tissues, then sniffled and blew her way into the front room.
The only reason she could afford this apartment was because it was still rent controlled. Another place in the neighborhood would rent for three or four times the amount. And since she hadn’t found other work to replace her job at Haldan-Northrop, she now earned only the modest income from the reading program.
Dropping her jacket on the floor, Melissa picked up the wrapped present she’d bought for Rafe and hugged it to her chest. Still in the dark, she sank into her rocking chair and stared out the window, allowing the collected misery of the past few days free reign. She sobbed out loud. Melissa had thought she’d been miserable last Christmas when she’d had the flu and had to remain huddled under her electric blanket after the furnace conked out, but this was going to be the worst Christmas ever!
No secure job.
No apartment.
No Rafe.
What was she going to do?
Heaving a large sigh and wiping her eyes with a tissue, Melissa stared out into the night at the Empire State Building. For years it had been the tallest building in the world, the beacon of the city of dreams. What had happened to her dreams? Melissa wondered. As if to taunt her, the view from her sixth-floor apartment subtly changed as the lights of the Art Deco tower were veiled by a translucent curtain and she realized it was going to be a white Christmas after all.
Mesmerized by the large white flakes, Melissa remembered the first time Rafe had climbed the six flights to her apartment. It had snowed that night too. He’d kissed her and she’d imagined them drifting high above the city, gliding through the night sky like snowflakes—
A loud banging noise from the kitchen startled her. Someone was at the door, obviously determined to get in. Who could it be?
“Rafe?” Her heart beating with excitement, Melissa scrambled to her feet while wiping her eyes. Had Rafe really decided to patch things up? Would this be a wonderful Christmas after all? Still clutching his present, she raced through the dark to the kitchen, already counting the hours they would share together and imagining the ways they would make up for their harsh words to each other. At the repeated knock she yelled, “I’m coming!” But, about to open the door, her big-city caution made Melissa pause before releasing the lock. “Who’s there?”
“Why, it’s Santa Claus and his favorite elf, my girl. Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!”
It wasn’t Rafe. Hoping they wouldn’t read the disappointment on her face, Melissa opened the door for her friends. Her eyes grew wide—they were both still in costume. Had they taken the subway home dressed like that?
“Merry Christmas, Melissa.” Terry looked at the package she was still holding. “A present for me?”
Melissa jiggled Rafe’s present nervously and set it down on the boards over the bathtub. “I—I thought you were someone else.”
“We weren’t sure if you had plans, so we decided to invite you to dinner,” Terry said, pointing to the larger of the two paper bags Clarence held. “It’s Chinese. We even got turkey fried rice to celebrate the season.”
“Thanks, but I don’t think—”
“Having a pretty female dinner companion would certainly cheer up a poor old overworked Santa,” Clarence grumbled, then checked her reaction from beneath his white brows.
“And Santa doesn’t look like he’s the only one who needs cheering up,” Terry added.
Knowing they couldn’t miss her red nose or swollen eyes, Melissa responded with a quivering smile. “You’re both sweet, but I wouldn’t want to ruin your holiday.”
“Nonsense, my girl, nonsense. Now, are you going to let us in before this food gets cold?”
Hesitating only a second—for even in her misery, Melissa didn’t want to be alone—she agreed. “Maybe we can make our own Christmas cheer.”
“Smashing idea. I have all the ingredients.” Clarence set the bags down and emptied the
The only reason she could afford this apartment was because it was still rent controlled. Another place in the neighborhood would rent for three or four times the amount. And since she hadn’t found other work to replace her job at Haldan-Northrop, she now earned only the modest income from the reading program.
Dropping her jacket on the floor, Melissa picked up the wrapped present she’d bought for Rafe and hugged it to her chest. Still in the dark, she sank into her rocking chair and stared out the window, allowing the collected misery of the past few days free reign. She sobbed out loud. Melissa had thought she’d been miserable last Christmas when she’d had the flu and had to remain huddled under her electric blanket after the furnace conked out, but this was going to be the worst Christmas ever!
No secure job.
No apartment.
No Rafe.
What was she going to do?
Heaving a large sigh and wiping her eyes with a tissue, Melissa stared out into the night at the Empire State Building. For years it had been the tallest building in the world, the beacon of the city of dreams. What had happened to her dreams? Melissa wondered. As if to taunt her, the view from her sixth-floor apartment subtly changed as the lights of the Art Deco tower were veiled by a translucent curtain and she realized it was going to be a white Christmas after all.
Mesmerized by the large white flakes, Melissa remembered the first time Rafe had climbed the six flights to her apartment. It had snowed that night too. He’d kissed her and she’d imagined them drifting high above the city, gliding through the night sky like snowflakes—
A loud banging noise from the kitchen startled her. Someone was at the door, obviously determined to get in. Who could it be?
“Rafe?” Her heart beating with excitement, Melissa scrambled to her feet while wiping her eyes. Had Rafe really decided to patch things up? Would this be a wonderful Christmas after all? Still clutching his present, she raced through the dark to the kitchen, already counting the hours they would share together and imagining the ways they would make up for their harsh words to each other. At the repeated knock she yelled, “I’m coming!” But, about to open the door, her big-city caution made Melissa pause before releasing the lock. “Who’s there?”
“Why, it’s Santa Claus and his favorite elf, my girl. Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!”
It wasn’t Rafe. Hoping they wouldn’t read the disappointment on her face, Melissa opened the door for her friends. Her eyes grew wide—they were both still in costume. Had they taken the subway home dressed like that?
“Merry Christmas, Melissa.” Terry looked at the package she was still holding. “A present for me?”
Melissa jiggled Rafe’s present nervously and set it down on the boards over the bathtub. “I—I thought you were someone else.”
“We weren’t sure if you had plans, so we decided to invite you to dinner,” Terry said, pointing to the larger of the two paper bags Clarence held. “It’s Chinese. We even got turkey fried rice to celebrate the season.”
“Thanks, but I don’t think—”
“Having a pretty female dinner companion would certainly cheer up a poor old overworked Santa,” Clarence grumbled, then checked her reaction from beneath his white brows.
“And Santa doesn’t look like he’s the only one who needs cheering up,” Terry added.
Knowing they couldn’t miss her red nose or swollen eyes, Melissa responded with a quivering smile. “You’re both sweet, but I wouldn’t want to ruin your holiday.”
“Nonsense, my girl, nonsense. Now, are you going to let us in before this food gets cold?”
Hesitating only a second—for even in her misery, Melissa didn’t want to be alone—she agreed. “Maybe we can make our own Christmas cheer.”
“Smashing idea. I have all the ingredients.” Clarence set the bags down and emptied the
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