(Day 7) Let it snow!

Wednesday, December 7

It was, Molly realized, going to be one of those days.

Having realized that, she felt much better about the chaos going on around her. Normally, she and Schrodinger were at CrossWinds Books by 7 a.m., getting everything ready for the day. The bookstore opened at 9, but getting there by 7 meant that she had time to bake, and get herself together.

However, the snow had been bad enough by the time they had returned from the animal shelter the night before that the kids had all stayed over. School had been canceled, and Drew had to be back at the Gate Station at 5 am to take the next shift, so she had left a message at the store letting DC and Aunt Margie know they’d be in later. But that had thrown everything off.

It had given her the opportunity to bake at home while the kids slept, which was a good thing. There were six loaves of cranberry-nut bread in her basket for the shop, and the last loaf had been soaked in vanilla-scented custard and made into french toast. That, along with fresh bacon and orange juice, had fed everyone when they finally woke up. Since they didn’t have school (and it was still snowing, although not as heavily as before), Molly had let them sleep. So by the time they were all ready to go into the Cove, it was nearly 10 a.m.

Will we all fit in the Jeep? Jack asked, looking up at Molly. I can stay home, if needed.

“Not needed,” she told him, grinning. “I hate driving in the snow, so we aren’t taking the Jeep.”

“We aren’t?” Lily said, pausing as she was pulling her boots on. “Then how are we getting there?”

Molly winked at her. “While you sleepy heads were still getting up, I made a couple of calls. Our ride should be here soon.”

As she said that, she heard, very faintly, the sound of bells. All the kids heard it too, and with a joyous cry, Lily and Kaylee finished throwing on their coats and boots and ran out the front door, Jack right behind them, baying excitedly.

“You have time to finish getting dressed,” Molly told Gideon, who was staring after his friends with a look of surprise on his face. “It will take him a bit to get here.”

Not that much time, Schrodinger said, bringing Gideon’s coat on. Those reindeer go fast!

“Reindeer?” Gideon’s eyes got wide. “Is Santa coming?”

Better, Schrodinger told him. Much better.

“Better than Santa?” Gideon said. “Is that possible?”

Yes. Santa comes only once a year. If we’re lucky, we get to see Old Man Winter all winter long!

Gideon hustled into his coat and then he and Schrodinger ran outside as well. Molly pulled her coat and gloves on, grabbed her basket, and went outside as well. Drew had taken the castle with him when he left that morning, and she knew he had stopped and dropped it off at the bookstore for them.

It was an amazingly snowy morning, the kind that Currier and Ives memorialized in their paintings. The farm’s front yard held the sleigh with its selection of CrossCats and packages, pulled by the polar bear, and several snowmen that she and Drew and Schrodinger had built over the past few weeks. In addition, Phoebe’s golden lights danced around the edges of the sleigh and around the evergreens. The faery lights were some of Molly’s favorite decorations now, and she blessed the fact that their wedding had brought Drew’s faery godmother back into their lives. Maybe she’ll come out for Christmas one year, she thought, joining the pack of children as they waited by the side of the driveway. That would be amazing.

Chaotic, but amazing, Schrodinger said privately. I can tell you how to get her out here, if you want.

Oh?

Sure. Get pregnant.

Molly choked on her laughter as the sledge came into view. Old Man Winter had been thrilled when she had called him at the cottage that morning, and had promised that he would be there to get them all safely to CrossWinds Books. His great sledge was piled high with woolen blankets and furs, and the reindeer were all wearing evergreen boughs woven into their harnesses. Jingle bells rang out through falling snow.

“Hello, my friends!” His voice boomed out through the snow as the reindeer galloped up to them. “I hear you need a ride!”

“Are you SURE he’s not Santa?” Gideon whispered to Molly, who laughed again.

“He’s very close,” she agreed. “I think they’re related.”

Old Man Winter was dressed in what she thought of as his Father Christmas outfit: the long red coat, trimmed with white fur, a large Russian fur hat on his head. Ivy wrapped around the brim of his hat, and there were holly berries peeking out from his long white beard. His grey-blue eyes were bright with cheer.

They all climbed into the sledge and snuggled under the blankets, and Old Man Winter stored Molly’s basket under the seat. “To the bookstore, then?” he asked.

“Yes,” Molly told him.

The ground flew under the runners of the sledge, and Old Man Winter’s magical reindeer made short work of the distance between Molly’s farm and CrossWinds Books. There weren’t many people out on the roads, due to the snow, so the magical sledge didn’t even need to hop onto the Roads to go into the town.

“Are you coming in with us?” Kaylee demanded, as they pulled up in front of the store. “Molly made cranberry-nut bread!”

“Did she?” Old Man Winter winked at Molly. “Did she make cookies too?”

“She did!” Kaylee nodded, her hat pompoms bouncing wildly. “She made lemon shortbread! And candy cane cookies!”

“Which are for Saturday’s bake sale,” Lily reminded her sister.

