I ran tonight again, but this time, for the first time in about three years, I ran on a track.  Not on a treadmill.  We’ll see how my knees feel tomorrow.

Then I came home and wrote.  I’ll be writing tomorrow morning too, and I’m hoping to be caught up by Friday.  That’s the goal, anyways!

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

“Excuse me?” Drew blinked, not sure he was hearing what he thought he’d just heard. He looked over at the doorway to the kitchen, where Old Man Winter stood waiting for his answer. “What did you just ask?”

“I asked you who was delivering Molly’s ornament today,” Old Man Winter grumbled, but his voice lacked bite. It was odd. Very odd.

“Who told you about the ornaments?” Drew said, disconcerted.

Old Man Winter sighed. “Do you think I wouldn’t know?” he said. “Honestly, boy, I have eyes. Did you think I wouldn’t see them? You’re sending ornaments to Molly, one a day. I don’t know why, but I know you’re doing it. So who is giving her today’s ornament?”

“Luke is,” Drew said, dazed.

“What is today’s surprise?” Old Man Winter continued.

“Lunch, at work.” This was going way too fast. “Luke’s bringing her pizza from Giovanni’s, because she loves it, but never orders it.”

“I haven’t had pizza in years,” Old Man Winter mused, a faraway look in his eyes. “What’s her favorite kind?”

“Barbaque chicken, with fresh mozzarella, spinach and broccoli,” Drew said. “And Schrodinger loves pepperoni, bacon, cheddar cheese and cranberries.”

“Cranberries?”

“He’s odd,” Drew said, grinning. “You get used to it.”

Old Man Winter grunted. “I guess.” He turned to go, and then paused, looking back at Drew. “Call your friend.”

“And tell him…?” Drew’s voice trailed off.

“Tell him I’m going to be taking Molly lunch.” Old Man Winter walked out, leaving Drew gaping at him.

He sat there for a good five minutes, looking at the empty doorway as his mind spun. What was going on? What had happened to Old Man Winter?

Then Drew shook himself and pulled up a window on the computer screen in front of him. Luke had the morning shift today, and he needed to catch him before he went to Giovanni’s. Or before Old Man Winter shows up and scares the crap out of him… He tapped a few keys and logged into the Gate Station’s instant messenger program.

“Hey, dude, you still there?” he sent to Luke.

“Yes, for the moment,” Luke typed back after a minute. “Got to get to Giovanni’s soon.”

“Did you order the pizza already?” Drew typed.

“Not yet.”

“Heads up: Old Man Winter is headed your way.” Drew paused, wondering how to phrase his next message. Just do it, he decided. “He’s decided he wants to take the ornament to Molly, along with lunch.”

“Are you okay with that?” Luke typed.

I wasn’t aware I had the choice. “I guess. In a way, it says to me that he is warming to Molly. Just be aware he’s coming to see you. Give him the ornament, and order the pizza for him.” The thought of Old Man Winter trying to pay for pizza was both amusing and frightening. Did he have money? “Put the pizza on my tab – Giovanni knows I’m good for it. Actually, you might want to go along with him.”

“What could possibly go wrong?” Luke typed. “Don’t worry, I’ll shepherd him through the town and make sure he gets the right pizzas.” There was a pause, and then more words spilled across the screen. “He’s here. Don’t be surprised if Mal sends you a cranky email later about him showing up without notice.”

“I had no idea he could move that fast!” Drew typed, but Luke was gone. He stared at the blinking cursor and hoped it worked out okay. Like he said, what could possibly go wrong?

His brain, ever helpful, began to provide answers to that question almost before the thought was fully formed.

<><>

Molly was coming down the stairs from the second floor when she paused, inhaling deeply. The normal scents coming from her kitchen were both sweet and savory, but this…this was something else entirely. Something that made her mouth water.

“Who is the wonderful person who brought pizza?” she demanded, swinging into the kitchen. Then her eyes widened in surprise.

