Chapter 49: Salvation, Part 4

"I do," Serendipity nodded, looking into Corey's eyes. "I'm not exactly sure what it was that happened to me when I was up there on the mountain, whether I truly had the opportunity to speak to my father through some sort of magic, or if it was just some sort of an hallucination brought on by my extremely cold state, but through that experience and talking to Mrs. Claus just now, I've come to realize that what happened to my mother and sisters was an accident. It truly wasn't my fault, and I can't spend the rest of my life feeling guilty or punishing myself."
A look of relief and a broad smile spread across Corey's face. "Oh, Serendipity, it's so wonderful to hear you say those words," he assured her. "If coming here has allowed you to make that realization, and you should still choose to leave this place, never to return, then I should think this journey a success."
Serendipity shared his smile as he spoke, but at his final words, her smile faded just a bit. "Tell me then, Corey, do you wish me to go back to England now? Would you have me choose my former life over this one?"
"Heavens, no," Corey responded quickly, drawing her closer to himself by tugging gently on the hand he still encompassed. "Serendipity, I told you yesterday, I couldn't bear for you to leave. I want you to stay here, with me, always."
She gazed into his eyes, carefully looking for the smallest hint of untruth or exaggeration. She saw none. "You weren't saying those things, then, because you were concerned with your record, with meeting some sort of self-imposed quota?"
"I will admit that at first, of course, that was my primary concern. That's why I asked Ingrid for the potion in the first place. But, Serendipity, in such a short time, you managed to change me. You made me remember who I am, why I do this. You helped me to see the magic all around me. You made life fun again.?I'm not quite sure how you did it so quickly. Perhaps your magic is even more powerful than mine, but while I was trying my utmost to 'save' you, you somehow managed to do the same for me, and before you came along, I didn't even realize just how desperately I needed saving."
With her free hand, Serendipity gently stroked a few loose strands of his otherwise perfectly steeped hair. "Oh, Corey, how wonderful it is to hear you say those words," she said quietly. "You should know then, that I've decided to stay."
"You have?" he asked, a smile lighting up his entire face.
"Yes!" Serendipity grinned up at him. "I shall stay at the North Pole and make my dolls in one of your wonderful workshops."
"How marvelous!" Corey exclaimed, pulling her even closer. "And will you allow me to call upon you? To take you for walks in the snow? To dance with you beneath the stars? To take you for sleigh rides with Dunder and Blixen and Rudolph?"
"That would be wonderful, provided it doesn't interrupt my studies. Mrs. Claus has promised to teach me to read," Serendipity explained, a bright smile on her face which hovered just inches from his now.
"That's delightful," he laughed. "I'm sure you shall be the best student she has ever had."
"I shall be," she agreed. "And you shall be my best student, as I intend to teach you to build ships inside of glass bottles."
Corey smiled and leaned in so closely his lips were hovering just above hers. "I can hardly wait for my first lesson," he whispered.
"Mmm, hmmm," Serendipity agreed, "but you should probably go ahead and kiss me first."
"Yes, of course," he replied before leaning forward and doing just that. A few moments later, he finally found the strength to pull his lips away from hers, and with his eyes closed, still breathing her in, he whispered, "I think I'm falling in love with you, Serendipity Fizzlestitch."
"Good," she smiled, "because you have won my heart, Mr. Cane. And you shouldn't be able to get rid of me now, no matter how hard you might try. To think, you won me over and kept your record intact to boot. It's been a fine day for you, Cornelius. You should be quite proud of yourself."
"My record doesn't matter in the least now, Serendipity. From now on, only you matter," he assured her.
"Splendid!" she exclaimed, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. "Now, why don't you magic us over to the site of my new toy shop as I have a lot of dolls to make and not a lot of time in which to make them."
"Why, yes, of course," he said, and still holding her hand in his, he added, "right this way, my darling doll maker," and with a spray of mist and a twist of glitter, they were gone, reappearing just down the road from the square in the middle of Serendipity's very own doll making operation, with all of the familiar, unfinished friendly faces surrounding her amidst the perfectly positioned paints and paintbrushes, including Lizette Sassafras and Hester Pineyfrock, whom Serendipity could only assume Corey had magicked there as well. At the sight of their smiling faces, Serendipity began to laugh, and sweeping her up in his arms, Corey began to waltz around the wide-open spaces between the aisles of stations set to make the finest dolls the world had ever seen, dancing to a tune only he could hear and the sound of her laughter, which reverberated off the high log beams above them, filling the room with the splendid sound of joy. Serendipity had found her fate at last, a destiny with the promise of happiness, long life, and most of all, lots of love. After all, it had been her loving father who named her Serendipity, a name most fitting for someone so extraordinary.