Kaylee waved a hand airily. “She can make more! We can share some!” Then she seemed to remember her manners and turned to Molly. “Can’t we?”

Molly laughed, unable to be mad at the little girl. “I think we can probably spare some cookies to pay for our ride in, yes,” she said, removing the blankets from her lap. “And you’ll at least come in to have a cup of tea? Pavel brought me some new spice teas when he came in last week.”

“I would love a cup of tea,” Old Man Winter said, stepping off the sledge.

“But what about your reindeer?” Gideon asked, a little worried. “Aren’t you afraid they’ll wander off without you here?”

Old Man Winter laughed. “They might, but they’ll come back when I call. They like to wander, but they like being fed more!”

“Oh, good.” Gideon nodded and followed the rest of them inside.

DC was at the front counter and grinned at all of them when they came in. “We were wondering if you were going to sleep all day!” she teased. “Isn’t that what you do when there’s no school?”

“Well, the bed was awful warm,” Gideon said seriously. “But Kaylee kicked a bit.”

“Did not!” she said instantly.

Actually, you both kicked, Jack said mildly. I know, because I was in between you. He nosed them along. Come on, let’s get some tea, and then we can do the Advent calendar!

Molly wondered privately how many times a day Jack had to divert or calm Kaylee down. She loved the little girl, but Kaylee was a bit of a force of nature sometimes. The big hound, however, seemed to be well-suited to keep her in check. Molly didn’t envy him that task at all.

Drew had left the castle on the island in the kitchen, and the kids immediately clustered around it, trying to see the next number. Old Man Winter made it easier by picking the castle up and bringing it out into the tea room, so they could all look. Molly could hear the excited murmurs as they looked. She smiled to herself, knowing what was coming next.

“That is the cat that ate the canary smile,” Old Man Winter observed, coming back in.

She winked at him as she handed him a cup of tea. “Pavel found this tea on his travels, and I thought you would like it,” she said instead. “It should warm you up quickly, since I have a feeling it’s going to be a long, cold day for you.”

“My favorite kind.”

<><>

Gideon found the number 7, hidden on a wall halfway up the north tower, and touched a finger to it. The window opened with a rush of snowflakes and cold air, and inside, they could see a very strange scene indeed.

“They’re OUTSIDE! INSIDE!” Kaylee said, awed.

The room was coated in a fine layer of snow, and three small creatures (they might be elves – Schrodinger wasn’t sure, but they certainly LOOKED like the elves from all the Christmas movies he and Molly had watched) were busy at work, rolling various balls of snow of various sizes. Around them were snowmen in all sorts of positions: some were busy shoveling more snow for the elves, it seemed; others were dressing themselves in hats, scarves, and mittens; and even more were decorating the trees around them.

One of the elves turned towards them, grinned, and waved. As they waved back, he laughed and tossed a snowball right at them.

It came out the window, and swirled around them before bursting into glittering snowflakes. Gideon caught the note out of the air and read out loud, “I hope you have good mittens! There are lots of snowmen to be made, and we need help!”

“Snowmen! I love making snowmen!” he crowed, pumping his fist in the air.

“But where are we making them?” Lily wondered. “That could be anywhere!” She looked at Gideon. “Does it say where?”

“No,” he said, turning the note over in his hand and then giving it to her. “There’s nothing else.”

Maybe Molly knows? Schrodinger said, and they all turned to look at the kitchen witch as she and Old Man Winter came out with a tray of steaming mugs and cookies.

“Maybe Molly knows what?” Molly asked, as she set the tray down on another table, away from the castle.

Lily showed her the note. “Do you know where we’re going to be making snowmen?”

Schrodinger saw the merry twinkle in her hazel eyes, but Molly frowned at the note. “Hmm, snowmen, huh?” She turned to Old Man Winter. “Do you know a place that might need snowmen?”

“You know, I think I do,” the old spirit said, after considering it for a few minutes. “It seems to me that when I came through the Gate Station the other day, Mal was telling me that their decorations seemed a little flat, and did I think some snowmen might be what they needed?”

“I LOVE the Gate Station!” Gideon said. “Let’s go there and make snowmen!”

“Why don’t you warm up first?” Molly suggested, indicating the tray. “If you’re going to make snowmen at the Gate Station, you’re going to be outside for a long time. And I’ve got some things that need to go over there anyways, so let me pack those up.”

By the time the hot tea and hot chocolate was gone, Molly had packaged up a loaf of cranberry-nut bread, along with scones and some of the candy cane cookies, and a package of assorted teas, and Kiaya had made it in to the store, brushing snowflakes from her hair.

“Mom, we’re going to the Gate Station to make snowmen!” Gideon announced as she joined them. “Do you want to come?”

“What?” Kiaya said, blinking a bit. “When?”

“As soon as we get warmed up,” he said. “You are coming with us, right?”

“Why don’t you let her have a cup of tea first,” Molly said, bringing Kiaya a mug of Earl Grey with cream in it. Kiaya took it gratefully, holding the mug in both hands to warm her fingers up. “The snow isn’t going anywhere.”

