I need to make some gingerbread….<\/p>\n
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><\/p>\n
\u201cThere, we\u2019re all set!\u201d<\/p>\n
Molly tucked the last box of gingerbread into the large picnic baskets and looked around the kitchen. \u201cIs there anything else we need?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re procrastinating,\u201d Sue said. She picked up one of the baskets. \u201cCome on!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, okay!\u201d Molly grabbed her coat from the rack and shrugged into it. \u201cWait for me!\u201d<\/p>\n
Sue and Noemi were going to watch the tea room while Molly and Schrodinger delivered the last of the Christmas gingerbread orders in Sue\u2019s car. The CrossCat was already waiting out front, watching the car.<\/p>\n
Or he was supposed to be. However, when Molly and Sue got outside, he wasn\u2019t near the car. In fact, he wasn\u2019t anywhere they could see.<\/p>\n
\u201cSchrodinger?\u201d Molly called, setting the basket she was carrying down on the cold sidewalk. \u201cSchrodinger? Where are you?\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll be right there.<\/em><\/p>\n The CrossCat\u2019s voice was\u2026odd. Thin, as if he was very far away. Molly frowned. How could he be far away? He\u2019d just come outside not three minutes before them. What\u2019s going on?<\/p>\n Don\u2019t worry,<\/em> Schrodinger said, and this time, the voice was stronger. I\u2019ll explain when we get there.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWe?\u201d Molly said, exchanging a look with Sue, who was staring at her.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about we?\u201d Sue said, and Molly realized she hadn\u2019t heard Schrodinger.<\/p>\n \u201cSchrodinger said he was coming back, but he said when WE get there,\u201d Molly said. She bit her lip. \u201cWho would he have gone off with?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn this town?\u201d Sue laughed. \u201cI don\u2019t have time to list the names!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, but you\u2019d think he\u2019d tell me who he was with,\u201d Molly said. \u201cIt\u2019s just weird.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think you\u2019re getting paranoid,\u201d Sue said, and then shivered. \u201cI\u2019m heading back inside.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThanks again for watching the tea room,\u201d Molly said, and Sue waved as she dashed back into the store and warmth.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t remember a winter this cold in a while,<\/em> Molly realized, as she waited for Schrodinger to reappear with whomever he was with. There hasn\u2019t been a ton of snow, but it\u2019s been cold.<\/em><\/p>\n She looked at the picnic baskets on the ground next to Sue\u2019s car. I should load those in with the others. But something nudged at her, so instead, she clasped her arms around her and looked around.<\/p>\n Sorry!<\/em> Schrodinger\u2019s voice was abruptly a lot louder in her head and Molly winced. We\u2019re almost there!<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWho\u2019s we?\u201d she asked, but her question was pulled away by a rush of wind that raced past her. Her eyes watered and by the time she\u2019d blinked them clear, there was a huge sledge coming down the street, pulled by\u2026reindeer?<\/p>\n \u201cYou have got to be kidding me,\u201d Molly said, shaking her head as Old Man Winter, dressed in what could only be described as a Father Christmas outfit (complete with holly twined around his head, she noted), pulled to a stop in front of her. Two massive reindeer, with holly wrapped around their antlers, stomped their feet and shook their heads, making the jingle bells on their trappings sound loudly in the suddenly quiet street. Schrodinger sat next to Old Man Winter, nearly vibrating with excitement.<\/p>\n Won\u2019t this be awesome?<\/em> He said to Molly. What better way to deliver the gingerbread? Especially to Sarah! Sarah will love this!<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cSchrodinger said you needed help,\u201d Old Man Winter said, and Molly saw the sly smile on his face. \u201cAnd, well, I wasn\u2019t doing anything today\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd just happened to have a sledge and a couple of reindeer hanging around?\u201d she said, trying not to smile herself.<\/p>\n \u201cThey needed the exercise,\u201d Old Man Winter said. \u201cFat reindeer are just not good things.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOf course.\u201d Molly gave up and laughed. \u201cYou look amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo you think so?\u201d The old man actually preened. \u201cThank you. Now, I think we have a lot of gingerbread to deliver, and I can\u2019t stay too long. Let\u2019s get things loaded.\u201d<\/p>\n They loaded the baskets from the sidewalk and the car onto the sledge, and then Molly ran in quickly to give Sue her car keys. \u201cBut how will you deliver them?\u201d Sue asked, confused.<\/p>\n \u201cOld Man Winter,\u201d Molly said, and ran back outside before Sue could ask anything else.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s go!\u201d she said, hopping onto the sledge and grabbing a handhold.<\/p>\n Old Man Winter shook the reins. \u201cWhere to?\u201d<\/p>\n It was amazing, traveling on the sledge. The wind whipped past them, and people all through the small town stopped and stared. Schrodinger was perched up front, right next to Old Man Winter, who actually laughed out loud as children pointed to him excitedly. Molly, watching him, wondered if this was actually still the same grumpy man who had come into her tea room only ten days before.<\/p>\n At the first house on her list, she pulled the box containing a full dozen gingerbread soldiers out of the basket and motioned to Old Man Winter to follow her and Schrodinger. He took the box without her prompting and knocked on the door.<\/p>\n Little Aiden Miller opened the door, and his eyes widened. \u201cSanta?\u201d he whispered, awestruck.<\/p>\n \u201cMerry Christmas,\u201d Old Man Winter said, handing him the ribbon-wrapped box. The little boy took it, never taking his eyes off the figure in front of him. In the background, Molly saw Aiden\u2019s mother with her hand over her mouth.<\/p>\n \u201cMomma, come see! It\u2019s Santa!