(advent) Sunday, December 15

“You guys, you guys, guess what happened last night!!!”

 

Zoey tore into the kitchen, her eyes shining and her long braids (sporting red bows with snowflakes on them, Molly noted) streaming out from under her hat. Schrodinger and Molly had been enjoying a late morning cup of tea, but they both turned to her and her mother, who followed after her daughter with an amused smile on her face.

 

What? Schrodinger asked, his eyes wide. What happened?

 

“Someone came and decorated our whole front yard!” Zoey told him, hopping from one foot to another. “In the dark! And we don’t know who!”

 

“Really?” Molly said. “What did they do?”

 

“They put lights on our tree! And wrapped garlands of ribbons and lights all around the railings of the porch!” Zoey paused to catch her breath, then continued, “And they put a sleigh – a real sleigh! – in the front yard, and filled it with wrapped boxes that look like presents! And there are two reindeer that are attached to the sleigh – they look just like the reindeer that Lisa brought yesterday!” She clapped her hands together. “It is the best Christmas present I’ve gotten, ever! And then they rang the doorbell, so I ran to get it, but there wasn’t anyone there! Just the lovely, lovely decorations!” She looked at Schrodinger and Molly. “Do you think Santa might have sent someone?”

 

“I think it could be a very good possibility,” Molly admitted, smiling to herself. Her friends had risen to the challenge beautifully when she’d called them yesterday. In addition to the lights that she and Schrodinger had brought, Sue had offered garlands, Lai had brought more lights, and Lisa and Neil had shown up with not only the sleigh, but the two reindeer as well. When Noemi had seen it, she’d wrapped several boxes in the car as the others had set things up, so they had something to put in the sleigh. And Drew and Luke had shown up with the biggest part – a small magical generator to run all the lights that the Station had donated. The look on Zoey’s eyes when she’d answered the doorbell and seen the decorations had made the hour before in the cold all worthwhile.

 

He works through a lot of people, Schrodinger agreed, looking not at Zoey, but at Donna. It doesn’t make it any less his magic, though.

 

Donna looked thoughtful at that, but Zoey grinned. “I knew it! I knew it!” She danced around the kitchen. “I just knew he was real! I wish I could get to meet him!”

 

“Meet who?” Lily said, coming in with Jack.

 

“Meet Santa!” Zoey grabbed her hands and spun her around. “He sent elves to my house last night, and they decorated!”

 

Lily’s eyes widened. “He did?”

 

“Yes! Mom has pictures on her phone!” Zoey laughed. “I was wrong, Lily! He does exist, and he’s watching out for us!”

 

“Show me!” Lily begged, and Donna obligingly got out her phone and showed the pictures of the front yard. “Wow. That’s awesome, Zoey!”

 

“I know!” Zoey nodded. “I’m so glad we moved here. And now we get to open today’s window for the Advent Calendar!”

 

As one, they moved over to the calendar. While they were looking for the number, Donna came over to Molly and said quietly, “Thank you, and please, thank all your friends for us too. What you did last night was amazing.”

 

“You’re very welcome.” Molly smiled, her voice equally quiet. “The look on her face when she opened the door was all we needed.”

 

“Who do we give it back to after Christmas?” Donna asked.

 

“No one.” Molly’s smile widened at her look of surprise. “Those are all for you guys. The manual for the generator is in a plastic ziplock bag under the presents in the sleigh.”

 

“Seriously?”

 

“Seriously.” Molly nodded. “Please, don’t try and give it back. We want you to have it.”

 

Donna’s eyes filled with sudden tears again. “I thought it was going to be horrible to move up here, away from everything we knew,” she said, after a moment. “But you and your friends have welcomed us in a way that our old town never would have. Thank you, for making this so easy.”

 

Molly took her hand and squeezed it. “Thank you for letting us.”

 

“I found it!” Zoey shouted suddenly. “Whose turn is it again?”

 

Molly and Donna watched them all look at each other. I lost track, Schrodinger admitted, and Jack, Lily and Zoey all nodded. So you do it, Zoey. You found the number.

 

“Yes, that’s fair,” Lily said. “Go ahead.”

 

Zoey reached out and touched the number 15, which had been hidden in a cloud of smoke coming from the chimney of the cottage. The painting fell away, and out floated the familiar magical snowflake.

