\u201cDo we have everything?\u201d Drew asked, looking over the back of his Range Rover. Molly frowned, looking from the back of the car to the list in her hand, and back again.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cI think so,\u201d she said finally, after counting the boxes three times. \u201cUnless Sue forgot to put it on the list.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWhich means we\u2019ve got everything,\u201d Drew said. \u201cSue doesn\u2019t forget things on her list. She\u2019s better than Santa in that respect.\u201d And he winked at Molly.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Better than Santa??<\/em> Schrodinger popped his head up over the seat back from where he and Jack had been lounging in the back seat. Is that possible?<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Molly admitted. \u201cI don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever seen her forget to put something on one of her lists, though.\u201d She looked over at Drew. \u201cThere is one more thing, though.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He frowned. \u201cI hope it doesn\u2019t take up much room. We don\u2019t have much left.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt won\u2019t.\u201d Molly turned to Schrodinger and Jack. \u201cWe have to do the Advent Calendar before we go, remember?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Oh, right!<\/em> They both scrambled out of the back seat as she held open the car door, and ran back into the kitchen. Molly and Drew followed, eager to see what the calendar held today.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Schrodinger and Jack were peering at the calendar, searching for the elusive number 10. Finally, the CrossCat found it, curled in the branches of one of the pine trees, and pressed his nose to the painting, then stepped back.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But there was no snowflake, and they stared in confusion as the painting crumbled back from the point of contact. Molly peeked over their heads and blinked. \u201cLook at this,\u201d she said, reaching over and pulling out an envelope. On the front, it said, \u201cOpen me after the bake sale.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWell, I guess we\u2019ll have to take this with us,\u201d she said, putting the envelope into her coat pocket. \u201cMaybe the calendar knew that the girls weren\u2019t going to be with us.\u201d She looked down at them. \u201cReady to go?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The snow flurries that had been threatening all morning finally started drifting down as they drove towards the Daughter of Stars Middle School, where the annual Carter\u2019s Cove Christmas Bake sale was held. Corinne had picked Lily and Zoey up at the elementary school, and they were waiting at the door to the gymnasium for them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat did the snowflake do?\u201d Lily demanded, as soon as the Range Rover pulled up and the doors opened. \u201cWhat did it do?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Nothing<\/em>, Schrodinger said, as he and Jack hopped out. There was no snowflake.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Lily and Zoey stared at him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There was an envelope instead,<\/em> Jack said. It\u2019s in Molly\u2019s pocket. We\u2019re supposed to open it after the bake sale.<\/em><\/p>\n \n \u201cOh wow,\u201d Lily said, but Zoey was staring at Jack.<\/p>\n \n What\u2019s the matter, Zoey?<\/em> Schrodinger asked, concerned. Are you okay?<\/em><\/p>\n \n She pointed a finger at Jack. \u201cI heard him.\u201d<\/p>\n \n What?<\/em> Both Jack and Schrodinger stared at her, dumbfounded.<\/p>\n \n \u201cI heard him,\u201d she repeated, awestruck. \u201cI heard Jack just now.\u201d She looked up at Molly. \u201cIs that really real? You have the envelope in your pocket?\u201d<\/p>\n \n Molly nodded. \u201cI do. Welcome to the Cove, Zoey. Looks like the magic has already started to work.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cWow,\u201d Zoey said, and then hugged Jack. \u201cI can hear you!\u201d Then she giggled as he licked her face enthusiastically.<\/p>\n \n \u201cCome on, we have cookies to sell!\u201d Molly reminded them, pulling the first box out of the back of the Range Rover. \u201cYou guys get to watch the table while we bring everything else in, okay?\u201d She paused to blow a strand of hair out of her face. \u201cAt least this year, they gave us tablecloths.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cWhich one has the trays?\u201d Corinne asked. \u201cThe girls and I can set the trays out while you bring things in.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cAwesome.\u201d Molly handed her the box she had brought in. \u201cWe made sure to pack it last, so it was the first out.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cHandy.