\u201cOh my.\u201d Aunt Janice took a look at the loaded tables in the backyard and blinked. \u201cMolly really doesn\u2019t like sending people home less than stuffed, does she?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s a kitchen witch,\u201d Drew said, laughing. \u201cIt\u2019s genetic.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe would have gotten along so well with Alice,\u201d Aunt Janice said, and Drew saw the shimmer of tears in her eyes at the mention of his mother. She took his arm and squeezed it, adding, \u201cShe\u2019d be so proud of you, Drew. They both would be.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d It seemed inadequate, but he had to say something. \u201cI wish they were here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are,\u201d she said. \u201cIn here.\u201d And she touched his chest, right above his heart.<\/p>\n
He covered her hand with his own. \u201cI\u2019m really glad you and Uncle Larry could come out, Aunt Janice. I\u2019ve missed you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should come out and visit sometimes,\u201d she said. \u201cBring Molly and Schrodinger. It\u2019s not as if we don\u2019t have a Gate Station too, even if your uncle hates traveling that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe.\u201d He didn\u2019t want to commit anything yet. \u201cWe\u2019ll have to see.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to face it at some point, Drew.\u201d Aunt Janice\u2019s voice was gentle. \u201cYou can\u2019t run forever. And there are still living people who would like to see you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know,\u201d Drew said. \u201cI\u2026we\u2019ll see.\u201d Then he looked down at her. \u201cSo, tell me all the news.\u201d<\/p>\n
And she did. He was surprised to learn how many of his old classmates, who had loudly announced at graduation that they couldn\u2019t wait to leave their town, had moved back. Then again, look at the Cove,<\/em> he thought. How many of them moved back as soon as they could? Maybe Molly\u2019s right – those born in a CrossRoads town find it hard to leave.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cNow, tell me all about your town,\u201d Aunt Janice said, as they collected plates of food. Deprived of the right to cook her own wedding feast, Molly had gone all out on the rehearsal dinner. They\u2019d decided to go easy: burgers, hot dogs, BBQ chicken and all the fixings, and Molly had been cooking for the past week in between other things. The rolls were homemade, of course, and so were all the salads.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, as you can see, it\u2019s a bit more on the weird side than home,\u201d Drew said, nodding to one side of the table, where Jade and Jack stood talking to Father Christopher, who was officiating the wedding. \u201cAnd they aren\u2019t the most outlandish.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I thought that pirate friend of yours was odd,\u201d Aunt Janice said, fascinated. \u201cThen, when Schrodinger came out the other night – he\u2019s amazing, Drew! And you see them every day?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d They took seats under one of the large maple trees that took up the backyard behind the farmhouse. Molly already had plans to tap them next spring, and make her own maple syrup, and Drew couldn\u2019t wait. \u201cThen again, Carter\u2019s Cove is a bit bigger on the Roads than Marionville, especially since we have the Sea Gates too.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour uncle wants to see the harbor before we leave,\u201d Aunt Janice said. \u201cHe\u2019s really interested in that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll make sure that the Harbormaster knows you\u2019re coming,\u201d Drew told her. \u201cHe\u2019ll give you a good tour.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019ll be thrilled.\u201d<\/p>\n They tucked into their plates, enjoying the meal then. As he was finishing his burger, Drew heard bells above the clamor of conversation and he grinned. \u201cCome on, Aunt Janice, you\u2019ll want to see this,\u201d he said, putting aside his plate and grabbing her hand. \u201cTrust me.\u201d<\/p>\n Collecting Doug and Tim as they went around the side of the house, Drew led them out to the driveway. A cool breeze, redolent with the smell of icy mountain sides, wrapped around them.<\/p>\n \u201cDid it suddenly get cold? And what\u2019s with the bells?\u201d Doug said.<\/p>\n \u201cLook!\u201d Drew pointed to the end of the long driveway, where a patch of air shimmered like a mirage. Then the shimmering split down the middle, the two sides drawing back like a stage curtain, and a blast of cold air shot out, snowflakes dancing in the air.