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 egg sandwiches) were piled in the center of the table, waiting to go in the dishwasher.

“Well, that depends,” Pavel said. “What are you planning on doing today?”

“Working,” Drew said regretfully. “But at least I’ll be home tonight at a decent hour.” He got up, stretched, and went to fill his thermos with more tea. “For the last time until Saturday, anyways.”

Molly winced. The week before the Snow Queen’s ball was always hectic at the Station, and even this year, despite the lack of snow and cold, traffic had already picked up. She wondered if this year was going to be the last ball ever.

Pavel was looking at her, so she said hastily, “Schrodinger and I have to finish up our Christmas shopping today in the Cove.”

“So you’ll need strong arms, yes?” Pavel flexed his muscles thoughtfully. “I think I can handle that.”

“Are you sure?” Molly warned him, giggling a little. “Have you seen me Christmas shop?”

“She’s got a bigger list this year too,” Drew said, looking over at his friend and grinning. “You might want to bring a companion.”

Pavel looked dubious until Schrodinger piped up, And that doesn’t even include MY list!

“I’ll tell the boys to bring the carriage,” Pavel said resignedly, and Molly and Drew couldn’t help themselves; they burst out laughing at the look on his face.

“I’ll make dinner for you afterward,” Molly promised, giving him a hug. “Will that make up for putting up with Schrodinger and I dragging you from store to store all day?”

“That depends,” he said, eying her. “What’s dinner?”

“There’s two steaks marinating in the fridge,” she told him, and his eyes lit up. “And I’m making mashed potatoes, and honey-glazed carrots.”

And there’s a blueberry pie in the freezer! Schrodinger said excitedly. And vanilla ice cream!

“Sold!” Pavel said. “I never pass up blueberry pie.”

As soon as Molly loaded up the dishwasher, they left in Pavel’s carriage. Drew had left before them, promising to be home in time for dessert, if nothing else.

It was still snowing, but the roads were clear, so Pavel’s carriage had no issues. Molly leaned back against the seat and sighed. “I could get used to this,” she admitted.

If we had a pony, we could do this more often, Schrodinger said.

“We’re not getting a pony,” she told him.

Why not?

“Because we don’t have time for a pony,” Molly said. “And that’s final.”

Pavel was watching them, amused. “And why do you want a pony, Schrodinger?” he said.

Because if we had a pony, we could use the sleigh that Drew painted, Schrodinger said.

“I told you, if we get enough snow, we’ll borrow a pony and take the sleigh out,” Molly said. “But neither Drew nor I has enough time to take care of a pony, Schrodinger. And you, despite being a marvelous creature, do not have hands and cannot take care of a pony.”

You don’t know that, he said loftily. There’s a lot about CrossCats you don’t know yet.

“Okay,” she said, trying not to chuckle at him. “So tell me. How would you take care of a pony?”

Well, that depends on what is involved, Schrodinger said.

“Mucking out stalls,” Pavel said. “Horses poop a lot.”

“And feeding them,” Molly added. “And brushing them.”

Oh. Schrodinger’s head sank down on his paws. I didn’t realize it was that much work.

“That’s why we’ll borrow one,” Molly told him, rubbing his ears. “All the fun, none of the work.”

Promise?

“I promise,” she said. “As soon as there’s enough snow.”

“Where are we going in the Cove today?” Pavel asked, as they came into town.

“Well, I need to go and get Drew’s gift,” Molly said, pulling a list from her pocket. “That’s over at Jeff’s Music Store. Then we have to go to the Tin Store, and the Home for All store, and then over to Katerina’s.”

The coffee shop? Really? Why? Schrodinger looked confused, and Molly grinned. Her hatred of coffee was well-known.

“Because she’s got a Sacher torte for me,” she said.

“You mean you eat baked goods from someone else?” Pavel stared at her in mock-horror. “Really?”

“Sometimes,” Molly said. “Have you ever had Katarina’s tortes?”

He shook his head.

“Trust me. It’s to die for.” She looked over at Schrodinger. “And what do you need to get?”

I’ll meet you at the Tin Store, he said. I have to go pick up your present.

“Paul will go with you,” Pavel said to the CrossCat. “Just in case.”

They stopped at Jeff’s Music Store first. Paul, who was a tall, thin pirate that Molly hadn’t met before, trotted off after Schrodinger, who set out purposefully across the square. Molly had no idea what he was going to get, or how he paid for it, but he seemed to have everything under control, so she and Pavel went into the Music Store.