 

Today, it started spinning as soon as it was fully away from the painting, and by the time it was over their heads, it was a blur. Then it stopped spinning, and they saw it had become a musical note.

 

Music swelled from the note, and it began to float around the kitchen, rocking in time to the familiar music that Molly could almost recognize…

 

“What is that carol?” Donna said, as the song continued. “I swear I know it.”

 

“Me too,” Molly said. “But I can’t—”

 

“Jolly Old Saint Nicholas!” Lily shouted. “We did this song last year in school!” She frowned. “What does that mean, though? Why play this carol now?”

 

“I hear music!” Aunt Margie said, coming into the kitchen. “Who’s playing that carol?”

 

“The snowflake from the Advent Calendar!” Lily said. “What does it mean, Aunt Margie?”

 

“It means someone knows things they shouldn’t,” Aunt Margie said mock-severely, but Molly saw the twinkle in her eyes. “This date has been a closely guarded secret for some months!”

 

Why? Jack asked. What’s happening today?

 

“Well, you know, Aunt Margie, it’s a magic Advent Calendar,” Molly said. “Perhaps the magic told them.”

 

“Hrumph.” Aunt Margie sniffed. “Maybe I’ll have to ask my guest later today if he’s got something to do with it.”

 

Today? Santa’s really coming today? Schrodinger demanded, and when Aunt Margie nodded yes, all four of them cheered.

 

“He’ll be here later today, but I was hoping I could get you four to help me get everything ready,” Aunt Margie said. “If you can do that, you’ll get to be in the front of the line.”

 

“Yay!”Lily said, and grabbed Zoey’s hand. “What can we do to help?”

 

Molly and Donna went up with them, more to see what the set-up looked like than anything else. The mailbox was still against the wall, but in front of the fireplace, she’d set up a large red wooden throne with a white and red cushion on it. Two tables were against one wall, and Molly made note of how much room she had to put out goodies later. She’d made a lot of Italian Wedding Cookies the day before, as well as scones, the herb breads, sugar cookies and peppermint snowballs. And there was the urns of cider, hot water and hot chocolate that she’d put out as well.

 

Aunt Margie had taken Lily, Zoey, Schrodinger and Jack over to the throne, where she said, “You guys did such a good job with the snowflakes for the windows that I thought you could do the same with Santa’s throne. There is paper and scissors and glue here. Can you decorate this for me?”

 

“Oh yes, Aunt Margie!” Lily said, and Zoey nodded vigorously. “We’ll make it awesome!”

 

Molly caught Aunt Margie’s eye as she went back downstairs and grinned at her. She couldn’t wait to see when Santa came in.

 

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“Okay, how about this one?” Zoey asked, holding up a shiny snowflake that she’d cut out of a gleaming silver wrapping paper. Aunt Margie had left them with a ton of wrapping paper and glue, and they’d quickly made a bunch of snowflakes. Then they’d split up: Lily and Jack were on one side, with Jack holding the snowflakes on until the glue dried once Lily had placed them. Zoey and Schrodinger were doing the same on the other side.

 

Let’s put that one up higher, Schrodinger said, patting the spot he was thinking of with one paw. Like here.

 

“Looks good!” Zoey dotted the back of the snowflake with glue, and then carefully pressed it into place. Then Schrodinger put his paw in the center of it, holding it in place.

 

Next! He said, dropping back down. What one do you want to put up next?

 

Zoey looked at their pile of snowflakes. “How about the blue one?” she suggested, pulling it out. This one was a bit smaller than the others, but she’d loved the patterning on the paper – various shades of blue, in wavy lines that suggested sea water, or the sky on a clear sunny day. “Let’s put this one up.”

 

I really like that one, Schrodinger agreed, looking back up at their side of the throne. Let’s put it more in the center. He hopped back up and pointed out a spot.

 

“Do you really think it’s actually Santa coming today?” Zoey asked him, as they continued to glue snowflakes to the throne. “Or will he send a stand-in?”

 

For the last two years, I’m sure it’s been Santa himself, Schrodinger told her. He definitely doesn’t ACT like a stand-in.

 

Zoey wondered. She’d seen the Santas in the malls before, but her mother had always told her it was someone else, that Santa Claus didn’t exist. Granted, that had been before they’d moved to the Cove. Maybe this really would be the real Santa. She resolved to ask him.

