Whatever shall we do when it’s over??? \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Drew? Do you have a moment?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cSure,\u201d Drew said, blinking. He\u2019d never heard Ember actually sound so\u2026concerned. \u201cLet me just throw a coat on.\u201d<\/p>\n He\u2019d been sitting at the computer in the library, going over his Facebook and looking at the pictures from yesterday. There were a ton of pictures, each with the same elements: Old Man Winter, dressed as Father Christmas, holding various small children up to pet two enormous reindeer. Now, as he shrugged into his coat, Drew wondered just what kind of magic Molly had been weaving into the cookies and scones she\u2019d fed the old man.<\/p>\n Ember wasn\u2019t in the stable – she was in the yard, stretching her wings out in the brisk air. Drew stopped and watched the sunlight bounce off her delicate membranes and bright scales. She was truly a beautiful creature.<\/p>\n Thank you<\/em>, she said, and he started. But I didn\u2019t ask you out here to admire me. I\u2019m worried.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWorried?\u201d Drew asked, coming over to her. \u201cAbout what? Your leg?\u201d<\/p>\n No, the leg is fine.<\/em> She stretched up onto her hind legs to show him. I\u2019m worried about Old Man Winter.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n He\u2019s acting oddly,<\/em> the dragon said, furling and unfurling her wings nervously. I don\u2019t know what he\u2019s planning, but I haven\u2019t seen him like this in a long time. And I\u2019ve known him a very long time.<\/em><\/p>\n Drew leaned against the wall, considering. Ember was right – Old Man Winter had torn out of the house yesterday, dressed in what could only be called a Father Christmas outfit. He\u2019d come home with one of Molly\u2019s gingerbread houses, which he\u2019d set out on the dining room table, and then he\u2019d gone out again, without any conversation with Drew. But, and this had been the really odd part, he\u2019d been smiling.<\/p>\n And laughing.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you think?\u201d he asked her. \u201cHas he ever acted like this before?\u201d<\/p>\n The dragon didn\u2019t answer for a long time, and when she did, a chill rushed through Drew.<\/p>\n Once, long ago. He was like this right before he destroyed a town. Almost as if he were enjoying the last minutes of a doomed civilization\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n <><><\/p>\n It was flurrying again outside – short bursts of tiny snowflakes that lasted maybe 15 minutes, then gave way to sunshine for a bit before coming back to fill the air with little white flakes again. Molly and Schrodinger hurried along the street, heading for the downtown area to finish their shopping.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, so we still need to get Mom\u2019s gift, and something for the Yankee swap at the store,\u201d Molly said, trying to look at her list and avoid other people at the same time. The sidewalks were full of holiday shoppers and people looking at all the displays. It was hard to believe there were only five days left until Christmas. Where had the month gone?<\/p>\n We also need to pick up the last part of Drew\u2019s gift,<\/em> Schrodinger said. It was supposed to be in today.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cRight.\u201d Molly added another note to her list. \u201cAnd we need to stop at the grocery store and get the dried cherries for the scones Mom asked me to make for Christmas morning.\u201d She sighed. \u201cIt\u2019s a good thing the kids are done already – we won\u2019t be able to carry much more!\u201d<\/p>\n We can make two trips, if we need,<\/em> Schrodinger said. We have all day.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYes, we do.\u201d<\/p>\n They hit the grocery store first, since it was on the way, and the cherries wouldn\u2019t be hurt by walking around all day. Also, Molly didn\u2019t want to have anything like chocolate sneaking into her bag – she had too much at home already.<\/p>\n After the grocery store, they ducked into the Hammered Dulcimer, to pick up the music box that her mother had been lusting over since September. It was a little Irish cottage, and when you wound it up, it played a lovely little Irish lullaby. They\u2019d seen it when shopping back in the fall, and Molly had arranged with Russ, the owner, to put it aside for her. The bottom of the music box was a jewelry box, and she knew her father had a special something ready to go in there.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Russ!\u201d she called as they went back out into the snow. He waved to her and then turned back to his next customer.<\/p>\n Where now?<\/em> Schrodinger asked, as they stood on the sidewalk, next to the Dulcimer\u2019s window. Molly stared down at her list, trying to decide which store to go into.