\u201cMolly! Schrodinger! Look what St. Nicholas left me!\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Zoey burst into the kitchen at CrossWinds Books, waving a long, narrow package in the air. Her mother trailed behind her with an expression that was half amusement at her daughter, and half something else. Molly couldn\u2019t quite put her finger on what that something else was, though. Confusion, maybe?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did he leave you?\u201d she asked, after giving Donna a welcoming smile.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cPaints!\u201d Zoey exalted, showing her. \u201cA whole box of paints!\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
It was indeed – a lovely set of watercolor paints with two brushes, in a wooden case that protected them all from the outside world. \u201cWow,\u201d Molly said. \u201cYou\u2019ll definitely be able to use those!\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Indeed,<\/em> Schrodinger said, craning his head to look. Will you paint me a picture?<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOf course!\u201d Zoey told him. \u201cWe already stopped this morning and bought a whole pad of paper to paint on! What did you get in your shoe, Schrodinger?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A book!<\/em> His eyes lit up. A book on Christmas customs throughout the Realms. Would you like to see it?<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He led her out into the tea room to where he\u2019d been curled up in his bed next to the wood stove, reading the book St. Nicholas had left underneath the shoe he\u2019d put out. Molly and Donna watched them go, and then Molly turned to her.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWould you like a cup of tea?\u201d she offered. \u201cI\u2019m baking scones this morning, and the second batch should be out of the oven in a few minutes. And there\u2019s fresh butter today.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHow do you not weigh two thousand pounds?\u201d Donna asked, with a shake of her head. \u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Molly grinned. \u201cDon\u2019t be. The secret is to make others eat most of it.\u201d She turned and pulled out another mug, filling it with hot water before putting it in front of the other woman. \u201cTea?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d love some.\u201d Donna sank onto one of the stools. \u201cDo you have a strong black?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI certainly do.\u201d Molly brought out her selection of black teas and Donna chose an Assam. \u201cDo you take anything in it?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJust a bit of sugar.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Molly handed her the sugar bowl and she spooned a half-teaspoon of sugar into her tea. Watching her stir it, Molly wondered what was on her mind.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou look a little distracted this morning,\u201d she said, refreshing her own cup of tea. \u201cSomething happen last night?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Donna started to answer, and then stopped, then sighed. \u201cI don\u2019t know. I might have been dreaming.\u201d She told Molly what she\u2019d seen, and ended by saying, \u201cI just don\u2019t know. Peter swears he didn\u2019t take the carrots and leave the gifts, and I know I didn\u2019t. So who else could it have been?”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSt. Nicholas?\u201d Molly suggested.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a myth,\u201d Donna said, but her tone lacked conviction.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Molly smiled. \u201cI know you didn\u2019t grow up here, but let me assure you that if you stay here long enough, you\u2019ll meet plenty of myths walking down the street,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd no, I\u2019m not joking.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Donna shook her head. \u201cI just can\u2019t wrap my head around that,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s so not like the rest of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo, it\u2019s not.\u201d Molly looked out into the tea room, where Zoey and Schrodinger were cuddled up together in his pet bed, Zoey holding the Christmas book as they both read. \u201cThat\u2019s part of the reason I came back. This town is special.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m beginning to see that,\u201d Donna said, also looking out at the two. \u201cHow did you manage to get a pet like Schrodinger?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh, he\u2019s not a pet,\u201d Molly said. \u201cHe\u2019s most definitely not a pet. CrossCats are companions, not pets. He showed up a few years ago and needed a place to stay. We suited one another, so he moved in.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSo he\u2019s not just a big cat that happens to be telepathic?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d Molly explained as much as she knew about the CrossCats – they were a species from one of the neighboring realms, not far from the Cove, and that they commonly served as scouts in various militaries around the realms, as well as being advisers to several heads of state. \u201cSchrodinger says they are organized into dens, which are extended family groups, and that there are several older CrossCats that teach the others. I\u2019ve met his teacher, a CrossCat called the Librarian. But they definitely are a separate species.