 

People started coming up the stairs as they finished up, pasting the last of their snowflakes on the back of the throne. Zoey had noticed Molly coming up several times, and now she saw that the two tables on the opposite end of the room were covered with baked goodies. There were three tall containers too, and she realized those probably held hot drinks. Molly was pretty amazing.

 

“You’re so lucky,” she said to Schrodinger, as they started to clean up the remains of the snowflakes.

 

Why?

 

“Because you get to live with Molly. She’s so magical – you probably don’t even notice the magic anymore, because you’re so used to it.” Zoey sighed. “I’d love to have magic.”

 

Schrodinger head-butted her playfully. Give it time. You’re in the Cove, after all. There’s magic everywhere here. He looked over at the cookies. But yes, I like living with Molly. She’s very much like a CrossCat, you know. I think she was born in human form by accident.

 

“Really?” Zoey thought about that.

 

If not, she’s the most catlike human I’ve ever met, Schrodinger said. And her food is wonderful.

 

Well, that Zoey couldn’t argue with. Everything that Molly touched seemed to taste better than anything she’d ever had before.

 

Just don’t get her mad, Schrodinger said. Her gifts get a little wonky when she gets mad.

 

Zoey was about to ask what he meant, when Aunt Margie came back up the stairs. “Oh, how wonderful!” she exclaimed, looking at the throne. “You guys did a great job.”

 

“Does that mean we get to be first to talk to Santa?” Lily asked, bouncing excitedly.

 

“It does,” Aunt Margie said, nodding. She looked at her watch. “In fact, we should start having people line up. He’ll be here any minute!” She turned to the crowd of people that had come into the room, and clapped her hands together. “Santa will be here soon! So everyone, back behind the line!” She pointed at the two tall silver poles that had a red velvet rope hanging between them. “Lily, Zoey, Jack, Schrodinger, you get to go first, as I said, because you’ve been such a huge help.”

 

They got into line, and Zoey realized that there were a lot of adults in line too – even some without kids! She saw Molly and Drew waiting, talking to some of their friends. “How come there are adults in line?” she whispered to Lily.

 

Lily blinked at her. “Because they want to talk to Santa,” she said, as if that explained everything.

 

“Well, yes, but I thought Santa only brought gifts to kids,” Zoey said.

 

Not in the Cove, Jack told her, shifting his weight from one side to the other. She could tell he wanted badly to wag his tail, but it was a bit crowded, and he knew how hard his tail could hit. So he wiggled a bit instead. Santa brings Nathan and Corinne something every year.

 

Molly too, Schrodinger said, and Lily nodded. It’s just the way it is.

 

“I like it the way it is,” Zoey said, and began to think about what she would ask for. She’d known what she wanted, but now, with this new knowledge, she began to ponder what to ask Santa to bring her parents.

 

She looked around again. The line stretched through and around the racks of books, and down the stairs. How was Santa going to even get in?

 

Just as she was going to ask Lily this, the fire in the fireplace, which had been merrily burning along, startled them all by rising up in a great roar, and then dropping to barely anything. Then it roared again, and the flames parted, and a man in a red suit trimmed with white fur dropped down from the chimney and hopped out into the room.

 

Zoey’s jaw dropped. How could anyone BUT Santa do that? As Aunt Margie hurried forward to greet him, she looked closely. His white beard was beautifully combed and hung down over his belly like a snowfall. His coat was long and a dark crimson, rather than a true red, matching his hat, which was currently perched rather jauntily over one ear. His blue eyes twinkled as he embraced Aunt Margie, who was clearly an old friend. In short, he was nothing like she’d ever seen before. Definitely not a stand-in. This had to be the real deal.

 

Santa and Aunt Margie conferred a few minutes, and then he nodded. As he settled himself on his throne, she turned to the crowd and said, “All right, folks, you know the rules. No pushing, no shoving, no behaving rudely. Santa will stay until he’s seen everyone. If you want to take a picture, please make it quick. And yes, Molly says she’ll refill the cookies as soon as she can!”

 

Everyone laughed at that, and Molly shouted out, “You just have to promise me that I won’t lose my place in line!”

 

“Don’t worry,” Lai told her. “We’ll keep it for you!”

 

Everyone laughed again, and then Santa said, “Don’t worry, Molly – I wouldn’t leave without talking to you!”

