The Snow Globe by Sheila Roberts Page A

Every day, just like today, Bryn greeted her, holding a roly-poly puppy. Was April putting her up to this?
    â€œLook, Mommy,” said Bryn, holding up the pup. “His name is Happy.”
    Wasn’t that the name of one of the seven dwarves? Messy would have been more accurate.
    April stood behind Bryn in jeans and a green sweatshirt, a Santa hat shoved over her auburn hair. “We only have two left. This one and his sister,” she said, giving Suzanne yet another chance to stake a claim.
    â€œI’m sure you’ll find a nice home for him,” said Suzanne.
    â€œGuy was pretty interested in this little fella,” said April.
    Guy and April were in cahoots. “We’re not quite ready for a dog yet.” The puppy wriggled in Bryn’s arms and lapped her cheek with a sloppy dog tongue. Eeew . “Don’t let him lick you like that,” said Suzanne. “He probably just finished licking his bottom. Here, honey, put him down. We have to go.”
    Bryn set the puppy down with reluctance. Of course, it tried to follow them, bounding after Suzanne like she was a giant dog toy.
    â€œNo, no, doggie, get away,” said Suzanne, giving it a nudge with the toe of her high heel.
    April made a face and snatched the stupid thing up as if she’d just rescued it from Cruella De Vil.
    Okay, so Suzanne’s shoe had a bit of a pointed toe. She hadn’t hurt the dog. Still, she felt her cheeks warming. “Don’t want him to get out and get hit by a car,” she explained.
    April just nodded.
    Suzanne felt like a dog-beating monster now. “Well, thanks for watching Bryn,” she said, injecting extra appreciation in her voice. “You’re the best.”
    April’s smile didn’t thaw, so Suzanne got the heck out of there.
    â€œCan we write a letter to Santa tonight?” asked Bryn as theydrove away.
    â€œAnother letter?” Oh, geez. She already knew what was going to be in it.
    Bryn nodded. “I want to ask him for Happy.”
    â€œI think Santa already has a home in mind for Happy.”
    Bryn’s lower lip jutted out and a tear slipped down her cheek.
    Great, thought Suzanne miserably. First she’d kicked a dog. Now she’d made her daughter cry.
    But she hadn’t kicked the dog. She’d just nudged it away. And it was really Guy’s fault that her daughter was crying. He was the one who put the idea of a puppy into Bryn’s head in the first place. Maybe Santa will bring you a puppy . What was that about? Maybe Santa would bring Guy a lump of coal. He sure deserved it.
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    Kiley arrived promptly at six, just as Suzanne was serving the frozen pizza she’d picked up at QFC on the way home.
    â€œWant some?” Guy offered. “There’s plenty.”
    Kiley shook her head. “Thanks, but I already ate. I can’t stay long, anyway.”
    Because she was off to make fudge while Suzanne was off to try and make a sale. Kiley looked so happy, so relaxed, like life was wonderful. For one delusional moment, Suzanne found herself feeling a tiny bit jealous. A nice, fat commission would buy an entire house full of fudge, she reminded herself.
    Kiley set a green foil gift bag bursting with gold tissue paper on the kitchen table. “Open it.”
    â€œThis is pretty,” said Suzanne. She loved presents, loved pretty wrapping paper almost more than what lay under it, and she always coordinated her present wrapping with her Christmas tree decorations. This year she intended to dress her tree, her house, and her family to the nines.
    â€œCome on, open it,” urged Kiley.
    Suzanne fished inside the bag. She knew what it was the minute her fingers closed around it. Oh, no . Sure enough.
    â€œHey, a snow globe,” said Guy. “That’s a great one.”
    And it would look gorgeous on her mantel. The only catch was, Kiley would expect her to see something in it. “I can’t take