shannon. (shankilbourne) wrote in stoneybrookayr, @ 2012-12-09 21:07:00 |
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Entry tags: | & finished, brock matthews, mia pappas, shannon kilbourne |
'Tis The Season For Awkwardness
The Washington Mall was almost the last place Shannon wanted to be that Sunday afternoon. Well, the last place she wanted to be with a small child, at least. The North Pole Village inside Lear's was filled to the brim with people, mostly excited kids who couldn't wait to see Santa. Shannon was there that day with Andrea Prezzioso. Although she rarely baby-sat anymore, Mrs. Prezzioso had called her up yesterday and practically begged her to take Andrea to see Santa. She had promised to take her herself, but had just remembered that she had to take Jenny someplace (Shannon couldn't remember exactly where. Mrs. Prezzioso had been talking a mile a minute) and couldn't. Rather than break her poor baby's heart, she was desperately trying to find someone else to take her. Shannon had been reluctant at first, but Mrs. Prezzioso had sounded so frazzled and had offered to pay more than her usual rate, so she'd agreed.
As she stood in line, Andrea excitedly chattering away about everything, Shannon idly wondered if she should tell one of the employees to check on the music. She was pretty sure the sound system had been blasting Feliz Navidad over the speakers for the last twenty minutes. She glanced down at Andrea and saw her looking at the Christmas list she'd insisted on bringing. Shannon hoped she wouldn't unroll it to show Santa — she was pretty sure the list was as tall as Andrea herself.
"When will it be my turn?" Andrea asked Shannon, just a hint of a whine in her voice. Shannon couldn't really blame her. They'd been standing in line for quite a while, and Andrea had been remarkably patient so far. "Soon," Shannon told her, which was what she'd said every time Andrea had asked. Andrea didn't look thrilled with the answer, but didn't say anything else. Shannon glanced behind her at the sound of more people approaching, and her eyes widened when who, of all people, should come down the candy cane lined path other than Brock. He had to be bringing Charlie, she reasoned. She started to raise her hand in a wave, when she noticed that it wasn't just Charlie with him. It was Charlie and Mia. She quickly turned back around and willed the line to move faster.