beatrix bobbit's new year conundrum

Beatrix Bobbit was trying to make Mrs. Bobbit's favorite breakfast without waking the whole house up. It wasn't a bribe, exactly. More so an enticement to extend their Homeschooling Winter Break a bit longer.

Preferably, indefinitely. But Beatrix would accept an extra week.

With deft movements, Beatrix silenced the bunny timer before it squeaked and removed the steaming double chocolate chip muffins from the oven. She placed a basket of muffins atop a tray already filled with a bowl of berries and a steaming mug of tea.

At that moment, Mr. Bobbit appeared in the doorway, hopping across the black kitchen tiles until he arrived at the muffin basket. He stole three, took an enormous bite then grunted, "Eed enny," at Beatrix before taking the same tile path out of the kitchen.

He shuffled noisily to the front door and backed out of the gravel driveway with an engine that mimicked his signature grumbling.

"Smile, you can do this! You're a witch, after all. And you make excellent double chocolate muffins," Beatrix steeled herself with the tray before tiptoeing across a mess of blankets and pillows in the living room where Sybil slept along with her best dance friend, Di, and Beatrix's Witch Camp roommate, Blair.

Thankfully, she didn't trip on any limbs, though she'd kept the tray floating out in front of her just in case. Outside Mrs. Bobbit's bedroom door, she knocked quietly, and called, "Mom? I made breakfast. Are you up?"

Beatrix creaked the door open and peered inside. The sight of so many floral prints between the wall paper, curtains, quilt and rugs was always a bit disconcerting, but Beatrix plunged forward with the tray until she was standing beside the wooden headboard that Sybil had adorned with yellow daisies the year before.

Beatrix poked the lump under the covers until it stirred so suddenly she nearly lost her concentration on the floating breakfast tray.

Mrs. Bobbit extricated her head from under the covers and peered around suspiciously, eyeing the tray with particular wariness.

"Beatrix, dear. What's the matter?"

"I made you breakfast! Your favorite double chocolate muffins," Beatrix grinned and directed the tray to float down onto the bed, spilling only one drop of tea.

"Double chocolate, oh my," Mrs. Bobbit plucked a muffin from the basket and was already halfway through it when Beatrix cleared her throat. "Do you need something, Beatrix, dear?"

"I had an idea to run by you. What if we extended our Homeschool Winter Break?"

"For how long?" Mrs. Bobbit reached for a second muffin.

"Forever," Beatrix whispered.

"What was that, Beatrix, dear?" Mrs. Bobbit's cheeks were puffed out with the second muffin.

"A week would be wonderful! Blair and Di are off until then, too!"

"A week?! We're already behind schedule, my lesson planning simply won't allow for a whole extra week off..."

"We're getting another week of Winter Break? HOORAY!" Sybil had pranced into the bedroom with Di at her side. They locked hands and leapt up and down four times in celebration.

"Sybil, dear, I did not say we're getting another week off," Mrs. Bobbit sighed, but Beatrix watched her give in to the soothing effects from the muffin. "Oh, alright. One more week. But, Sybil, you must keep up with your dance lessons with Mr. Bobbit. Beatrix, you must continue with your Witch Lessons. And, I want one book report from each of you!"

"We will!" Beatrix and Sybil chimed in unison while they skipped out of Mrs. Bobbit's bedroom.

"We can totally get out of the book report," Beatrix whispered.

"Afternoon cookies," Sybil whispered back, already plotting their next bribe.

Blair was stirring beneath a pile of blankets on the floor. Her braided brown hair was all eschew but her eyes were bright. "What should we do today?" she asked.

Beatrix darted into the kitchen and returned with the muffins she had hidden away. "This discussion definitely needs muffins."

"We could choreograph a dance!" Sybil proclaimed.

"Or a musical!" Di clapped.

"Broomstick races?" Blair asked.

"A brew off?" Beatrix mused.

Mrs. Bobbit shuffled out of the bedroom then, carrying Penny in her arms. "Oops," Beatrix said, and darted to the kitchen for Penny's morning carrot.

"What if," Sybil shouted, "we did all of the things we want. Mom can time us and tell us when it's time to move onto the next activity!"

Mrs. Bobbit considered Sybil, then smiled. "May I add something to the agenda, Sybil, dear?"

"Depends..." Beatrix eyed Mrs. Bobbit while Penny chomped happily on her carrot.

"Oh Beatrix, dear. Don't be so cynical. Just a bit of tending to the vegetables and plants in the greenhouse," Mrs. Bobbit replied while inching towards the new muffin basket.

"When did you get a greenhouse?" Di asked.

"A couple months ago, just to keep the vegetables warm!" Sybil forced a smile.

She didn't share that the greenhouse had been a precautionary measure after Mr. Bobbit's spell had accidentally brought the carrots to life. They thought of it more as a cage for any potential spells gone wrong than a place to keep the vegetables warm.

Luckily, it suited both needs.

The girls crowded upstairs to change into clothes for their continued Winter Break play. Sybil and Di leapt into tutus and leotards and dance shoes (Sybil into her wished pair); Beatrix and Blair covered themselves in cloaks and Wintery Witch Hats and boots.

When they came downstairs discussing how to break up all of their activities, they saw a gangly black haired boy eating a muffin over the piano. Mrs. Bobbit was attempting not to cringe with every crumb that landed on her beloved keys.

"I'm on a Homeschooling Break," Callum said by way of greeting. "What are you up to?"

"A lot of things," Beatrix responded. "We're going to learn a dance and a musical, then race broomsticks and have a potion brew-off."

