Molly heard them as soon as the front door opened. Both Zoey and Lily had spent the prior afternoon outside building snowmen and snow dragons with Ember and Old Man Winter, and by the coughing, it sounded like they\u2019d both brought home colds. She sighed and shook her head.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t come in the kitchen,\u201d she called out as they approached the door. \u201cI\u2019ll come out to you.\u201d She dusted the flour off her hands and hurried out.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Both of them looked tired and, quite frankly, miserable. Their noses were red and raw, and their cheeks were flushed with more than the chilly temperatures.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cPoor girls,\u201d Molly said, shaking her head. \u201cYou guys really overdid it yesterday, didn\u2019t you? I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not,\u201d Zoey told her, and coughed again. \u201cIt was totally worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d Lily agreed. \u201cI\u2019d do it again in a heartbeat.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, you can\u2019t come in the kitchen sounding like that,\u201d Molly told them. \u201cThe health department would totally shut me down.\u201d She looked over at the wood stove. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you guys join Schrodinger and Jack today? Julie delivered the new bed, so there\u2019s plenty of room.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat about the Advent Calendar?\u201d Zoey asked her.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThe boys can do it today,\u201d Molly said. \u201cYou guys settle in, and I\u2019ll bring you out some hot cider and some food. You can read until your folks come by later.\u201d She glanced out the window. The snow storm had blown itself out by the time they\u2019d come back from Old Man Winter\u2019s, and the day had dawned clear and cold, with an ice-edged wind that blew steadily.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we don\u2019t want to miss an adventure!\u201d Lily protested.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Jack nudged her gently. You don\u2019t want to get sicker, do you?<\/em> He cocked his head at her. If you don\u2019t get better soon, who knows how many adventures you could miss? Besides, I\u2019ll bet we can find an adventure or two here.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHow?\u201d she demanded.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Jack gave her a grin, his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth. This is a BOOKSTORE, he reminded her. There are more adventures than you could ever want here. Remember?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cVery true,\u201d Molly said. \u201cJack, why don\u2019t you and Schrodinger come and do the calendar, and the girls can make themselves comfy on the beds.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n No.<\/em> Jack looked at Schrodinger. You do the calendar. I\u2019ll snuggle with them to keep them warm.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou are one of my best friends ever,\u201d Lily said, throwing her arms around her dog. \u201cWhat would I do without you?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He licked her face. You\u2019d be cold.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Schrodinger followed Molly into the kitchen as Jack led Zoey and Lily over to the nest he and Schrodinger had made. It\u2019s a good thing that new bed came in,<\/em> he said, as he went over to the calendar. Otherwise, we wouldn\u2019t have enough room.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s why I got it,\u201d Molly agreed, pouring hot cider into two mugs. \u201cDo you and Jack want tea?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I do,<\/em> he said. Let me go ask Jack.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n While she waited for him to come back, she assembled the rest of the tray. She\u2019d made a new batch of Portuguese sweet bread, and she toasted thick slices of it, then smeared them with butter and some of Lisa\u2019s plum jam. Then she added some apple slices and a couple of snickerdoodles.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Yes, he would like some tea too,<\/em> Schrodinger said, coming back in and scrutinizing the advent calendar again. You know, this would be easier if they didn\u2019t hide the numbers.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI will pass that comment along,\u201d Molly said, grinning. \u201cI thought that was supposed to be part of the fun, though.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Maybe.<\/em> Schrodinger finally located the 13 and pressed his nose to it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhere was it today?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n On the sleigh itself,<\/em> he said, backing up as the snowflake came out. It shimmered, then floated out to the tea room. Molly finished arranging the cups on the tray, then followed Schrodinger out.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The snowflake drifted lazily over to the wood stove, and hovered over the two dog beds. Molly had brought in a quilt from home and spread it over the two, so they made one long cushion. Lily and Zoey had claimed the middle of the bed, and Jack had taken the outside, leaving Schrodinger his preferred spot right next to the stove. Now, they all looked up, as did Mr. Dorr and Mrs. Dorr, who were at their favorite table having a late afternoon snack.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOh, how lovely!\u201d Mrs. Dorr said, as the snowflake began to spin slowly. Then it broke apart and fell onto the girls in long strands that stretched out and draped around them, becoming warm, soft blankets that snuggled them in.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt looks like your calendar understands quiet days too,\u201d Molly said, putting the tray down near them. Aunt Margie had given Schrodinger a small table for Christmas last year to use for his own cups of tea: it was the perfect height for them now. \u201cWould you like me to get you some books?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n They made their requests, and Molly went upstairs to get them. Then, once they were all set, she went back into the kitchen and started to work on the orders she\u2019d taken at the bake sale.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n At one point, she stuck her head out to see if they needed anything, to be rewarded with the sight of all four of them asleep, curled up in a great pile of blankets, children, CrossCat and dog, that looked as if they had not a care in the world. Molly smiled and let them sleep.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Corinne and Donna showed up around five, but rather than wake the girls up immediately, they accepted Molly\u2019s offer of a cup of tea and some scones before heading home.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPeter\u2019s working late tonight, so we really didn\u2019t have anything planned,\u201d Donna admitted, taking the mug from Molly with a nod of thanks. \u201cThe weekly order comes in on Fridays, and he\u2019s always home late. We usually do take-out, to be honest.