So, I’ve gotten up on time this morning, despite still feeling a bit icky.\u00a0 Hope you enjoy today’s story, and remember, it doesn’t stop for weekends!<\/p>\n
December 3<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd how are you doing today, Mrs. Dorr?\u201d Molly stopped by one of the tables in the tea room to smile down at one of her regulars.\u00a0 Mrs. Lucille Dorr usually came in on Fridays, to drink a cup of tea and read while her husband Stephen met with his book club upstairs.\u00a0 Molly enjoyed talking to both of them \u2013 they were widely traveled, both mundanely and on the Roads, and they always treated everyone they met as equals.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m good,\u201d Mrs. Dorr said, putting an elegant paper lace bookmark into her spot and setting the large book down next to her sage-colored tea cup.\u00a0 Molly had combed through every secondhand store and Goodwill in the fifty miles surrounding Carter\u2019s Cove to put together the eclectic tea cup, saucer and tea pot collection she used in the store.\u00a0 Every piece was different.\u00a0 And if one broke, well, there was always another in the box she kept in the kitchen.\u00a0 \u201cHow are you and Schrodinger doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s obsessed with Santa Claus,\u201d Molly said, laughing.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s like living with a six-year-old genius.\u00a0 I never know what he\u2019s going to say next.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe CrossCats are such interesting creatures,\u201d Mrs. Dorr said, nodding her head.\u00a0 \u201cWe\u2019ve met a few, on our travels, but never were lucky enough to have one wish to stay with us for long.\u00a0 You\u2019re a very lucky girl to have him live with you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh yes, I know.\u201d\u00a0 Molly looked over to where Schrodinger was curled up in his bed by the fire.\u00a0 His head was resting on the lap of Sarah, Jamie\u2019s daughter, who was running her fingers over a Braille book, and her lips were moving.\u00a0 Over the quiet rumble of the store, Molly couldn\u2019t hear what she was saying, but she bet the child was reading to the cat.\u00a0 \u201cHe\u2019s so much fun.\u00a0 I can\u2019t believe it\u2019s only been eight months since he moved in.\u00a0 I can\u2019t imagine life without him now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust be glad they\u2019re practical creatures, because eventually, even you will find someone to settle down with,\u201d Mrs. Dorr said, with the unshakeable certainty older women had around Molly.\u00a0 \u201cSpeaking of, dear, I hear Tom Alward is back in town.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs he?\u201d Molly blinked.\u00a0 \u201cWhen did he get back?\u00a0 I thought he was going to be gone for at least a year!\u00a0 It\u2019s only been four months.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mrs. Dorr picked up her tea cup, but there was a twinkle in her eyes as she said, \u201cSarah down at the caf\u00e9 said he came in Monday night.\u00a0 Looked exhausted, she said, but happy to be home.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyone who\u2019s grown up in the Cove misses it when they leave,\u201d a deep voice interrupted, and Molly turned to see Tom himself standing behind her.\u00a0 \u201cI think it\u2019s genetic.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think you\u2019re right,\u201d Molly said, and then couldn\u2019t resist any longer.\u00a0 She threw her arms around him and squeezed him.\u00a0 \u201cDammit, Tom, it\u2019s good to see you!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause it\u2019s been so long since August?\u201d he teased her, but Molly felt how tight he hugged her back.\u00a0 Tom rested his cheek on her hair and added in a whisper, \u201cI\u2019ve missed you, Molldoll.\u201d<\/p>\n
The endearment caused a bit of a flutter in her stomach.\u00a0 The name itself dated back to when she, Tom and the rest of their small gang decided, at the age of eight, to become superheroes.\u00a0 Only Tom still used it, and it always made her smile.\u00a0 \u201cI missed you too, Tomboy,\u201d she said, squeezing him again before dropping her arms.\u00a0 \u201cBut, I\u2019m working.\u00a0 Can I get you something?\u201d<\/p>\n
