December 19 – Aunt Margie and Uncle Art<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Ember moved to the back of the dias, no doubt to discuss something with Old Man Winter, Molly saw her Aunt Margie and Uncle Art were stepping up to the tree. Aunt Margie had run CrossWind Books since before Molly and her brother Nathan were born, while Uncle Art had run the farm he\u2019d inherited from his father. Now, Molly wondered which of the numerous ornaments Aunt Margie had brought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019ve lived here all my adult life,\u201d Aunt Margie said, looking out over the crowd of her friends and neighbors. \u201cI came as a young wife, and I was adopted by all of you, and I am so proud to be a part of this community.\u201d She carefully pulled out a small bundle and began to unwrap it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is it?<\/em> Schrodinger asked, but the grey fog was wrapping around he and Molly again. When the fog cleared, they were standing alone in the midst of white birches and evergreens during one of those picture-perfect snow storms that came once or twice every winter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Or so it seemed at first. There were snowflakes falling, and that deadened both noise and made it hard to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then Schrodinger nudged her leg. Look to your left.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Molly turned, and there was her Aunt Margie and Uncle Art. They were standing together, dressed in warm clothes, with mugs of something steaming in their hands, on the deck that her uncles and grandfather and cousins had built one summer before she was born. The deck looked very new, and there weren\u2019t any streaks of white in her aunt\u2019s hair, or laugh lines on her face. In fact, she looked hardly older than Molly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDo you think we\u2019ll see them today?\u201d Aunt Margie asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe should,\u201d Uncle Art said. \u201cThe boys and I heard them when we were taking the cows back to the shed last night, and the night before.\u201d He slipped his free hand around her waist. \u201cAnd once they do show\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf they show,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen they show, it will be time to get the decorations out and start the holiday,\u201d Uncle Art finished. <\/p>\n\n\n\n What are they talking about?<\/em> Schrodinger asked. What are they waiting for?<\/em> \u201cJust watch,\u201d Molly said. \u201cYou\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n And then, through the gently falling snow, there was movement. The snowy owl that winged its way out of the trees hooted gently as it swooped between the flakes, circling the house three times before it ghosted away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey still wait for her,\u201d Molly said, as the scene started to fade. \u201cThe decorations at their farm don\u2019t come out until the Christmas owl is seen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aunt Margie finished unwrapping the beautifully carved snowy owl and handed it to Jade. \u201cThis owl has greeted us every Christmas season,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen we see her after Thanksgiving, we know it\u2019s time to celebrate. It\u2019s one of our signs that everything is right with the world.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" December 19 – Aunt Margie and Uncle Art As Ember moved to the back of the dias, no doubt to discuss something with Old Man Winter, Molly saw her Aunt Margie and Uncle Art were stepping up to the tree. Aunt Margie had run CrossWind Books since before Molly and her brother Nathan were born, …<\/p>\n
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