It was full of shining instruments, and rather than the radio, Jeff himself was playing his electric cello in one corner of the room, and the deep tones of “Silent Night” hung in the air. Molly and Pavel waited until he was done, then clapped.

“Hey, Molly!” Jeff leaned the instrument against the wall and hurried out to meet them. “Who’s your friend?”

“This is Pavel,” Molly said, hugging Jeff. “He’s helping me collect Christmas presents today.” She looked eagerly at Jeff. “Did it come in?”

“Yep, and it’s beautiful.” After shaking Pavel’s hand, Jeff went over to the counter and, reaching down, pulled out a long case. Molly held her breath as he opened it gently.

“Oh my,” she whispered, as the lights shone on the gleaming hard wood of the violin. “It’s perfect.”

Drew had told her that summer that he’d played the violin when he was younger, but he’d had to give it up, and was thinking about getting back into it. So Molly had gone to Jeff, knowing he could get her the perfect instrument. Now, as he lifted the violin out of its case, and set the bow on the strings, she knew she’d been right.

He tuned the strings, and then began to play the same tune that he’d been playing on the cello when they’d come in. The notes sang through the store under Jeff’s expert hands, and Molly sighed happily at the end.

“Thank you so much,” she said, as he replaced the violin and bow in the case, and wrapped it up. “He’ll love it.”

“I had no idea he was going to pick up the violin again,” Pavel said, as Molly accepted the wrapped package. “He hasn’t played in years.”

“He mentioned it this summer, but we couldn’t find one he liked.” Molly put the package in her bag. “Thanks, Jeff.”

“No problem.” Jeff hesitated. “Hey, Molly, can I ask a question?”

“Sure, what’s up?”

He paused, then said, “Is it true?”

“Is what true?” Molly asked.

“That there won’t be a ball this year.”

“No, that’s not true at all!” Molly said, her heart sinking. “Where did you hear that?”

“It’s going around the Cove,” Jeff said. “That because there wasn’t any snow, the Snow Queen wasn’t going to have her ball.”

“She will have her ball,” Pavel said firmly. “With or without snow. You can count on this.”

“Good.” Jeff smiled at them both. “I’d hate to see that tradition end.”

“It won’t,” Molly assured him. “It won’t.”

It was the same at Home for All, and the Tin Store. Molly was disheartened to hear all the rumors: that the ball had been canceled; that winter wasn’t coming back; and even worse, that the Snow Queen had withdrawn her favor from the Cove. Molly assured each of them that no, the ball was still on; yes, winter was still coming; and no, the Snow Queen hadn’t withdrawn her favor. By the time they came back to the carriage and met up with Schrodinger and Paul, she was exasperated.

“Where are these rumors coming from?” she demanded, throwing herself into the carriage.

I can tell you, Schrodinger said darkly, hopping up. But not until we’re on our way back home.

Molly, intrigued, made short work of her visit with Katarina and Mick. She picked up the torte, reassured both of them that the ball was still happening Saturday, and then hurried back to the carriage.

“Spill it,” she ordered, once they were back on the road out of town. “What happened?”

Schrodinger blew out a gusty breath, his head down on his paws. When we went to get your present, I smelled Caliban, he said. So we decided to check it out.

“Caliban?” Pavel sat up straight. “He’s actually in the Cove?”

No, not him. But we saw his servant again. He went into the Music Box.

“The Music Box? Why?” Molly said, frowning. The Music Box was one of the specialty shops in the Cove, and its proprietor Tinker made some of the most amazing music boxes she’d ever seen.

I don’t know, Schrodinger said. But he came out with a package after about five minutes, and hurried out of town.

“How’s he getting in and out of the Cove?” Molly asked suddenly. “Drew said he wasn’t using the Station.”

“He probably has a medallion that lets him hop onto the Roads,” Pavel told her. “Because he’s not using the Sea Roads either.”

“I wish I knew what he was doing here,” Molly fretted. “I don’t like him skulking around my town.”

Pavel smiled at her. “We’ll figure it out, and then we’ll put a spoke in his wheel,” he promised her. “You have another job. Any ideas on how you’re going to convince the Snow Queen?”

“Yes, actually.” Molly looked over at him. “Are you busy tomorrow?”

“Not really, although I was going to hang out at the Station with Drew,” Pavel said. “Why?”

“I need someone to make a special delivery for me.”