The Wrong Mrs. Claus

Alex The cold seeped into my skin despite my heavy fur coat as I stepped outside, the revolving door behind me creaking and a tired sigh escaped my lips as my vibrating phone slipped off when my phone vibrated. Could this day get any worse? First, it had started snowing last night and my neighbors, feeling overly high in the Christmas spirit, had spent the whole night expressing their joy. For some reason everyone thinks that when it snows it's because of the bloody Christmas… it almost seemed as though everyone had forgotten that winter is a season like Spring and Autumn. As I bent to reach for the fallen phone while trying to balance the box in my hand with my left hand, it tipped over and fell on the ground with a loud clatter, my books and files scattering on the ground. "Oh for f**k's sake!" I scowled before bending down to pick my stuff off, I just had to go on and make a fool of myself in front of the same company that fired me a few hours ago. Christmas hated me the same way I hated it because why had I survived the first lay off only to be let go, just two weeks to Christmas. After devoting almost all my holiday and late nights to this stupid ass company… I felt a tear slip down my face, snapping me out of my reverie. Before I could get hold of my emotions, my vision blurred and I shook my head trying so hard to keep my tears at bay. I packed my stuff shoving some inside my tote bag, the box was useless now and I just carried the rest in my hand, whoever was texting me could wait. I don't think I can even reply to any message without coming off as rude right now. I flagged down a taxi and gave the driver my address, before settling down in the backseat dropping my stuff on the seat, and I reached for my phone. My boyfriend Derek was the one texting me and my anger diminished, I quickly called him. We once lived together in Brooklyn and I had traveled down to Toronto for this job a few years ago. I hated long-distance relationships but I didn't have a choice and Derek was so supportive, he made it work for us. I might have bad luck but I was lucky in my love life, I have the best boyfriend any woman would wish for, the phone rang and he picked up after the second ring. "Hey baby, did you get my message?" He asked, my lips stretched into a bright smile, one I didn't know I was capable of after what happened to me today. "Yes, thanks for the affirmations, I'm on my way home right now, I was having a bad day and-" "Can I call you back? I was in the middle of a game, you know how it is and I kind of need your help with something but let's talk about it when you get home, Kay?" He interjected, a familiar female voice yelling in the background. Vanessa, his little sister, must be throwing tantrums again. "Yeah, yes of course. I will let you know when I get home" I replied a bit sad we couldn't continue our conversation. "Alright, love you," He said and hung up. I exhaled putting my phone inside my bag this time, I relaxed on the seat watching the car swivel past houses and trees. It was snowing outside, there was a joyful feeling in the air even the taxi driver was humming the Christmas song playing on the radio. The tight feeling in my chest was getting worse, I hated it. "Can you switch it to another station?" I blurted out before I could stop myself, and he glanced back at me. He would be in his forties with a wrinkled face and small eyes, "Not a fan of Christmas miss?" He asked. "I just want to listen to something else, is that a problem?" I persisted sounding rude, he changed the station like I requested and the feeling slowly depleted. The distant memory of blood on snow and sirens blaring invaded my head bringing tears to my eyes. I recalled seeing my dad's wrecked upside-down car and the screeching of tires resonated in my brain. They didn't make it, they died. It happened around December 15th before Christmas. I remembered how excited I was about their trip to my uncle's who lived in Boston, they had promised to be back with a lot of goodies for me on Christmas Eve. To think I was sad when they said I couldn't go, I would have died if I'd followed them. I was looking forward to the gifts for Christmas, instead I got their lifeless bodies in the morgue, and became an orphan even my so-called relatives didn't want me. Life is cruel and I learnt that at the age of fourteen, I realized Christmas was a scam just a stupid holiday people made up at the end of the year so they can have excuses to celebrate something. The season of Joy was filled with agony for me and I'm sure others who can relate feel the same way. The taxi halted in front of my apartment building, I paid and hopped out. Pretty sure I heard the driver mumbling some bright words to himself, I carried my stuff climbing up the stairs leading to my apartment. I shuddered when I saw my landlord leaning on the wall opposite my door, dread consumed me and I put on my best patronizing smile. "Mr Mike, it's been a while," I said as if I hadn't been avoiding him for two months. "Do you know you owe me three months' rent, Young woman?" He scowled, the 5ft tall man with a round stomach and a hideous mustache lifted his chin as I got closer trying to be intimidating. "Of course, I know I just have a lot going on and I forgot-" "Then pay up right now?" He stretched his hand, not letting me finish. "I... Let's talk about this later this weekend, I will pay when my company gives the yearly arrears" I lied through my teeth, I won't be getting anything this year and I had a lot of plans for that money. "You owe me, these excuses need to stop and if I come back here this weekend I want my money not silly excuses. If you can't afford my rent then you'll stay in the streets, this is a warning I won't be kind when I come back here and I will bring my boys over to throw your things outside" He threatened and left while I bowed slightly thanking him. The only money in my account right now is for feeding and if I exhaust it before I get a new job, then I will be eating snow. Season of joy my foot, more like season of misery.