On the ride over, he’d picked up her hand and laced their fingers together–without a break in their conversation. Once he realized what he’d done, he contemplated letting her go, but decided to enjoy the sensation. Besides, he liked the feeling of belonging that came with touching her. He was always a gentleman, and she was a lady. They couldn’t help but come together as if the time they’d been apart made the need all that stronger.
Mrs. Morris didn’t seem at all thrown by their public display of belonging. Now that he was a parent, he saw things like meeting his child’s significant other through different glasses. She’d welcomed him into the row and hugged him–a move that went a long way to helping him feel like part of the group.
He’d have to ask Charlotte what she’d told her about them.
“Welcome to the Moose Hollow Elementary School Christmas Pageant,” said a short 6th grader in a suit. He stood like a nutcracker, his back stiff and his chin drawn in. “It all starts on a cold December night in Bethlehem of Judea.”
The spotlight on him went out, and the stage lights went up, revealing an ancient busy street at night. Cardboard stars hung from the rafters, painted gold and sprinkling glitter on the stage as they spun slowly.
Micah leaned forward.
Joseph entered stage right, leading a donkey. The donkey was a large boy with long ears and a tail. On his back sat a little girl with a basketball for a belly. It was a real basketball that had been deflated by a fourth. Lizzie gave him the rundown on the costume one day after practice. A second grader usually played Mary, and she already had her sights set on the part.
The couple and their noble steed were turned away from every door. At the last one, the innkeeper took them to a stable. The lights dimmed momentarily, and when they came back on, Mary rocked a baby doll in her arms and sangSilent Night. Her voice was strong for someone so young.
The lights dimmed again, and the kids rushed to set the new scenery.
“This is Lizzie’s part,” Micah whispered to Charlotte.
She grinned at him. She’d spent the last two days reviewing the lines with Lizzie until bedtime. Lizzie could recite them with her eyes closed, and her confidence had greatly improved.
As soon as the lights went up, his breath caught. In her angel costume, Lizzie hung from the ceiling by a wire. She’d explained that there was a climbing harness, and this was the first year they’d use it for the angels–there were three.
She had to lean back slightly to keep from doing somersaults. Which she said was fun, but the shepherds didn’t like it because they didn’t get to do somersaults on the stage.
Lizzie held her arms as if holding her pet Wishy. She drew a deep breath and said, “Fear not. I bring you great joy.” She threw her arms out to the sides. “Unto you is born this day….”
Charlotte gasped. She reached for something in the air and missed. Putting her hands over her mouth, her eyes widened. “Oh no.”
Micah tried to ignore her strange behavior and focus on Lizzie, but she cut off in the middle of her announcement and also covered her mouth. The curtains began to shake. A set piece tumbled to the ground, making the shepherds scream and duck. Several of them ran off the stage. Lizzie reached out in front of her as far as she could and flipped forward.
The audience gasped in horror.
She began to somersault at an increasing rate.
Micah stood up. “Someone help her!” he yelled.
The woman directing the music from in front of the stage scrambled up there and jumped to grab Lizzie’s foot, but she missed.
“Wishy! Stop!” Lizzie yelled. She started to slow down.
Music flew off the piano like it was caught in a tornado. Kids screamed and ran with their hands over their heads. Teachers tried to calm them down, only to be knocked over by someone running by. The other angels cried loudly, tears streaming down their faces.
Charlotte pulled out her phone.
Good, they needed the fire department or someone.
“Nick?” She plugged her other ear to block out parents calling to their children and the chaos in the room.
Who was Nick? Micah wondered. He didn’t have too long to think about it. Whoever worked the wires in the back was lowering the angels to the ground. If he didn’t get to Lizzie soon, she’d be trampled by the large donkey who ran back and forth across the stage.
“They’re freaking out,” he heard Charlotte yell. “Get down here!”
Micah fought against the crowd like a fish swimming upstream. “Lizzie!” he shouted to her.
She plucked and pulled at the harness, unable to get herself out. By the time he reached her, she had tears streaming down her face. “I got you.” He wrapped his arms around her.
“Dad!” she looked so happy to see him; his heart took courage. He would do anything for his girl.
