Mrs. Scrooge's Christmas Miracle

Chapter 1

Harley Andrews wanted nothing to do with Christmas. It was not the holiday itself she disliked but rather the memories it dredged up. Memories she always did her utmost to try and forget. What made it worse this year, more than those in the past, was the fact that she was working in a place where Christmas and all its accoutrements were one of the biggest money spinners of the year. Coleman's department store was one of the largest in the city and every year they made a very big deal of Christmas.

The entire chain of stores was decorated to the hilt with every type of tree, ornament and tinsel that could be made and sold. Every year it metamorphosed from an elegantly decorated family store into a nightmare of cheap and nasty tawdriness, and now Harley found herself being forced to work in it day in and day out. Some days it almost made her want to quit but, truth be told, she couldn't afford to leave her job. Not now that she had finally gotten her life back on track.

Today was just another day in a long line of days, filled with the sound of Christmas carols and the smell of Christmas pudding. Taking a moment, she steeled herself for hours of dealing with people on the phone who just wanted to complain about everything and sundry, because they could. Add to this the screaming children and pushy and impatient customers she encountered anytime she had to leave her office, along with ensuring deliveries were made and received on schedule to ensure they had enough stock, she had to almost put herself onto autopilot to manage.

Harley had to constantly remind herself that she had to be pleasant to everyone, no matter how nasty or demanding they were. After-all, the customer is always right, right? Then, of course there were the other employees with their incessant questions about all sorts of issues from pricing to re-ordering. Straightening her spine and pushing back her shoulders she made her way to her office. At least there, in her own little space, she could close the door and close out the sounds of others enjoying the piped carols and eggnog.

Thank God she didn't have to work in toys, she thought to herself with a small smile; that would have been excruciating. She was definitely not a in the frame of mind to deal with other people's children. Once upon a time she had loved children but, nowadays, they just made her remember her painful past; and that was the last thing she needed. In any case, here in the offices she didn't have to deal with them all up close and personal so that was something.

At least that's what she had thought.

No sooner had she sat down at her desk than the Office Manager came in and gave her the bad news. She had been reassigned to yes, you guessed it, the toy section. One of the hired professional elves had failed to show up for work and there was no time to wait on a replacement. Seeing as she was the same size as the missing woman; and the newest employee; she had been designated the replacement. Could her day get any worse she wondered? Well, in short, yes it could and rapidly.