<\/p>\n \u201cDrew!\u201d roared a familiar voice, and Old Man Winter\u2019s sledge, drawn by his large reindeer, crashed onto the gravel driveway.<\/p>\n \u201cWelcome back, Old Man!\u201d Drew called out, grinning at his relatives.<\/p>\n The sledge careened up to the house, the reindeer shaking their furry coats as snowflakes danced around them. Considering how warm it was, Drew didn\u2019t blame Old Man Winter for taking the precaution of keeping them cool.<\/p>\n \u201cDrew, where is your beautiful bride?\u201d Old Man Winter demanded, jumping out of the sledge almost before it stopped moving. Drew heard his aunt gasp as she saw who else was with him.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s in the back, making sure everyone is stuffed to the gills, of course,\u201d Drew said, accepting the bone-crushing hug the Spirit gave him, and then gesturing to his relatives to come closer. \u201cBut I heard the bells and wanted to come out and greet you, and introduce you to some of my family.\u201d He introduced them, and Old Man Winter shook hands with each of them.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd this is Ember,\u201d Drew said, as the emerald-green dragon (in her smaller size, he was relieved to see). \u201cI helped Old Man Winter rescue her from a trap a few years ago, and she\u2019s decided to stay around.\u201d<\/p>\n Of course I have,<\/em> the dragon said, amusement tinging her mental tone. You folks are far more interesting than anyone else I\u2019ve met so far.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cA dragon,\u201d Doug said reverently. \u201cA real dragon. You know a real dragon.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd now so do you,\u201d Drew said, pleased that he could make one of his cousin\u2019s childhood dreams come true. \u201cEmber, this is my cousin Doug, his husband Tim, and my Aunt Janice, who raised me.\u201d<\/p>\n I am pleased to meet all of you,<\/em> Ember said, and then she dipped her head down towards Aunt Janice, who shrank back just a little bit. You did a wonderful job. Drew is one of the best men I have ever met, and I have met many good men.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThank you, but I just put the polish on,\u201d Aunt Janice said, her voice only trembling a little. \u201cHis mother and father raised him right, and I just took over when they were taken from us.\u201d She raised her hand and hesitantly touched the tip of the dragon\u2019s nose as Ember dipped her head towards her. \u201cMy sister would have been amazed to see who her son was friends with.\u201d<\/p>\n I would have liked to meet them too,<\/em> Ember said. They must have been very good people.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThey were,\u201d Aunt Janice said. \u201cThey were very good people indeed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNow, come and let\u2019s go see Molly, who is much prettier than you are, and for whom I have a special gift,\u201d Old Man Winter said, striding off towards the backyard. The moment broken, the others laughed and followed him.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have a very interesting life, cousin,\u201d Doug said, as they watched Aunt Janice and Ember walk together, still talking.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have no idea,\u201d Drew agreed. \u201cJust wait until Ryan hits about two, then you might have some similar experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot unless we move here,\u201d Tim said, and exchanged a look with Doug. \u201cWhich might be in the cards.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cReally?\u201d Drew stopped, stunned. \u201cThat would be awesome! But I thought you loved Marionville, Doug?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI do,\u201d Doug said. \u201cAnd I won\u2019t lie, it will be hard to leave.\u201d He took Tim\u2019s hand. \u201cBut not everyone in Marionville is as happy as we are to have a family.\u201d<\/p>\n That, Drew could see. In many ways, Marionville was a typical small town in mid-town America, and it held many different points of view. Just not on every topic.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not all sunshine and roses here either,\u201d he warned them. \u201cBut I know Molly and I would be happy to have you here.\u201d And in truth, he\u2019d love to have some family that was his around. Not that he hated Molly\u2019s family, but they could be a bit overwhelming at times.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, but it\u2019s not going to be sunshine and roses anywhere,\u201d Tim said. \u201cAnd I\u2019d like to see a bit more of the country than just Missouri.