Page 12 of Christmas Wishes
Blix hoped so, but what she really hoped for was that her magic would help him find his way back to the man she once knew with the twinkle in his eyes and the mischievous grin on his lips. She’d glimpsed a bit of that in the bakery yesterday when he’d come in. It’s what had set her heart thumping like mad the very first time she saw him years and years ago. It had only been in the last few that he’d begun to lose that spark. She didn’t know what had happened and maybe there was nothing at all specific. She just hoped he’d somehow find it again.
She smiled at Tomas once more, and then dashed across the snow laden street.
Inside the bakery, the kitchen was buzzing with activity. There would be double shifts until Christmas Day when she’d get to take that break Tomas talked about. She’d get until the end of January, then it was back to work
Her apron for the day had trees with blinking, multi-colored lights. It was close to Christmas and each day had a designated apron. It was something she did every year starting at the beginning of November. She needed to put a smile on her face because what she didn’t need, was anyone asking questions. And if she wasn’t humming a carol with her usual smile plastered on her lips? Well, it wouldn’t be a quiet day, that’s for sure. Too many would ask what was wrong and quite frankly, it was no one’s business.
On the other hand, she didn’t feel like putting in the effort to fake it, either.
She’d rather go home and sulk. She’d rather nurse her broken heart with a pint of Vanilla Peppermint Chip ice cream. Her favorite. Rand’s favorite.Stupid reindeer.
But that wouldn’t help things either. Calling him stupid, even in her own head made her smile though.
There really wasn’t anything that was going to help the situation. Nothing more that she could do beyond what she’d done already. The cookies had barely cooled before Tomas had knocked on the back door of the bakery wondering if she had anything to add to the supply list for Rand.
That was the first confirmation she’d had that Rand was being banished from the North Pole. It was the only confirmation she’d needed.
She tried to ask questions, same as she had just a few minutes ago. Tomas was the same then as he was now. Tight lipped and following the rules.
Rand was several thousand miles to the south and that was only a guess. It could be more than several thousand miles. It could even be to the east or west. Even if she wanted to go, she couldn’t. Elves, polar bears, and reindeers were only allowed to leave one of three ways: banishment, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for holiday reasons and missions only, or… death. That was it. Well, special circumstances, like transporting someone who’d been banished, would qualify for temporary departure status, but those were rare decisions and she’d never be able to get clearance to go. Or come back.
She grabbed two bowls of cookie dough from the refrigerator. Both needed to be rolled out, cut, baked, and decorated. Some elves were born with special talents. Good with their hands, or good with accounts and mathematics. Some good with organizational skills. She was good with baking, her specialty being cookie dough.
She had a gift for spices and flavorings. She had a way with rolling and decorating.
If it was cookie related, she was the elf to see.
It might not seem all that important to humans, though, she really didn’t know. But she always knew with the magical blend of spices and magic, that her cookies were special. Her cookies made a difference.
Baking. The physical work of using a rolling pin and working the dough would help her get Rand off her mind. There really wasn’t anything more she could do.
“Blix? Oh Blix, are you all right?”
Blix smiled at Tomas’ wife and her adopted sister, Maria, who enveloped her in a hug. “Hi, Maria. I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? Tomas told me all about what happened. He wasn’t allowed to tell me about it until he returned home this morning. What can I do to help? You know you’re welcome at our home anytime you want, yes?”
Blix smiled. Maria wouldn’t let her get a word in, so she simply had to wait Maria out. Wait until Maria took a breath.
Maria was larger than life. Taller by at least a head than Blix with a personality and attitude to match.
“What? Why are you smiling?” Maria gasped and her eyes lit up. Sometimes Blix forgot Maria wasn’t an elf. “Did Tomas not tell me everything?” she asked. “He sometimes leaves things out if he thinks I’ll be upset. I love that reindeer, but he forgets who’s boss too often.”
Blix laughed. “No. He didn’t forget to tell you anything. If he did, he forgot to tell me too.” Blix handed over a rolling pin.
“Do you think he knows more?” Maria took the pin and a slab of cookie dough. “I can see about clobbering him over the head to see what else there is.”
“Goodness, you’re blood thirsty.”
“This time of year makes me crazy. And now with Rand…” Maria shook her head. “This was going to be Tomas’ first year at home for Christmas. The days we prepare for all year long and the one he’s been working every year, and he was finally going to spend it with me. I’m just a little frustrated.” Maria smacked the dough with the rolling pin. “That’s all. Just. A. Little. Frustrated.” She smacked at the dough several more times before stopping. She rolled her shoulders back and rotated her neck from side to side. “There. That’s better.”
“I’m so sorry, Maria.”
“It’s not your fault. It’s not even Rand’s fault. He simply had a momentary lapse of faith under such huge responsibility.”
“It doesn’t seem so simple,” Blix said. “He won’t be coming back.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.”
