A White Elephant Party

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...' Bing's voice purred through Chloe's phone.

'Me too...' she snorted as she looked at her slippers and the foggy weather outside.

There wouldn't be a white Christmas this year, only the elbowing at the mall. Chloe checked once more her shirt and shorts in the mirror and headed for the door.

‘Only family this time.' she muttered and reached for the keys in her purse.

That's when her phone rang, muting Bing's silky wish for her Christmases to be white.

'The White Elephant party is today at five pm.' Alys’ voice reminded her.

It was as well Alys couldn't see her, Chloe thought wryly. It saved her a sermon of how her face was an open book since her thoughts right now were less than charitable.

She'd forgotten about this year's party with everything that went on. Her break-up from Marty, her boyfriend of five years, and her colleague who prattled on how he couldn't suffer to be around her, just to get the window office.

'Oh yeah, gotta go now.' she muttered and hung up the phone.

Thirty minutes later, after inching her way to the mall through streams of cars, Chloe steeled her resolve.

'Two stores, in and out, family only'

She startled when a loud voice interrupted her thoughts.

'So you planned to skip the party, right?'

Chloe managed a sheepish grin.

'Apparently not only my face is an open book.'

Alys giggled and took her arm.

'We're here, and a new World Market opened behind the skating rink.'

'Let's go first there.' Chloe answered to her own surprise.

There was all the encouragement Alys needed since Chloe found herself dragged in front of shelves loaded with multicolored pillows, scarves and passport covers.

'Look, there's some stuff from Dubrovnik. You've been there in college, didn't you?'

Chloe smiled, and this time she knew Alys couldn't read her. She never told anyone about the boy with golden hair and clear blue eyes she'd met one night.

'Albanian, no liked here.' he'd told her with a crooked smile.

However she did like him and perhaps he'd read it on her face since he'd drew her to him and so they danced until the club closed. About her height, he held her eyes the whole night with an uncommon reverence.

He didn't speak much English, and she didn't speak Albanian, so he showed her his passport instead of "my name is".  The passport cover was an unusual combination of gold, blue, red and black. Her face probably gave her away again, since he smiled his crooked smile then he laughed and admitted: 'yes, funny'.

'Look at this!' Alys interrupted.

'Gold, blue, red and black. Quite appropriated for him, don't you think?'

Chloe looked in the same direction and saw Marty opening his palm.

'Lily invited him, they're friends, you know.' Alys answered in apology.

She knew, that's why she broke up with Marty.

'He is bringing his new colleague. Lily said he spoke excellent English considering...'

'OK, we'll take it, we have two more stores to go to.' Chloe interrupted. She'd have enough of Marty later at the party.

Two stores later, Alys sighed.

'Four thirty, there's no more time to go home and change. I'll drive.'

Chloe nodded. The faster she'd be done with this silly party, the better. She took the front seat, and while Alys busied herself to negotiate her way out she leaned her head back on the chair.

She'd told him her name was Moira. He only smiled and then repeated it in wonder the rest of the night. She almost felt the tingle in her ear, as his lips pronounced it, over and over.

By the morning, she was gone, never to see him again.

'That's what a break-up would do, remind of old flames.'  Chloe chided herself.

The car stopped and she noticed Alys looking at her with interest.

'It cannot be Marty, you eventually found out he's a jerk. Who's he?'

Chloe laughed.

'Nobody caught my fancy since Marty.' That much at least was true.

Inside, everyone matched the slippers, shorts and t-shirt attire, complete with sweat and annoyance from the season's shopping.

Chloe endured Lily's buss on her cheek and Marty's wink. He'd have to be content with Lily since this was what he wanted, she decreed. She'd be strong, and she'd refuse his pleas to take him back. He tried it the whole week, and she bet Lily didn't suspect a thing.

Alys scattered the gifts on the table, opened a beer for herself then announced:

'Let's begin!'

The doorbell rang, and Marty admitted another guy in shorts and t-shirt. Light strands hid among white and clear blue eyes looked in apology.

'You made it old chap.' Marty rested his arm on his shoulders. Chloe knew his self-satisfied grin came from the several inches he towered over the newcomer.

Then he announced:

'This year we have a twist. We marked the gifts so we could ask the gift giver a question. It's my turn today.'

He had given her his turn last year, and she melted at his chivalrous deed. Chloe cringed both at the memory and his cocksure wink.

Chloe sucked in a breath when he picked up her gift. He opened the wrapping and turned to her in anger.

'What were you thinking when you bought... this'?

'This priceless reaction.' Chloe almost answered. However, she whispered instead.

'It reminded me of someone'.

Chloe ignored the I-knew-it glance from Alys and refrained to gloat at Lily. Marty had wanted to sway her, and he counted on her bringing yet another sensible offering.

'You could discard it, and someone else would pick it up.' Chloe retorted.

Marty tossed the passport cover on the table as if he understood the allusion and Alys diplomatically nodded at his colleague.

'Your turn'.

Chloe trembled as he turned his blue eyes on her then wept when he chose her gift and asked her with his crooked smile.

'Moira?'