because I had no clue.

  “Maybe you just need to try it and see.”

  “But what would that even look like?”

  “It would look like you smiling back at yourself in the mirror each day.”

  Well, when she put it like that …

  Eight hours later, as I sweltered in her un-air-conditioned home beside a stove that was roasting a turkey, I was not smiling. I was an over-heated mess. Hot and sweaty and not very attractive in my tank top and short shorts, with my hair piled on my head. A river of sweat ran between my breasts and headed south. I was the least attractive I’d ever been, so naturally Connor, mister tall, dark and perfect, appeared at the door.

  “Merry Christmas.” He looked like a cool drink of water, in a crisp white linen shirt and a pair of red and white checked shorts. He was holding a bottle of wine and a bag of gifts. I was barely holding it together.

  “Hi.” I wiped a trickle of sweat from my brow. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

  “Elspeth didn’t tell you my mother and I were coming to dinner?”

  “Elspeth keeps me on a need to know basis, it seems.” I shook my head. The woman herself came up the path to the back door pushing an elegant woman in a wheelchair. Connor’s mother no doubt. She had his smile and she was laughing at something Elspeth said.

  Ten minutes later, the introductions were made and the champagne was popped.

  “Aren’t you planning on changing darling?” Elspeth asked.

  “Of course.” I gave her a thin smile. What I had been planning was a quick swim, but that was no longer an option. “I’ll be right back.”

  I took my champagne and headed down the hall to my room.

  I shut the door and turned towards the cupboard when I heard a sound, a small sound, and discovered Connor standing behind me.

  “Let me help you.”

  “I’m hot and sweaty…”

  “I can work with that.” He kissed the back of my neck and unzipped my dress.

  “Connor there are people here … we can’t.”

  He kissed his way down my spine following the path of the zipper. “We probably shouldn’t, but we definitely can.”

  The dress pooled at my ankles and I was in nothing but my bra and knickers.

  “We definitely shouldn’t.” My voice was not exactly convincing.

  “I heard a rumour you were staying.” He kissed his way back up.

  “It’s just a rumour,” I replied on a sigh. “I can’t …”

  “Again, you can…”

  I turned to face him. “Let’s just have a nice Christmas, Connor.”

  His faced searched mine. It was clear he had more he wanted to say. He looked over my shoulder at the two dresses I had laid out on the bed. “Go with the red. It reminds me of you in that bikini.”

  And then he was gone and I was alone in my knickers, hot, bothered and really longing for more.

  I sat down on the side of my bed and let out a sigh. Was it ridiculous to even contemplate upending my life? On the one hand it seemed like people wanted me here, and I was welcome, which was a stark contrast to my city. On the other …

  I picked up the phone and called Cassie.

  “Merry Christmas, Miranda.” She almost sang to me down the phone.

  “Merry Christmas, Cass. Having fun?” ‘”Yeah honestly so far this is my best Christmas ever since my folks died.”

  “That’s so great.” I was really happy for her. If anyone deserved a Merry Christmas it was Cass.

  “Yeah, what about you? The wedding pictures you texted me were gorgeous. And your date was smoking hot.”

  “Yep, he’s hot, the weather’s hot and I’m a hot, confused mess. “

  “Spill.”

  I sat down on the bed in my underwear and did just that, sipping my champagne as if we were side by side having a chat.

  I told her about my grandmother and the job and Connor. But I also told her that maybe my job in the city hadn’t been going so well lately, a fact I hadn’t shared with anyone else.

  “Oh honey, why didn’t you tell me? Have I had my head up my butt since I fell for Matt?”

  “Little bit," I laughed. “Mainly I was embarrassed. I mean my job is my whole life so if I suck at that …”

  “You don’t suck.” Her voice was soothing. “You’re burnt out. You work too hard and you need more in your life than work. Everyone does.”

  “So what should I do?”

  “What does your gut tell you?”

  “My gut says maybe I’ve been chasing the wrong dream, running from the wrong things.”

  “Maybe you just have a different dream now. Maybe you’ve ticked big city ER doctor off the list already and it’s time for something new.”

  “It seems crazy.”

  “Maybe, like you, it’s crazy smart.”

  My stomach was churning at the thought of re-routing my life. “What if it’s a mistake?”

  “What if it’s not?”

  “So you're saying put on the red dress, kiss the guy and take a leap of faith?”

  “Yep, that’s exactly what I’m saying, but you can do those things one at a time you know.”

  Okay first step, first.

  * * *

  By the time I emerged, my aunt and uncle had arrived as well, so we were an intimate group of six.

