Lone Star Holiday (18 page)

Chapter Nineteen

T
he day of the play had finally arrived. Unlike Lorrie Ann, John had no doubt the Christmas pageant would be successful. He had other reasons to be nervous. He pushed the sour-apple-flavored candy around in his mouth.

He looked at his girls, sitting in front of him. Rachel, wise beyond her years, reminded him so much of Carol—not just her looks, but her mannerisms, too. He smiled at Celeste. Less than a minute of sitting and she already wiggled in her chair.

“Girls, you know I like spending time with Lorrie Ann, right?”

They nodded. Rachel’s face became tight. “Just as friends, right?”

“I love Lorrie Ann, Daddy.” Celeste kicked her feet.

Rachel turned on her little sister. “Can you sit still for five minutes?”

He pulled Celeste into his lap and, with his other hand, settled Rachel against his side. She grumbled, but nestled in close and laid her head on his shoulder. For a moment he savored having them close.

“After the play—” he took a deep breath “—I’m going to ask her to stay with us.”

Rachel picked her head up. “But, Daddy, she’s already decided to stay in Clear Water.”

“No, I’m going to ask her to marry me and live with us at the ranch house.”

Celeste jumped off his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Oh, Daddy, she’ll be my mom, and we can have sleepovers!”

Rachel pulled back and yelled, “We already have a mom, Celeste!”

Celeste looked at her sister in confusion. “But she’s not here.”

“Rachel, it’s okay to love more than one mother.” He knew she would have a harder time than her sister. Tucking Rachel’s hair behind one ear, he brought her face up to look him in the eye. “I love Lorrie Ann, and I want to share my life with her. You’re part of that life.”

The tears hanging on her lower lashes sliced at his heart. “But, Daddy, I love Momma and I don’t want to forget her.”

“Oh, sweetheart, the human heart is phenomenal when it comes to loving. It doesn’t kick people out. It just gets bigger. Your mom will always be a part of us, living in our hearts.” He squeezed Rachel with his arm and laid his cheek against the top of her head. “You know what your mom is doing right now?” He felt her shake her head against his chest with her nose pressed flat. “She’s scooting over to make an empty space right next to her. I can see her patting the seat as she invites Lorrie Ann to join her. That’s what your mother always did, at every opportunity. She pulled people in and loved them.”

“You think Momma would like Lorrie Ann?”

“Yes, and just because I love Lorrie Ann doesn’t take away any of the love I have for you or your mother. It’s just more love.”

“I think Lorrie Ann would be good for Celeste.” Rachel pulled away a little and sat straighter. “You’ll have more help. It’s nice to have a woman to talk to about things.”

John laughed. “Yes, it is.” He kissed her forehead and pulled both girls tight within the circle of his arms. He flexed his jaw and sent a prayer out. Now he had to convince Lorrie Ann.

Chapter Twenty

T
he unfinished youth building had become a biblical village. Red-and-green Christmas sweaters filled the seats. Lorrie Ann nodded and smiled as people greeted her. A gentle breeze mixed the fresh outdoor smell with the aroma of the cinnamon snicker-doodles set out for the audience.

She glanced at the entrance and saw John shaking hands with each person coming in to watch the pageant. He looked over the crowd, stopping and smiling when he made eye contact with her.

He sent a slow wink that melted her spine and demolished all the tight nerves. She felt her smile reach her ears.
Oh, God, please wrap Your love so tightly around every heart here tonight, so all they see is the hard work the kids have put into the play.

Mrs. Miller moved next to John, and the look she sent Lorrie Ann’s way did not include a smile. Acid burned her throat as monkeys flipped wild somersaults low in her belly, pulling every nerve taut.

The list of things that could go wrong flashed through her brain.
We shouldn’t have used the donkey. What if he does something embarrassing? The cherry picker might get stuck again.
Uncle Billy sat at the controls, so he would handle any malfunctions.

She glanced at John and wished she could stare at him all night, but her list called. Looking at her cell phone, she realized the kindergarten group should be lined up and ready by now. Lorrie Ann moved to the large panel off to the left, hoping to find them prepared.

Only fifteen minutes to showtime. The checklist scrolled through her mind’s eye: the horsemen were in place; Mary and Joseph had Alfredo, the donkey; the choir stood to the right, their robes detailed beautifully; the innkeepers mingled with the crowd, passing out programs and offering hot cider. Pride filled her as they worked hard to set the mood.

Off to her left, the shepherds watched over their small flock. Some of the audience members had walked over to see what was going on with the herd of sheep. The band filled the night air with soft background music. Her blood rushed with the excitement of all the parts coming together.

