The boy’s mouth quivered as he lifted the bag of marbles from his pocket.

“Would you like to buy these?” Christina asked gently.

“After the way that man treated us, you ought to give them to us,” Joyce argued.

Aware that other customers were watching, Christina said politely, “I’m sorry. I can’t do that.”

“Didn’t think so.” Joyce sniffed. She took the marbles from her son, threw them at Christina, and dragged her son out the door, leaving it open for the snow to blow in.

“Sorry, everyone,” Christina apologized, smiling at the other customers. “We’re all emotional during the Christmas season.”

People went back to choosing toys. Christina quietly led Oscar to the back of the store.

“Could you please check the price stickers on these boxes? They keep falling off. I got a bad batch.”

“Busywork,” Oscar grumbled.

“My shop is all busywork,” Christina told him.

Returning to the counter, she rang up some customers and directed others to the lighthouses or tea sets or Legos. She had fifteen happy minutes before Oscar growled again.

“Don’t buy that!” Oscar ordered. “Can’t you see how cheesy it is?”

Christina nearly leapt over the counter, hurrying to get to the back.

“Oscar,” she said, keeping her voice calm, “those little mermaid sets are handmade, one of a kind. The artisan lives on the island, and she takes exquisite care with her work.”

“I can see that,” the customer said. “I think my niece would love it.”

“Yeah, if she likes being the odd one in her school,” Oscar said.

“Oscar!” Christina said, only with the greatest self-control refraining from shouting.

“I suppose you’re right,” the customer said. She put the mermaid set back. She turned and hurried out of the store.

The door opened, and several more customers blew in. Because other people were around, Christina couldn’t argue with Oscar about losing business for her. Thinking quickly, she said, “Why don’t you run the register? I’ll organize the shelves. You know how to use a register and a credit card machine, right?”

“Of course!” Oscar replied.

Oscar took his place at the register. Christina moved around the shop, replacing fallen toys, asking customers if she could help. For a while, everything ticked along pleasantly.

Then she heard a customer say, “I want a discount on this pirate ship. It has a ding in it.”

“It’s a pirate ship!” Oscar barked. “It’s supposed to have a ding in it!”

Christina looked. The ship was one of the largest ones, its sails fastened with complicated rigging. It was an expensive item, one that few people would buy. Even with a discount, Christina would make a profit.

Christina slid silkily up to the customer. “I do agree with Oscar. Pirate ships should probably be even more battered than this one. Oh, look, it’s only a slight dent. Oscar, give this gentleman a ten percent discount on this item.”