The Christmas Lamp
a novella
Chapter One
Roni walked to the break room refrigerator and took out
a piece of cheese and a handful of grapes. Bumping the
door closed with her hip, she heard it; the telltale sound of
a crash, and then lights and ornaments hitting the pavement.
Judy sprang from her chair. "Good grief! This is a
record even for Nativity."
Moving to the window, the women peered out. Roni
heaved a sigh of disbelief when she spotted a silver Acura
SUV buried in spruce. Tinsel dangled from the headlights.
A man peered out the driver's side window. Moments
later the tall, well-dressed man wearing corduroy slacks
and a sports shirt unwound his frame from the driver's seat
and got out of the vehicle.
Closing her eyes, Roni drew a deep breath and
announced. "The new consultant is here."
The two women reached the door simultaneously.
Bounding toward the accident, Roni quickly assessed the
situation. The city crew seemed untouched. One or two
looked slightly dazed, but the consultant's expression was
more "what hit me" than angry. "Is everybody okay?" Ron ... read full excerpt from The Christmas Lamp: A Novella ebook