Schrodinger watched Kiaya take a sip, then suddenly realize who was sitting next to her son. Old Man Winter smiled at her genially and took another cookie from the tray.

“Mom, this is Old Man Winter! He brought us into the store on a sleigh pulled by reindeer, and he knows Santa! And he’s going to take us to the Gate Station! And I kick in my sleep!” Gideon bounced. “But Jack said I stopped after a while!”

“Whoa, hold on, buddy,” Kiaya said, laughing a little despite herself. “Slow down.”

He looked at her critically. “Did you sleep okay, Mom? You look a little tired.”

“I’m okay, just a little confused.” She took a sip of her tea. “Let me warm up and catch up with you.”

“But I’m not moving.”

Well, you are, but that’s not what she meant, Schrodinger said kindly. She needs to mentally catch up.

Gideon frowned, and sat thinking about that for a bit. While he did, Kiaya nodded gratefully to Schrodinger and drank her tea. Once it was gone, she said, “Okay, so you’re going to the Gate Station?”

“Yes, I was going to take them,” Old Man Winter said. “We would be happy if you joined us.”

You can always write in one of the rooms there if you need, Schrodinger added, as she hesitated. He knew she was on deadline. But it would be fun if you came!

Kiaya looked at the faces of the children around her, all looking hopeful, and surrendered. “I’m actually a little ahead of where I need to be, and I could use a break. Why not?”

“Yay!” Gideon cheered, and launched himself into her arms.

The ride to the Station was fast, although Old Man Winter kept to the streets of the town. The snow was still falling, and with the Christmas lights twinkling through the flakes, it seemed to Schrodinger that they were caught in a magical snow globe. Kiaya had been properly awed by the sledge and the reindeer, and she and Gideon were busy teaching Lily and Kaylee a new Christmas carol about Vikings as the landscape went by them.

Which gave him time to speak to Old Man Winter privately.

He had managed to sit next to Kiaya on the big seat in front of where Old Man Winter was nominally guiding the reindeer, and now he turned around and said quietly, Have you heard any more about Caliban?

No, Old Man Winter replied. I figured Molly told you. He hasn’t been seen reliably.

Schrodinger noticed that he hadn’t said the spirit hadn’t been seen. Where are the unreliable sightings?

Here and there, mostly through older Gates that are unmanned, Old Man Winter said. We know he was with the cousin that we think broke him out, but he left her a few days ago. We’re not sure where he is now, or who he’s with. He might be traveling alone, for all we know.

And that makes him dangerous, Schrodinger said.

Old Man Winter hesitated.

You don’t think so? Schrodinger asked. Why not?

I don’t know, but it’s entirely possible that Caliban wants something other than the Cove, Old Man Winter said finally. I know he wanted to take the Cove when he came and courted Jade, and it consumed him. But now? I don’t know. He might want to just go somewhere else.

Schrodinger pondered that as the sledge pulled up the driveway to the Gate Station.

Heidi and Porter, her immense grey cat, met them at the doorway. “Molly telephoned after you left,” the receptionist said, pushing her glasses back up her nose and smiling. “She said you were here to help with snowmen!”

“Yes!” Lily said, nodding. “The advent calendar said you needed snowmen!”

“We do indeed! Let me tell Mal you’re here!” Heidi picked up the phone on her desk and spoke into it.

Mal came out a few minutes later, Drew and Tom Alward Jr. with him. The boys were armed with shovels, and Mal grinned at all of them. “I hear you’ve come to help us with snowmen!” he said. “I’m so glad! These two have been telling me that they don’t know how to make the snowmen I want! Can you imagine?”

“What kind of snowmen do you need?” Kaylee asked. “We can do anything.”

“Well, this year, I was thinking that we needed a new theme,” Mal told her, crouching down so that he was at their level. Schrodinger noticed that he’d removed the cigarette that normally lived in his mouth before they’d come in. “We’ve done a few different ones in the past few years, but this year, I wanted something really special. Do you guys think you can do some snowmen enjoying winter sports? Things like sledding, and skiing, and things like that?”

The three children looked at each other for a long time, obviously thinking this through. “We could have some of them decorating trees,” Gideon said finally.

“And maybe some feeding the birds?” Lily added. “We could even put a feeder made of snow out.”

“And skating!” Kaylee said, her eyes lighting up. “Because skating is fun!”

“I don’t know,” Drew said, and Schrodinger noticed he had the same mischievous twinkle in his eyes that Molly had had earlier. “Those sound pretty hard to make.”

Gideon waved a hand. “We’ll show you. We’re professionals.”

“I knew we had the right people for the job!” Mal said. “Heidi, do you still have that basket of supplies?”

“Right here, boss,” she said, and handed over the big basket to Kiaya. “This should have everything you need.”

“Right! Let’s go!” Old Man Winter said. “We have snowmen to make!”

>Activity: make a snowman out front or out back of your house!

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