Free Miss Kane's Christmas by Caroline Mickelson

away.”
    “You would do this to your father, Carol, this late in December?”
    Carol groaned. Guilt always worked. Especially so near the red letter day. She sat up, hugged her pillow to her chest and frowned at Jolly. “Don’t you have things to do at the North Pole?”
    The elf raised an eyebrow. “You know I do.” She pulled the blankets from the bed and motioned for Carol to get out of it. “Your father sent me.”
    Carol stood barefoot on the cold wood floor and watched her friend make the bed. She and Jolly were fast friends, it was only two days before Christmas, and today was the Hanson’s big party. These were things that normally would have made her happy. Yet she felt strangely detached from it all.
    Jolly pointed to the pillow Carol was still holding. “Plump that up and put it with the others,” she said. She waited until Carol did as she bid before speaking again. “Aren’t you going to ask me how things are at home?”
    “Of course, I’m sorry. How are things at home?”
    “Thoughtful of you to ask.” Jolly hoisted herself up to sit on the edge of the bed, her legs dangling over the edge. She pulled two candy canes from her pocket and offered one to Carol. When she refused, Jolly shook her head ruefully. “Wow, you must have it bad.”
    Carol sat next to her. “I do.” She sighed. Ben Hanson had gotten to her in the worst way. He was all she could think about. But this wouldn’t do. She had to snap out of it. “Now, I’m asking because I really want to know. How is everyone at home?”
    “Well, when I left a few hours ago your father was pouring over weather reports. I’m happy to say that the national weather service hasn’t reported anything the Big Guy can’t handle. Your mother is busy, busy, busy.”
    “And loving every moment of it,” Carol interjected.
    Jolly nodded. “She’s in her element, that’s for sure. Now your brother, that’s a whole different story. Wanna hear the juicy details?”
    Carol nodded.
    “Nicholas was in so far over his head after you left that your father actually hired him a full-time assistant.”
    Carol’s eyes widened. “No.”
    Jolly nodded, a gleam in her eye. “Oh, yes he did. Her name is Holly and she is, so Rapz informs me, blindingly beautiful. And smart. And she can run circles around your brother in the organization department. You see where this going?”
    Carol grinned. “Oh, what I wouldn’t give to witness that in person.”
    “Just what I wanted to hear you say. Let’s get you packed.” Jolly hopped off the side of the bed and opened the closet door.
    “What are you talking about?” Carol ran around the side of the bed and reached over Jolly’s head to close the closet. “I’m not leaving.”
    “Oh, yes you are,” Jolly shot back.
    A strange panicky feeling ran through Carol. “I haven’t even wrapped the presents yet.”
    “That’s your only objection to going home?” Jolly asked. “Because I can do that while you pack. I’m no Rapz but I am fast. So, if that’s it…” her voice trailed off knowingly.
    “Well, it’s just that I haven’t…we haven’t…well, I can’t explain it.” She couldn’t explain her reluctance to leave because she didn’t understand it herself.
    “Maybe you can’t, but I can,” Jolly told her. “It’s pretty obvious what’s going on around here.” She slid the closet door open and pulled out Carol’s suitcase. “Start packing. The Big Guy wants you home.”
    “What?”
    Jolly took a deep breath and spoke in an exaggeratedly slow voice. “Your father, known to all the world as Santa Claus, wants you to come home with me.”
    “Today?” Carol’s heart began to race. She hadn’t expected this, but maybe she should have. She’d failed in her mission and of course, Santa knew.
    “Can I get some help here?” Jolly’s voice broke through her thoughts.
    Carol glanced at the suitcase and then reluctantly lifted it onto the bed and plopped down beside it. “But I’m