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd I can teach anywhere,\u201d Doug said.<\/p>\n \u201cTeach?\u201d Drew blinked. \u201cYou actually became a teacher?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYep. High school history and baseball.\u201d Doug grinned. \u201cThink I could find a spot here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure.\u201d Drew stopped and looked around. \u201cIn fact, come with me.\u201d<\/p>\n He led them over to a picnic table, where Steve and Tom were talking to Mark Rineholt. \u201cMark, this is my cousin Doug and his husband Tim,\u201d Drew said, after apologizing for interrupting. \u201cMark is the principal at the Carter\u2019s Cove High School. And Doug\u2019s a history teacher who\u2019s thinking of moving to the Cove. He coaches baseball too.\u201d<\/p>\n As he\u2019d expected, Mark\u2019s eyes lit up. Drew knew very well that there were a few openings in the high school teaching staff, and that the baseball coach had retired this past spring. He left them talking excitedly, pleased that he could help both his friend and his cousin.<\/p>\n He ended up snagging a bottle of beer and standing in the shade of the trees, watching everyone. The yard was full of his and Molly\u2019s friends and relatives, all gathered to celebrate the rehearsal dinner. Tomorrow at this time, he and Molly would be married.<\/p>\n And Molly would have met Phoebe.<\/p>\n Drew sighed, knowing that he should probably just own up to Phoebe beforehand, but strangely loathe to go into it. He didn\u2019t know how Molly would react. Truth be told, he wasn\u2019t sure how he was going to react when he saw her again.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s an awfully long face for someone who\u2019s supposed to be happy,\u201d Molly said, coming up next to him and grinning. When he grinned back at her and hugged her to his side, she continued, \u201cWho do I have to beat up for making you somber today?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo one,\u201d Drew reassured her, chuckling. \u201cIn fact, it\u2019s a good day.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen why are you standing here by yourself, looking like your beer soured?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n \u201cJust wishing my folks could have been here,\u201d Drew said, and then looked down at her. \u201cHey, come with me for a second.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d Molly blinked. \u201cBut Drew, we have guests!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey can handle themselves for a bit, and I need to talk to you.\u201d He took her hand and led her away through the trees, away from the house and the backyard.<\/p>\n When they burst out of the trees to the small pond that Schrodinger loved to hunt frogs by, Molly said, \u201cSo what is so important that no one can hear it?\u201d<\/p>\n Drew pulled her around so she was looking at him. \u201cThere\u2019s another guest coming to the wedding tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Molly said, blinking. \u201cThat\u2019s not a problem. We have room. Who is it?\u201d<\/p>\n The moment of truth. Drew said, \u201cHer name is Phoebe.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay.\u201d Molly waited while he paused. \u201cAnd?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd she\u2019s my faery grandmother.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy faery grandmother,\u201d Drew repeated.<\/p>\n Molly, to her credit, didn\u2019t say anything for a few minutes. \u201cWell, that\u2019s interesting,\u201d she said finally. \u201cWait a minute. Did you say grandmother? Isn\u2019t it supposed to be faery godmother?\u201d<\/p>\n And now the truth would come out. \u201cUsually, yes. But my father was half-faery. Phoebe is my actual grandmother.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo you\u2019re 1\/4 faery?\u201d Molly considered that, and Drew\u2019s heart sank. Would this be a dealbreaker?<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThen it\u2019s a good thing we have Schrodinger, if we have kids,\u201d Molly said. \u201cI\u2019ve heard faery blood means interesting children.\u201d She grinned up at him. \u201cAre you up for a challenge?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbsolutely,\u201d he said, relief washing through him, and kissed her.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cOh my.\u201d Aunt Janice took a look at the loaded tables in the backyard and blinked. \u201cMolly really doesn\u2019t like sending people home less than stuffed, does she?\u201d \u201cShe\u2019s a kitchen witch,\u201d Drew said, laughing. \u201cIt\u2019s genetic.\u201d \u201cShe would have gotten along so well with Alice,\u201d Aunt Janice said, and Drew saw the shimmer of …<\/p>\n