There was pizza – her favorite pizza, her nose informed her. There was Schrodinger, sitting on his stool with his own favorite pizza in front of him. But instead of Luke or one of the Trio, she saw Old Man Winter, in a lumberjack’s plaid shirt, his beard combed and trimmed neatly.

He brought you lunch! Schrodinger said happily.

“I asked Drew what your favorite lunch was,” Old Man Winter said. There was just the hint of a smile (a smile?) on his face. “When he mentioned pizza, well – I haven’t had pizza in a very long time.”

Molly walked over to the stove and put the kettle in her hand onto a burner. “No one delivers to your place, huh?” she asked lightly.

“No. I might have to find a place that would.” Old Man Winter handed her a paper plate with two slices of pizza on it. “I wonder if this Giovanni would.”

“He delivers to the mines,” Molly said, sinking onto a stool. “I don’t see why he wouldn’t deliver to you.” Unless you destroy the Gate, her mind added, but her mouth was full of pizza, luckily.

“Does he now.” Old Man Winter chewed thoughtfully on a slice of pizza (Schrodinger’s pizza, Molly noticed). “He gave me a menu. I think I shall keep it.”

“I have to ask,” Molly said, after her first slice was gone. “What did you pay for this with?”

“It was on Drew’s tab,” Old Man Winter said. “I offered to pay, but Giovanni said it was taken care of.”

“Drew’s tab?” Molly and Schrodinger exchanged glances. “You mean you’re delivering this for Drew?”

“I am.” Old Man Winter wiped his mouth off, and reached into his pocket. “He said you don’t often take care of yourself, especially during the Christmas season, because it’s busy here. And that you love pizza, but don’t often order it.” He handed her a small box. “And, since I couldn’t help but notice he’s been sending you ornaments all month, I volunteered to bring today’s.”

“Volunteered, huh?” Molly said wryly, putting her pizza down and opening the small box. Inside the tissue paper nestled a beautiful orange ball, with silver beads glinting in the light. She pulled out the ornament and the little red envelope.

“May I see it?” Old Man Winter asked.

“Of course.” She passed over the ornament and then opened the envelope.

“Take some time to take care of yourself this week,” the card said. “Don’t forget to eat, especially!”

“It’s beautiful.” Old Man Winter handed the ornament back to her. “Where did he get them?”

“He commissioned them from a local artist,” Molly said. “To make me feel better.”

“Feel better?”

“It’s been a rough fall,” Molly said, picking up her second slice of pizza. “Rougher than it’s been in a long time.”

Old Man Winter didn’t press her, which was good. For a bit, she’d been able to forget the deaths, and the illness. She pushed the memories away again. Now just wasn’t the time to bring them out.

I love pizza! Schrodinger announced, breaking the growing silence. We should have pizza every night!

“No,” Molly said. “If nothing else, I can’t afford it.”

We could make our own…

“No,” Molly repeated, smiling in spite of herself. “Besides, if we had pizza every day, we couldn’t have Chinese food.”

Schrodinger cocked his head to one side, considering. Then he said, I know! We could have both!

Both Molly and Old Man Winter laughed at that. Old Man Winter’s laugh was rusty, but it was real, and it lifted Molly’s spirits to hear it. “Maybe,” she said to Schrodinger. “And if we did that, we’d be rolling you home.”

Not me, Schrodinger said. I’d run it all off.

“You’d get sick of it,” Old Man Winter said. “Trust me. Eat the same thing every day for a month, and you’ll never want to see it again.” He bit into the pizza. “Then again, if you put different things on the pizza each day, I guess it wouldn’t get old as fast.”

“Don’t give him any ideas, please.” Molly finished her slice and sighed happily. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Old Man Winter surveyed the remains. “And you have enough to take home.” He stood up and stretched. “I think I shall go back and bring Drew some pizza as well.”

“He likes pepperoni and sausage,” Molly said.

Old Man Winter smiled at her. No, he grinned, and the expression didn’t look out of place. “I guess I’m heading back to Giovanni’s, then.” He nodded to both of them and went out.

What happened? Schrodinger asked, once they were alone.

“I have no idea,” Molly said. “No idea at all.”