"Ahem," Mrs. Bobbit interrupted while dusting crumbs from the piano keys. "Do not forget tending to the greenhouse vegetables, Beatrix, dear."

"How could we forget!" Beatrix tipped her Witch Hat at Mrs. Bobbit, then to Callum. "Wanna join us? It's gonna be quite a magical day. Especially since I can't dance."

"Everyone can dance!" Sybil twirled over to her sister.

"I'll get the bunny timer, and the bunny," Mrs. Bobbit sighed as she plodded to the kitchen to retrieve said timer and Penny. Once she had both, she ushered them outside to the raised stone platform that Sybil and Mr. Bobbit used for their performances. "Is thirty minutes sufficient for both the dance and the musical, Sybil, dear?"

"Yes, can you please bring the record player outside?"

"I'm on it," Callum leapt from the stage and rushed inside, returning with the lopsided record player and a stack of records.

"Thanks! You can pick the music, Mom! Nothing with words, though."

With that, Sybil and Di leapt onto the stage. Sybil stood in front of Beatrix, Blair and Callum, while Di scribbled lyrics onto a pink pad of paper from the side.

"How can you be a witch and also be this bad at dancing?" Sybil asked after Beatrix had accidentally kicked Callum for the second time.

Callum snickered.

"I'm sorry, Sybie. But I don't think witches are notorious excellent dancers," Beatrix replied with a glare at Callum.

"Think of it like maneuvering a broomstick through the forest. Except your own legs," Sybil added before attempting to show Beatrix the dance once again.

"Ten minutes!" Mrs. Bobbit called from the metal chair she was sitting in, with both Penny and the muffin basket in her lap.

Satisfied that Beatrix at least wouldn't cause harm to anyone else on stage through her flailing, they moved on to learn Di's newly composed lyrics about not wanting to go back to school.

When it was time to perform, Callum and Di sang and wove through Beatrix and Blair, using their Witch Hats as props. Sybil stunned as she connected modern ballet and tap and tumbling into a routine so beautiful that Mrs. Bobbit tossed Penny from her lap when she stood to applaud and announce time was up.

Beaming, Beatrix ran for the broomsticks which had been neatly hung in the green shed. She'd accumulated several extras from Broomstick Betsy, and happily doled out one to each of them. At the last second, she offered Callum the broomstick he'd made for her with the stones inlayed in the handle but he waved her off. "It's yours."

Beatrix's cheeks flushed as she led them to the top of the hill that opened up to the now empty Holidays Maze below.

When Mrs. Bobbit finally caught up, holding the bunny and bunny timer over her head, she shouted, "Mount your broomsticks!" Mrs. Bobbit watched, pleased as they followed her instructions.

"It's a race to the far side of the field and back up," Beatrix told the others. "After the race, we'll fly to the creek for the brew off."

"I'm not sure I can fly," Di squeaked, but Sybil patted her encouragingly and whispered something that made her giggle and nod.

"Are we ready?" Mrs. Bobbit was quite enjoying the thrill of announcing such a race. "On the count of seven, six, five, four, three, two, GO."

"Why'd she start at seven..." Beatrix said, though she pushed off from the ground first. Blair and Callum were trailing just behind her, followed by Sybil and Di.

Di's eyes were wide as her broomstick puttered forward. With a jolt from Beatrix it picked up speed, and Di smiled and shouted, "Weeeeeee!"

Looking ahead of her, Beatrix realized she'd lost ground to both Callum and Blair who were already racing back. Beatrix sank low onto the broom and shot forward. She turned so fast she flipped over, flying upside down for a few moments before she regained control.

Blair had fallen behind Callum, and Beatrix overtook her without a thought. In another moment she was tied with Callum, racing up the hill toward Mrs. Bobbit who was waving a plaid blanket as a flag. Beatrix ducked lower and edged in front, beating Callum up the hill by a nose.

She circled the top of the hill waiting on the others. When they had all gathered with pink cheeks, Beatrix dipped low and nudged Mrs. Bobbit, the plaid blanket and Penny onto her broomstick.

"Ready?" Everyone cheered behind her as she launched towards the forest. She wove easily in and out of spindly pines and falling leaves, dipping below the tree line once she saw the stones lining the creek below.

Beatrix only had two cauldrons, so they would have to break off into teams.

"The best Laughing Brew wins!" Beatrix said, explaining the various instructions and ingredients necessary. She took Sybil as a partner, allowing Callum and Di to team up with Blair.

"The bunny timer is going," Mrs. Bobbit said.

With that, they began gathering the leaves and petals and stones and water needed. Once all of their ingredients were in the cauldrons, it was simply a matter of stirring it enough times to tickle the potion, then adding the essence of laughter.

Mrs. Bobbit became concerned when they all began laughing at once. She became even more concerned when they sampled the potions and dropped to the damp mossy earth beside the creek rolling with laughter.

Out of pure curiosity, she stole a sip from the cauldron and declared, "No more greenhouse tending. It's time for muffins!" Then, she toppled over in a fit of giggles.

They all cheered, and gathered their broomsticks, opting to walk not fly while the laughter still affected them so greatly.

Back at the house, they cozied around the kitchen table, sharing muffins and tea, laughing until their cheeks hurt. At some point, they slumped over around the table, exhausted from the day's activities.

"JUDY!" Mr. Bobbit bellowed suddenly, waking them all. It was dark out, and he was home from work. "Where is Penny?"

Mrs. Bobbit shot up and gasped. "I left her. Oh no, oh no we have to go back to the forest. She's by the creek!"

Mr. Bobbit dropped his briefcase, leapt through the door and ran towards the forest calling for Penny all the way.