(advent) December 23 – The day after the Ball

Yep, it’s counting down to the final stretch!

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Molly yawned and considered snuggling back into sleep for a bit.  Aunt Margie was opening late, considering everything that had happened the night before, so she didn’t have to get up.  All in all, spending the morning in bed with her two favorite boys sounded like a perfectly splendid way to start her day.

She rolled over to see if Drew was awake.  Schrodinger was still sleeping, a warm lump by her feet, but the other half of the bed, which she’d been sure was occupied last night…was empty.

Did I dream it?  Molly thought, stretching out a hand.   The sheets were cool to the touch.  Was it all just a dream?

And then the smell of frying bacon wafted through the room, and she sighed.  Not a dream after all.

Schrodinger’s eyes opened sleepily as the bacon smell hit his nostrils.  Breakfast?

“It certainly smells like it, but we can save you some if you want.”

His eyes closed again, and he snuggled back down in the nest he’d made in the blankets at the foot of the bed.  Molly laughed and slid from the bed, shivering a little as her feet hit the floor.   Once again, she put “getting a rug for the bedroom” on her mental list.

Drew looked up when she came into the kitchen.  “Morning, beautiful,” he said, as if he hadn’t been gone nearly a month.  “Tea’s ready.”

“There is nothing sexier than a guy cooking bacon in a tee-shirt and pajama pants,” Molly said, coming up behind him and giving him a hug before she made a beeline for the coffee pot.  He’d loaded the top with her favorite Christmas tea, and she poured cups for both of them as he transferred the crisp bacon to a pan that he slipped into the warm oven.

“It feels odd to sit here and watch you cook,” Molly said, perching on one of the stools at the breakfast bar.  “Nice, but odd.”

Drew laughed as he broke eggs into the bacon grease.  “I’ve been a little worried about this, to be honest.  Not sure how my plebian efforts will stand up to your magic.”

“Bacon and eggs sounds heavenly,” Molly said.  “And there are muffins in the fridge, if you want.”

“Already warming in the oven.”

“And you were worried,” Molly said, laughing a little.  “You have everything under control.”

Drew looked around.  “No Schrodinger?”

“I told him we’d save him some.  He’s still sleeping.”

Schrodinger had danced the night away at the ball, thrilled beyond belief at Drew’s reappearance and the fact that there had been three other CrossCats there, not the least of which being the Librarian.  Molly and Drew had barely seen him most of the night, catching random glimpses of him on the dance floor.  He’d been so tired that he’d fallen asleep on the ride home, and hadn’t really stirred, even when Molly took his bow tie off and put him onto the bed.

“He was very excited last night about those other Cats,” Drew said.  “Especially the big black one.”

“That’s the Librarian, his teacher.”  Molly sipped her tea.  “He worships her.”

“Ah.”

The kitchen grew silent as Drew concentrated on his eggs and Molly sipped her tea, enjoying the homey feel of the morning.  It was still snowing out, she realized after taking a peek out the dining room window; a light, fluffy snow that muffled everything and left the world enveloped in peace and cold.

“What are your plans today?” she asked, as he slid a plate of fried eggs, crispy bacon and cranberry-orange muffins dripping butter towards her.

“I’ve got shopping to do,” he said, putting his own plate down across from her.  “And I might see if Schrodinger wants to come with me.”

“He might.”

Might what?

Both Molly and Drew turned to see Schrodinger stumble into the kitchen, his eyes still half-closed.  “You could have slept more,” Molly said, getting up to get him his normal morning cup of Earl Grey.  “We don’t have to be into work until noon, and it’s barely 9 o’clock.”

Hungry.  Schrodinger didn’t even try for the stool; he just stood beside it, leaning against it for stability.  Molly tried to suppress a giggle.

“Well, here, eat this and then you can go back to bed,” she said, putting his tea and the plate that Drew handed her in front of him.  “You can spend time with Drew today.  He needs help shopping.”

‘Kay.  Schrodinger made it through about half the plate and all his tea before he turned and shambled back to bed.

“Think he made it on to the bed?” Drew asked Molly, as they finished their breakfast together.

“I’ll be surprised if he made it out of the living room,” she said

They found him snuggled under the Christmas tree in the living room, fast asleep with one of his stuffed toys with him.  Molly ran for her camera – it was too cute a picture to pass up.  Then she and Drew curled up on the couch together for a bit and enjoyed a second cup of tea while he told her everything that had happened while he was gone.

“Do you think he’ll really do it?” Molly asked, leaning her head back against his chest.  “Do you really think he’ll destroy the Gate?”

“I don’t know,” Drew said.  “He’s a very complex man.  I would have said you managed to convince him, but Ember seems to think that he’s happy because he’s made a decision, and that the last time she saw him like this, he destroyed the town in question.”

Molly sighed.  “Well, at least he let you come home before he cut us off from the rest of the world.”

