2

MARIAH

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‘Has everybody picked a name?’ I ask my team, and while they are lacking in enthusiasm, they at least muster up enough energy to answer me by nodding to confirm that they all now know who they have to buy gifts for.

‘There are still a couple of names in there,’ I’m told as the bowl is handed back to me, and when I look inside, I see that they are right. But that’s okay because it makes sense.

‘Michael and Nat still need to pick,’ I say, referring to our two colleagues who are currently out of the office to attend a meeting with a client. ‘I’ll get them to do it when they get back.’

Satisfied for now, I prepare to let everyone know they can go back to work, but just before I do, I feel it important to stipulate the deadline for this game. It was in the email I sent, but as everyone who has worked in an office knows, sometimes, people don’t read their emails properly.

‘Remember, everyone needs to have bought and wrapped their presents by Friday and placed them under the tree in the reception area. Okay?’

Everyone mumbles back in the affirmative before I thank them and turn to go back to my office.

I enter my private workspace before closing the door, enjoying the quiet in here as opposed to the constant hum of voices that exist in the open-part section of this floor. A perk of being the boss is getting your own private room to sit in, and as I take a seat at my desk and look out over London, I smile to myself at another job well done.

It might not seem like it now for those who just pulled a name out, but this game of Secret Santa will be fun. Come Friday, when we’re all gathered around the tree downstairs opening our gifts, there will be jokes and laughter and, most of all, Christmas cheer. That’s why I want to do this. It’s good for team spirit.

But having made everyone else partake in this game, it wouldn’t be much good if I didn’t keep my end of the bargain, so with that in mind, my thoughts turn to what I am going to buy for the person I randomly drew out. And it was random, even if somebody might not think so if they find out who I got. That’s because I got Michael, my husband and fellow owner of this business. What were the odds of that? I suppose 15:1 because that’s how many of us work here. But I’m not going to feel bad about having an easy person to shop for because it’s the luck of the draw.

I already know what I’m going to buy for Michael with the ￡10 budget. Despite the pair of us being millionaires, and alongside his penchant for the finest food, suits and hotel stays, one thing he doesn’t mind being cheap is his white wine.

‘Why pay more for a bottle?’ he always says. ‘The cheap wine will get you drunk just as quickly as the expensive stuff.’

I suppose he is right, and in this case, it makes knowing what to buy him very easy. There’s a bottle of white wine I know he loves, and it comes in under budget, so I’ll get him that. He’ll figure it came from me, but that doesn’t matter.

I quickly add ‘Buy Hubby’s Secret Santa gift’ to the full To-Do List on my phone before temporarily putting aside all thoughts of Christmas for the time being and getting back to the task at hand, namely running this company. But despite my best intentions, I can’t help but think of the game and, more specifically, wondering who it might be who is tasked with buying a present for me.

Who drew my name out of the bowl, and what are they going to buy for me?

I guess I’ll find out soon.

I hope it’s worth the wait.