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s amazing,\u201d Donna said, sipping on her tea. \u201cI never realized what we would be getting into by moving here, but I think I\u2019m glad we did.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt can be a bit overwhelming when you first get here,\u201d Molly agreed. \u201cEspecially if you didn\u2019t grow up in a CrossRoads town. I mean, Carter\u2019s Cove is a bit more weird than many CrossRoads towns, because we have more than one Gate, but I couldn\u2019t imagine living anywhere else.\u201d She glanced out at Schrodinger and Zoey again, and smiled. \u201cIf nothing else, the magic keeps everyone young.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMetaphorically speaking,\u201d Aunt Margie said, sailing into the kitchen. \u201cMolly, love, a cup of tea, please. My feet are killing me.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Molly obliged, introducing Donna as she did so. Once Aunt Margie was settled into the other stool, Molly pulled the scones, perfectly browned on top, out of the oven and set them to cool.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHow did you know to pull them out?\u201d Donna asked. \u201cYou haven\u2019t glanced at a watch or the clock, and there was no timer.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a gift,\u201d Molly said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOur Molly\u2019s a kitchen witch,\u201d Aunt Margie said proudly. \u201cShe just knows when they\u2019re done.\u201d She inhaled the scent of the scones and sighed happily. \u201cCinnamon scones – are you going to do a caramel drizzle on them again?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Molly said, considering the scones as they sat in front of her. \u201cWhat do you think, Donna?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI think that sounds heavenly,\u201d Donna admitted. \u201cBut I think they\u2019d be good plain too.\u201d She sighed, and drained her tea. \u201cI might have to get one when I get back. Right now, I think I\u2019ll get a handle on the Christmas shopping I need to do.\u201d She smiled at them. \u201cThank you for everything. Especially for how you\u2019ve taken Zoey in. It\u2019s made this move so much easier.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re very welcome,\u201d Molly said. \u201cShe\u2019s a joy. I don\u2019t mind at all.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Once she had left, Aunt Margie said quietly, \u201cAn interesting lady. Just like her daughter. I wonder\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Molly prompted, when her aunt\u2019s voice trailed off.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh, just me musing out loud,\u201d Aunt Margie said, shaking her head. \u201cI was maundering. Just ignore me. So, can I put caramel-drizzled cinnamon scones on the board outside, or just cinnamon scones?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d Molly said, dismissing the problem for the moment. She looked over at her aunt, wondering if she should push the issue about Donna and deciding not to. \u201cSo, everything\u2019s set upstairs?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Aunt Margie nodded. \u201cPlease thank Drew and Luke again for their help – I couldn\u2019t have done it without them.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI will.\u201d Molly started to say something else, but Lily and Jack burst into the tea room and distracted all of them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cZoey! Schrodinger! Did St. Nicholas leave you something too?\u201d Lily shouted.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSo much for a quiet tea room,\u201d Molly said, and Aunt Margie laughed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThis place is never quiet, and that\u2019s why I like it,\u201d she said, watching the four in the tea room. \u201cLooks like St. Nicholas has his eye on a helper for you, Molly.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI think so,\u201d Molly agreed, as Lily brandished the set of cookie cutters she\u2019d been given. \u201cShe certainly seems to have a knack for it. And two kitchen witches isn\u2019t a bad thing.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou think she might be?\u201d Aunt Margie asked.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cShe might be.\u201d Molly shrugged. \u201cI was about her age when I realized what I can do. But maybe not. She might just be a really good baker.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAnd there is nothing wrong with that,\u201d Aunt Margie agreed. She finished her tea and stood. \u201cI\u2019ve got to go look at the inventory. I\u2019ll put cinnamon scones on the board.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAunt Margie, I got cookie cutters! And Jack got a bone! From St. Nicholas!\u201d Lily said, as she came flying in.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWow, he really knows you!\u201d Aunt Margie said, grinning. \u201cI guess that comes with the job, though.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Lily and Zoey nodded. \u201cCan we open the next door now?\u201d Zoey asked. \u201cPlease?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSure. Whose turn is it today?\u201d Molly said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJack\u2019s!\u201d Lily said, and the big hound came forward. \u201cLet\u2019s find number 7!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Number 7 turned up in one of the windows of the cottage. Jack touched his nose to it, and the painting crumbled away.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The snowflake came out, and Lily held out her hand. It spun, and dropped four small squares of paper into her hand, then floated above her head, as if waiting.