\u201d<\/p>\n \n By the time Molly and Drew had brought the rest of the boxes in, with Schrodinger and Jack supervising, the three had gotten out all the trays that Molly had brought, as well as the two clipboards with order forms and pens attached. Molly took the last box from Drew and set it on one of the chairs, then attacked the other boxes. \u201cScones go there,\u201d she said, handing the box to Drew and pointing. \u201cLily, Zoey, can you put those out for me?\u201d<\/p>\n \n While they did that, Corinne and Molly pulled out the sugar cookies, which Molly had packaged after the kids had left the day before. These went into a similar tray as the scones, and then she pulled out two large vases and put candy cane cookies in them.<\/p>\n \n \u201cWhat\u2019s in that?\u201d Zoey asked, pointing at the box that was still sitting on the chair. \u201cMore cookies?\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cKind of,\u201d Molly said, going behind the table. She stowed the extra cookies under the table and pulled off her coat before finally opening the box. When she pulled out what was inside, both girls gasped.<\/p>\n \n It was a gingerbread house, but it was so much more than just a simple house. Molly had created a winter wonderland out of gingerbread, and Zoey leaned in to look. \u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cIt\u2019s the skating rink!\u201d Lily said, clapping her hands. \u201cIt\u2019s Indi\u2019s skating rink!\u201d<\/p>\n \n And it was. Molly had crafted the entire cove on Elizabeth River, complete with the small hut that Indi Sarabian sold hot chocolate and hot cider out of, the trees that lined the beach, and the benches where skaters changed into their ice skates. There was even a bonfire of gingerbread logs, with icing flames.<\/p>\n \n Molly grinned at their expressions and said, \u201cWatch this.\u201d<\/p>\n \n She pulled a small package from one of the other boxes, and set several small skaters on the iced pond. Then she pulled out several strands of Christmas lights, and set them up around the edge of the pond, just like Indi had done in her cove. Finally, she put a sleigh on one edge of the iced water.<\/p>\n \n \u201cNow,\u201d she said, and blew gently on the sleigh.<\/p>\n \n To Lily and Zoey\u2019s delight, the lights went on, and the skaters began to move about the pond.<\/p>\n \n How did you do that?<\/em> Schrodinger demanded, his ears lying flat against his skull in shock. That\u2019s magic!<\/em><\/p>\n \n \u201cIt is,\u201d Molly agreed, laughing. \u201cJade helped me, because she knew I wanted to do something special for the bake sale this year.\u201d She touched the sleigh. \u201cShe sent this and said it would work. Any more of an explanation and you\u2019ll have to ask her.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cWho\u2019s Jade?\u201d Zoey asked, watching the skaters twirl around.<\/p>\n \n \u201cThe Snow Queen,\u201d Lily said, her eyes getting even bigger. \u201cShe\u2019s the most powerful magic user in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cWell, in the Cove, at the very least,\u201d her mother said. \u201cI\u2019m not sure about in the world.\u201d She looked at Molly. \u201cAre you all set?\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cI think so,\u201d Molly said. \u201cThanks, Cor. We\u2019ll get everyone home tonight in one piece.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cGood enough!\u201d Corinne hugged both Lily and Zoey, then waved and went off to look at the other tables as they were being set up.<\/p>\n \n \u201cNow, you four,\u201d Molly said, putting her hands on her hips. \u201cAre you ready to help me?\u201d<\/p>\n \n They tore their gazes from the magical skaters and looked up at her.<\/p>\n \n \u201cGood.\u201d She went behind the table again and dug in one of the boxes, looking for the two small baskets she\u2019d packed specially for the day. Once she found them, she came back out and handed one to each girl.<\/p>\n \n \u201cWhat are these?\u201d Zoey asked, looking at the small cellophane wrapped packages in the basket.<\/p>\n \n \u201cSamples of the new peppermint scones and almond sugar cookies that I\u2019m going to be featuring this year in the gift baskets,\u201d Molly said. \u201cEach little package is marked. You guys get to go and give them out to everyone. Just stay in the gymnasium. And come back when you need more – I\u2019ve got a whole box full of samples.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cOooh, cool! Come on!\u201d Lily grabbed Zoey\u2019s hand and they ran off, followed by Schrodinger and Jack. Molly went back behind the table and sat down next to Drew, who handed her a mug of tea from the thermos that she\u2019d brought.<\/p>\n \n \u201cYou are an evil woman,\u201d he told her. \u201cSamples? Are you trying to run everyone else out of business?\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cThat\u2019s why you love me,\u201d she replied, blowing on the tea to cool it. \u201cBesides, I\u2019ve done the same cookies and scones in the gift baskets for the last six years. I\u2019m a bit bored.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cAnd a bored Molly is NOT a good thing.\u201d Drew chuckled. \u201cWell, I suppose I should taste test them too.\u201d<\/p>\n \n Molly pointed out the samples box. \u201cI should probably put some out on the table too,\u201d she mused.