Xmas Spirit by Tonya Hurley

about it,” Scarlet explained dramatically. “Second, because my name isn’t Petula.”
    “I’m sure your mom loves you both the same,” Charlotte said.
    “Yeah, but Petula just sucks all the generosity out of the room, and out of Mom’s wallet. Know what I mean?”
    Scarlet cracked a sly smile, and Charlotte stifled a little giggle with her hand.
    “I guess.”
    “What are you doing here, anyway?” Scarlet inquired casually as she returned her eyes to the glass case.
    “I’m shopping too.”
    “Anyone special?”
    Girl talk. They were sharing. Charlotte had to fight back the urge to reach out and hug her, squeeze her, tell her how much she missed her.
    “Yep,” Charlotte said sweetly.
    “That’s really thoughtful,” Scarlet observed.
    “Thanks,” Charlotte said. “It would be better if I had some money to spend, but I will soon.”
    “Really? Where are you going to dig up some last-minute dough on Christmas Eve?”
    Scarlet was steering the conversation now.
    “The Wendys. I mean, Wendy Thomas and Wendy Anderson. You know them?”
    “Yeah, I know them.” Scarlet’s lips curled like she’d just tasted a mouthful of expired milk.
    “Oh, of course you do,” Charlotte said, feeling awkward again.
    “Why?” Scarlet asked but wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the details.
    “They are letting me in on this thing they are doing later to earn some extra cash.”
    “Yeah, I heard from my sister.”
    “Really?” Charlotte was wowed. Scarlet and Petula were talking about her.
    “Listen, I was actually hoping I’d run into you.”
    Charlotte was getting overwhelmed.
    Scarlet’s mood, however, suddenly turned much darker. This was her chance to spare Charlotte some humiliation and ladle some on The Wendys.
    “You know The Wendys aren’t your friends, right?”
    “Not yet!” Charlotte spouted, almost in full regression now.
    “I don’t get it,” Scarlet shouted. “What is it with the obsession with these people? The Wendys. Petula. Even Damen.”
    “They’ve got it all,” Charlotte said, summing it up.
    “Got what?” Scarlet pushed back. “Looks? Style? Attitude? Okay, not my taste level, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I guess. But you know what they don’t have?”
    “What?” Charlotte asked sincerely.
    “Souls.”
    Charlotte knew a little something about souls.
    “I don’t know. Damen and Petula seem to have a good—”
    “You have no idea how she treats him behind closed doors,” Scarlet interrupted. “He’s not a boyfriend; he’s a friggin’ detainee.”
    “Well, if he ever sees the light, I’m available!”
    Scarlet just ignored Charlotte’s comment and continued to rant.
    “It’s a shame, really, because he’s a good guy deep down. A little thick, but good.”
    “Maybe he’d be better off with someone else. Someone like . . . you.”
    “That’s killer!” Scarlet laughed.
    Charlotte just smiled.
    Scarlet looked at her standing there so innocently.
    “Look, we don’t know each other at all, really, but I feel like I need to say this. Be careful. Those girls are poison. They will use anyone to get what they want.”
    Charlotte blushed with embarrassment.
    “I’m not stupid, you know,” Charlotte said quietly.
    “I wasn’t saying that,” Scarlet said, tamping down her harsh tone a little. “I was just trying to help.”
    “Thanks for looking out for me,” Charlotte said.
    Charlotte looked up at Scarlet and their eyes met. They connected.
    “Well, I’ve gotta go. Merry whatever,” Scarlet said, breaking up the shared moment.
    “Merry whatever to you, too,” Charlotte replied cheerfully.
    “Oh, and just because I was nice to you today, don’t expect me to be nice the next time I see you. If you tell anyone, I’ll deny it.”
    “But you might be nice to me,” Charlotte said hopefully.
    “’Tis the season of miracles.”
    Scarlet split, and Charlotte returned to the case and stared at the cat Scarlet had been eyeing.
    “What time