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat is that?\u201d Zoey asked, leaning in to look.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Lily admitted, flipping one of the squares over. \u201cIt looks like a stamp. But there\u2019s no note or card or anything with it. Just stamps.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For mail?<\/em> Schrodinger asked, putting one paw on Lily\u2019s thigh and pulling himself up to look. Why would the calendar give us stamps?<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Maybe we should ask the snowflake?<\/em> Jack suggested, looking at the others. Do you think it might answer?<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Lily looked at the snowflake. \u201cWhy did you give us stamps?\u201d she asked. \u201cAre we going to send cards or something?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In answer, the snowflake pulsed once, then moved slowly out into the tea room. They all exchanged a glance, and then ran after it. Molly smiled and followed them, not wanting to miss this.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n DC joined her as they followed the kids up the stairs. \u201cThis is going to blow their mind,\u201d the young woman said softly. \u201cAunt Margie did a great job.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Molly nodded. \u201cI can\u2019t wait. I\u2019ll bet she\u2019s upstairs already, waiting for them.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The snowflake hadn\u2019t stopped – it led Lily, Zoey, Schrodinger and Jack up to the second floor of the bookstore, and Molly heard them gasp.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh wow!\u201d Lily said. \u201cOh wow!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Molly had to admit that Aunt Margie had outdone herself this year. Once it had been confirmed that CrossWinds Books was going to be the official North Pole Mail Stop for the Cove, Aunt Margie had thrown herself into planning the decorations. The right to have an official North Pole mail box was an honor that all the Cove\u2019s businesses competed for annually, and this was the first time CrossWinds Books had won it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Usually, the upstairs room was full of book shelves in neat rows, with an open area in front of the large fireplace for gatherings. However, last night, Drew and Luke had come over and helped Molly, DC, Aunt Margie and Uncle Art move the book shelves around so that the open space was large enough to accommodate three large tables, lots of chairs, and the mail box.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This stood alone near the fireplace, in a spot of honor. Instead of being painted blue, this mail box was painted bright red and green, with the letters \u201cNorth Pole Mail\u201d painted in gold across the front and sides. Multi-colored Christmas lights were wrapped around it, and they blinked merrily.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The snowflake floated over to one of the tables and burst into a thousand tiny sprinkles of light. As the kids went to the table, Molly saw it was heaped with cards, colored paper, envelopes and buckets of the golden stamps like Lily held in her hand. There were pens, markers, crayons and stickers as well.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWe get to write our letters to Santa!\u201d Lily crowed, grabbing Zoey\u2019s hand and dancing around the room with her. \u201cWe\u2019ll get to write our letters, and send them!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This was one of the points Molly had been waiting for. She watched Zoey\u2019s face, to see if it really was working. Would the little girl go along with today\u2019s snowflake adventure?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n She was letting Lily dance her around, but there was doubt in her eyes. Then she looked down at the paints in her other hand, and a grin spread across her face. \u201cYes!\u201d she said, pulling Lily towards the tables. \u201cWe do!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Schrodinger paused to look back at Molly, and she saw the smile on his face. \u201cGo pick out a card, and I\u2019ll come write for you,\u201d she promised. \u201cGo.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jack too?<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJack too,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He hurried over to the table, and Molly started to follow, but DC grabbed her arm. \u201cHey, great job,\u201d she said, before going back down the stairs.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNot me,\u201d Molly murmured, shaking her head. \u201cAll I did was make a phone call.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Molly? I\u2019ve got a card all picked out!<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n That got her moving over to the table again. Lily and Zoey were each busy with their letters, writing earnestly. Molly settled in with Jack and Schrodinger on either side of her, and picked up a pen. \u201cOkay,\u201d she said. \u201cWho\u2019s first?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You can go first<\/em>, Schrodinger told Jack. I need to think a bit more first.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n She finished Jack and Schrodinger\u2019s letters just as Lily and Zoey finished theirs. \u201cNow what?\u201d Zoey asked, after sealing her letter with a silver jingle bell sticker.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t forget to stamp it,\u201d Molly said, pointing to the gold stamp. \u201cAnd have you addressed it?