“Maybe he won’t do it.”

“Maybe.”

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Drew and Schrodinger walked with her as far as CrossWinds Books, then turned to walk into the downtown area.  Molly, unsure as to what she would find in her kitchen, had come in at 11, just to give herself time to clean up anything the boys might have left behind.  The store was quiet and still, just the way she liked it.

She needn’t have worried.  The kitchen was spotless, as was the tea room, and there was a fire ready to be kindled in the wood stove.  She dropped her stuff in its corner of the kitchen, then went out to start the fire.  When it was burning merrily, she went back into the kitchen…

And froze.  Sitting on one of the stools was Old Man Winter.

“Good morning,” Molly said after a few moments.  “I wasn’t expecting you this early.”

He grunted.  “Wanted to see you before anyone else came in.”

“Okay.”  Molly went over to the stove and turned on tea water.  “Can I get you a cup of tea?”

“Nope.  Not staying that long.”  Old Man Winter hesitated.  “But a cookie wouldn’t be a bad thing.”

“I’m not sure what I have, but let me look and I’ll get a box together for you,” Molly said, heading into the pantry to see what was left.  Her luck held: there was nearly a full box of peppermint snowflakes, and several of the orange scones he’d complimented her on.  She put together the box and brought it out to him.  “You’re in luck.”

He actually smiled as he looked inside.  “Thank you, Molly.  Your cookies have brightened this winter for me.”

“I’m glad,” she said.  “Are you sure you wouldn’t like a cup of tea?  I can have this water hot fast.”

“Maybe one cup.&rdquo

Molly poured both of them a cup of water, then laid her hands on top of the mugs and concentrated.  This wasn’t a part of her gift she used often, but it was handy.  When she pulled her hands up, steam drifted up from the now-hot water.  “What kind of tea would you like?”

“The Christmas blend, please.”

“Good choice,” Molly said, putting one of her favorite tea-bags in each mug.  While the tea was steeping, she looked over at him.  “What did you want to tell me?  That you’ve made a decision?”

“No,” Old Man Winter said.  “I haven’t made a decision yet.”

“What can I do to influence you?”  Might as well go for the punch, after all.  What could it hurt?

Old Man Winter actually laughed gently.  “Ah, Molly, I will miss you.”

“You don’t have to,” she said.  “You are welcome any time.”

He shook his head.  “No, I don’t want to influence the weather too badly.  Once I leave, you probably won’t see me for at least ten years.”  When she cocked her head, he said, “Old Man Winter isn’t just my name, Molly.  I carry the cold with me – unless you want to see the Cove locked in snow for a long time, I’ll have to avoid the area for a while.”

“I’ll miss you,” Molly said, and found she meant it.

Old Man Winter smiled.  “I’ll miss you too.”  Then his eyes took on a teasing light.  “Or at least your cooking.”

“I’ll have to find a forwarding address to send care packages.”

He laughed and drained his tea, then got up to leave.

“Wait.”  Molly put a hand on his arm.  “When will you decide?”

“Christmas Day,” Old Man Winter said, picking up the box of cookies.  “I’ll let you know on Christmas Day.”

And then he was gone.

Originally published at The words of Valerie Griswold-Ford. You can comment here or there.

(advent) December 24 – Christmas Eve!

It’s finally here!  Christmas Eve!  Are you excited yet????

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“Do you see her yet?”

Not yet, but I’m not surprised, Schrodinger said.  Lai said they were going to go out for a Christmas Eve drink after work.  The CrossCat jumped down from the window and looked at Drew.  How much more time do you need?

Drew taped down the last flap on the box he was wrapping.  “Done!” he said, and slid the box under the tree.  “Now all we have to do is wrap the stuff for her family, because I’m sure she’s done with mine.”

Really?  Schrodinger winked at him.  I don’t know, she mentioned something about a coal deposit she had to hit…  Then he ducked out of the way as Drew threw a bow at him. 

“Must be for you, Cat!” Drew said, chuckling.  “I haven’t done anything to deserve coal!”

Schrodinger batted the bow back at him, and he ducked, then threw another one at him, and the fight was on.  By the time Molly opened the door, there were shreds of ribbon and paper balls made of tissue paper and wrapping paper all over the kitchen and living room, and tinsel hung in the air like confetti.

“What is going on?” she asked, her hands on her hips and a  stern expression on her face.  Drew and Schrodinger froze in mid-tussle, staring up at her in guilty horror.

Drew had pieces of tinsel and ribbon hanging from his hair; he had a death grip on an empty tube of wrapping paper and there was tape stuck to his sweater.  Schrodinger’s teeth were sunk into the other end of the tube, a huge bow was stuck to his back and one of his paws had a box around it.

Molly looked at them, and at the room, which was awash with glitter, pieces of paper and tape, and then looked back at them.  Both Drew and Schrodinger waited for the explosion.  At least we didn’t hit the tree, Drew thought, as she continued to look at them.

