I'm trying something a little different. This story is just going to be a mini seasonal one. It will be longer than a one shot but shorter than a full on story. Let me know what you think.
Another Shift, Another Dollar
Olivia pulled into the big parking lot of the huge retail store she worked at and turned off her car. She had twenty minutes before her shift started and she sat there for a bit enjoying the blissful peace and quiet. The sky was dark and the white moon was trying desperately to peek through the dark and ominous clouds.
It was the week before Christmas and she hadn't had a day off since before Thanksgiving. But after her shift tonight she had five glorious days off in a row. She just knew that whoever had made the schedule had made an error, but Olivia wasn't about to bring it to anyone's attention. She'd waited all week for it to be changed and more hours added to her schedule, but it never happened. The thought of what she was about to be getting away with brought a huge grin to her chilly face.
The only person Olivia had felt free enough to talk to about it with was her friend and co-worker Abby. Olivia had worked with the fiery redhead in customer service for a little over a year now. Abby was a few years older than Liv, and had trained her in customer service. The two of them had hit it off immediately. They got along like sisters instead of friends. Unlike Olivia's sad single dating status, Abby was happily married to Leo. The two of them were inseparable and if they weren't so cute together, it would be irritating for Olivia to watch.
Two days ago, she admitted out loud what she had been worrying about. "I keep waiting for someone to change the schedule."
"It won't get changed. I'd bet money on it." Abby stated firmly. The two women were enjoying a fifteen minute break in the back of the store by drinking hot cocoa and some Christmas cookies Abby had made at home.
"What makes you so sure?" Olivia asked doubtfully.
"Because it's almost Christmas. Everyone has been working crazy hours, including whoever is making the schedule. Chances are, they still don't realize what they've done." She shrugged. "Probably never will. So, keep it to yourself."
"As if I'm going to tell anybody but you." Olivia said with exaggeration.
"What are you gonna do with a whole week off?" Abby asked as she broke a Santa cookie in half and popped a piece into her mouth.
"Sleep late. Get caught up on my tv shows. Eat junk food. Be lazy." It sounded like the perfect plan to Olivia. Doing nothing. Not having anyone to answer to. No getting out of her warm bed to get ready for work at the same time most people went to sleep for the night. No demands. Just enjoying herself.
"That's sad. You should live a little." Abby informed her. A thought wandered into her mind. Her eyes and smile both got a little bigger. "How would you like to get away for those five days?"
"That would be amazing!" Olivia answered truthfully. Then reality hit. "But I don't have the money for that. I'm saving up for a new car in the spring. Remember?"
"Yea, I'm not talking about you spending money."
"Okayyyyy. How do I get away without spending money?"
"By staying in our cabin in the woods." Abby informed her.
"You guys have a cabin?" Olivia asked in disbelief. "Really? Where?"
"Yea, really. It's up in Fair Haven, about two hours away. It was a wedding present from Leo's parents."
"Oh wow. I don't know, Abs. I don't want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere all by myself. It might get scary. What if the power goes out? Or I run out of food on the first day? Or I need someone to tell me what to do because I don't know how to live any other way?" Olivia chuckled.
"There's a back up generator, so you won't lose power. There are plenty of places to shop and eat if you run out of food or get bored. And if you want to go exploring on hiking trails, watch it snow on the mountain, or whatever, the next town is just a short drive away. Besides, you just said you were going to do all that boring shit at home. What's the difference where you do it? The cabin has everything you need, and it's fully stocked. You're on your own with needing someone to tell you what to do thing though. That's a twisted thing to worry about."
"Are you sure? Don't you need to run it by Leo to make sure he's okay with it?" Olivia asked. She was already planning on what she'd do there with a week to herself.
Abby slapped at the air dismissively. "He won't care. He offers it to his friends all the time. Now it's my turn to let one of my friends use it."
Olivia screeched excitedly before getting to her feet and pulling Abby in for a hug. "Then yes! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Abs! I promise to leave it neat and clean. I can hardly wait! I'm so excited!"
"I think you will really like it up there. No people to deal with. Just clean living. And the scenery is freakin' gorgeous. Especially this time of year." Abby let go of Liv and added, "Besides, you need a little adventure in your life. I think this could be good for you."
"I think so too. I've kinda been stuck in a rut with work and home. A little change of scenery might be exactly what I need to shake things up a little. Thanks again, Abs. I really appreciate it."
"Great. Consider that your Christmas gift." Abby said with a big smile.
"I haven't bought yours yet either." Olivia laughed. "I'll see what Vermont has to offer and bring you and Leo back something nice. It's the least I can do."
"The very least." Abby agreed. "Let's get back out there. Those grumpy shoppers aren't going to make themselves happy.
Olivia had gone home and packed that night in eager anticipation of getting the hell out of town to a place she'd never been to. She'd only be gone for three days, and she'd be all alone. Why then, had she packed as if she was going to fashion week in Paris? Three overstuffed suitcases had been sitting in the backseat of her car ever since Abby had offered the cabin in the woods. It was too much, and every night Olivia promised herself she would whittle her stuff down to one bag. That never happened though and she no longer cared about the amount of stuff she was bringing with her. She'd made peace with it.
As she looked up for a glimpse of the moon, Olivia saw beautiful white snow begin to float lazily from the sky. It brought a smile to her lips, and she immediately got out of her car. Her warm hand was pulled free from its confining leather glove and brought palm up in front of her. After a moment or two, a white flake landed softly on her finger. The warmth of her hand melted it immediately, but another one soon landed on her skin.
Winter was her favorite season and the snow was a big part of the reason for it. As a kid, Olivia always looked forward to the colder months, and the snow days that cancelled school. As she got older, Olivia looked forward to winter because of the clothes. Oversized sweaters paired with leggings and cute boots of all colors and lengths. Her mind momentarily fluttered back to the suitcases in the seat behind her filled with too many cute winter clothes, before Olivia shut down any thoughts of them and let her mind think about winter coats! Peacoats, puffer coats, parkas, and...
Movement caught out of the corner of her eye and she turned her head in time to see a mother and her two children getting out of the car. "Come on! We need to hurry up and get inside. It's freezing out here!"
She sighed loudly. It was time for her to get inside too. She was working eleven to seven. The dreaded graveyard shift. The sooner she went inside to get her shift started, the sooner she would be on her way to Fair Haven for five amazing quiet days. She had to act overworked and weary to blend in with her co-workers instead of revved up and excited. The only thing that could screw up her magical isolation away is if the scheduling coordinator realized her mistake before Olivia ended her shift in the morning.