A Christmas Arrangement by Annie Adams Page A

decided to put them in Zombie Sue while I went to work so they could air out.  I ran around the house opening windows.  It hadn’t snowed yet, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t cold.  
    The last window to open was in the kitchen, from which a new smell emanated.  Smoke was coming from the oven.  I rushed over, and pulled out my black, charred, stinking chestnuts.  The pan was so hot, the heat came through the hot pads and I dropped it on top of the stove.  I looked at the egg-timer.  Still happily ticking away with twenty-five minutes left.  I chucked it in the garbage can. 
    I glanced at the clock.  Eeeck.  I was super late for work.  I ran into the bedroom, scooped up the clothes that smelled like sausage grease and rancid, bitter, burned chestnuts and went to work.
    Allie had taken the afternoon off to help our mother prepare for the event and Daphne and I were the only ones left to take care of customers.  At five o’clock she told me she had a handle on things and I willingly left to get ready.   
    There would be no chestnuts in the stuffing and I would receive a failing grade from Alex’s mother.  Sure, Alex knew of my shortcomings in the kitchen, but I made up for it in other ways.  I couldn’t demonstrate those other ways to his mother though. 
    I stopped at the grocery store just to see if by some miracle there were canned chestnuts or something.  I browsed down one aisle and low and behold there was my answer.  Canned water chestnuts.  Chestnuts was in the title.  Good enough for me.
    I brought my clothes in from the van.  They smelled much better than they had.  The house was freezing but it didn’t stink, so I was on a roll.  I pre-heated the oven, mixed all the ingredients together and put the final concoction in to bake.  I pulled my grandma’s china bowl from the upper cupboard above the fridge and rinsed it in preparation for presenting my dish at the party.  I might not pass the recipe exam, but I would use my know-how—do my florist thing—and make it look fantastic. 
    I’d come in through the back door out of habit, but realized I was probably neglecting some tasty gifts from my neighboring Elves.  If all else failed and the stuffing didn’t work out, I could take the goodies from the last day or two to Christmas dinner.  That way, at least I wouldn’t be empty handed. 
    I felt that familiar tingle of excitement as I approached the front door.  What yummy goodies were waiting for me this time?  I knew Alex had been occupied by his parents all day and wouldn’t have had time to leave me a special secret gift.  And after the gift of my grandma’s perfume, I wasn’t sure I wanted him to leave me anything else. 
    I opened the door and looked into the shiny, black, plastic eyes of a giant stuffed teddy bear wearing a Santa hat and holding a red heart.  It was over four feet tall sitting down.  I looked up and down the street to see if anyone still lingered about.  No one was near.
    I dragged the fluff monster in.  It was rather heavy for a stuffed animal.  A gold chain with a heart-shaped, over-sized pendant hung around the heart the bear was holding.  Inside the pendant it said, “All I want for Christmas is your heart,” in the same handwriting as the note I received with the fancy chocolates.  I couldn’t imagine how Alex could have found the time to bring me a giant stuffed animal.  But more so, I couldn’t imagine him thinking this was something that matched…me. 
    I didn’t have time to think about the gift anymore, I had the impossible task of impressing Alex’s parents ahead of me and I needed to prepare.
    Dress for success, they always say. 
    I had an important interview coming up at dinner.  I finally settled on an extra-long cowl neck sweater in oyster gray.  The neck dipped enough that someone with cleavage could put on a show.  I didn’t have Show Cleavage.  I put a black t-shirt on underneath anyway.  It wouldn’t hurt to