Christmas Shopping

[nomoreinnocence]

The weeks leading up to Christmas were always a busy time at the store, even here in Haurvatat. Lana didn't mind being busy and she loved decorating the store each year. Her windows sparkled with crystal snowflakes hung to catch the sun and send rainbows throughout the store, Christmas tunes had finally made the rotation into the background music

Comments

[gr8tcarepkgs]

If there was one person who was made for Christmas? It was Randy Hill!

Giving? People being jolly? Santa?! Oh, yeah. That was Randy to a tee.

He was dusting shelves, humming happily to himself. Soon, the depression of not being with his brothers for the holiday would hit him and drag him down, but for the moment? He was a happy camper.

[nomoreinnocence]

Randy could make anyone happy, Lana thought. Every time she worked with him she was grateful that she'd hired him. She watched him work away, humming as he went and she couldn't help but smile.

When he came closer she waved and smiled. "Don't forget you can stop and have some hot chocolate or mulled cider too."

[gr8tcarepkgs]

"I dunno," he said with a wide grin aimed right in Lana's direction. "If I eat any more marshmallows, I might turn into StayPuft!"

[nomoreinnocence]

She looked at him with a laugh. "With all that exercising you do? You're teasing me now!"

[gr8tcarepkgs]

"I am," he admitted with a bashful grin. He was keeping up with his workouts after all.

He tucked his dusting rag into his back pocket and came closer (but not too close, in case he developed feelings!). "Got all your Christmas shopping done, Lana?"

[nomoreinnocence]

She grinned and gestured around the store. "Most of my gifts are books. Surprised, huh?"

[gr8tcarepkgs]

"Totally not surprised!" he exclaimed, arms wide. "But those are great gifts, right? They keep on giving!"

Even though Derrick was the reader in the family, not him.

[nomoreinnocence]

"I think so," Lana said, looking around the store proudly. "But then I might be a tiny bit biased. How about you? How's the Christmas shopping going?"

[gr8tcarepkgs]

"Oh - "

Somewhere, were this a TV show or something crazy like that, the JAWS theme would start, that inimitable sound of impending doom.

Randy's face fell, an increment at a time. "... I don't have many people to buy for here .... "

[nomoreinnocence]

"Me neither," Lana admitted. "Mostly my employees and one or two others. Most of the people I've met over the years I've been here have gone."

Her smile got a little more sad. "Maybe you'd like to help me, though. I thought I'd put together some little gift bags, leave them anonymously for some of the kids and at the school. Just spreading the Christmas spirit where I can."

[gr8tcarepkgs]

The doom music stopped, at least momentarily.

"I would love that!" Randy all but shouted, his face lighting up. "That is such a good idea. See ... we can put a little toy in there. Maybe even LEGOs! And they can think it's Santa!"

[nomoreinnocence]

Lana nodded as she smiled. "See, I knew you were the right one to help me out with this. Can I put you in charge of getting the little toys? I'll give you some money, of course to pick them up."

[gr8tcarepkgs]

"Oh, my Gosh, are you kidding?!" Randy had orders! And a goal! This was heaven to the private, first class. "I will do that just as soon as I get off work. They will be perfect."

How did Lana know how great Randy was at gifts? It was part of his duty back in Florida, to help the wives send care packages. Randy was the perfect man for the job.

[nomoreinnocence]

She had no idea that he was so great at gifts (though the Mun should have guessed from his name), but she knew he loved helping and he'd seemed down so she'd thought this might be a way to cheer him up and help out some kids as well.

"That would be wonderful! I'm sure you'll do a much better job with that end of it than I would," Lana said honestly. "I'll pick out a bunch of books and then we can figure out which would work with the gifts. Sound good?"

[gr8tcarepkgs]

"That sounds great! When would you like the presents? I can totally get them tonight and have them ready to go tomorrow?"

Oh, yeah. Randy was ready to go. Mission!

[nomoreinnocence]

"Sure," Lana said. "We could start putting them together tomorrow and have them ready to go for Christmas. That will give us time to make sure we have enough for all the kids and still have time to add little touches if we think of them."

Had she mentioned how glad she was she'd hired Randy?

"I'm awfully glad you wandered in here when you were looking for a job," she said. "Because I feel very blessed to have you."