Hannah and Delores exchanged glances. Lisa sounded terribly bitter and they couldn’t blame her for that. Lisa’s husband, Herb Beeseman, had dated Phyllis Bates in high school and everyone had expected them to get married. But Phyllis’s family had moved and Phyllis hadn’t bothered to keep in touch with Herb or anyone else in Lake Eden. She hadn’t been heard from in several years until Mayor Bascomb had somehow found her. And now she was back in Lake Eden, even more attractive than she’d been in high school.

“Don’t keep me in suspense. Tell me what our esteemed mayor did this time,” Lisa said, turning to face Delores. “Nothing you say about that man can possibly surprise me!”

“All right, but it’s really bad.” Delores took another sip of coffee and sat up a little straighter. “I’m warning you, Lisa. . . . This could be even worse than hiring Phyllis in the first place. I got the news this morning, straight from Rod at the Lake Eden Journal.” She glanced at her watch. “The paper is coming out in an hour, and I wanted to give you advance warning.”

“Advance warning of what?” Lisa asked, looking worried.

“Mayor Bascomb called Rod late last night and said he’s not holding the Mrs. Claus contest this year. Instead, he’s using his executive authority to appoint someone to play Santa’s wife.”

Lisa began to look a little sick. “Don’t tell me it’s . . .” She stopped and swallowed hard.

“I’m afraid it is,” Delores answered. “Ricky-Ticky has appointed Phyllis Bates as this year’s Mrs. Claus!”

It was all Hannah could do to keep from speaking several words she would never utter around her young nieces. Everyone knew that Lisa had been hoping to be Mrs. Claus this year. Herb had played Santa for the past four years running, passing out gift bags with candy and cookies to the children in the audience right after the Lake Eden Players had performed their Christmas play. Lisa, as Herb’s wife in real life, was the logical choice for Mrs. Claus. And everyone, Hannah included, had thought that this would be Lisa’s year to have that honor. And now Mayor Bascomb had arbitrarily given the role to Herb’s former girlfriend, Phyllis.

Delores reached out to pat Lisa’s hand. “To tell the truth, I can’t stand Phyllis either. She certainly could never be mistaken for a lady!”

Lisa responded with a shaky smile. “That’s true,” she said in a small voice.