Chapter 2
“You’re coming tonight, right?” Dell, Merri Blevin’s co-worker, asked as he leaned over the top of her cubicle wall.
“Yep. I’ve got to pick up my costume first and then I’ll head up. I’m excited. I’ve never been to New York City before,” Merri said.
“My wife got us matching gingerbread kid outfits,” he said, chuckling.
“Aw. I’m sure you’ll look so sweet together.”
Merri’s company hosted an annual Christmas costume party. Normally, it was held at a local hall, but the company had a great year, so the executives decided to treat everyone to a night out in the city. Along with a fancy catered meal, and a live band complete with dance floor, all employees were being given a night in the hotel as well, which was something that most of them were willing to make the long trip for. As a Jersey girl, Merri was well aware of her northern neighbors, but she’d never ventured into New York, let alone the city.
“What are you going as?” Dell asked, taking a drink from a bright red coffee cup plastered with an image of Santa.
“An elf. Pointy shoes and everything.”
“Jingle bells?”
“Of course!”
He laughed. “If you want to ride up with us, let me know. There’s plenty of room in the SUV.”
“Thanks, but I’m going to drive myself. It’s about time I took a drive to the most amazing city in the world.”
“See you tonight.”
He patted the top of the cubicle wall and walked away. Glancing at the clock, she realized she needed to get going or the costume shop would be closed. After printing out the directions to the hotel where the party was being held, she slipped on her jacket, grabbed her purse from the bottom drawer of her desk, and hurried out of the building.
Her phone buzzed after she pulled out of the parking lot, and she answered with her hands-free system.
“We’re getting ready to board the plane. I just wanted to check in with you,” her mom said after Merri answered.
“I’m on the way to pick up my costume for the party now.”
“Send me a picture in your costume. Are you excited?”
“Well, as excited as a person can be going to a costume party without a date.”
Her mom clucked. “You’re a beautiful girl, Merri. You’ll meet your Mr. Right.”
“Maybe I’ll ask Santa for him,” she quipped.
“That’s one option. You could also ask your dad to set you up with one of the lawyers from his firm. There are some very handsome fellows.”
“Mom,” Merri said, making a face, “don’t say that kind of stuff and absolutely do not ask Dad to set me up with anyone.”
There was a pause and she said, “Are you sure you don’t want to come on our cruise? Your dad can pay for a ticket for you for tomorrow, and you can meet us at the first stop on the cruise in Florida.”
“It’s okay, really, Mom. You two deserve a nice vacation, and I absolutely am not interested in being on a boat for two weeks, no matter how pretty and tropical the destinations are.”
“I don’t know where you got your love of cold weather from, but it certainly wasn’t from me.”
“Maybe because you named me Merri?”
“I spelled it differently.”
“Barely. I’m at the costume shop, so I need to run in before they close. Give Dad my love, and have a safe trip.”
“Be careful up in the city, honey. Love you.”
Ending the call, she turned off the car, shouldered her purse, and headed into the small costume shop in the strip mall. After waiting for two other customers to pick up their costumes, she stepped up to the counter and said, “Merri Blevins. I’m here to pick up my elf costume.”
The woman behind the counter wore a Santa hat with blinking red lights on it. She said, “I’ll be right back.”
While the employee was gone for several minutes, Merri looked around the shop and saw a lot of Mrs. Claus costumes, several reindeer costumes that required two people, and one huge sparkling paper-covered box with cutouts for head, arms, and legs. She snorted, thankful she’d planned ahead and placed a costume on hold.
“I’m really sorry, Miss Blevins,” the woman said as she came back to the front counter, “but your costume was given away already.”
“What? But I reserved it weeks ago.”
She shrugged. “We hired some temps to help with the holiday rush, and one of them gave it to another customer without realizing it had been reserved. I’m very sorry. I can offer you one of our remaining costumes for half price.”
Merri looked around the shop in dismay. The elf costume had been adorable – a short green dress with a wide black belt, green and white striped tights, and cute pointy shoes with jingle bells. She couldn’t go to the party without a costume, and she knew any place else she went would also be as picked clean as this shop was.
