Excerpt from Christmas Stash
“Oh, it’s simple,” Claire said as she pinned up another section of the garland. “Eat and be eaten, you know,” she gave a significant nod, her eyebrows arched high.
“But will he really be able to find a new position?”
“Don’t worry about that,” Claire responded merrily. Her swollen belly jiggled to and fro as she bustled with some ribbons. “Jeremy will be snatched up in no time.”
“But, dear,” Mom said with concern, “it’s got to be before—”
“Stop worrying, Mom!” Claire laughed. “I’m sure we’ll just have time to get hired—somewhere—and find a new house—someplace—before little Isla joins us.”
Mom’s lips were still a thin line, but she didn’t voice any more doubts.
“Angie!” Claire set down the figurines she was arranging on the mantel and hurried to her sister. “You’ve got it all wrong!”
“What are you talking about?” Angie countered.
“You’re supposed to do the advent counting down, not up.” Claire pulled the tole-painted pieces from Angie’s hand and began rearranging them the other way.
“But this way you just think of the date,” Angie protested.
Claire ignored her. “There,” she said, stepping back and smiling, the advent numbers beautifully arranged counting down. “Now you can turn them to today.” Claire waddled back to the box of decorations to select her next prey.
“Christmas Nazi,” Angie muttered as she walked out of the living room toward the kitchen.
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