Bah! Humbug! Now that's too strong

 

Why were there so many people at Dollar Tree, thought Maddie as she edged her way with her basket. Harley followed. They were on a mission to find something for Maddie's coworkers.

"I can't believe you aren't giving them anything at work?" Maddie looked back at her friend while her knuckles had gone white, clinging to the basket.

"I don't really know them. Nobody said anything about gifts," Harley sighed. After all, she was pretty much low on the totem pole at the diabetic clinic.

Maddie pushed on, and finally she found the cosmetics aisle. "I don't want to be cheap, really, but I just don't have the time to be creative."

Maddie would be placed in Adult Services at the library at the new year. A part of her wanted to make a good impression, yet she was certain Dollar Tree presents weren't going to cut it.

"Oh, look, OPI," Harley pulled down some OPI nail polishes, of course packaged as tiny nail polishes. Maddie saw they were green. Her new boss would love it. Her color was green as in Creativity.

"Thanks." This was good. It was going to work. Just a few little things. She noticed the nail art tools. She was certain her new boss could use them in crafting, another win. Maybe she could do this yet, on such a tight budget.

"What are you getting Rain?" Maddie asked.

"The usual," she sighed. "He's really into the labubu craze, but he likes the vinyl kind.  ONE PIECE labubus. They are on sale on Amazon. I already got it. I don't care if he has it already. It's what he's getting." Harley shrugged as she looked at something she wasn't sure what it was exactly used for. She asked Maddie if it was for the lips for a blush, and Maddie shrugged. Harley put it back.

"That's it? That's all you had to get him?" Maddie looked at her wide-eyed

"Just the usual, like undies, socks, maybe flannel pants."

Maddie nodded as she watched Harley grab the Vitiamin E oil. Maddie took some too. It looked so neat. She knew she needed some.

"Boone said we were only going to get stuff from 5 Below."

"Have you been there lately?" Harley looked at her with a chuckle. "Everything is five dollars or above."

"Yeah, I know. We have like a thirty-dollar limit. And then there is Thriftmus." Maddie nodded.

"I'm so glad you thought of that. I love it. You know, having a Thriftmus party. I love thrifting," Harley smiled.

"I know. Most of my work clothes are from Goodwill."

"But Thrifties is the best," Harley smiled. They both loved the new thrift shop in town.

"Do you think Mercer will come to the party?" Maddie hadn't heard back, but she'd drawn a name for him and sent it to him in an e-mail.

"Of course, he's bringing Sterling," Harley told her.

"Oh," Maddie found herself smiling. "Do you know something, I don't know?"

"I don't know anything." Harley shrugged.

They'd found Funnel Cake Mixes. They each took a few. Someone would need those for a last-minute gift.