  Elspeth had a Christmas tradition where we all had to take a turn saying what we’re most happy about or proud of since last Christmas. Since we don’t have Thanksgiving in Australia, it was her own borrowed tradition.

  As usual she went first. She was most happy that Anne and Dave had tied the knot and that I was home for Christmas.

  “And I’m most proud that I’m still kicking. That’s no mean feat at my age.”

  “I’m not exactly kicking much these days,” Connor’s mother quipped. “But I am still here with a smile on my face and I’m proud of that.”

  Connor went next.
“I’m proud I had the courage to know that it was time to make some changes and up-end my whole life.” He turned then and gave me a pointed look. “It was a risk, but it was one worth taking.”

  I gave him a hard stare and he gave me a wink in reply. He was sitting directly opposite me, playing footsies with me under the table.

  My turn. I looked at the smiling, supportive faces at the table. I looked at the angel on the tree and the twinkling lights and I felt something I hadn’t felt for a long time. I felt at home. And I felt the beginnings of tears pooling in my eyes. In that moment I made a decision to stay.

  “I don’t know what I’m most proud of this year … I have a feeling it hasn’t happened yet, but it’s about to.” And then I gave Connor a wink of my own. I didn’t know if I was making the right decision, but I did know that I was back in Chameleon Bay and ready to take the leap.

  * * *

  All I Want For Christmas Is…? Is a short story that spins off from my novel Hearts Afire where we first meet Miranda and her friend Cassie.

  About the Author

  I am an Australian author who writes contemporary women's fiction, including chick lit and romance. When I began to write again, I noticed a trend - writing dark unhappy stories made me unhappy. So I made a decision to write a novel with a happy ending and I have been writing happy stories ever since.

  I am the author of five standalone novels, including Mr. Right and Other Mongrels and Hearts Afire and the Upper Crust Series. Many of my novels focus on Australian characters meeting and visiting US characters.

  I have been a member of the writing group The Writer’s Dozen for ten years. Our anthology Better Than Chocolate raised over $10,000 for the charity Room to Read and helped build a library in South East Asia. I am also a member of the Romance Writers of Australia. In 2015, I had a piece on writing chick lit featured in the successful Australian non-fiction book Copyfight.

  @MoniqueMcDonell

  MoniqueMcDonellAuthor

  www.moniquemcdonellauthor.com/index.html

  Christmas Cookies

  Vivian Brooks

  “Her boob popped out.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “It popped out! From her jumper! The one she wore the other day with all those prints of Christmas trees? It happened when she was in the elevator, with Perry!”

  I pretend not to feel my heart jitter at the thought of Perry in the elevator with her and instead focus on Jocelyn as she motions with her hands at her chest, complete with cupping and squeezing. I have to let out a roar of laughter. “No way!”

  “Yes way!”

  I shake my head, my arms coming over my sweater vest as we ride the elevator to the sixth floor together. Next to me Jocelyn finishes smirking and lets out a breath, “So how’s it going with the evil twins anyway?”

  “They’re horrible. Even though they’re clear across the floor, I can hear them every single second. Gossiping and laughing, and eating really loudly.”

  “I don’t even know why they were hired,” Jocelyn grumbles, running a hand through her long black hair. Her thick framed glasses slide down her nose a bit and she pushes them back up.

  “They were hired because her Instagram account has over a million followers,” I remind my friend. “And he was the one who got her the million followers by plugging her on his YouTube channel.”

  Jocelyn just shrugs. “So what? That doesn’t give them any experience in writing.”

  The elevator pings and we both give the doors our attention as they open for us.

  “Do you want to get drinks after work?” Jocelyn asks as I walk off the elevator.

  “No, I can’t. I have to go see my grandma.”

  “Tell her I say hi,” Jocelyn reaches over and pushes the close button inside the elevator and I give her a nod as the doors shut between us.

  Jocelyn is the only person at Fantasy Horizon that I get along with, other than Perry. She works a floor above me in Customer Relations and manages the entire floor. Though the job is tedious, it pays well and it’s why she never has the desire to leave it. I, on the other hand, work on the fourth floor in the e-commerce department. Half the time I’m not even sure what my job is. I usually work on our websites sale section with Design Promotions, but lately I have been working with Perry in Digital Marketing.

  E-commerce takes up the entire floor, and a few months ago our CEO, Sam Kepler, had the entire floor redesigned. He took away our cubicles and left us with metal desks, long enough to house at least two or three computers upon them. Now plastic walls divide us from each other, and are clear enough to see right through. Round green neon lights hang from the ceiling throughout the room, and the dark walls had been painted stark white.

  This month, there are glittery snowflakes hanging from the ceiling and people have decorated their plastic walls with Christmas decals.