He shook his head, and Molly noticed the shadows under his eyes.\u00a0 Still exhausted, she realized, and wondered just what he\u2019d found when he\u2019d left the Cove.\u00a0 Mal had been tight-lipped about it, and there was any number of places a Gate tech could be called to.\u00a0 None of my business,<\/em> she thought firmly, and glanced down to see if Mrs. Dorr, who was very pointedly reading her book again, needed any more tea.\u00a0 I gave up the right to know where he was going when we broke up.<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n At least we\u2019re still friends. I\u2019d hate to lose that.<\/em>\u00a0 \u201cWell, then, give me a moment, and we can go catch up in the kitchen,\u201d she said out loud, and he nodded.\u00a0 \u201cI want to hear everything you can tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n The tea shop tables were all full; Molly made a quick circuit, checking to make sure everything was all to everyone\u2019s liking, and then she went back to the kitchen.\u00a0 Tom followed her in and snagged one of the stools as she pulled out her mixing bowls.\u00a0 \u201cSo, what did you want to know?\u201d he asked, nodding when she held up a mug.\u00a0 \u201cDarjeeling, if you have it handy.\u201d<\/p>\n Molly rolled her eyes at him. \u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s a TEA shop, remember?\u201d She detoured into the small pantry and emerged a few moments later with a silver tea ball that she dropped into the mug.\u00a0 Then she poured boiling water from the kettle on the stove and brought the mug to the island.\u00a0 \u201cSo, what can you tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n Tom took the chain of the ball.\u00a0 \u201cNot a lot,\u201d he admitted.\u00a0 \u201cI was helping set up a new Gate.\u00a0 And it was cold as hell there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow long are you home this time?\u201d\u00a0 She pulled some cold butter out of the fridge, and, after a moment\u2019s consideration, some raspberry jam.<\/p>\n \u201cAt least through New Year\u2019s,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cWhat are you making?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot sure yet.\u201d\u00a0 Molly wandered back into the pantry, and came out with flour and sugar.\u00a0 Then she pulled out eggs and a few more things from the refrigerator, and began to mix dough.\u00a0 \u201cSo, it was cold?\u201d<\/p>\n They chatted as she mixed up cookie dough, rolling the finished dough into logs and placing them into the fridge to chill, along with the egg whites she\u2019d saved.\u00a0 Then she cleaned up the table and offered him some of the snowman cookies she\u2019d made the day before.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, Moll, what are you doing tonight?\u201d Tom asked casually, but she saw the look in his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cSchrodinger and I were going to get a pizza and watch something on Netflix after we left here,\u201d she said, and then hesitated.\u00a0 Should I invite him?\u00a0 Or will he try to start something again?<\/em><\/p>\n Tom must have noticed her hesitation, because he smiled.\u00a0 \u201cI was just wondering,\u201d he assured her.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t worry, I\u2019m not looking for an invite.\u00a0 Just curious.\u201d<\/p>\n Molly flushed.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Tom, I just\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s still a little awkward.\u00a0 But I want to be friends. I don\u2019t want to lose that.\u00a0 You mean too much for me to screw it up again by rushing you.\u201d\u00a0 He got up and went to pull his gloves from his pocket.\u00a0 \u201cOh, crap, I forgot.\u201d\u00a0 He handed her the red envelope that had nearly fallen to the floor.\u00a0 \u201cMargie asked me to give this to you as I passed by the front \u2013 she said it had come in the mail.\u201d<\/p>\n Molly blinked and slid open the envelope.\u00a0 Another CD, of course.\u00a0 This time, the parchment said, \u201cDear Molly, remember that every day needs a bit of fun in it. No matter what else happens. SA.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMini CD?\u201d Tom looked at it curiously.\u00a0 \u201cYou don\u2019t see those very often.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve got a friend sending them to me,\u201d Molly said.\u00a0 \u201cThis is the third in as many days.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSA?\u201d Tom grinned at her.\u00a0 \u201cYou\u2019ve got a secret admirer, Molldoll.\u00a0 Enjoy it.\u201d\u00a0 And then he went out of the kitchen, leaving her holding the CD and watching him.<\/p>\n