<\/p>\n \n \u201cYou sit and drink tea. I can put samples out.\u201d He ducked down under the table. \u201cDid you bring another basket?\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cI think so?\u201d Molly shrugged. \u201cIf not, don\u2019t worry about it. We can wait until one of the trays is emptied.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cOr we can just spread the samples out.\u201d Drew suited actions to words, and soon had the small cellophane-wrapped packages strewn across the front of the table. \u201cThere, now you can get on with your master plan.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cWhat master plan is that?\u201d Molly asked, as he sat back down beside her.<\/p>\n \n \u201cTo take over the world one stomach at a time,\u201d Drew said, pouring himself a cup of tea. Molly had brought extra mugs, and there was a thermos of hot chocolate for the girls as well. \u201cI figure you will just threaten to withhold your baked goods, and we\u2019ll all fall in to line.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cHmm, that\u2019s a great idea.\u201d She leaned back against him and pretended to consider it. \u201cDo you think it would work?\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cYou\u2019ve got at least one willing servant right here.\u201d<\/p>\n \n Molly laughed softly, her eyes following the progress of Lily and Zoey through the room. The bake sale hadn\u2019t opened to the public yet, but there were a good thirty or forty vendors, and they all fell victim to the two adorable girls, the CrossCat and the hound dog. Of course, the fact that they had baked goods that they were handing out for free definitely helped.<\/p>\n \n \u201cYou have done a good thing, Miss Molly,\u201d Drew said, putting one arm around her and pulling her close.<\/p>\n \n \u201cWe have done a good thing,\u201d she corrected him, smiling again. \u201cIt was definitely a team effort.\u201d<\/p>\n \n And then the bell rang, and she sat up, finishing her tea and getting ready to greet the hordes that were about to descend on them.<\/p>\n \n Descend they did, and Molly and Drew were soon both swamped with eager shoppers. At several points, Lily and Zoey reappeared and filled up their baskets again, and then vanished into the crowd. Schrodinger made sure that Molly at least saw them every once in a while, so she knew they were okay.<\/p>\n \n Not that they wouldn\u2019t be. This was the Cove, after all.<\/p>\n \n Finally, all the trays and boxes were empty, the two clipboards totally denuded of order forms (and Molly blessed Sue again for keeping the number strictly controlled, or else she\u2019d be baking for the rest of the month to try and get it all done), and she could sit down again. Lily, Zoey, Schrodinger and Jack had retreated behind the table to have their tea and hot chocolate and the sandwiches Molly had brought them.<\/p>\n \n When Molly joined them, Zoey said, \u201cWow, this was a lot of work!\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cIndeed,\u201d Molly agreed, leaning over and snagging a half of a sandwich from the cooler. \u201cYou guys did awesome too. Did you see anything you wanted?\u201d<\/p>\n \n Lily shrugged. \u201cNot really. I\u2019m sure Mom got some jam, but most of it wasn\u2019t really interesting, to be honest.\u201d<\/p>\n \n Lisa said she would keep four jars of the plum jam for us,<\/em> Schrodinger told Molly. We just have to pay her.<\/em><\/p>\n \n \u201cFour?\u201d Molly said.<\/p>\n \n I like her jam,<\/em> he replied loftily. And four means you might get some too.<\/em><\/p>\n \n She laughed and went to go and pay for the jam. Then they cleaned up, carefully repacking the gingerbread skating pond. \u201cWhat are you doing with that?\u201d Drew asked Molly, as she placed the magical sleigh in with everything else.<\/p>\n \n \u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d she said. \u201cAunt Margie was thinking of raffling it off at the store on Christmas Eve, but we can\u2019t decide what to donate the money to.\u201d She shrugged. \u201cWe\u2019ll probably just end up donating it to the food pantry or something.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cRaffle it off,\u201d Drew said. \u201cI think you could raise a lot more money for the food pantry.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cWe\u2019\u2019ll see.\u201d Molly picked up one of the boxes. \u201cLet\u2019s get this packed up, and then we can see what the Advent Calendar has in store for us today.\u201d<\/p>\n \n Lily and Zoey pitched in eagerly, and since most of the boxes were empty, the cleanup went fast. When they finally all stood out by the Range Rover, Molly pulled the envelope out and gave it to Lily. \u201cSince it was supposed to be your day, you open it.\u201d<\/p>\n \n The little girl slipped one finger under the envelope\u2019s flap and opened it. The instant the flap was free of the rest of the envelope, something shimmered, and the magical snowflake danced up into the chill night air.<\/p>\n \n \u201cIt waited for us!\u201d Zoey said, clapping her hands together. \u201cWhat are we going to do, magic snowflake?