The next day, I checked the mail. Nothing. I plopped on the couch.
      Kate came in the room. "What's up your butt?"
      "You didn't happen to see an envelope addressed to me from DrugCo, did you?" I asked.
      "No, but I'll watch for it," she replied. "Does it have wings, too?"
      "Ha ha ha, I'm rolling on the floor!" I said, then gave her a pained expression. "I'm just wondering because yesterday Lewis got a bonus frm them."
      "Well, you're still new there," Kate said. "Maybe next year."
      "Thanks for the pep talk, Kate," I said.
      "You're welcome! I gotta go, see ya later," she said, then left.
      "See ya..." I must've gotten lost in thought and started daydreaming because, next thing I knew, someone's waving their hand in front of my face.
      "Lauren?" Drew asked.
      "Huh?" I asked, snapping out of my daze. "Oh, Drew. Must have been daydreaming."
      "Anyway, this got dropped off at my house. Apparently, DrugCo has my address listed as yours... for some reason," he said, handing me an envelope.
      "I'll get that changed..." I said, going back into a daze. I tore into the envelope.
      Drew watched me read it. "Well, what is it?"
      "A check for fifty bucks..." I said.
      "Wow. $50. Hey, that's great for working there for just a few months!" he said.
      "Yeah..." I said.
      "Well, I gotta get going. See you later," Drew said, then left.
      I sorta waved after he left. "Fifty bucks?" I asked myself. "Is this good... bad... pity?"
      There's a knock at the door.
      "It's open," I said.
      The door opened.
      Lewis came in. "Hey, I passed Drew in the hall and he said you got a check. How much?"
      "Fifty," I said, still unsure about it.
      "Fifty?" he said. "Dammit, that's more than I got for my first bonus."
      "Yeah?" I asked, hopeful.
      "Yeah, about fifteen years ago," Lewis replied.
      My hopes sank. "Oh."
      "It's still a bonus!" he said.
      "I spent almost $300 on presents! Fifty compared to that is a drop in the bucket," I argued.
      The phone rang.
      I picked up the receiver. "Hello?"
      "Hiya, Lauren. Is Lewis there?"
      "Hi, Oswald. Yeah, he's right here," I said, then handed the phone off. I concentrated on my check, and next thing I knew the phone was coming back to me.
      "I gotta get going. Santa needs his elves," Lewis said, then rolled his eyes. "See you later?"
      "Yeah," I said.
      He left, leaving me still thinking at this stupid check in my hands.

      Later that day, everyone's at Drew's house except me. Don't ask how I knew this.
      "Well, since Lauren doesn't seem to be showing up, we'll have to start without her," Drew said. "Now, we have to decide on who gets wrapped up with Christmas lights this year."
      "I nominate Lauren cuz she's not here to defend herself," Oswald said.
      "I'll second that," Lewis said.
      "Any other nominees?" Drew asked, then paused. "No? All right, we have a winner, then."
      "That's the easy part. The hard part is figuring out how to do it," Kate said.
      "Good point," Drew said. "She's not really in the best mood today."
      "I doubt it'll get any better over the next couple of days. I'm still trying to convince her about that check," Lewis said.
      "Wait, that's it!" Drew said.
      "What?" Lewis asked.
      "I know how to do it!" Drew said.

      It's finally Christmas Eve! It's funny that the Warsaw is still open.
      Anyway, a little earlier, Lewis called and asked me to come over.
      I get to the door and knock. It opened and I went in. I looked around. 'Okay, how did that door open if nobody's here?' I thought. I went over and sat on a chair that was in the middle of the room because I saw my shoelace was untied. I bent over to tie it and before I knew it, everything went dark.

      Drew, Kate, and Oswald are at Drew's house.
      "What's taking so long?" Kate asked.
      "I hope she doesn't think it's a kidnapping," Drew said.
      The door opened and Lewis came in dragging me along. the other three picked up their strands of light and gathered around. Lewis sat me in Drew's chair, then pulled off whatever he put over my head and the others starting wrapping their lights around me.
      "What the heck are you guys doing?" I asked, trying not to laugh and look too embarrassed.
      "You know, we forgot to tell you about this, didn't we?" Lewis said, then picked up his strand of lights.
      They finished and stepped back.
      "I can't believe you didn't fight back," Oswald said.
      "Yeah, well, I'm sorta getting used to being made a fool of," I said, looking over the lights. "I hope you're not planning on plugging these in. These lights can get awfully hot."
      "Just for a minute so we can take a picture?" Lewis asked.
      "long enough to take the picture," I agreed... sorta.
      Drew went into the kitchen and came back carrying a video camera.
      "I said take a picture, not a video!" I said.
      "You know, this saves from having to buy a tree," Oswald said.
      Lewis leaned closer to me. "And it usually cheers up whoever's in the worst mood."
      "Oh," I said, then paused. "Dare I ask, what happens if no one's in a particularly bad mood?"
      "Mimi's usually brightly lit," Drew said.
      "So, the three of us meet Drew at Winfred-Louder and get into the spriit," Kate added.
      "You've made your point," I said. "Now, untie me."
      They looked at each other. "No."
      "I've got present to wrap," Kate said.
      "Yeah, me, too," Oswald said.
      Kate and Oswald left.
      "I do, too," Drew said, then went upstairs.
      Lewis sat on the couch. "I get to keep an eye on you."
      "And I'm sure you'll enjoy every moment of it," I said.
      "Of course," he responded.
      "So, is there anything at all that'll get me untied?" I asked.
      "If you gotta use the bathroom... but I'll have to tie you up again after that," he said.
      "How long are you guys planning on keeping me like the?" I asked.
      "Maybe two hours, unless you fall asleep, then it'll be morning," Lewis answered. 'What's with the twenty question?"
      "Well," I started.
      "uh huh, yeah, I know what you're thinking," he said, then rolled his eyes. "Really, you gotta trust us a little more."
      "I know I should, it's just tough, especially when you're tied up in Christmas lights," I said.
      "Hey, if me and Oswald gotta dress up as elves every year, then you can live with the lights for a few hours," Lewis said.
      "Fine," I said.

      The next morning I woke up still sitting in the chair, but minus the lights. I stretched and yawned.
      It's Christmas morning,' I thought. I looked at my watch. Nine o'clock... Where is everyone?'
      "Drew?" I called out. 'This is just like last night right before I got tied up."
      I went upstairs and the whole second floor was decorated with lights and garland and whatnot.
      "Wow..." I said.
      There was a tree in the hall, decorated, with presents under it.
      "We had a little extra money."
      I turned and saw Lewis coming up to me.
      "You like it?" he asked.
      "Like it? I love it!" I said.
      Drew came out of his room. "Good, because it took us forever to do."
      Oswald came out of the guest room with garland wrapped around him.
      "Oh, yeah, we decorated Oswald, too," Lewis said.
      "ha ha," Oswald said.
      Kate came up the stairs. "I've got the video camera!"
      "Good, get him," I said, pointing at Oswald, "on tape!" I paused. "How'd you guys know all this would cheer me up?"
      "Lewis called you parents," Kate said.
      I slapped my forehead. "I don't wanna hear anymore. They'll call me later and tell me all about it. One thing, though, you didn't mention tying me up in the lights, did you?"
      "Of course not," Lewis said, shaking his head.
      "Good," I said, then turned away from him.
      Lewis started nodding.

The End