Dear Santa(34)

    “Go on.” Lindy had a good idea of what Peggy was about to suggest. She needed, even wanted, her friend to say it, although she wasn’t sure what her response would be.

The way the side of Peggy’s mouth struggled to hold back a smile, it was as if she could tell Lindy was interested. “Like I mentioned, I wasn’t even going to tell you about Marcus and the Rose Bud. You’ve got a lot going on in your life as it is.”

“True…but?”

“But then I thought about all the other small businesses in town who badly need services you could provide. Without much effort, I came up with a dozen more opportunities I could easily add to the list, and that’s only the start.”

“Peggy,” Lindy said, holding up her hand to stop her. “I know what you’re going to suggest, and I have to admit it’s tempting.”

“Good—”

“But,” Lindy said emphatically, “moving to Wenatchee isn’t feasible at this time.”

Lindy hated to admit how tempting this all sounded. Regrettably, there were too many factors that made it impossible. On top of the list was the work proposal she’d put together for the Ferguson Group. If that was accepted, it would require weeks, perhaps months, of work.

“All I’m asking is that you think about it.”

    “Breaking away from a stable income and building a start-up business is a big deal. It takes more than an investment of time. Moving expenses would be involved, and I would leave the company that has put their faith and trust in me. It’s no small thing to walk away, Peggy. I know you can understand and appreciate that.”

“Of course, I do,” Peggy confirmed. “I understand your hesitation and appreciate your loyalty to your employer, especially considering how hard the others on the team have been to work with. You could give them proper notice, ease your way.”

“Owning my own business is a huge financial risk.”

“It is.” Again, Peggy agreed. “Not everyone has the ambition and the drive to make it a huge success, but I think you do. Furthermore, you’d be helping others succeed. That has got its own share of rewards.”

Lindy believed that, too, but that didn’t resolve other pressing questions she would need to answer first.

“There’s my apartment,” Lindy said, thinking out loud. As appealing as this was, all she could see were the obstacles standing in her way. “I signed a year’s lease for my apartment and I’m only halfway through it.”

“Didn’t you mention that apartments are at a premium in Seattle and how fortunate you were to find one within your price range?”

“Yes, it was the great apartment search.”

    “You wouldn’t have a problem subleasing it, if necessary, would you?”

Lindy hadn’t considered that. Shortly after she’d moved in, two of her coworkers had asked if there were other apartments available in the same complex. Without a doubt, either one of them would be happy to take over her lease.

“It’s more than subleasing my apartment,” Lindy said, not looking at Peggy, for fear her friend would read the eagerness in her eyes. Peggy did make a move sound possible.

“I know,” Peggy responded, with an understanding that caused Lindy to glance upward.

“You do?” she asked.

“It’s about Celeste and Brian.”

Lindy waved off that excuse. “I’ve forgiven them. It’s in the past and nothing I want to discuss. It’s over.”

“Maybe so, but deep down I think you’re afraid if you move back home, they’ll assume it’s because of them. That you’ve been unable to put the past behind you. It would be like admitting you hadn’t been able to deal with what they did, even though you have.”

“Like saying they won and I lost,” Lindy said, and realized there might be some truth in that. How intuitive Peggy was. While she didn’t want to believe it, there was a possibility Peggy was right.

    Her friend appreciated what she was saying. Making this change would require a lot of soul-searching on Lindy’s part. Her head was full of Christmas, and if she’d admit it, her budding relationship with Billy, too. Once the holidays were over and she was back in Seattle, that would be the time to weigh this decision. She couldn’t, wouldn’t, before then.

“You have time,” Peggy said, once again interrupting Lindy’s meandering thoughts. “I’m bringing it up now so you’ll consider the possibilities.”

Lindy nodded. “I will, I promise.” And she would give it serious thought, especially if the Ferguson Group went with their competitors. More than one company had put in a bid for this major account, and getting it would be a coup for Media Blast and for her future with the company.

“I have a couple more little incentives for you to think about while you’re at it.”

“Incentives? Such as?”

“Do you remember when we first met?”

That was a silly question if ever there was one. “Of course. Grade school.”

“I mean the very first day.”

Searching her memory, Lindy came up blank and shook her head.

“My family had moved to Wenatchee from Tennessee, and we were one of only a handful of Black families in the neighborhood. My first day of school, I didn’t see a single other person who looked like me. I felt like the odd girl out. I’d never felt more alone or out of place.