by Marnie Blue
“Then what’s the problem? Why won’t you give me a job?” Sam stood up.
“For one thing, it’s the way you’re dressed.”
Sam looked herself up and down. “I look all right. I guess. I mean, I’m dressed.”
“You’re wearing jeans.”
“I just came from work.” Sam muttered and shuffled her feet. Her sneakers squeaked on the tile floor. Oops.
“You smell like wet dog.” The woman wrinkled her nose.
“Well…yeah. I’m a pet sitter and dog groomer. It’s on my resume, under Experience.”
“You know, a lot of what we do here is advocacy. We’re in the public eye. We’re in courtrooms, speaking to judges and lawyers. We’re talking to parents and police officers. We have a role to play and we need to dress the part. We can’t just schlep in smelling like Fido and wearing jeans and Keds.”
“I know that,” Sam said, and her cheeks grew hot. “It’s just…” She knew she shouldn’t say it, but she couldn’t help herself. “I don’t have a lot of money, you know? Once I get a job, a full-time job, I will, but…”
Tall and Skinny thinned her lips and shook her head. “You could have borrowed an outfit.”
She hadn’t thought of that.
“In my opinion, there were things you could have done to show you really want this job besides just showing up. Because ultimately, ‘just showing up’ isn’t an option for these kids, Samantha.”
“Yeah, I know.” Sam stuck her hands into her pockets and scuffed her squeaky sneakers again. Tall and Skinny was right. You couldn’t just show up, not if you were a good social worker, anyway.
“Maybe, once you’ve gotten your Bachelors and had more time with internships and practicum, you’ll gain some polish. And then, Samantha, you might be able to do the job even without the Masters. But right now? You’re not ready.”
“I guess you’re right,” Sam said, and sighed.
Tall and Skinny raised her penciled brows an opened the door and gestured for Sam to move into the hall. She followed behind. “I can give you a place to start,” she said. “You need to dress properly. It would be nice if you learned to speak professionally—without attitude too.”
“Okay. Sorry. But I mean…are there actually people who teach you how to talk right and crap?” Sam shook her head. “I can barely afford my rent, or my tuition, and now I need to get a makeover and find a teacher to teach me to talk, too?”
“Well, that’s part of your education. If you really want the job, you’ll find a way.” Tall and Skinny dropped her off at the elevator. She pushed the button, then held out a manicured hand. Sam took it and shook it, noting that it was soft, with no calluses. Or Band Aids, for that matter. “Good luck, Samantha,” the social worker said.
“Thanks.” Sam said. “You too.”
The door opened; she got on the elevator and watched Tall and Skinny standing there, all pulled together and employed as the doors closed. Like doors closing on a dream, she thought.
As she walked to the bus stop, Sam thought about what the woman had said. She knew it was true. She looked like a college kid. Worse, she looked like a community college kid, not even a four-year-college kid. Because that’s what she was.
She sat down on the bench under the bus stop shelter to wait for the bus, and dug into the front pocket of her backpack for her phone. Sam turned it on; it pinged repeatedly with notifications and messages. When it finally grew quiet, she flicked her thumb over the screen to reveal the list of messages. Many of them were responses to her ad on Craigslist for a dog sitter/dog walker, which was good. She needed the money, especially since she knew she wasn’t getting a real job in her field anytime soon.
She scrolled through the list of texts; her attention finally landed on one in particular. How did you make out? What’s the good news?
Her throat clenched. Danny. Always optimistic. I suck. Oops. That’s probably one of those words I shouldn’t use. Oh…eff it. She shook her head. That’s the only news I have to share.
Oh no! Danny texted back immediately. What happened?
It’s a long story.
Come over tonight for dinner. Brenda’s making meatballs and pasta. We’ll talk.
Sam’s mouth watered at the thought of Brenda’s meatballs. But she knew if she went to her sort-of-brother’s house, she’d fall apart. And she didn’t want to do that. Not in front of Danny and Brenda. They’d be so nice—so helpful. So sympathetic.
She didn’t want sympathy, she wanted a job. She also wanted to rant, and throw things, and eat food that was bad for her, then lie on her mattress on the floor of her crappy apartment and stream movies on her phone. So she typed, That sounds good, but no thanks. I have something to do.
A twinge of guilt almost made her not send the text. Her thumb even stilled on the touchpad, but then she shrugged her shoulders and made herself press send. She loved Danny and Brenda, but it was time to cut the cord and just live on her own, as unattractive as that sounded.
But then, Danny replied with the only thing he could say that she couldn’t refuse, no matter how miserable she felt: Actually, Brenda and I need your help and we were hoping to discuss it tonight over dinner.
Crap. She owed Danny everything. After all, he’d even gotten her an interview for her dream job—in spite of her lack of experience. She took a deep breath. Okay. I’ll be there.
Great! Danny texted back. Grayson is looking forward to seeing his Aunnie Dam. Come over around five so he can see you before we put him down for bedtime.
A smile broke out over Sam’s face before she even realized she was about to smile. Danny and Brenda’s baby boy was so cute. Plus, she was his aunt, a real gift for someone who’d had no family at all thirteen years earlier. Good! She typed. I’ll be there.
She wondered what they wanted her help with—if it was help with Grayson, it would be the best thing that happened to her in a very long time.
…
Acknowledgments
Thank you for reading Mistletoe Kisses. I hope you enjoyed it.
I would be remiss if I didn’t send out a great big thank-you to Officer Mike Long of the Cranston Police Department. A veteran of Afghanistan, like Justin, Officer Long allowed me to accompany him on a ride one night and was available to me for questions and queries. He’s an excellent teacher, a dedicated police officer, and a bit of a cutie patootie, too (but don’t tell my husband I said that). Thank you for your service, Mike, and for risking your life daily to keep us civilians safe. You and all your brothers and sisters in blue are an inspiration. God bless you and keep you out of harm’s way out there.
I’d also like to thank my editor Alethea for sticking with me for the duration—and it has been a duration, hasn’t it?—of this book. I’m glad that the tears you shed at last were happy ones, because there were those moments when…
And to you, my readers. Thank you! If you enjoyed this story and would like the recipe for Justin’s favorite cookie (gingersnaps, of course!), please go to my website at www.marnieblue.com and sign up for my newsletter. Once you do, I’ll send you a special family recipe for the snappiest, crispiest gingersnaps ever. Even better, you’ll be in the loop to know when the book starring Justin’s sexy partner, Kevin O’Rourke, will be available.
Merry Christmas!
About the Author
Marnie Blue writes funny—at least, that’s what people tell her. She thinks it’s just a way to cope with the life she shares with her cop husband, their two boisterous boys and their scientifically minded daughter. When she’s not writing, she is picking up horse poop at Horses Bring Hope Therapeutic Riding Center, a non-profit agency which brings horses and kids together with love and learning. She and her two dogs live in Rhode Island where they binge on rom coms and low carb snacks, and avoid doing laundry until all the underwear is gone.
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