Thursday, December 25 Molly had awoken early, the habit of years, and had slipped from the bed without awakening Drew. Schrodinger was sleeping in a pile with Lily, Zoey and Jack in one of the guest rooms; Molly peeked in the room, but they were all still asleep as well. So she went downstairs, made …
(advent) December 24
Wednesday, December 24 “Drew! Can you get the door, please?” Molly called, slicing up another loaf of homemade bread. The doorbell pealed again, and Molly heard footsteps hurrying to the front door. She wondered again where Schrodinger was – she hadn’t seen the CrossCat in at least an hour, and it wasn’t like him to …
(advent) December 23
Tuesday, December 23 Molly was up and sitting in the armchair by the window when Caliban came to collect her the next morning. Despite everything, she’d actually slept well, probably a residual effect of the drug he’d used on her. That didn’t stop her from glaring at him when he came in the room. “Coming …
(advent) December 22
Monday, December 22 Molly paused outside the back door to the book store and took a deep breath. The cold, salty air felt wonderful against her flushed cheeks – she’d been cooking bread for the week, and the kitchen was very, very warm. She tossed the bag of trash into the dumpster and leaned back …
(advent) December 21, 2014
Sunday, December 21 “Okay, spill it,” Lai said, as the Terrible Trio swarmed into the kitchen that afternoon. “The entire story.” “Yes!” Sue and Noemi chorused, and Molly laughed. “Okay, okay, okay,” she said, pulling tea mugs out and pouring hot water into each of them. “Although come on, Lai, didn’t you give him the …
(advent) December 20
Saturday, December 20 “Is this really necessary? You think he’d do something tonight?” Molly asked Pavel, as he opened the front door to the farmhouse and peered out into the dark yard. The lights on the trees glowed in the clear night; if only there was snow, she thought fleetingly, it would be picture-perfect. “Absolutely,” …
(advent) December 19
Friday, December 19 Molly had woken up feeling exhausted, and decided to take the day off. She very rarely did that, and Aunt Margie had agreed that she’d been working too hard. She’d planned on a lazy day, since they’d finished their decorations. But as she and Schrodinger sat in the bay window in the …
(advent) December 18
Thursday, December 18 Normally, Molly had Thursdays off. But this was the Thursday before the Snow Queen’s Ball, and since Aunt Margie usually closed the bookstore that Saturday, Molly had come in to work. Jack was sitting at the island, a cup of tea cooling at his elbow as he watched her paint lines of …
(advent) December 17
Wednesday, December 17 “You’re sure you can spare me for a couple of hours?” Drew asked Mal. “I don’t want to leave you short-handed.” Mal eyed him through the smoke of his ever-present cigarette. “Your fiancee needs you to run an errand,” he said. “She knows how busy we are. So if she’s asking, then …
(advent) December 16
Tuesday, December 16 So, who do we have going with us today? Schrodinger asked, coming into the kitchen from the porch. Wet snowflakes still clung to his fur, and he smelled slightly cold. Molly, Drew and Pavel were seated at the kitchen table, sipping tea. The remains of breakfast (empty plates, because Molly had made …