Free On Strike for Christmas by Sheila Roberts

another whoop, followed by a wail.
    â€œPete Junior, I told you to stop. Now, you tell Tommy Joe you’re sorry.” Sharon came back to Joy. “Three boys. What was I thinking? Mama told me girls don’t run in our family and I should quit trying, but did I listen? James, you stop that right now! I’ve got to go,” she decided. “Y’all stay strong. We’re counting on you as our fearless leader.”
    Fearless leader? Joy thought as she hung up the phone. As Laura would say, Yeah, right. She wasn’t really the leader type. And she was already contemplating retreat. Note to self: Next time you come up with a brilliant idea, don’t tell anyone.
    Laura called an hour later. “Guess what I’m doing.”
    After talking with Sharon, Joy was almost afraid to ask.
    Laura didn’t give her a chance anyway. “I’m here at work bragging to everyone about the easy, relaxed Christmas I’m going to have. Glen and I had a little talk, and he’s doing everything this year.”
    At least someone was having success. “That’s great,” Joy said.
    â€œSo let me take you out to lunch to thank you for being so brilliant.”
    â€œSure,” Joy said and tried not to think about the conversation she’d just had with Sharon. If this all backfired would she have any friends left?

Five
    Rosemary Charles had just finished her interviews with Sharon Benedict and Kay Carter. They had met at the Java Hut after Kay got off work from her job as a school secretary. Since Rosemary figured there’d be no good pictures to be had at a coffee shop, she had dropped Rick at his favorite fast-food burger place before going to the interview. She’d been right about the pictures, but what the interview lacked in picture potential it more than made up for in copy. Boy, had she gotten an earful!
    Now she couldn’t help thinking about her own mom and all the things she’d done to make the holidays special when Rosemary was growing up. She and her brother had taken it all for granted, just like these women’s families. But Rosemary’s mom would never have resorted to such drastic measures to get help or recognition. Maybe she should have.
    â€œSo, off the record, you’re not afraid this is going to cause problems in your marriages?” Rosemary asked as they prepared to leave.
    Kay Carter gave her hand-knit green scarf a flip over one shoulder. “No. It’s going to cure the problem in my marriage: my husband’s disease.”
    â€œDisease?” Was there something she’d missed?
    â€œYeah, Penny-Pinchitis, also known as cheap,” Kay explained.
    Rosemary smiled and nodded. Kay Carter was a pretty funny woman. Would her husband see the humor in this? “Well, thanks. I may want to write a follow-up piece. Would you two be okay with that?”
    Sharon Benedict’s eyes narrowed and her chin jutted out. “That’d be just fine and dandy with me.”
    Looking at her, Rosemary almost felt sorry for her poor husband. This woman, with her perfect outfit, her expensive haircut and color job, and her big frown, looked like Martha Stewart ready to come after the gardener. Pete Benedict would be lucky to make it to New Year’s without bruises.
    â€œMe, too,” Kay said.
    Rosemary felt almost giddy as she got in her car. She was going to get a lot more than just a follow-up piece out of this. She was going to get a whole series. Once the first article ran in Sunday’s paper everyone would be talking about this strike.
    She pulled up outside of Beefy Boy Burgers and saw Rick sitting by a window, slurping something supersize. He caught sight of her and crumpled the bag and hamburger wrapper in front of him, then stood up. A minute later he was at the car.
    â€œWhat are these chicks’ gripes?” he asked as he got in.
    â€œThey do it all.”
    Rick made a face. “I think we’ve got a