\u201cWow, look at all the people here!\u201d Zoey paused in the doorway to the second floor of CrossWinds Books. \u201cIt\u2019s packed!\u201d
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\u201cWhy are you surprised?\u201d Lily said from behind her. \u201cSanta\u2019s coming today! Of course it\u2019s busy!\u201d She nudged her friend forward. \u201cWe need to get moving. The others are right behind us, and these trays are heavy.\u201d
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\u201cWell, they won\u2019t be when we carry them back down later,\u201d Zoey said, moving into the crowded room. \u201cExcuse me, folks!\u201d
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The two girls took their trays loaded with Molly\u2019s Christmas shortbread and chocolate chip cookies over to the table on the far side of the room, almost immediately across from the large wooden chair that Nathan and Drew had pulled up earlier in the day. Molly had told them that the chair was specially set up for this every year, and had been since she could remember. There were pictures in Mrs. Barrett\u2019s house of Molly and Nathan back when they were Lily and Kaylee\u2019s age, sitting on Santa\u2019s lap. Other towns claimed to have Santa visit them, but Lily knew that the real Santa came to Carter\u2019s Cove. He was on very good terms with Aunt Margie.
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They set the trays down with the others they had already brought up and then settled themselves behind the table. Gideon and Kaylee were soon with them, with Molly\u2019s precious box of teas and her box of mismatched mugs. The large carafes of hot water, hot cider, and the one labeled \u201cMulled Wine,\u201d watched over by DC, were already there.
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\u201cThis is going to be cool,\u201d Gideon said, looking out at the crowd.
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\u201cWhat is?\u201d Kaylee asked him.
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\u201cHelping Molly like this,\u201d he answered. \u201cI like to help, and this means that she doesn\u2019t have to do it all herself.\u201d
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\u201cYeah, I guess.\u201d
He looked at her. \u201cWhat\u2019s wrong?\u201d
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\u201cI just hope Santa doesn\u2019t leave before we get to talk to him,\u201d Kaylee said.
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\u201cWe will,\u201d Gideon reassured her. \u201cMolly promised.\u201d
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And Santa was told you would be helping,<\/em> Schrodinger said, coming over to them. He put his front paws on the table so he could see everything. Wow, this is amazing, even for Molly!<\/em> In addition to the trays of shortbread and chocolate chip cookies, there were slices of dark, fragrant fruitcake, the candied fruits in it glowing like rare jewels; sugar cookies frosted to look like snowflakes; rows of gingerbread soldiers; and cranberry orange tea bread slices. If anyone was going to go home unsatisfied, it wouldn\u2019t be because there wasn\u2019t enough food. \u201cAnd after Santa is gone, we can do the Advent calendar,\u201d Zoey said, as the room continued to fill. There wasn\u2019t just kids and parents either. Everyone in Carter\u2019s Cove wanted to talk to Santa. \u201cI wonder when he\u2019ll arrive?\u201d As if he\u2019d been waiting for those words, the air in the room changed, becoming almost electrified as whispers spread in ever-expanding ripples. \u201cSanta\u2019s here! Santa\u2019s here!\u201d Indeed, he was. Every year he dressed a little differently, but always the blue eyes and long snowy white beard were the same. This year, his long coat was bright red, like a cardinal, and trimmed in fur so white and soft that it seemed made of snowflakes. A large, wide black leather belt wrapped around his midsection, and his boots gleamed in the light of the lamps. \u201cGood afternoon, Carter\u2019s Cove!\u201d he boomed, as the crowd parted before him, opening up a path to the great wooden chair. Two elves, dressed in miniature versions of his outfit, followed him, and took up positions to either side. The queue formed quickly, and for the next three hours, people waited to sit on Santa\u2019s knee, even the adults. And then they thronged around the refreshment table. Lily and Zoey kept busy running up and down the stairs to get refills for the cookies, cake, and bread. Molly\u2019s gift of kitchen witchery meant that she could keep the carafes full, for which Lily was grateful. Carrying the trays were hard enough! On one of her trips, she paused to catch her breath and glanced over at the Advent calendar. The little cat was still in the dining room, but he was prowling around the table, looking anxiously out at the room every so often. \u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d Lily said. \u201cWe\u2019re just busy right now. Once Santa is gone, we\u2019ll be back down. We haven\u2019t forgotten you.\u201d That perked him up. He jumped up onto one of the dining room chairs, curled up, and went to sleep. I wonder how they managed to put him in there<\/em>, she thought, as she carried her tray back up the stairs. Is he actually a real cat? Or is he just magic? <\/em> Did they tell him what they were doing? She hoped so. It would be cruel to think of a creature trapped in the spell, and sternly shook her head. Jade and Jack wouldn\u2019t do that, silly. But still, I wonder what will happen to him at the end of Advent.<\/em> Finally, the line thinned out, and the happy talking died down. Molly sent the four children and three animals over to see Santa, who was talking to the elf on his right. \u201cYou have been very busy!\u201d Santa boomed, smiling at them. \u201cDo you want to tell me what you would like for Christmas?\u201d Lily gestured to the others. \u201cYou guys go first,\u201d she said. \u201cI need a bit to think.\u201d As she waited her turn, her thoughts again turned back to the cat in the calendar. When Schrodinger had jumped down, she climbed up onto Santa\u2019s lap. \u201cAnd have you been good this year, Lily?\u201d he asked her, his deep voice full of jollity. \u201cPretty good,\u201d Lily said honestly. \u201cI did fight with Kaylee a bit.\u201d There was no use lying to Santa, after all. \u201cThat\u2019s good,\u201d Santa agreed. \u201cWhat would you like for Christmas?\u201d Lily leaned over and whispered into his ear. His face became still as he listened. \u201cThat\u2019s a very specific wish,\u201d he said at last. \u201cAre you sure that\u2019s all you want?\u201d Lily nodded. \u201cIt\u2019s the only thing that is important.\u201d \u201cI\u2019ll see what I can do,\u201d Santa said. \u201cBut it may be beyond even me.\u201d \u201cReally?\u201d Her eyes widened. \u201cBut you\u2019re SANTA CLAUS.\u201d \u201cEveryone has a limit, even me,\u201d Santa told her. \u201cBut in this case, perhaps I can help.\u201d He smiled at her. \u201cMerry Christmas, Lily.\u201d \u201cThank you, Santa!\u201d Lily jumped down from his lap and ran to help the others carry things down stairs. If Santa could grant this wish, she decided, she would be even better next year than she had been this year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cWow, look at all the people here!\u201d Zoey paused in the doorway to the second floor of CrossWinds Books. \u201cIt\u2019s packed!\u201d \u201cWhy are you surprised?\u201d Lily said from behind her. \u201cSanta\u2019s coming today! Of course it\u2019s busy!\u201d She nudged her friend forward. \u201cWe need to get moving. The others are right behind us, and these …<\/p>\n
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