Jazmyn and the Gingerbread House

“Bye, Pa!” The wind hurled sheets of icy rain at Jazmyn. It ripped the thin plastic covering the box she was carrying. Grateful for the automatic doors, she hurried into Daddy Luke’s office building.

The lobby was bright with holiday decorations and full of people. Jazmyn headed for the elevators. She was careful not to bump into anyone. She didn’t want anything to happen to the gingerbread house they’d made for Grandma.

When she got there, a packed elevator was just closing its doors. Jazmyn waited near three women who looked like they were together. All three had on suits, in different pretty colors. When another elevator arrived, they ushered her in with them. “You don’t want that crushed,” said the one in blue, nodding at the box.

Another, her suit as green as her eyes, winked at Jazmyn. “I hope you rain-proofed the roof!”

“I wish I had!” Jazmyn brushed raindrops off the plastic, away from the wind-torn gap. All she could see from the outside was waxed paper. How had the women guessed there was a gingerbread house in there? Maybe they could smell it, but how did they know it wasn’t cookies?

The elevator gave a jerk, and they were moving upward—just the four of them. The women must have closed the doors before anyone else could get in. Before Jazmyn could ask one of them to press 3, Daddy Luke’s floor, the elevator had already passed it. No problem, she’d ride down again after the women got out.

The elevator stopped and doors in the back glided open. Jazmyn hadn’t noticed it was a two-sided elevator. Daddy Luke had showed her his new office the month before. That had been a regular elevator, hadn’t it? It seemed a little odd.

“This way, dear,” the woman in the pink suit said. “Now don’t worry about that soggy roof. We’ll fix it for you.” She stepped out of the elevator—carrying Jazmyn’s box!

How did that happen?

Jazmyn dashed after them. She shouldn’t go off with strangers, but they were going to fix Grandma’s gingerbread house. She wished they’d asked her first, though, instead of just taking it.

A door swung open as they approached, and Jazmyn smelled candy. Blue Suit said, “Welcome to Sweet Creations,” then headed toward a large kitchen. Green Suit and Pink Suit turned down a hallway. Jazmyn hurried after them, the ginger-colored carpet soft underfoot.

She followed the women into a sparkly white office cubicle. Green Suit spread a plastic sheet on the white desk. “I’m Sucrella,” she said, smiling at Jazmyn.

Pink Suit set the box on the plastic. “My name’s Sukari.”

“I’m Jazmyn. It’s nice of you to offer help me, but—”

“It’s no trouble!” Sukari pulled out a chair. “Make yourself comfortable, Jazmyn. I’ll just pick up some supplies and I’ll be right back.” She slipped out.

Green Suit—Sucrella—said, “You’re very young, aren’t you? No need to be nervous. We’re all looking forward to your presentation.” Before Jazmyn could ask what she meant, she’d left too. It was the first time Jazmyn and her dads had made a house for Grandma, but Sucrella couldn’t know that. And these women wouldn’t be there when she and Daddy Luke gave Grandma her present. They were nice, but odd.

Jazmyn looked around her. This whole place was odd. The wall beside her was made of tiny blocks—like sugar cubes. She touched it with a dampened finger. It felt sticky. Was it really made of sugar?

She licked her finger. It was sweet!

A chill ran down Jazmyn’s spine. Sugar-cube walls, like a witch’s house in a story. Was the carpet made of gingerbread? Who were these women? What did they want?

I shouldn’t have followed them here! Jazmyn grabbed the box and peeked into the hall. Sukari was reaching for something on a shelf. Jazmyn darted back to the desk, stumbled—and dropped the box.

Quickly, she lifted it onto the desk and pulled back the waxed paper. “No—o—o!”

“Oh, my dear!” Sukari was beside her. “What a mess!” She raised her voice. “Sucrella! Azucar! We need your help.”

“Azucar…de azucar, that’s Spanish for sugar!” Jazmyn backed into a corner as Sucrella and Azucar hurried in. She waved a hand around her. “This place is made of sugar! And the carpet’s gingerbread! You’re witches, aren’t you?”

The three women looked at each other. Azucar said, her voice gentle, “And you’re not. I’m sorry we scared you, Jazmyn. We thought you were a witch too.”

Sukari said, “You’re thinking of stories like Hansel and Gretel. No witch I’ve ever met would ever eat children. That’s regular carpet on the floor, not gingerbread. You’re right about the cubicles, though. Sugar cubes, sugar cubicles—a touch of whimsy.”

Azucar sat on the plastic-covered chair. “We make and sell sweet things to raise money to help hungry children. Other witches bring us ideas. We thought your gingerbread house was a sample.”

Jazmyn almost laughed. They’d thought she was a witch! “We made it for my grandma,” she said. “She always makes one for me and my dads, even though she’s diabetic and can’t eat any of it herself. So this year we made her one instead—sugar-free!”

“Sugar-free?” Azucar sounded surprised. “Even the frosting?”

“Yes. Here, try some.” Jazmyn gave them each a sliced-almond roof tile with a dab of frosting on it. “Cream cheese frosting, diet candies — we found a recipe on the Internet. Lots of people can’t eat sugar.”

The women smiled and nodded. “Mmm!” they said, “Delicious! Smooth, good flavor!”

“Maybe some of your sweet things could be sugar-free,” Jazmyn suggested.

“Great idea!” Azucar said, and the others agreed.

Jazmyn picked up the box. “Well, I’d better go.”

“But we were going to repair your gingerbread house,” Sukari said.

“Thanks, but I’ve been here a long time. Daddy Luke’s probably searching the building for me by now.” Jazmyn sighed. “I’ll have a lot of explaining to do. I wish I hadn’t got into your special elevator.”

Azucar clapped her hands. “Brilliant! You wish solves the whole problem! We’ll do a Time Reversal!”

Jazmyn clutched the box as the women joined hands and chanted strange words, their voices fading away…

Jazmyn crossed the lobby, bright with holiday decorations, taking care not to bump into anyone. She didn’t want anything to happen to the gingerbread house she and her dads had made for Grandma.

A packed elevator was just closing its doors. Another elevator arrived. She followed several people in and asked a man near the control panel to push the number for Daddy Luke’s floor.

He smiled when she walked into his office. “Right on time,” he said. “Any trouble getting up here with that box?”

“No, except that the wind tore the plastic. I hope the rain didn’t get in.” Jazmyn opened the box and pulled away the waxed paper. Dad’s co-workers gathered around, admiring the gingerbread house.

Jazmyn inspected it carefully. Three tiles missing from the roof. They’d probably slipped down into the coconut snow. The damp patch by the chimney would dry out before they got to Grandma’s.

She’d be so happy when she saw her sugar-free gingerbread house!