\u201d<\/p>\n \n In response, it spun and split into six snowflakes, which fell into Lily\u2019s outstretched hand and turned into\u2026<\/p>\n \n \u201cMovie tickets!\u201d she squealed in delight. \u201cLook, guys, six movie tickets! For the Marshall Theater, tonight!\u201d<\/p>\n \n We love the Marshall!<\/em> Jack shouted, baying with delight.<\/p>\n \n Molly took the tickets from Lily before she could drop them, and the two girls grabbed each other\u2019s hands and spun around. The Marshall Theater was in the heart of Carter\u2019s Cove, and prided itself on catering to all the races in the Cove area, human and non. \u201cWell, come on,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019d better get moving, if we want good seats!\u201d<\/p>\n \n They all piled into the Range Rover, and only then did Lily asked, \u201cSo what are they playing tonight? I didn\u2019t even look!\u201d<\/p>\n \n Molly chuckled. \u201cIt\u2019s a Christmas specials night,\u201d she said, looking down at the tickets. \u201cThat\u2019s all it says. I guess we\u2019ll find out when we get there.\u201d<\/p>\n \n At the theater, there was a line, but it was moving briskly. Molly spotted the\u00a0movie poster first. \u201cOh, look! They\u2019re doing all the old ones that I remember from my childhood!\u201d she said, delighted.<\/p>\n \n The movie poster listed, among others, The Year Without A Santa Claus, The Grinch (the original cartoon, Molly noticed with approval), a Charlie Brown Christmas and several others.<\/p>\n \n \u201cWe used to watch them too,\u201d Drew said, nodding. \u201cMy granddad had them all on tape. It was a Christmas eve tradition.\u201d His eyes were soft as he said this, and Molly realized he never really talked about his past, or his family. \u201cI miss that.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cI\u2019ve got a lot of them on DVD,\u201d she said now, linking her arm in his. \u201cMaybe we\u2019ll have to convince Nathan to let us choose the Christmas Eve movie this year.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cAnd not watch Star Wars?\u201d Lily looked shocked. \u201cBite your tongue.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cYou know, we could actually watch a Christmas movie on Christmas Eve,\u201d Molly told her.<\/p>\n \n \u201cNo.\u201d Lily shook her head. \u201cIt\u2019s always Star Wars. That\u2019s OUR tradition.\u201d<\/p>\n \n Molly gave up, chuckling. \u201cOnly my brother would raise a geek like that,\u201d she whispered to Drew, who chuckled as well.<\/p>\n \n Maybe we could watch both,<\/em> Jack said reasonably.<\/p>\n \n They handed their tickets to Michelle, who grinned and said, \u201cEnjoy! It\u2019s fun to see them on the big screen!\u201d<\/p>\n \n Drew pulled out his wallet and bought popcorn and soda for everyone, over Molly\u2019s protests. \u201cLet me spoil you,\u201d he said finally. \u201cLord knows you don\u2019t let me do it very often.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cLet him spoil you, Molly,\u201d came her uncle\u2019s voice from behind them, and they all turned around to see Aunt Margie and Uncle Art in line. \u201cWe guys like to spoil our girls once in a while.\u201d<\/p>\n \n She gave up in the face of united opposition, and they all went into the theater. Although she was sure the kids had all seen these movies before, since they were played on the television every year, Michelle had been right – there was something new about seeing them on the big screen.<\/p>\n \n At the end of the last show, Patrick, the owner of the theater, came out in front of them all and said, \u201cI hope you guys all enjoyed this! I\u2019ve got a special surprise for everyone under the age of ten now!\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cOoh,\u201d came the delighted response from the packed theater, as Michelle and the other ushers, wearing Santa hats, started down the aisles, handing out small wrapped packages to each of the kids.<\/p>\n \n \u201cOpen it!\u201d Molly urged Lily, who had two in her hands. Zoey had two as well, and she gave one to Molly for Schrodinger.<\/p>\n \n \u201cOh, look! A Christmas ornament!\u201d Lily said excitedly, holding the large ball up in her hands. \u201cAnd it says the year and Mitchell\u2019s Theater on it!\u201d<\/p>\n \n Each of the balls were slightly different, and Molly realized they were probably hand-painted by Michelle, who loved to do things like this. \u201cNow you really will remember this night,\u201d she said, showing Schrodinger his ornament. \u201cWe\u2019ll put this on the tree when we get home.\u201d<\/p>\n \n \u201cI love the Cove,\u201d Zoey said happily, cradling the ornament in her arms as if it were a baby doll. \u201cThis is the best December ever.\u201d<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cDo we have everything?\u201d Drew asked, looking over the back of his Range Rover. Molly frowned, looking from the back of the car to the list in her hand, and back again. \u201cI think so,\u201d she said finally, after counting the boxes three times. \u201cUnless Sue forgot to put it on the list.\u201d …<\/p>\n