The salon was alive with the crackling of a cheery fire and the bustle of people going about their chores. The owner and head-beautician at the time, Annabelle, was running about with mugs of hot chocolate and other Christmas goodies, setting them on tables and work stations here and there. The radio was playing soft Christmas music, the cheery tunes drifting out the window to meet whoever decided to pass that way that morning. It, along with the green and red decorations on the street signs and front porches made the day feel warm no matter how snowy.

The tingling of the shop's bell signaled Annabelle to the entrance of two very cold women, one slightly shorter, and much happier, than the other. Both were red in the face from the long walk over, and the taller wore a slightly unhappy frown. Annabelle removed her smock hurriedly, and after giving her apprentice, Elizabeth, some extra tips on hair and checking on her daughter, Truvy, the woman went to greet the pair at the door.

"Merry Christmas!" Clairee said, beaming. She wrapped her arms around the older woman's neck, giving her a cold hug. Annabelle hugged her back, before helping her get her coat off and hanging all her snowy cloths on the wrack near the door. Ouiser watched, hiding her small smile under the scarf Clairee exchanged with her own thinner scarf, shuffling to the little corner behind the door. Annabelle only noticed her as she put Clairee's wet boots on the mat by the door, and when she did her face lit up with Christmas cheer.

"Is that Ouiser Boudreaux that little Clairee managed to rope into coming?" She asked almost mockingly, walking over to observe the now rather annoyed Ouiser with cheery green eyes. "My, you do look cold. Come in, come in. It's Christmas, so even curmudgeons get love today." Annabelle reached up to take Ouiser's hand to lead her out more into the room, but Ouiser crossed her arms over her chest instead of taking the offer.

"I can get my coat myself." She half-snapped, watching Annabelle with hard eyes. The woman backed off.

"Alright, sorry." Annabelle shrugged, walking off to go get two hot mugs of chocolate. "Show a little kindness and you get yelled at. Sheesh." Annabelle muttered to herself as she walked quickly past Clairee. The shorter heard her and hit her on the head with a gingerbread cookie. Ouiser paused in hanging up her coat next to her scarf to stare with a bemused expression, before turning back to her work, half-hiding a chuckle. Annabelle stopped and turned around, shaking the gingerbread crumbs from her red hair.

"What?" She asked, but Clairee shushed her quietly, her eyes glancing back at Ouiser, who was shaking her head at their gossiping, acting like she disapproved of it. She was making herself look like a hypocrite at the same time, being the literal Queen of rumor spreading in the Parish and all. Clairee's eyes shone with a mischievous gleam, and she motioned Annabelle quietly to the back room. Annabelle followed her and shut the door behind them, curious.

"Why did you hit me with a cookie?" Annabelle asked, her voice only slightly annoyed. Clairee put her hand son her hips in a womanly sort of way, looking at Annabelle with serious eyes.

"You aren't going to say anything bad about her while I'm here, alright? I know she's a bit on the touchy side, and I know that most people stay away from her if they have any sanity. But she's not mean just because she likes being mean! She's like a little tomato seed – she's hard and uncaring on the outside, but if you give her love and warmth and care she'll open up and blossom." Clairee said, crossing the room with silent steps. Annabelle watched her, her face somewhere between confused and angry.

"Clairee, never make any more analogies, yours stink." She said, taking a left over cookie from the tray on the counter she was standing next to. Clairee turned, cookie half in her mouth, scowling.

"That's not the point!" She said, biting off the poor gingerbread-mans' head. "I'm just asking not to condemn her to hell every time she snaps at you just because people say she's evil. Give her a chance to warm up to you and then she'll be nice. I promise."

"Alright, no more judging. Not even a little bit. Now I'm going to go give her a cup of hot chocolate, so pray I live through it." Annabelle said, taking a steaming mug from the counter and ducking a flying cookie at the same time. She stopped when Clairee made a sound like she wanted to say something, and the red-head turned around.

"Anna... I have to go get one last Christmas present, so don't start that without me, please? I won't take long!" Clairee said, green eyes grinning where her face was not. Annabelle smiled, turning back to the door.

"Don't leave me with her long or I might not be here when you get back." She said, and departed. Clairee followed, beaming, grabbed her winter stuff and ran out the door before Ouiser could say anything to her. She flew down the street, past the people and their dogs, past women with children dressed in their Sunday best in tow, past the dark shops that didn't open that day. She skidded to a halt in front of the only open shop on the block and quickly went into the warm building.

After making her purchase, she left the store a lot slower than she entered; carrying a large box like it was her baby. She was grinning from ear to ear.