\u201d Aiden said, turning around. \u201cSanta!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, yes it is,\u201d Mrs. Miller said, coming forward to take the box from him. \u201cBut he and Molly and Schrodinger have a lot of boxes to deliver today.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSchrodinger?\u201d Aiden\u2019s attention was diverted, instantly. Santa was cool, but Schrodinger was his favorite. \u201cCan I go too?\u201d<\/p>\n Not today<\/em>, Schrodinger said, rubbing his head on the boy\u2019s torso. Maybe another time.<\/em><\/p>\n Aiden followed them out on the porch and gaped at the sledge and the reindeer. \u201cWow.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWould you like to pet them?\u201d Old Man Winter asked, and the boy nodded. \u201cThen get your coat, quickly!\u201d<\/p>\n Molly had never seen a three-year-old move that fast. Aiden and his sister Alyssa came out into the yard and Old Man Winter lifted them up one at a time to pet the velvety noses of the reindeer. All the while, their mother was snapping pictures.<\/p>\n It was the same at every house they stopped at during the afternoon. Molly fretted a bit about how long Sue and Noemi could stay to cover the tea room, but there was no way to hurry up. Old Man Winter seemed to be enjoying it, and so did Schrodinger, so she surrendered and concentrated on making sure they hit everyone they were supposed to.<\/p>\n The last house on their list was Sarah\u2019s, and Schrodinger was vibrating with excitement as they turned down the driveway. Jamie, his wife Carolyn and Sarah lived on a small farm on the outskirts of town; Molly had made certain that Jamie was on duty before she\u2019d gone out, so he wouldn\u2019t know about the gingerbread. As the sledge drew up to the house, Schrodinger jumped out and ran towards the door, shouting Sarah\u2019s name.<\/p>\n Come and see!<\/em> He jumped up onto the porch and stretched up, ringing the doorbell. Come and see!<\/em><\/p>\n Sarah opened the door. \u201cWhat, Schrodinger? What am I seeing?\u201d Then she raised her face. \u201cI feel wind. Did you bring Father Christmas, Schrodinger?\u201d<\/p>\n I did! Come outside and see!<\/em><\/p>\n Molly came up onto the porch and handed the first box to Carolyn, who was staring at the sledge in the yard with her mouth open. \u201cMerry Christmas,\u201d she said, grinning.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t believe the rumors,\u201d Carolyn said. \u201cYou really are delivering with Santa Claus.\u201d When Molly looked at her curiously, she added, \u201cIt\u2019s all over Twitter and Facebook.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI should have known,\u201d Molly said. \u201cNo wonder Sue and Noemi haven\u2019t called me.\u201d<\/p>\n She brought the other box up to the house as Sarah and Schrodinger rushed down the steps, then watched with Carolyn as Old Man Winter lifted Sarah up to touch the reindeer. She ran her sensitive fingers over their soft muzzles, over their decorated antlers and their riggings, building a picture of them in her head. It was hard to remember sometimes that Sarah was blind.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you,\u201d Carolyn said, as Old Man Winter set Sarah down. \u201cShe\u2019ll never forget this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThank Schrodinger,\u201d Molly said. \u201cI was as surprised as you when they showed up. We were supposed to use Sue\u2019s car.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis is much better,\u201d Carolyn said.<\/p>\n Sarah came up to Molly, her face shining. \u201cYou brought it! And Father Christmas!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI brought the gingerbread, but Schrodinger brought Father Christmas,\u201d Molly said, grinning as Sarah hugged her. \u201cI\u2019m glad you liked it!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI did! That was awesome!\u201d Sarah pulled back and then stuck her hand in her pocket. \u201cAnd I have something for you!\u201d<\/p>\n She pulled an ornament from her jacket pocket and handed it to Molly. \u201cDrew asked me to give you this.\u201d<\/p>\n Molly smiled. Today\u2019s ornament was a caramel brown in color, with bright red and green beads at the junctions.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat color is it?\u201d Sarah asked.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a gingerbread color,\u201d Molly said. \u201cJust like the houses I made.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s so cool,\u201d Sarah said, and grinned. \u201cThank you for making the gingerbread for us!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re very welcome!\u201d Molly said, and she and Schrodinger headed back to the sledge, where Old Man Winter was waiting for them.<\/p>\n He called out, \u201cMerry Christmas!\u201d to Sarah and her mother, and then shook the reins. The reindeer leapt forward, and they were off again.<\/p>\n When they pulled up in front of the bookstore, Molly told Old Man Winter, \u201cWait here, just a minute!\u201d She ran into the store, grabbed the box she\u2019d left on the island in the kitchen and ran back out again.<\/p>\n He looked surprised. \u201cWhat is this?\u201d<\/p>\n Molly smiled. \u201cMerry Christmas,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n Old Man Winter opened the box. Inside was a gingerbread cottage, iced and decorated to look like an old New England home in a snowy setting. Along the edges were gingerbread men, iced as well. He closed the box and stowed it underneath the front of the sledge, then turned to her. To Molly\u2019s surprise, there were tears in his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you,\u201d he said, and then, before she could say anything, he shook the reins again. She stepped back as the sledge took off down the street.<\/p>\n At the end of the block, it vanished.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I need to make some gingerbread…. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> \u201cThere, we\u2019re all set!\u201d Molly tucked the last box of gingerbread into the large picnic baskets and looked around the kitchen. \u201cIs there anything else we need?\u201d \u201cYou\u2019re procrastinating,\u201d Sue said. She picked up one of the baskets. \u201cCome on!\u201d \u201cOkay, okay!\u201d Molly grabbed her coat from the …<\/p>\n