 

“Luckily, you don’t have to do anything yet,” Aunt Margie said. “No one’s wanted to get out of line to eat anything!” She grinned. “And now, here we go!” She ceremoniously unhooked the velvet rope, and looked down at Lily, Zoey, Schrodinger and Jack. “You four did so much work today. Go ahead.”

 

Lily pushed Zoey ahead of them. “You go first,” she said, and both Jack and Schrodinger nodded. “You haven’t had a chance to talk to him before. You first.”

 

“You sure?” Zoey said, and they all nodded again. A warm feeling of love for her friends suffused her. “You guys are the best.”

 

She turned and went up to Santa. He smiled down at her. “Welcome to the Cove, Zoey.” He reached down and helped her climb into his lap. “How are you enjoying your first Christmas here?” When she goggled at him, he chuckled, and she felt the sound reverberate through both of them. “Don’t look so surprised. I AM Santa Claus.”

 

“Are you sure?” Zoey said. “I mean, Aunt Margie could have told you that.”

 

“Very true,” Santa agreed. “She could have.”

 

“So how do I know you really ARE Santa?” Zoey asked. “I mean, I really, really want to believe. I’ve seen the magic.” She sighed. “But Mom has always insisted that you don’t exist. So…”

 

“So you don’t want to doubt your mother, but you can’t doubt what your eyes tell you, is that it?” he said kindly.

 

“Yes! That’s exactly it.” She looked up at him earnestly. “Please, how can I know?”

 

“You have to trust, Zoey.” He touched his chest. “The only way to really know is to believe.”

 

She sighed. “That’s really hard to do.”

 

“If it were easy, the world wouldn’t be in as difficult a place as it is,” he said to her. “Now, what would you like for Christmas? Besides a CrossCat, because I can’t give you one of those. I don’t gift sentient beasts.”

 

Zoey’s eyes widened. She hadn’t even told her mother or father about that wish! If that wasn’t proof that the man whose lap she currently sat on was Santa, she wasn’t sure what was. “An easel,” she whispered to him. “An easel and some actual canvasses, so I can do something special for Mom and Dad, and for Molly. The spot where the Advent Calendar is will need something to hang there after Christmas, and I’d like to give her something.” She smiled up at him. “Can we do that?”

 

“I think that’s doable,” Santa said, smiling. “If you are a good girl, and believe, then I think you will be pleasantly surprised Christmas morning.” He reached into the bag at his side and pulled out a candy cane, which he handed to her. “Merry Christmas, Zoey.”

 

“Merry Christmas, Santa,” she said, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before she jumped down.

 

Lily went after her, and then Jack. Schrodinger was the last of their group to go, and then he joined them where they were sitting on the hearthstone in front of the fireplace.

 

“So what do you think?” Lily asked Zoey, as they watched everyone come up and talk to Santa.

 

“About what?” she said.

 

“About if he’s really Santa,” Lily said, and Zoey turned to look at her. “Do you believe?”

 

Zoey thought about it. “He knew something that no one could know,” she said finally. “If he isn’t Santa, then I’m not sure who he is. So yes, I do believe he’s the real thing.”

 

I think you’re right, Schrodinger said, purring happily. There’s really no one else he could be.

 

Lily looked satisfied as well. “Good.”

 

Then Zoey saw something she’d never thought she’d see. There, standing in line with Corinne, was her mother. “Lily, look.”

 

“What?” Lily said, looking over at the line.

 

“My mom’s in line.”

 

“Cool!” Lily said. “So’s mine!”

 

“No, you don’t understand.” Zoey shook her head, amazed. “My mom has always said Santa Claus doesn’t exist. She never let me write to him before, or let me do anything like that. And now, she’s in line.”

 

The Cove has a way of convincing everyone that Santa Claus is real, Jack told her. I’m not surprised that she’s changed her mind. And that’s the sign of a real adult – to be able to do that, when given facts that contradict your current worldview.

 

Zoey watched her mother approach Santa. Donna’s face had a mixture of emotions on it: apprehension and awe fought for dominance as she sat down on his knee. Then Santa leaned in and whispered something to her: her eyes opened wide, and her mouth opened in shock. Zoey wondered what he said. Then Donna shook herself, smiled and leaned in to whisper something back.

 

“I think that’s possible,” Santa said, and handed Donna a candy cane. “Welcome back, Donna. Welcome back.”

 

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