Twelve Days of Krista

2. Have A Holly Jolly Christmas

Two

Have A Holly Jolly Christmas

11:30 a.m.

25 December

Hugh would not call this the worst Christmas ever. However, it’s a close second.

Edgeworth men are expected to practice extreme stoicism at all times. One tear shed at a funeral is akin to a fit of hysterics in his father’s opinion. His father is known at the office for celebrating the close of business deals with nothing more than one fleeting and thin smile. However, if Charles could see his son now, he would definitely not be smiling.

Hugh is sandwiched uncomfortably between Krista and Marian in an over-stuffed streetcar. As if that isn’t bad enough, Krista jumps to her green Conversed feet and moves to the front of the car where she calls out, “I think we have time for a Christmas song before we reach Embarcadero Center!”

Krista pulls a harmonica out of her bottomless backpack.

“Let’s do this!” she shouts cheerfully before leading the cable car in a rousing version of “Holly Jolly Christmas.”

This day could not get any worse, Hugh thinks in a very un-Edgeworthian moment of self-pity

“Isn’t she great?” Marian shouts at him over the din of the streetcar and singing tourists.

Hugh responds with a non-committal grunt just as his mobile buzzes. It’s a message from his father who only seems capable of texting in ALL CAPS.

“HOW GOES PROJECT MOTHER-IN-LAW?”

Hugh suppresses another grown. What he should text back but definitely won’t is: badly. Very badly. But at least they appear to be nearing the end of the wretched song.

Suppressing an internal groan, it dawns on Hugh that he is headed straight for the area where his hotel is located. He wrestles briefly with the impulse to leap from the moving car and hole up in his room. But that thought is soon replaced by curiosity about their final destination, especially considering they are headed away from all the eateries along the waterfront and into the heart of the financial district.

“You should talk to her,” Marian whispers in his ear, startling his gaze away from his phone.

“Sorry?” Hugh asks, not sure he’s heard her quite right.

“Krista! She’s a lovely young woman and you’re a handsome young man. Plus, there’s no telling if she’ll start another Christmas song before you get another chance. You should talk to her. Now.” Marian raises her eyebrows at him suggestively and for once, Hugh immediately understands what she’s getting at.

“Ah, I…” he starts to remind her about his girlfriend—one who he would, at this very moment, be spending a night of post-engagement bliss with if not for this assignment. But then an idea begins to form…

Hugh wades through a sea of knees to reach the spot where Krista stands. “Might I have a word?” he asks.

Krista gives him a sorrowful look. “You’re disappointed it wasn’t you,” she says in an apologetic tone. Before he can respond, she squeezes his shoulder sympathetically. “I know. It’s so unfair! And believe me when I say if I could match every person who comes to me, I would. But my gift doesn’t work that way.”

Hugh shakes his head. “Uh, no, I’m not here to be matched. I’m here to reason with you.”

“Reason with me?” Krista repeats as if “reason” is a foreign concept she’s never heard of before.

Hugh presses on nonetheless. “Please understand. I am in no way trying to disparage your, ah, profession. But I’ve been entrusted with Marian’s care by her son-in-law. I’m supposed to escort her to a private jet that’s due to leave in less than two hours for a surprise trip to London. I would very much like to ensure she is on that plane at the designated time. If you could perhaps help me,” he brings out his wallet, “I would be ever so grateful.” Hugh gives her a pointed look as he presses five crisp $100 bills into her hand. “A little donation for your, ah…panoply.

Krista crinkles her cute button nose at the money. “Okay. Let me get this straight. You want me to rush true love so you can catch a plane?”

“No, I want you to rush true love so Grandma, your new friend, can receive the gift of a lifetime,” he corrects. “I’m asking you to help me make herhappy.” He folds her hands over the bills. “You do want Grandma to be happy, don’t you?”

“Um…” Krista looks at the money clasped in her hand. Then back up at him. “Yeah, of course, I do. You think she really wants to go on this trip?”

“She is out of her mind for books. And once she catches this plane and finds out where she’s headed, she will be ecstatic beyond belief.”

“Hmm, Grandpa is crazy about books, too. I know he’d love to take a trip like that…” Krista looks down again at the bills. “What time did you say she needs to be at the airport?”

“Two o’clock.” Hugh adds three more bills to the pile to sweeten the deal. “Do you think you can make sure our lunch is done by then?”

She pretends to look torn but in the end pockets the eight hundred dollars and says, “Okay, if you think this trip will make her happy,” before calling out, “All right, Grandma, our stop is coming up!”

What a deceitful little actress, Hugh thinks to himself with an annoyed squint. As a rule, he prefers not to do business with obvious grifters. But if doing so means he can get Marian on that flight to London, the loss of a few hundred dollars to this little American hustler seems a small price to pay.