The next day December tenth:

           It was eleven am and the coffee shop had finally died down Since the shop had been open since six thirty am and until ten forty-five there had been a heavy flow of customers. Alana though being the owner was giving her two-morning opening employees a much deserved long lunch break. The morning rush had been hectic usually Thursday mornings were slow in the shop but today had been crazy.  Alana had been called in to go on a milk run this morning so instead of going to go check on the kilns to see how they were cooling; she had run to the grocery store to get several gallons of milk before picking her daughter up at her drawing lessons.

             The last week had been crazy busy for Alana and her daughter. Alana had finished up several more Lithographic print orders all late into the night and had fired the last of the pottery orders. Amongst the chaos of fulfilling the orders of her other business, she had had to make several unscheduled coffee supplies runs as well. Then at the same time getting Billie her daughter through her homeschool/middle school finals and her final projects, and of course decorating the coffee shop for Christmas. As Christmas approached Billie had her mother send an extra letter to Santa in the mail. Alana loved the fact that her daughter still believed in Santa and wondered; "What could have been so important that another letter needed to be sent?" Alana sat behind the register lost in thought as she wrote a list of all that she needed to accomplish today.

1.Ship print orders today,- "thank God I boxed and labeled them up already". -Check to see if last night's prints are dry. And see about the kiln.

2.Get more gingerbread syrup and coconut syrup again- "we're out again, sigh" the 3rd case! -Thank God for good business." Oh and Vanilla powder!!!

3.Pick up more milk and 1/2 & 1/2 and whipping cream and two percent to tie us over till the milk order comes in.

4.Shop a bit it more for Billie's Christmas gifts- "Internet I love you" remember expedited shipping.

5.Pick up Billie by  three pm from drawing and music lessons

6.Take Billie to go get the new black dress for her recitals. This time remember tights and shoes that match!!! NO HOT PINK!!

6.Finish…

           She was alone in the coffee shop when the melody of the bell above the door jolted her away from her list. She was greeted by the site of five young Korean men who appeared to be in their mid to late twenties stepping into the shop. All taller than her. The men were smartly dressed each with a variation of nice fitted woolen coats. Based on the way they were dressed she knew they were not from town. Portland well Oregon, in general, was not known for being very formal in how one dresses and outside of the midwest she had yet to see woolen coats. It just simply did not get cold enough here to merit the protection. To say that they were merely good looking was an was like saying an Irish wolfhound was merely just a large dog. Alana mentally braced herself to treat them as normally as possible- no matter how good looking they were "No extra special service. There was something niggling at her that they looked somehow familiar but she brushed that aside and she mentally chanted to herself and placed a welcoming smile upon her face as she hopped off of her stool and greeted them.

           Minutes before Seung-Hung and his elders stood outside of the coffee shop owned by his daughters adopted mother. He read the sign that said Secret on a wooden sighed written in thick Flourished font in gold paint with the words underneath words in a sparkling rolling silver script read: coffee and Tea and art gallery. It was a medium sized shop that had large plate glass windows with deep brown coffee colored curtains and creamy shears that were drawn to the sides. The windows had icicle lights and twinkle lights shimmering in the mid-morning light and paper snowflakes and steaming coffee mug cutouts taped to the windows. Also on the brightly painted red whimsical wooden door had a midsize sign within a shadow box decked out in gold glitter that read:

Christmas specials are back!

New: All I want for Christmas!

"A vanilla, hazelnut, White mocha" with cinnamon in the milk and  glistening sugar sprinkles."

GingerSnap Latte,

Christmas Cookie Latte,

Peppermint Tea Latte

Candy Cane Mocha,

White Winter-Mint Mocha,

Slay-Bells Ring Steamer

Andes Mint Hot Chocolate,

           He smirked to himself thinking that the shop first looked like a woodland fairytale with an obsession for glitter had adopted this shop as he stood back to look at the shop. He braced himself before opening the door. A spark of hope inside of him wanted to find his little girl waiting for him inside of the shop but he knew he needed to be patient.  He opened the door the heavenly warmth and scent of coffee and sweetness hit their senses. He and his Elders stepped through the doorway.  He knew instantly that his daughter was not there, but she had been there recently. Disappointment threatened to distract him as he with his Elders paused to take in their surroundings. Twinkle lights gleamed in every corner the soft lighting of the Christmas lights with some candles gave the shop a nice festive feel. Inside the shop had an eclectic but comfortable set of antique tables and chairs and lamps as well as couches and coffee tables abounded and a few easy chairs. There were rugs upon the deep honey-colored wood floor and a golden painted path the led to the dark wooden counter and espresso bar.

           His eyes followed the path right up to where he saw a young woman who appeared to be in her mid 20's with long honey brown hair pulled up into a simple updo and a long sleeved black v neck chiffon blouse with the sleeves pushed up to her forearms and a black apron on that had iridescent snowflakes pinned to it. She was perched on a stool sitting behind the cash register. She just looked up from writing on a notepad.  The plan was simple he reminded himself his job was to charm her into giving them information about the owner and the shop and when she and her daughter would be there. Also as back up Young-bae his clan's  gifting -being in mental telepathy and being able to move objects with their minds. Would telepathically get information from her mind.

           In his mind, since he did not really read the report or look at any photos of the woman who had adopted his daughter. In his mind, she is an old spinster who had been desperate for a child she was in her 50's to mid-sixties and probably had a full head of gray hair and a bad poodle perm or helmet hair.  His wolf chuckled at the thoughts.  When suddenly he realized in that moment nothing was going to go according to plan. When the most intoxicating scent slammed into his sense nearly knocking him to his knees. The smell began to overwhelm his thinking. He had never smelled anything quite like it a mix of oranges, cinnamon, with a hint of vanilla also a scent he could not place. To say it was a bit intoxicating to him was putting is extremely mildly. He wanted to bury his nose in the crook of her neck and mark her as his own and just stay there forever with her within his embrace.  His inner jet lagged Wolf came alive within him all at once howling a clawing inside of him for him to get closer to the alluring scent.

           He studied the female whose scent was now calling for him, for a moment. His eyes first landing on her honey brown hair and then they were immediately drawn into her simple cat eye makeup that played up her emerald green eyes and her nose was small and straight with a tiny diamond piercing on the side. Her lips were painted peachy pink for the day.  He noticed a t