Claus said as she locked the door behind the last customer and put up the "Closed For Business" sign. "I wish it could go on another month."The commen... brought a friendly groan from Sandra and Mary, who had each put in more hours in the last week than the other two girls combined. Mrs. Claus laughed and assured them she was only kidding."I said almost," she broadly smiled. "Seriously, I don't know what I'd do without you girls."The smiles now on all her helper's faces were just as warm and. None of the characters or events herein described have ever existed or transpired... as far as I know. 'You decent?' Kris' response was a smile. 'I always try to be, Dad. What do you think?' My heart was somewhere around my Adam's apple, but I managed a response. 'I think you're the second-most beautiful bride I've ever seen. Tomorrow, when you go up the aisle, every woman there is going to be pea-green with envy. I just wish your Mom...' 'Me too. Wearing her gown almost makes up for her being. She used to come to our home and we used to visit theirs.Once my parents have to go to the village for some work and I was alone in home. Mom told Shobha aunty to arrange for my food. Next day morning, I didn’t go to college. I was watching tv and suddenly signals went off. I went to our terrace to check the direction and orientation of the dish antenna and was seeing downwards. Shobha aunty was on her balcony having her tea. As I was looking downward, I saw upper part of her beautiful melons. She held my hand in hers and stared straight ahead, smiling that notorious, unnerving Cheshire smile. I felt like we should be talking about everything; my history as ‘Brandi’, her recriminations over my hiding it from her, my reasons for doing so, her perceptions of this new ‘me’ and its effect on our relationship. She didn’t seem at all inclined to discuss it, as though this, all of it, was the most natural thing in the world.Essence was the ‘it’ club of the moment; the place for the.