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNathan\u2019s making pizza, but it will keep,\u201d Corinne said. \u201cBesides, I\u2019m sure he\u2019s enjoying the quiet.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cKnowing him, he\u2019s probably on the computer, playing games,\u201d Molly said, filling all three mugs with hot water.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMore than likely,\u201d Corinne agreed. \u201cHe\u2019s very jealous, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOf what?\u201d Molly asked, putting a plate of her caramel apple scones in front of them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOf Lily getting to go and meet the dragon yesterday,\u201d Corinne said. \u201cHe\u2019s always wanted to meet a dragon.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Donna shook her head, amazed. \u201cYou say it so casually,\u201d she said. \u201cDo you know how odd this conversation sounds? I mean, who else talks about meeting dragons? And really means it?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cFolks in CrossRoads towns,\u201d Corinne told her, and grinned a bit to soften the words. \u201cBut yes, I take your point. We are very different here.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s another world,\u201d Donna told her. \u201cTo be presented with magic like this, after being told all my life that it didn\u2019t exist – well, it\u2019s a bit of a shock.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI can only imagine,\u201d Molly said. \u201cI mean, I see it a bit, with Zoey, but having grown up here\u2026\u201d She shrugged. \u201cMaybe we\u2019re just too used to it.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDid she really meet a dragon yesterday?\u201d Donna asked. \u201cAnd the spirit of winter?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cShe really did.\u201d Molly told them about the entire day, ending with \u201cI thought we were going to have to drug their food to get them back in the sleigh. None of them wanted to leave, and Old Man Winter didn\u2019t help matters by telling Lily and Zoey that there was a nursery that had canopied beds in it. Don\u2019t be surprised if they ask to have a sleepover there at some point.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s welcome to have her for a week if he wants,\u201d Corinne said. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t mind.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOnly in Carter\u2019s Cove would the preferred babysitter be the spirit of Winter,\u201d Molly told her. \u201cAnd would he be willing.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHey, I\u2019ll use any babysitter I can find,\u201d her sister-in-law replied, and they all laughed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Donna shook her head. \u201cThis is amazing,\u201d she said, picking up her tea mug and then putting it down again without drinking anything. \u201cI\u2019m just worried\u2026\u201d Her voice trailed off.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAbout?\u201d Corinne prompted her, when she didn\u2019t finish the sentence.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cChristmas.\u201d Donna admitted finally. \u201cWe\u2019ve never done anything with Santa in our house – I swore I\u2019d never lie to my child about his existence, not after the crushing disappointment I\u2019d felt when I found out he wasn\u2019t real. But now, she\u2019s seen so much magic\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Corinne and Molly exchanged glances. \u201cYou do know he is real, right?\u201d Molly said. \u201cBecause he is.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cNo, he\u2019s not,\u201d Donna said. \u201cIt\u2019s all a lie.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Corinne and Molly exchanged another glance. \u201cMaybe that\u2019s what happens elsewhere, but here, he\u2019s definitely real,\u201d Corinne told her. \u201cTrust me. If nothing else, he is DEFINITELY real in the Cove.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s real everywhere, but he\u2019s HERE in the Cove more, maybe,\u201d Molly said. She picked up her mug and held it in her hand. \u201cMaybe because there\u2019s more magic here.\u201d She stared at the mug, and the water inside started to boil. \u201cOr because there\u2019s more belief.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Donna watched the water boil, fascinated. \u201cHow do you do that?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBelieve?\u201d Molly asked her, putting the mug down.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Molly turned back to her workspace and pulled a mixing bowl down. She started to mix various things in the bowl, operating more on instinct than on anything else. \u201cBelief is an odd thing,\u201d she said, snapping her fingers. The bowl of eggs on the counter slid over to her. \u201cIt\u2019s a lot like a cookie recipe – it\u2019s not one thing, it\u2019s a mixture of things.\u201d Another snap, and a bag of peppermint candies floated out of the pantry towards her. Molly didn\u2019t usually flaunt her gifts like this, but it seemed the right thing to do. \u201cIt\u2019s a bit of this, a bit of that, and you come out with something that makes everyone happy. Especially you.\u201d She frowned at the candies, and they obediently crumbled into pieces. \u201cBut you have to work at it – it\u2019s not something that just comes. It can scorch and burn if you don\u2019t pay attention to it, and not everyone\u2019s belief is the same. But that\u2019s okay.\u201d She picked up a cookie sheet from the rack nearby and spread some parchment paper down, then started to drop cookies onto it. \u201cBecause everyone\u2019s tastes are different, and no one wants to eat the same cookies all the time.\u201d She slid the cookie sheet into the oven and turned back to look at Donna. \u201cDid that make sense?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cOddly enough, I think it did,\u201d Donna said, cradling her tea cup in her hands again. \u201cAnd if I understand right, even if the belief is broken once, it can be fixed.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWe can always learn from broken recipes,\u201d Molly said. \u201cAnd what you found when the recipe broke can help you avoid that mistake in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Donna looked out into the tea room again, at the pile of children and animals sleeping beside the wood stove. \u201cMaybe it\u2019s time to start looking at that old recipe, and see where it went wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSunday afternoon, Aunt Margie has Santa coming in to talk to all the kids,\u201d Corinne said neutrally. \u201cYou should bring Zoey.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Donna hesitated. \u201cI don\u2019t know\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really him, you know,\u201d Molly said. \u201cYou could start believing again.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Donna looked back at them. \u201c<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Molly heard them as soon as the front door opened. Both Zoey and Lily had spent the prior afternoon outside building snowmen and snow dragons with Ember and Old Man Winter, and by the coughing, it sounded like they\u2019d both brought home colds. She sighed and shook her head. \u201cDon\u2019t come in the kitchen,\u201d …<\/p>\n