\u201cSo that was the last one, and they\u2019re all delivered,\u201d Drew said, dropping the order forms on the island. \u201cSarah said to tell you that you are amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Molly smiled up at him. \u201cShe says that every year.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s because you do something amazing with gingerbread every year,\u201d Drew replied, kissing the tip of her nose. \u201cHave you heard from Corrine yet?\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cNot yet.\u201d Molly glanced up at the clock. \u201cI\u2019m expecting them soon, though.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
As if her comment had summoned them, Molly heard the front door open and Jack came running into the kitchen, followed by Corrine, Lily and a very subdued-looking Zoey. Schrodinger came in right behind them, and went straight for Zoey, butting his head against her thighs urgently. She knelt down next to him and buried her face in his fur.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cHow\u2019s it going?\u201d Molly asked Corrine quietly, as Lily knelt down next to Zoey and hugged her. Jack hovered nearby, his tail still for once.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a rough night,\u201d Corrine admitted. \u201cBut they went to sleep eventually. Nathan went with Peter and Donna to look at the house today, and now I\u2019m heading out to get them some things.\u201d She looked at her sister-in-law. \u201cDo you mind watching them for a while? I need to do some running around.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cNot at all,\u201d Molly said. \u201cDo you need me to get anything?\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Corrine admitted. \u201cThe fire chief said it was a total loss, so I\u2019m assuming that they\u2019ll need everything, including a new house. But I think Donna\u2019s hoping they can salvage something.\u201d She shook her head. \u201cThis is horrible.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cAgreed.\u201d Aunt Margie had come in while they were talking, and now she said, \u201cI\u2019ve already spoken to some of the shop owners today, Corrine. You tell Peter and Donna to let us know what they need. The Cove takes care of its own, after all.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll let them know.\u201d Corrine gave Aunt Margie a hug, and then turned to the sad group sitting on the kitchen floor. \u201cI\u2019ll be back in a bit, kids, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, Mom,\u201d Lily said. \u201cWe\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Once she had left, Molly looked at Drew and Aunt Margie, then said, \u201cAre you guys ready to open the Advent Calendar today? Maybe that would cheer you up, Zoey.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s the point?\u201d Zoey cried. \u201cEverything is ruined!\u201d And she got up and ran out into the tea room, with Jack and Lily on her heels.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Aunt Margie and Molly started to follow but Schrodinger stopped them. Let us handle it,<\/em> he said. We\u2019ll get her calmed down. Maybe we\u2019ll do the Advent Calendar tomorrow. And he went out as well.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Molly did follow, but only to the doorway of the kitchen. She watched as Zoey threw herself down on the dog bed next to the wood stove and began to sob. Jack and Schrodinger laid down on either side of her, bracketing her, and Lily sat by her head and stroked her hair, saying something to her. Molly couldn\u2019t tell what, but she was touched by the solidarity the little group shared.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPoor kid,\u201d Aunt Margie said, coming up beside her. \u201cThis is hard for her.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, but she\u2019s got good friends,\u201d Molly said. \u201cAnd those are worth their weight in gold.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cVery true. Well, I\u2019ve got some more phone calls to make.\u201d Aunt Margie patted her niece on the shoulder and went back out to the front desk.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n After watching for a few more moments, Molly turned around and went back into the kitchen, where Drew handed her a cup of tea. \u201cYou know me too well,\u201d she said wryly, accepting it. \u201cWhat are we going to do, Drew?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re going to drink your tea, and then you\u2019re going to bake,\u201d he said, picking up his own mug. \u201cBecause that\u2019s what you do. And once I\u2019m done with my tea, I\u2019m going to take my day off, and head out to talk to some people, so that we can make sure that the four special people out in the tea room have the best Christmas they have ever had.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBecause that\u2019s what you do,\u201d Molly said, leaning against him. \u201cI\u2019m so glad you came to the Cove, Drew McIntyre.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSo am I, Molly Barrett, so am I.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n After he was gone, Molly rinsed his mug, refilled her own, and opened her refrigerator to see what her options were. After pulling out butter, cream and jam, she went to the pantry and gathered up cookie supplies. Baking would soothe her soul.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Two batches into the jam thumbprints, Schrodinger came in and hopped up on his customary stool. That smells very good.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThank you.\u201d Molly dusted off her hands and poured him a cup of Earl Grey tea. \u201cHow\u2019s Zoey doing?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n She and Lily are asleep. Jack is watching them – he said Zoey had nightmares all night, so neither of them got a lot of sleep.<\/em> He leaned over and lapped up a bit of his tea. I have a feeling that she\u2019ll have nightmares for a while.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWe can hope not.\u201d Molly told him about what Aunt Margie and Drew were doing as she continued to drop balls of dough on the cookie sheet in front of her.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We have good friends.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIndeed we do.\u201d Molly pressed each cookie down with the back of a spoon, then switched to her melon baller and put a divot in each. Schrodinger watched as she filled each divot with strawberry jam, and then put the entire sheet in the oven, pulling out the one in there.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I should go back to them,<\/em> he said, finishing his tea and jumping down. I think she needs all of us.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Once he was gone, Molly sighed, and went over to the Advent Calendar. She wasn\u2019t sure it would work for her, but it was obvious that something needed to be done. \u201cI know I\u2019m not the one who\u2019s supposed to be looking, but they aren\u2019t able to do this today, and they really need something special.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n She scanned the picture, and after a few moments of looking, found the golden 22 floating in a cloud. Molly touched the number, hoping it would work, and waited.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The picture crumbled under her touch, and Molly leaned in and whispered, \u201cI don\u2019t know what you can do to help, but please. They need something extra special.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Then she stepped back, and watched as the familiar snowflake floated out. Rather than going towards the tea room, though, it floated in front of her for a moment.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cCan you help?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In response, the snowflake glittered in a variety of colors, and then went to the back door. Molly let it out, and watched it zip away.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cSo that was the last one, and they\u2019re all delivered,\u201d Drew said, dropping the order forms on the island. \u201cSarah said to tell you that you are amazing.\u201d Molly smiled up at him. \u201cShe says that every year.\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s because you do something amazing with gingerbread every year,\u201d Drew replied, kissing the tip …<\/p>\n