Page 6 of Nuttin for Christmas

He nervously laughed.

“Umm, I don’t know. I don’t think my sister would be okay with that.”

“I didn’t ask about your sister and how she’d feel. I’m asking you.”

I could hear him moving around on his side of the phone.

“I have to go. I have customers.”

“Okay, cutie. Do ya thang. I’ll call you later.”

“Bye.”

I was too tickled by his lack of enthusiasm. He didn’t know it but he’d be hearing from me real soon. Somehow, someway.

Stepping out, I threw my purse over my head and across my body. I hit the alarm on my key fob and looked around. The houses on Chardonnay’s street were littered with all thingsChristmas. It was as if the neighborhood was in aChristmascontest or they all just chose to decorate for the season.

“There ain’t no Grinches or Scrooges on this street, huh?” I asked Char with my hood on my head and my hands snug in my jacket pockets.

“Nope. We all love Christmas.”

I followed her to her front door.

“Do y’all do this for every holiday?”

“Pretty much. It’s so much fun to know that we’re all on the same page when it comes to the holidays,” she inserted her key and opened the door. “If you don’t mind, can you take your boots off? I don’t like shoes beyond the door.”

“Oh you’re good. I don’t either,” I slipped my boots off. “It’s beautiful in here.” I looked around her apartment.

In her black and white living room, red and white ornaments hung from herChristmastree.

“I see how you did that. Got your theme matching your nails.”

“You know it,” I heard her in the kitchen moving around. “You want this Nut Nog straight or mixed?”

“Mix it, please. Thanks.”

“Gotcha.”

“You know what they say?” I asked.

“No. What?”

“If you drink eggnog you swallow nut,” I got situated, removing my purse and taking off my jacket, hearing Char laugh.

She had the heater on and I was finally starting to thaw from the outside frost. Seeing her approach with my plastic red cup, I took it from her hands and took a sip.

“Oh, this is good,” I licked my lips.

“Girl, I know how to make a drink.” She sat down drinking hers.

“And keep secrets,” I added with duck lips.

“What you mean?” She laughed.

“When I told you I needed to go to the bookstore, you didn’t tell me your parents owned it.”

“My bad. But it wasn’t a secret honestly.”

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