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s go see Catherine first,\u201d she said finally. \u201cI need to put in my order for more boxes, and I want to see what she has for Christmas ornaments.\u201d<\/p>\n You mean we don\u2019t have enough?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cNot for us, silly cat,\u201d Molly laughed, weaving her way through the crowds. \u201cFor gifts! I want to get some little ones to tie on the presents for the Trio and the techs. I think they\u2019d like that.\u201d<\/p>\n Instead of the edible tags?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cNo, with them.\u201d Molly had started a tradition about five years ago of putting edible tags made with her special sugar cookie dough and royal icing on all her friends\u2019 packages. \u201cIf I stopped doing the tags, I think I\u2019d be lynched!\u201d<\/p>\n Probably.<\/em><\/p>\n They threaded their way up the street to the Tin Shop, which was one of Molly\u2019s favorite stores. Catherine Taylor not only gathered the best little boxes and bags to put all sorts of things in, but she collected local artists and interesting pieces from every realm she could get a finger in. The stock changed almost every day, it seemed, and there was always something new to find.<\/p>\n Today, Catherine had eschewed regular lights in the store. When Molly pushed open the door, she and Schrodinger entered into a world of intertwined Christmas lights. Not flickering, but twined in such a way that they spread pools of colored light over the inventory.<\/p>\n It was like walking into a rainbow.<\/p>\n \u201cOh wow,\u201d Molly breathed, as she and Schrodinger made their way through the store, passing from color to color. The lights sparkled off beads, glass, silver and gold, casting amazing shadows on everything. \u201cThis is awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n Yeah.<\/em><\/p>\n They found Catherine at the back, talking to an older woman who had a tray full of beads spread out in front of her. She had a small Ott lamp attached to the edge of the tray table, and a wine bottle half sheathed in a shining beaded net glowed in the light from the lamp.<\/p>\n \u201cMolly! Schrodinger!\u201d Catherine grinned at them. \u201cMerry Christmas! I\u2019ve been waiting for you!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMerry Christmas,\u201d Molly said, but her attention was riveted on the bottle. The old woman smiled at her, motioning her closer. Then Catherine\u2019s words sunk in. \u201cWaiting for me? Why?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, for one thing, you haven\u2019t ordered any boxes in nearly a month,\u201d Catherine said. \u201cI\u2019d assume you\u2019d be running low.\u201d There was a twinkle in her eyes, however, that made Molly wonder.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd for another thing?\u201d Molly said, and Schrodinger cocked his head to one side, waiting for Catherine\u2019s answer.<\/p>\n But it wasn\u2019t Catherine who spoke. Rather, the older woman next to her chuckled and reached into something hidden at her feet. \u201cSo, you\u2019re Molly. I\u2019ve looked forward to meeting you.\u201d And she pulled out a small ornament, wrapped with a sparkling net of pale pink beads, and handed it to Molly.<\/p>\n \u201cYou do lovely work,\u201d Molly said, looking at both the ornament and the wine bottle. \u201cHow did you start doing it?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been doing this for years,\u201d the older woman said, and held out her hand. \u201cI\u2019m Laura.\u201d Then she looked down at Schrodinger. \u201cAnd you must be Schrodinger. I\u2019ve heard a lot about you. How is the Librarian doing?\u201d<\/p>\n You\u2026you know the Librarian?<\/em> Schrodinger\u2019s eyes went wide. Really?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been friends for a long time,\u201d Laura told him. \u201cBut I haven\u2019t seen her lately. I\u2019ll have to remedy that after the New Year.\u201d<\/p>\n Schrodinger looked stunned.<\/p>\n Molly, however, was still looking at Laura\u2019s ornament and the bottle. \u201cAnd Drew commissioned you to make these for me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d Laura smiled faintly. \u201cHe saw one of my bottles, and asked me if I would do ornaments. He said there was someone who needed them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone who needed them,\u201d Molly repeated. \u201cYes, he was right.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Whatever shall we do when it’s over??? \ud83d\ude09 <><><><><><><><><><><><><> Drew? Do you have a moment? \u201cSure,\u201d Drew said, blinking. He\u2019d never heard Ember actually sound so\u2026concerned. \u201cLet me just throw a coat on.\u201d He\u2019d been sitting at the computer in the library, going over his Facebook and looking at the pictures from yesterday. There …<\/p>\n