White Magic Christmas

Chapter 17: December 12 & 13

By the end of the week, the cookie experiments had gotten more serious.Ivy was no baking expert, but she was at least able to pass on some advice that prevented the bottoms of Brynn's cookies from getting quite so scorched. Before long, their practice rounds started looking good enough that Geri proposed putting some plates out in the pastry counter.

"Not for sale," she said, and then realizing the insult that such a comment correctly implied, added, "for Christmas spirit. They can be a free gift to anyone who stops in, guests or friends."

Brynn loved that idea, and even stuck a sign on the front door announcing "Free Christmas Cookies For Everyone!!" Apparently exclamation points were contagious in this community. After breakfast cleanup on Saturday, Geri showed Ivy to the guest room she would be moving into once it was cleaned. This room occupied the front corner of the second floor, with two big windows facing out to Main Street. This delighted Ivy, even though it wasn't the room with the turret, and even though the room was much smaller than the attic had been. She loved the view out over the comings and goings of the town.

"I am paying you for this room," she informed Geri. She hadn't bothered trying to ask Gavin for another extension, but having enjoyed an unexpected week of free room and board, she figured she could pass off at least this next week of hotel bills to the university instead.

"You are not," Geri replied. "Either you are paying me, or you are pretending to be my employee. Can't be both," she said, and crossed her arms to illustrate her unwillingness to argue. Ivy narrowed her eyes, but relented.

"Best boss ever," she said with a grin. "Bring on the mop!"

Later, Brynn caught her as she was rearranging the stuffing in the box for Jeffrey's teapot.

"Nooo!" Brynn cried. "You can't take him away!"

Ivy and Jeffrey exchanged glances. "We're only moving up to the second floor," Ivy said.

"Yeah, but I can't just walk into your room when I want to visit!" Brynn protested. "You could leave him here, couldn't you? You can still hang out here too, if you want to, you know," she added, a little shyly.

"I could be a public dragon in the daytime," Jeffrey said with a casualness that led Ivy to suspect he quite enjoyed all the extra attention he'd been getting as overlord of the dining table.

"Seems reasonable," Ivy agreed. "You can spend the evenings upstairs with me, where we can discuss all our arcane and secret business in private." Brynn's eyes grew wide and Ivy winked. "Mostly we gossip about the history of the Slate family," she said.

"Really?" Brynn asked. "You need a better hobby."

And like that, Jeffrey became the household tea dragon.

***

Ivy had just turned on the oven to preheat for the day's cookie experiment when she heard someone hullooing from the front room. Geri had gone into the apartment to lie down for a bit, but it was too early for any of the week's new guests to be checking in, so Ivy wiped her hands and went out to see who it was.

There was Shep, in the front room, carrying a grocery bag and looking a little sheepish.

"I heard you're back in the cookie business," he said with a nod at the pastry counter, "so I figured I'd better get on with that snickerdoodle lesson I promised. Is now a good time?"

"Yes!" Brynn exclaimed, appearing behind Ivy.

"You heard the lady," Ivy said with a shrug. "You seem to have come prepared?"

"Wasn't sure if cream of tartar was in the regular inventory here, and I didn't want to steal your butter or eggs."

"That is incredibly thoughtful, and I wouldn't even know where to look for cream of tartar, so it was probably wise as well."