A Heavenly Christmas: One Step At A Time 

Ostara watched as everyone left the parking lot.  Even the trucks that the last two loads came in on were gone.  The sun had set and snow began to fall again with the rising moon.  Ostara looked at it.  Tomorrow it would be full.  Ostara gave an involuntary shudder.  Strange, she had never felt the moon as ominous before, but without a doubt, she knew that there would be trouble in the full face of the moon this time.

 

At last Nick exited the warehouse, locking the door behind him.  The wind outside bit his bones, but as soon as he opened the door of his car a warm breeze blanketed him.  Nick frowned thinking the car should be as cold as it was outside, but he didn't wait outside to wonder at it.  Maybe it held heat from the sun.  Nick knew that wasn't likely, but he really didn't want to think about it.

 

Just as he did every night for the past two years, Nick stopped at his favorite bar on the way home.  It was really more of a pub with the same regulars night after night and not many of them.  Inside it was dark and dingy with a handful of tables and the pre-requisite sports paraphernalia covering the walls.  A few people greeted him as he entered, but he hadn't been in the mood for conversation for a while, so most of the patrons just drank their own beers, barely noticing his presence.  Nick took his usual seat at the end of the bar, away from the other patrons.  "Hey, Nick.  The usual?"

 

"Better make it a double, Bill."  The bartender handed him a double shot of chilled tequila and a mug of draft. 

 

"Hey man, you ok?"

 

"I'm fine."

 

"Look, you know normally I wouldn't pry, but you haven't been looking so good lately."

 

"Yeah man, I know.  It's just a rough time of year, that's all.  And I can't seem to get away from it.  They guys at work are giving me shit too."

 

"Ah..." Bill said with a knowing nod.  "It must be pretty tough with all those toys.  So what's their beef?  Maybe I can pull an idea out of my hat."  Nick gave the bartender a suspicious look.  He didn’t need anyone poking their nose into his life, but Bill was never one to meddle.  When Bill offered his help it was the gesture of a friend.  Nick needed friends.

 

"It's just the same old, same old.  They want to leave early, but then they bitch about the short pay.  Let’s not even mention that it's the busiest time of the year for us."

 

Bill nodded.  Another customer called him.  "Hey, don't leave until I get back to you on that."  Nick stared at the TV screen sipping his beer.  He had some vague vision of the ending of one of the many versions of “A Christmas Carol” flashing before him.  At last the onslaught of Christmas cheer was interrupted by that distinct chunk of glass on the bar as Bill slipped him a second tequila.  "I got it."  

 

"Hey, thanks man."

 

"No, I mean I've got the answer for your little problem."

 

"I'm listening."  nick sounded more than a little skeptical as he eyed the tequila.  Was there such a thing as a rose tequila?  Nick didn't think so, but still he was sure he smelled the faintest traces of rose.

 

"Look, what you need to do is lay it out for them.  Ask them to work through their lunch, but tell them you'll let them out one half hour early each day.  The condition will be that they have to get at least part of the next day's work done.  That way, by Christmas Eve, they'll have everything completely finished by, say noon, and they can all go home.  That gives them an extra half hour each day to make up for any lost time on Thursday.  If you tell them what's what up front, not only will they give you fewer hassles, but they might actually thank you for it."

 

"Have you been eating roses?"

 

"What?!"

 

"I swear every time you open your mouth I smell roses."

 

Bill looked at Nick and reached for the tequila.  "Maybe you've had too many of these already."

 

Nick grabbed it and swallowed it before Bill could take it again.  "Only my second and I think I might need a third."  Bill poured Nick another shot as he watched Nick mulling through the solution.  Bill had no idea where he came up with such a good idea.  He really knew nothing about Nick's warehouse or the people who worked for him.  He poured himself a shot of tequila too.  He had the strangest taste in his mouth.

 

Nick held the glass staring at it as though it held the answer to his dilemma.  It sounded like a good solution.  he'd get them to work harder and longer and still not have to pay overtime.  The more he thought about it the more he liked it.  His face relaxed and he swallowed the last shot.  Nick slapped two twenties on the bar and pointed to Bill.  "You are an excellent bartender, but you've got to do something about those damn bells."  With that he turned and walked out of the bar leaving behind a very confused bartender and an angel in fits of giggles.

 

At the Pool of Sight, god was smiling.  Not a bad job at all.  Even god knew to not tempt Murphy's Law and said nothing.  There was still way too much time for Ostara

 to mess things up.