  I make my way towards my desk on the left side of the room, passing the desks of Digital Marketing and noticing that Perry’s desk is cluttered with several delivered parcels of various sizes.

  My desk is against the far wall, and I snagged that desk on purpose. When I sit in my chair I can see everyone before me, and there is nobody behind me but the wall. I have one of the plastic walls against the backside of my desk, and I like it. I’m able to spy on everyone without having to peer over it like my old cubicle.

  There is nothing special about my work area, I have a white work laptop and file folders neatly piled on the desk. I have a small potted plant on the corner, and my Christmas décor consists of a small plastic Christmas tree I picked up from a store in the mall last week.

  I notice a small package on my desk, brought in from the carrier with a label that says Overnight Delivery on the side.

  I sit down in my wheely chair and pull the package towards me. There is no return address and as I begin to tear the corners of it open, a sweet aroma invades my work station. I can definitely smell chocolate, and the richness of cinnamon. Even though I just had lunch with Jocelyn, my mouth begins to water.

  Once I have the package open, I find myself looking at a very familiar round tin that is green and has imprints of reindeer upon it. I smile, opening the tin and am greeted with dozens of Christmas cookies, nestled upon wax paper.

  There are chocolate ones shaped like Christmas trees with green and white frosting, and star shaped ones with yellow frosting and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

  “How come your cubicle smells so good, Kinsley?”

  I look up from my gift to find Perry standing over my desk. He’s in a blue sweater; it’s pressed against the plastic wall as he leans into it, and a pair of faded jeans. His thick brown hair falls over his forehead. His dark brown eyes look to the tin, then back to my face, and he smiles. It’s a half smile, kind of crooked but always warm. Over the last few months, the more and more I see it, the more I feel my insides quiver timidly.

  “Christmas cookies, from my grandma,” I lift the tin to offer him one and he reaches over the plastic wall to take one. “She sends them to me every year, even though we live ten minutes from each other now. She says her cookies bring people into the Christmas spirit.”

  Perry bites into the star cookie he chose and nods. “This may be the best cookie I have ever tasted.”

  “I know, right?” I set the tin back down and push it away from me. If I don’t, I’ll be tempted to eat the whole tin within fifteen minutes.

  “Oh,” Perry points down at me as he finishes chewing. “Got my grandpa into the nursing home.”

  “Really?” I smile back at him, “I thought there was a wait list?”

  “Your grandma gave us a good reference, Mom was over the moon,” Perry tells me. “It’s a really nice place. Thanks for getting us the interview and stuff.”

  “No problem,” I shrug, “I figured anything was better than him staying longer at your Mom’s.”

  A few months ago Perry told me his grandfather moved in with his mother, after being kicked out of his retirement home. Within
a few weeks he was driving Perry’s mother up the wall and Perry had stepped in to take him off her hands every few days. It was my idea for them to try Morningside Villa, the retirement home that my grandmother has been living in for the last two years.

  “Hell-o, all!”

  I watch Sierra Social pop up next to Perry. I still don’t know her last name, and neither does Jocelyn, so we came up with Sierra Social. Today her long blond hair is pulled back in a sleek ponytail, and she wears a black dress way too short for the office. As she turns on her side, to fully face Perry, I notice that there is no back to her dress.

  My mouth gapes for a second.

  How is she allowed to wear that in the office?

  “So, did you guys get my email?”

  “I just got back from lunch,” I answer as I pull my laptop towards me. It looks like she doesn’t hear me because instead she taps Perry’s arm with her long bright red finger nail.

  “You guys should answer it ASAP; it’s about the Christmas party next week, Secret Santa and such.” She begins playing with her hair and draping it over her breasts in what I assume is an attempt to seduce Perry.

  “Awesome sauce.” Perry pops the rest of the cookie in his mouth and gives her a smile as he pushes himself away from my desk. “I will check it out.”

  Part of me hopes she trails after him, but then the other part hopes she stays put, even if it means I have to converse with her.

  Once he’s gone, and I assume out of her view, Sierra spins around. She’s still playing with her hair as she looks at me. “So, like, is he single or what?”

  I open my mouth to answer her but nothing comes out at first. When I first met Perry two years ago, I rarely thought of him as anything but a work colleague. It went that way until a few months ago when Sam had me work with Perry on the emails and newsletters. After working one-on-one with him at least once a week, I started to see what all the other women in the office saw.

  He is sweet, funny, and endearingly dorky.

  Though he may not be on the same level as Sam, who could be People’s Sexiest Man of the Year, Perry has a warmth and charm that Sam lacks.