“I guess the Mrs. Claus costume,” she said.
The woman moved to the wall and took one of the costumes down after she asked for Merri’s size. Merri paid for the rental while the woman put the costume and accessories into a large paper sack and handed it across the counter to her. “Have fun at your party.”
“Thanks,” Merri said, then headed out to her car. She opened her car door and dropped the sack onto the passenger seat as she sat down and tried not to dwell on how disappointed she was. When she got home, she showered quickly and pulled on the costume.
The red velvet gown came to her ankles and had wide white lace on the collar and cuffs, with a frilly white apron that matched the cap that had fake white curly hair attached to it. Grimacing, she braided her long, dark brown hair and pinned it to her head before slipping the cap over it. Picking up the tiny, wire-rimmed glasses, she tossed them to the bathroom counter and stared at herself critically in the wide mirror over the sink.
“I wish it was a sexy Mrs. Claus costume,” she said with a sigh. A short red dress, some thigh-high stockings – now that would be cute. But seeing as how she had a three-hour drive ahead of her and no other options, she decided to just go with it.
Lifting her phone into the air, she took a selfie and sent the picture to her mom with the caption – No elf for me this year. Maybe my Mr. Right will be dressed as Santa and it will be a match made at Christmas.
* * *
Four hours later, Merri couldn’t even get near the hotel because of the heavy traffic. She pulled into a parking garage four blocks from the hotel, knowing it would cost her a small fortune. She would come back after the party and get her overnight bag for her stay in the hotel. Since she was already late to the party, she’d pay for the parking instead of delaying her arrival any longer. If she waited too long, she’d never make it at all, and then it would be a completely wasted evening.
From the multi-level parking garage, she took the elevator down to the street and looked for the hotel, which she could see in the distance. Snow had started to fall, and she clutched her coat around herself tighter and held her hat on top of her head to keep it from blowing off in the stiff wind. People rushed around her, pushing and shoving to get to where they were going faster. She had only four blocks to go, but because of the crowds, it felt like it was taking an eternity.
Someone bumped Merri hard, spinning her around and almost sending her tumbling to the street. After righting herself, she turned to see who had so rudely bumped into her and found herself staring at a woman dressed almost exactly like her. There was something mesmerizing about the woman who looked like Mrs. Claus. Her eyes were pale blue and her white-blonde hair was curled around the white ruffled cap she wore.
She reached out and squeezed Merri’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry, my dear. I wasn’t looking where I was going. Are you hurt?”
Merri blinked, feeling like she was staring at someone she had known her entire life. “No, I’m…fine. Have we met? You look very familiar.”
She smiled, and Merri felt warm all over, like when she would get a hug from her favorite grandma who had long since passed on. Tears sprang to Merri’s eyes.
The woman said, “Oh, my dear, it’s quite all right.” She glanced upward, and Merri swore her eyes twinkled. “I think tonight will change everything.”
“Wh–what do you mean?”
“I mean,” she said, squeezing Merri’s shoulders more firmly before letting go, “that you’ll have a good night. Whatever comes, remember that everything happens for a reason.”
Before Merri could say anything, the woman turned and disappeared into the crowd. She looked for her white cap in the sea of people, but she couldn’t find her. Turning to head back toward the hotel, Merri found herself hustled into an alley by four large men.
“Hey! Help! Let me go!” she shrieked, struggling hard against their muscular bodies and tight grips.
One of the men shushed her. “Do you want to call attention to us?”
“Yes!” she yelled, kicking the nearest man in the shin.
He grunted at the impact, and her shoe went flying, clattering across the concrete.
She opened her mouth to scream again when the four men surrounded her and time seemed to stand still for a moment. Then snowflakes swirled around them, and she felt as if she were flying without the benefit of an airplane. Cold air buffeted her skin, and her whole body felt like it was being squeezed. Nausea rolled through her, and she squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that she was dreaming.