Chapter 7

Katie reached across the small table and unbuttoned that extra button on Cynthia’s blouse, exposing more of her massive tit flesh. Then she sat back, smiled, and took a sip of her orange soda.

At five minutes before 1:00, they were back at Santa’s makeshift village. There was a sign out that said, “Santa is having milk and cookies. He’ll be back at” and then a hand-written “2:00” underneath.

“I didn’t know if you’d come back,” a voice startled them from behind. They turned and were looking at an extremely handsome young man in casual slacks, a crisp button-down shirt, and a cheery warm smile. “But I’m glad that you did.” His eagerness was evident as he tried valiantly to look Cynthia into her eyes and not down her shirt.

“My name’s Alex.” He held a hand out to Cynthia.

Katie chuckled. “No way. No way! This is too perfect.”

“What?” He asked.

“We just have a friend named Alex, that’s all,” Katie explained. “I’m ... Karen and this is...” Katie faltered.

In a panic, Cynthia could only think of her middle name, so she blurted out, “Calista.”

“Calista is my mother’s name!” Alex told them.

Katie barely managed to hold in her laughter while she elbowed Cynthia in the ribs. “What a coincidence,” Katie said, then added, “Alex.”

“Calista is a beautiful Greek name very befitting of a beautiful woman such as yourself,” Alex said, still holding Cynthia’s hand.

“Um,” Katie interrupted. “You don’t have to chat her up. She’s ready to go.”

Cynthia spun her head to the side and shot daggers at Katie.

“Are you sure?” Alex asked. “I don’t mean to offend you, but you have been doing all of the talking, Karen. This seems like it is news to Calista.”

“Well, Calista?” Katie prompted. Both Katie and Alex looked at Cynthia expectantly.

“Uh...” Cynthia’s mind was a whirl. “Yeah. Yeah. Let’s go ... Alex.” Cynthia smiled at him and nodded, more to herself than anyone else. She wasn’t a superstitious sort, but a temporary replacement for Alex named Alex? Maybe the universe was trying to tell her something. “If there even is someplace we could ... go...”

“Come,” Alex said, leading Cynthia around the Christmas displays. “I have a van in the back parking lot.”

Cynthia stopped dead in her tracks, causing Alex to jerk backwards by his arm. He turned, realizing how that sounded. “I know that sounds very creepy. I apologize.”

Not sure what to think, Cynthia looked to Katie for guidance.

“I deliver flowers during the week,” Alex explained.

“Okay. Maybe not that creepy, but still kind of weird,” Katie commented.

“My grandparents came to this country with nothing, they started selling flowers on a street corner, they eventually opened a florist shop, and now own three in three different towns,” Alex explained. “I’m helping them out with some deliveries while going to college.”

“What are you studying?” Katie asked, frantically trying to assess the situation. She didn’t want to get them into something they couldn’t easily get out of.