Monday, December 19

“We’re sure there is a 19, right?” Lily asked doubtfully, as everyone continued to look for the number. The Advent castle was being stubborn today; they had been looking for nearly ten minutes with no luck.

It has to be there, Jack said. Why would the Snow Queen send us a calendar missing the 19th?

“Because she made a mistake, maybe?” Gideon said.

Maybe if it had been made by someone else, Schrodinger said, but there was no censure in his voice. The Snow Queen doesn’t make mistakes like that. It has to be here somewhere.

Just as they were all about to give up, Kaylee spotted the 19, creeping up the back of the main hall. She pressed it, and the window opened up to show a familiar figure sitting on a throne.

“Is that Old Man Winter?” Gideon asked, squinting.

“It looks like him, but I don’t know,” Lily said. “Why would he be sitting on a throne in the Snow Queen’s palace?”

The man was in a long dark red coat, trimmed with grey and white fur, and the hat on his head was also trimmed with fur. His long beard flowed over his chest, and there were holly leaves peeking out from within the strands. He had a kindly face, and all around him were great sacks of something. They couldn’t tell what. He waved to them, and then tossed a handful of candy canes at them.

As they landed in their hands, Kaylee found that hers had a note attached. “Good things come to those who wait,” she read.

That sounds like a fortune cookie, Schrodinger said. What does it mean?

Then his ears perked up, and he looked at Jack. Do you hear that?

The hound lifted his ears. Someone’s moving furniture upstairs.

There’s only one piece of furniture that gets moved around this time of year, Schrodinger said.

The music from WCOV stopped, and the DJ said cheerfully, “Well, folks, it’s a little later than normal, but I’m happy to report that Aunt Margie just called me from CrossWinds Books. It wouldn’t be Christmas in the Cove without a visit from Santa, and he’s going to be there this afternoon! The line opens at 3 pm!” Then another carol started.

“Santa! Woohoo!” Kaylee and Gideon whooped, and Lily pumped her fist. “That must have been what the calendar meant!”

They went tearing up the stairs to find DC and Steve moving the great wooden chair that Santa always sat in when he came to CrossWinds Books. Molly had told them that the chair had been there when she was a child, and it certainly looked that old. It was dark wood, scarred by years of use, and there were elaborate carvings on it. As always, it sat in front of the great fireplace, and the trees on either side of the fireplace framed it.

“So is it REALLY Santa, or just one of his clones?” Gideon asked. “Because you know he usually sends someone to stand in for him.”

“Maybe other places he does, but this one is really Santa,” Lily said. “He’s always come. I think he and Aunt Margie are friends.”

And everyone shows up, Jack said. He stays as long as needed, and EVERYONE gets on his lap.

“Everyone?” Gideon said skeptically. “You mean all the kids.”

“No, we mean everyone,” Kaylee said. “You’ll see.”

And he did. The line, as the others knew, stretched out the door that afternoon, and there were just as many grownups as kids. Santa saw them all, and took the time he needed. By the time Gideon got up to him, he was firmly convinced.

“Hello, Gideon,” Santa said, as he hopped up on the old man’s lap. “How are you enjoying your first Christmas in Carter’s Cove?”

“It’s awesome!” Gideon said, his eyes shining. Then he leaned in. “You’re really Santa, right?” he said quietly. “Like, really?”

Santa leaned his head down. “Really,” he assured him. “I don’t do many personal appearances any more, but I never miss a chance to come here.”

Gideon looked at him, considering, then nodded. “Schrodinger says it’s really you, and he doesn’t lie. So it’s you.”

“Schrodinger’s a smart cat,” Santa said. “Now, to the important things. What would you like for Christmas?”

“I want lots of stuff, but that’s not what I wanted to tell you,” Gideon said, and Santa looked at him. “My folks can do that. Can you make sure that no one is forgotten this Christmas? That would be too sad if they were.”

“I’ll do my best,” Santa said, smiling. “But I can always use help. So you keep your eyes open too, okay?”

