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Pollux rubs his temple. “Your…burrito bouquets…look cold?”
Cael pats one hand against Pollux’s back. “It’s a lost cause. Simply rest assured that I insisted they were bought and assembled this morning.”
“Bought and assembled this morning with love,” Alana interjects.
Pollux turns to me. “I’m sorry. I thought I was helping. I forgot that my friend lacks the ability to do anything like this without going overboard. This is a bit too extravagant to maintain in future years, isn’t it? It’s also way too much food for everyone. I should have known better. I should have provided clear, step-by-step instructions, an outline, something with pictures.”
“Hey. I’m feeling somewhat personally attacked,” Ollie comments.
“Most of this was Ollie.” Cael chuckles as he stacks his now-empty cookie tray with others on the microwave. Fanning his fingers, he says, “I’m just here to help fast-travel the food from Willow’s ovens. The quickest path goes directly through unseelie territory, and I believe it’s red cap hunting season.”
Pollux tenses as he pulls his gaze toward Ollie. “I immensely appreciate your efforts and willingness to help. Forgive me. I assumed the unnecessary extravagance was on account of Cael thinking it funny.”
Cael’s face shifts distinctly to convey What? Who? Me? Mess with you? Never. In fact, I’m wounded you would suggest such a thing. I’d believe it, too, if his expression didn’t melt into a wicked smirk after approximately two seconds.
Ollie laughs. “Sorry. It was me. It’s called stress baking. You should try it sometime.”
“I assure you. I have.”
“We should exchange recipes, then.”
Pollux’s mouth opens, and closes, then he says, “I’d…like that.”
“Neat.”
Alana begins humming as she layers crackers around her castle, and Cael wanders over to her while Ollie and Brittny finish stacking pastries. I watch, feeling my brain bzzt every time a new tea accessory blinks out of thin air.
My face is frozen in a smile as I clasp my hands together in front of my Christmas tree skirt.
Is this a lot?
Yes. It really is.
But the kids will love it.
Unless a parent or someone from the board pops in, I won’t have to figure out how to explain where in this world the budget for it came from. And I’m sure if a parent or board member causes issues, someone here can make it disappear using glamour magic.
Should any of these people be here without having gone through the background check process? No, not really. But it’s not like Zahra will have any problems with keeping things secret. So it’s fine.
Totally fine.
And totally amazing.
But totally unexpected.
And, gracious, I can’t even thank a single person here.
Pollux touches my arm as I fight to keep myself together. I have been crying so much lately. It’s like my emotions are committing a mutiny and rebelling against their lifetime of being subdued. He says, “It’s okay. I shared the link to the disturbing quiz with them. They are allowed to be in proximity to children.”
I close my eyes. Knowing Pollux went that far to help me, and knowing that these people—including an online celebrity, royalty, and a woman about to be an author with one of the most prestigious publishing houses in this country—spent at least thirty minutes obliging, does something to my chest.
It’s like Pollux said last week…
So much can happen in five years.
Zahra’s voice drifts from behind me. “Kass, the children want knives and forks so they can bang them on their desks and demand food. How are things going in… Holy swear.”
Turning, I find Zahra in the doorway, eyes wide.
