The next afternoon Coryn helped her mother with the holiday ritual of baking dozens of sugar cookies. Clare was in a holiday mood, full of plans for Christmas. Her mother loved Christmas, everything about it, gave dozens of presents to people Coryn did not even know. She decided not to ask her about the gifts in the car. It didn’t seem that important right now. Just as long as her mother was happy.
Wasn’t it enough that her father was sometimes short with Clare? Reminding her of errands, phone calls, questioning her. Coryn saw how upset this made her mother. She considered asking her father about Clare’s forgetfulness, but she knew the conversation would disturb him. It could even make things worse between them and she just didn’t want to add to her mother’s distress. She’d just let it go. For now.
As Clare slid the baked cookies off the sheet onto the wax paper on the counter, the doorbell chimed, and she looked up. “Who could that be?”
“I’ll go see, Mom.”
When she opened the front door, Mark Emery and Ginny stood on the doorstep. “Why, hello.”
“We just stopped by to bring you this.” Mark held out her scarf. “You left it in the carriage yesterday.”
“How kind of you. I didn’t miss it.” She took it. “Thank you.”
Clare had followed her from the kitchen and was standing a little distance behind her. “Mom, I’d like you to meet Mark Emery and his little girl, Ginny. Mark, this is my mother, Clare Dodge.”
“Well, I’m delighted to meet you, Mark. We read your byline regularly. My husband thinks you’re doing a great job.” Coryn’s mother stepped forward, held out her hand to Mark. Then she looked down at Ginny. “And this is Ginny. Do come in, won’t you? We’ve just been baking Christmas cookies. You can be our taste testers.”
“Oh, I don’t know, Mrs. Dodge. We wouldn’t want to—”
Ginny tugged on Mark’s hand, her upturned face eager.
“You won’t be. Not at all. Come on in,” Clare urged.
Coryn opened the door wider for them to enter.
“Here, let me take off your coat, Ginny, and you come along out to the kitchen with me,” Clare said. “The little bell on the oven is about to ring that tells us the next batch is ready to take out. Then you can help decorate them, would you like that?”
The bonding was almost immediate. Ginny seemed to feel perfectly at ease with Coryn’s mother. Without a backward look at her father, Ginny went down the hall to the kitchen with Clare, the two chatting like old friends.
Mark shook his head in wonder. “That’s amazing. Ginny’s not shy, but I’ve never seen her take to someone that quickly.”
“My mother’s always had a magic touch with children. All my friends adored her.”
“She seems to be one of those rare people who has somehow managed to retain enough of the best elements of childhood so she can relate to children without talking down to them.”
“Like Glynda, the Good Witch, in the Wizard of Oz? When I used to watch it on TV every year, I always thought my mother looked exactly like her.” Coryn smiled, remembering what a magical childhood her mother had given her.
Mark grinned. “She does, sort of, doesn’t she?”
“Here, let me take your jacket.” Coryn took it and hung it up beside Ginny’s little red parka. “Let’s join them. Are you good at decorating cookies?”
“It’s a skill I haven’t really acquired.”
“There’s always a first time.” She smiled again.
By the time they got to the kitchen, Coryn’s mother had tied an apron around Ginny’s neck. It covered her completely. A high stool at the kitchen counter provided her easy access to a number of small glass containers filled with tinted sugar, raisins, jellied candies and chocolate sprinkles. Coryn’s mother then placed a tray of freshly-baked cookies in front of her.
“Look, Daddy, what I’m doing. See?” Her little hands moved swiftly. Tiny fingers curved delicately as she used them to dip into the various toppings. “This one’s going to be a Christmas tree, so I’ll use the green sugar and…” She went on happily talking, intent on the task at hand.
Coryn’s mother was beside her, gently coaching but letting Ginny do the selecting and actual decorating. Coryn thought how happy she looked and was glad she hadn’t mentioned the packages in the car. She saw Mark glance in the direction of her mother and Ginny as the animated chatting continued at the counter. An expression of tender amusement gave his strong-featured face a softness she hadn’t noticed before. What a wonderful father he must be.
Just then the kitchen phone rang and her mother asked, “Will you get it, dear? My hands are all gooey.” She held them up, wiggling her fingers.