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Lily put her stamp on the envelope, then wrote \u201cTo Santa, The North Pole\u201d in the middle of the page. \u201cThere!\u201d she said proudly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat about your address?\u201d Molly asked. \u201cDon\u2019t you remember? Santa sends letters back if you put a return address on it.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe does?\u201d Zoey said, her eyes widening. \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh, yes!\u201d Lily nodded, already writing. \u201cWe get them every year!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Once they had finished and all the envelopes were ready to go, Zoey looked at Lily, who walked up to the mail box and put her letter in. To everyone\u2019s surprise, the mail box started to glow, and a whirring sound started deep in the bowels of the box. Then, a small white slip of paper popped out.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat is that?\u201d Zoey asked.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a receipt!\u201d Lily said in awe. \u201cLook! It says \u2018Your letter has been received by North Pole Post, and will be delivered to Santa post-haste! Expect a reply before Christmas!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWow! My turn!\u201d Zoey put her envelope in the mail box and, just as before, it glowed with a golden light and then popped out a receipt for her as well. Molly put in Jack and Schrodinger\u2019s letters and handed Jack\u2019s receipt to Lily for safe-keeping.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAre you all set?\u201d Aunt Margie said, coming in to the room. \u201cIf your letters are done, I have another project for you, if you don\u2019t mind helping.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We love to help!<\/em> Schrodinger said eagerly. What can we do?<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI want to do something different this year with the decorations for the front windows of the store,\u201d Aunt Margie said, and it was Molly\u2019s turn to have her eyes widen in surprise. Aunt Margie was a bit of a traditionalist when it came to the decorations for CrossWinds Books, and it had never changed, at least in Molly\u2019s memory.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat are you going to do, Aunt Margie?\u201d Lily asked.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSnowflakes,\u201d she said. \u201cI want a ton of snowflakes on my front windows.\u201d She held out the bag in her hands to them. \u201cDo you guys mind making snowflakes for me? There\u2019s paper in there, and some designs.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh, how fun!\u201d Lily and Zoey both nodded eagerly, and Lily added, \u201cWe\u2019d love to!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n They went back to the table and started pulling out the paper. It was all white, but there were textures, glitter and patterns on the paper, and Molly realized Aunt Margie must have raided her scrapbook paper for the snowflakes. There were designs too, as she had promised, and Lily and Zoey got busy cutting.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jack and Schrodinger sat with them, supervising and offering suggestions. Molly left them to the task, knowing Schrodinger would get her if there was a need. She had baking to do too – the Carter\u2019s Cove Holiday Bake Sale was in a few days, and she still needed to get her inventory together.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n She brought them up a tray after a bit, with cookies, grilled cheese sandwiches and mugs of hot cider, and found them surrounded not just by snowflakes, but other people, all busy writing letters to Santa.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t get it,\u201d Zoey said quietly, watching as Mr. Dorr went up to the mail box to mail his letter.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Get what?<\/em> Schrodinger asked her.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhy the grown-ups are mailing letters to Santa.\u201d She indicated Mr. Dorr with a movement of her chin. \u201cI thought writing to Santa was for kids.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Molly didn\u2019t say anything, letting Schrodinger answer.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Maybe in other places, where Santa is more of a myth, only kids write to him,<\/em> the CrossCat said after a moment\u2019s thought. But here, in the Cove, everyone knows he\u2019s real, and knows that he does bring gifts. More importantly, he brings good will and the renewal of magic, and it\u2019s the belief of all of us that lets him do that. People forget what Santa really does in those places that don\u2019t see the magic. It\u2019s up to us to make up for them.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Zoey considered that, watching the traffic at the mail box, which was steady. \u201cSo what you\u2019re saying is that Santa, the real Santa, brings magic into the world?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Among other things, yes.<\/em> Schrodinger sipped at his tea. Which is why believing in him is so important. You\u2019ll see, soon enough. It\u2019s hard not to, in the Cove during Christmas.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cMolly! Schrodinger! Look what St. Nicholas left me!\u201d Zoey burst into the kitchen at CrossWinds Books, waving a long, narrow package in the air. Her mother trailed behind her with an expression that was half amusement at her daughter, and half something else. Molly couldn\u2019t quite put her finger on what that something else …<\/p>\n