2 Yule Be the Death of Me Read Online Free PDF Page B

lips,
and a scraggly goatee approached them. He looked exactly like what her mother
Nora would call a ‘mealy mouth.’ “Natalie, what the hell took you so long?”
    The young
woman, now known as Natalie, shook her head at Vivienne. “Oh, it was nothing.”
    “When are they
going to announce the winner of this thing? I’ve got to be at the bar ten
minutes before the fight starts to get a bet in.” The mealy mouth whined.
    “We can leave
because I’m not going to win.” Natalie answered. “You were right. It was a
stupid idea to start with.”
    “You wasted
your money making that, not mine.” Mealy mouth took hold of her arm. “So that’s
just less presents for Connor this year. After all, he’s not really my kid.”
    “I’m sorry,
Eddie.” Natalie apologized and followed him toward the exit. “I thought maybe I
could win and we could put some money in the bank for once.”
    “You’ll never
win because all your ideas are stupid.” Eddie replied.
    Vivienne
stepped between them. “She has just as much chance as anyone else to win
tonight.”
    Mealy mouth’s
beady brown eyes squinted, which Vivienne thought made him look like some sort
of nasty-tempered overgrown rat. “Who the hell are you?”
    “Vivienne
Finch. I run the Sweet Dreams Bakery shop in town.”
    “Well, la dee da.” Mealy mouth’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Why don’t
you go back to baking cookies and mind your own business?”
    “Eddie, please
don’t be rude.” Natalie reached out and touched the elbow of his rather
expensive looking winter jacket. In fact, all of his clothes were designer
labels and in good shape. It was quite the opposite of Natalie who was in head
to toe in clothes that practically screamed thrift store.
    “I don’t go
sticking my nose into other people’s business.” Eddie sniffed. “That’s what’s
rude.”
    Vivienne
really wanted to punch him something good. Get a good solid hit right into his
smug face. But, as much as it pained her to think it, he was right. She didn’t
know them or their situation at all. She of all people knew that outward
appearances were frequently deceiving. “I didn’t mean to start any trouble.”
    “Then leave us
alone and go back to your kitchen, sweetheart.” Eddie pushed his way roughly
through the crowd with Natalie in tow. “You better hope my bet pays off
tonight. Otherwise, we’re going to have to tell Connor that Santa got lost this
year.”
    They
disappeared into the crowd leaving Vivienne by the door to the ladies room. She
wanted to pursue after Natalie and explain that there were services she could
sign up for to help out. There was even a toys for tots fund run by the
Sheriff’s office where families under the poverty line could have a few donated
gifts dropped off on Christmas morning. At the very least, the nuns at Our Lady
of the Lake offered hand-made mittens and hats for the children who needed
them. But it was too late.
    “Thanks for using
up all the toilet paper.” The smoker complained as she exited the ladies room
with her friend in tow. “Not a very Christian thing to do.”
    “Wasn’t there
another roll in there?” Vivienne replied with as sickening sweet tone as she
could muster. “I better inform the owner about it.”
    The smoker
rolled her eyes in response. “Come on, Mavis.” She tugged on the arm of her
friend and pulled her into the crowd of people.
    She waited a
few moments before she returned to the rest room to return the toilet paper. No
need for everyone else to suffer. Besides, her bladder was petite and she was
sure she’d need room for the delicious drinks Kathy was going to buy her at the
bar.

CHAPTER
4
     
     
    When she
finally caught up with Joshua and Kathy again, they were standing in front of
her and Stephanie’s entry. Kathy, as she had hoped, had a sparkling green appletini with some cherries garnished on the sugared edge
of the glass waiting for her. She handed the drink to Vivienne. “This is called
a