Coryn picked up the phone, listened for a few minutes then said, “Just a minute, please.” Holding the receiver against her shoulder she mouthed, “It’s Mrs. Prentis, Mom. Something about the Christmas Tea at the club.”
Mrs. Dodge made a little face, then whispered, “All right, I’ll take it in the other room. Okay, honey?” she turned to the little girl. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” she said as she left the room.
Coryn replaced the receiver then moved over to the counter, taking her mother’s place beside Ginny. Ginny’s face had a smudge of flour on both cheeks but she was smiling happily. “You come, too, Daddy!” she motioned to Mark.
“I don’t know—” Mark shook his head.
“Yes you can, Daddy, I’ll show you,” Ginny urged.
“Come on, Mark, like the Little Red Hen, if you don’t help you don’t get to taste!” Coryn teased, winking at Ginny.
“That’s right. Daddy.” Ginny giggled.
There were lots of laughs and comments as Mark began to clumsily form the dough, use a cookie cutter to stamp out various shapes then decorate them. Urged on by Ginny he made clown faces and sprinkled colored sugar with abandon. The effects were greeted with enthusiastic praise by Ginny and Coryn.
“I may have missed my calling.” Mark grinned as their batch of a dozen cookies was placed in the oven.
By the time Coryn’s mother returned they were done and the baked results were viewed. Mark looked dubious as Ginny renewed her compliments. “I don’t know. Mine get mixed reviews, I’m afraid.”
“Never mind. They all taste the same.” Coryn’s mother comforted him. “We’ve got enough batter for another batch. So Ginny and I will finish up on these. Maybe you could make us some tea to have with them, Coryn?”
While Coryn put the kettle on to boil, got out cups and saucers, she asked Mark to choose the kind of tea from an assortment in a glass jar on the counter.
As Coryn poured some milk into a small ceramic creamer she saw Mark glance in the direction of her mother and Ginny as their cookie decorating and animated chatting continued at the counter.
“Your mother’s awfully kind,” he said, smiling at her.
“She loves children,” Coryn said, then asked, “How is it you’re not at the paper this time of day?”
“Ginny had an appointment with the optometrist so I took off some time to take her.”
“I hope it’s not anything serious. Does she have to wear glasses?”
“I don’t think so. The school nurse noticed something while doing routine testing. She suggested a doctor should look at Ginny’s eyes. She has something called a lazy eye.” He lowered his voice, “She’ll probably have to wear a patch over it a couple of days a week until it strengthens itself. The doctor gave me some stuff to read that explains the condition in layman’s terms. Which I haven’t had a chance to do yet.”
The sound of laughter from the other two broke into their conversation. Coryn’s mother called gaily, “Your daughter has a great sense of humor, Mr. Emery.”
“I know, and please call me Mark, Mrs. Dodge.”
“All right, I shall. Are you ready for these delicious and artistically decorated creations?” She slipped down from her stool and brought a plate of cookies over to the table. Ginny jumped down and ran over, too.
Ginny seemed so proud of her handiwork, Coryn found her sweet expression touching as she pointed out the cookies she’d decorated. “Oh, my—these are too beautiful to eat,” Coryn told her. The little girl flushed with pleasure at the compliment.
The cookies were sampled and complimented lavishly. Then they were eaten along with the tea and a glass of milk for Ginny.
When Mark finally said they’d have to leave, Clare insisted Ginny select a dozen cookies to take home. Coryn put them in a plastic bag for her to carry.
Coryn walked to the door with them. In the front hall, Mark held Ginny’s parka for her, zipped it up, then handed her a knitted cap saying, “Thanks for a great time.”
“And for the cookies.” Ginny held up the bag, smiling.
“You did a wonderful job decorating,” Coryn told her.
“So did you. I liked your Christmas tree the best.” Ginny said.
“Thank you.” Coryn looked over Ginny’s head and met Mark’s amused expression.
He took Ginny’s hand and said, “Well, thanks again.”
As he started out the door, Coryn said, “By the way, Mark, we always have an open house on New Year’s Day starting around five. Stop by if you’re free.”
Seeming surprised, Mark halted and then said, “Why, thank you very much.”
As she closed the door behind them Coryn wondered, would he come? She realized she hoped he would. She would like to see Mark Emery again.