“Hi,” he said finally, when the silence had stretched too long.  “Um, we were just…cleaning up.”  He dropped his end of the wrapping tube.  “Right, Schrodinger?”

Uh, right!  The CrossCat dropped the tube as well, and hurriedly kicked off the box on his foot. 

“Of course.”  Molly looked around the room again.  “I’ll just go put this stuff away.”

Drew and Schrodinger exchanged looks as she retreated to the kitchen.  They heard the refrigerator door open, then close, and then the giggling started.  They both breathed a sight of relief.

“Let’s get this cleaned up,” Drew said, grabbing the trash can beside the couch.  Schrodinger put the much-damaged cardboard tube into the trash and then helped him pick up the various debris.  By the time Molly came back in with a couple of filled wine glasses, the living room had been restored to some semblance of normality.

“At least you didn’t hit the tree,” she noted, handing the glass to Drew.

“No, we were trying to be careful.”  Drew showed the glass to Schrodinger, who sniffed then wrinkled his nose. 

Ick, the CrossCat said.  How can you drink that stuff?

“Same way you drink out of the horse troughs when we visit the stable,” Molly said, settling down on the floor in front of the Christmas tree.  “Did you guys at least get everything wrapped before you decided to fight?”

“We just have the stuff for Lily and Jack,” Drew said, joining her.  “That’s it.”

It was a quiet way to spend an evening – he was an only child, and his cousins had all been older, so he’d never really shopped for a little girl before.  Molly had gotten plenty of things for both Lily and her dog, and the pile of wrapped presents grew steadily.

“Just one question,” Drew said, when they were finally finished.

“Mmm?” Molly asked, settling back against him.

“How are we getting all this stuff to your parents’ house?”

She giggled.  “Nathan’s coming by in a bit to pick them all up, while Lily’s helping Mom decorate cookies.  We just have to get ourselves over there tomorrow, and I figured we could take the snowmobile tomorrow.”

“Works for me.”

They sat there in the glow of the Christmas tree, sipping wine and listening to WCOV replay the King’s College choral from earlier in the day.  Schrodinger was sleeping in his catbed near the tree.

Nathan showed up about 10 o’clock to get the presents, and Molly and Drew helped him carry them down to the car.  “Be careful driving home,” Molly told him.  “This snow is pretty thick.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll go slow,” her younger brother promised.  “I’ll text you when I get home.”

They watched him drive off, and then went back upstairs.  Molly was yawning, but insisted on staying up until Nathan texted.

“Well, here,” Drew said, handing her a small wrapped box.  “You might as well open this while we’re waiting.”

She smiled at him.  “The last ornament?”

“I couldn’t miss Christmas Eve, could I?” he replied, as she opened it.  Today’s was a wine-dark crimson, with gold beads at the intersections.  It was nearly the opposite of the one he’d given her the day before.

“This was amazing,” Molly said, after she’d hung it on the little tree on the dining room table.  The tree glowed with all the colors of the beads.  “Thank you.”

“No, thank you,” Drew said.  “I couldn’t have gotten through this year without you.”

“That’s supposed to be my line, isn’t it?” Molly teased him, and he kissed the tip of her nose.

“It’s true, though,” Drew said, and then gave her a real kiss.

The buzzing of her phone broke them apart.  “Nathan must have made it home,” Molly said, picking up the phone from the table and looking at it.  “That was fast.”

“Too fast,” Drew said, craning his head to look at the screen.  “That’s not from Nathan.”

“No.”

The message was from a number he didn’t recognize, and from the furrow in her brow, Molly didn’t recognize it either.  She clicked on the message and it popped up.

“Get Schrodinger and Drew, dress warm and come outside.”

They exchanged looks.  “Who could it be?” Molly asked.

“I don’t know,” Drew said, reaching for his coat.  “Let’s go find out.”

Molly roused Schrodinger and together the three of them went down to the street.  Nothing but white snowflakes greeted them.  The entire street was empty – between the snow and the fact that it was late on Christmas Eve, everyone else had retired to their warm houses.

Drew was about to tell them to go back in, that it must have been a prank, when Schrodinger stiffened.  “What do you hear?”  he asked the CrossCat.

Bells!  I hear bells!  Like before!

And then, out through the snow came the massive reindeer, bells ringing as they pulled Old Man Winter and his giant sledge along.   They came right up beside the trio and Old Man Winter, wrapped in his furs, looked down at them.

“Don’t just stand there,” he grumbled.  “Get in.  We have unfinished business.”

Originally published at The words of Valerie Griswold-Ford. You can comment here or there.

LJ hates me.

I’ll try and fix the cut-tags when I get home, but it’s not letting me do it now.  Sorry!

Originally published at The words of Valerie Griswold-Ford. You can comment here or there.