Gideon nodded happily, and hopped down. Before he ran off, he turned back and said, “I’m so glad I got to see you, Santa!” Then he ran back to Kiaya and Zeke.

<><>

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” Caliban said, as he and Monk stood in line.

“What? How often do you get the chance to talk to Santa?” Monk said. “It’s tradition.” He looked at his friend. “Or do they not have Santa where you come from?”

They didn’t, really, but Caliban knew who he was. He’d even seen him, at least from a distance, at least once. “No, we don’t really celebrate more than the Solistice in my home,” he said, which was true. “But I’ve heard of him.”

“Then this is your first time telling Santa what you want for Christmas! That’s awesome!” Monk’s face shone with his excitement. “Your first time is always special. This is my third.”

“And do you actually get what you ask for?” Caliban asked, and he couldn’t quite keep the skepticism from his voice.

“Not always, no,” Monk admitted. “But I always get what I wish for. They’re not the same thing, you know.”

Caliban pondered that as the line slowly moved forward. It was warm, and very crowded, but no one seemed in a bad mood. It was just another way the Cove was so very different from most places he’d been in before.

And what DID he want? It was a question he was still wrestling with. Jade and Jack hadn’t recognized him, he was fairly certain of that, and the Librarian hadn’t said anything to blow his cover. But did he want to keep tempting fate by staying here?

But if I leave, where will I go? Is there any where I really WANT to go?

The thoughts circled in his head until he found himself confronted with the old man in the chair.

“It’s his first time, Santa,” Monk said, as he came down. “Percy said his people don’t celebrate Christmas. So he’s never talked to you.”

Santa looked kindly down at him. “Come on up, Percy,” he said, gesturing. “Tell me what you would like for Christmas.”

Caliban climbed up on Santa’s lap awkwardly and said, “I’m sorry, Santa. I’m not really sure what I want.”

“It’s okay,” Santa told him, and then leaned forward and said quietly, “Are you sure there is nothing you want, Caliban?”

Caliban froze and looked at him.

“Don’t worry,” Santa continued, so quietly that only Caliban himself could hear him. “I’m not going to tell anyone. But are you sure there’s nothing you want? A fresh start, perhaps?”

A fresh start. “Is that even possible?” Caliban whispered, his lips dry.

“Anything is possible, if your heart is in it,” Santa said, and then smiled at him. “Anything.”

<><>

After Santa left, and the crowd of people had dissipated, Lily went and found Molly in the kitchen.

“What’s up, peanut?” Molly asked her, as she stirred something in a pot over the stove.

“Why didn’t we make something today?” Lily asked her. “We just talked to Santa.”

“Well, yes, but you also raised energy,” Molly said, lifting up her spoon to check the texture of the chocolate she was melting. “The Snow Queen will be gathering that, to use to charge the wards.”

“Oh, I hadn’t thought of that,” Lily said, watching her. “What are you making?”

“Brynna gave me a recipe for fudge that she got from a friend,” Molly said. “I thought I’d try it. Want to help?”

“Sure!”

Molly gestured with her chin to the pantry. “Go and get the bowl of frosting from in there, please.”

“Frosting?” Lily said, but went to get them.

“I know, I didn’t believe it either,” Molly said, when she came back. “But this is what she said.”

Lily watched as her aunt poured the molten chocolate over the frosting, and then she mixed the entire bowl together. “Oh, it looks like fudge!” she said, clapping her hands together. “It’s magic!”

“A miracle,” Molly said, laughing. “Brynna’s miracle fudge. Let’s put it into a pan, and in 20 minutes, you can try it.”

>Activity: want to make Brynna’s Miracle Fudge? (My friend Onyx gave me the recipe, and said I could change the name) It’s super easy:

-Melt a bag of chocolate chips (I use a microwave, because I’m not a kitchen witch)

-Mix in a can of frosting until smooth

-Press it into a wax-paper lined pan and put it into the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Fudge!