Then her eyes went wide. She hadn’t seen Derrick. She scanned the area, and her mouth went dry.

John had put so much faith in her. She had to make this right.

Behind one of the faux buildings, Lorrie Ann found Katy. Celeste and her classmates stood quietly, waiting for their cue to start the events of the night. She couldn’t stop the grin.

Now she needed to find her drummer boy. “Katy, have you seen Derrick? I can’t find him.”

Katy shook her head. “He brought Carlos, but I haven’t seen him since.”

John walked over to her. “Everything looks great, Lorrie Ann.” He smiled down at the short angels.

She skimmed the area. “I don’t know where Derrick is. He should be here with the kindergartners, but I haven’t seen him.”

Carlos stood in front of them, tugging on John’s blazer. “Pastor John, I think he’s hiding in the shed.” He pointed to the storage shed next to the fence. His big dark eyes looked up to Lorrie Ann. “Sorry, he made me promise not to tell you.”

She gave him a relieved smile and ruffled his curly hair. “It’s okay. Thank you for telling Pastor John.”

She headed toward the shed, covering ground in double time. John kept pace with her. She glanced at him. “We only have about ten minutes before you need to be onstage with the opening prayer.”

He dared to laugh and moved closer to her. “In a hundred years, I don’t think it has ever started on time.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. Did he not realize how serious she took her job? “Not on my watch. I’ve never had an event start late. We
will
start on time.”

His grin caused her to take a deep breath to calm her nerves.

“Yes, ma’am.” He flipped his hand from his forehead in a small salute.

She didn’t have time to reply as they came face-to-face with Derrick, sitting on a gray wooden bench. Knees pulled to his chest, he had his head against the rough wood of the storage shed.

“Hey, Derrick.”

He jumped.

“Pastor John, Miss Lorrie Ann. I...um...I was looking for my drumsticks.” He jumped to his feet.

John raised an eyebrow. “Really? You sure it’s not a case of stage fright?” John sat on the bench and picked up the drumsticks. “The first few times I got up in front of people, I almost got sick.”

“You?” The youth’s lanky body folded back down on the bench.

John nodded his head and handed the wooden sticks to Derrick.

Misery and doubt clouded Derrick’s dark eyes as he looked up at Lorrie Ann. Her irritation fled, and her heart went out to the vulnerability she saw in this teenage rebel.

“What if I mess up?” He looked down at his hands. “Some of the old folks don’t like me. They think I don’t belong here.”

“They’re not the ones to decide if you belong here or not.” She cupped his face and brought his eyes up to meet hers again. “You belong.”

John placed a hand on Derrick’s slumped shoulder. “You need to remember you’re not performing for the people in the chairs, not even for Lorrie Ann or me. You’re using your music tonight to praise and worship God.” John gave the teen’s shoulder one last squeeze before standing to leave. “He knows none of us are perfect, Derrick. Just give Him one hundred percent of you. If you decide not to do this, we understand. One night doesn’t make who you are.” He looked at Lorrie Ann and winked. “Well, it’s time to get this thing started.” He turned back and handed Derrick a green hard candy. “These have always helped me.”

Lorrie Ann watched as he headed for the stage.

“He’s right, you know.” Derrick’s voice carried softly across the night. “Tonight won’t make or break you. It’s not your fault if we make a mess of the pageant.” He popped the Jolly Rancher in his mouth.

A supple laugh escaped her lips. “Now you’re giving me advice?” She smiled at him. “Good advice at that.” She sat on the bench where John had just been. “By the way, I like your haircut. You have beautiful eyes. You also took out the piercing. Why?”

He shrugged and picked up the drum, running his fingers along the stretched top. “Didn’t want to give them any more reasons to be mad at you.”

Her heart melted. “Oh, Derrick, thank you, but you didn’t need to change for me. I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time.”

“Yeah, maybe you should let someone else help you every now and then.” He flashed his seldom-used smile. “Someone told me that not long ago.”

She heard John’s strong voice quiet the crowd, and the monkeys in her stomach started jumping around again. She gave Derrick one last look. “Are you good?”

He nodded and picked up his drumsticks.

With a thumbs-up, she went off to find Katy and Celeste.

As she drew closer, Celeste waved at her, the long white drape of her sleeve flying with enthusiasm. No stage fright for this one.

Lorrie Ann smiled at Katy as she hugged Celeste and mouthed,
They look ready.
Ten little six-year-olds smiled back at her, their battery-powered candles ready to light the way.

Katy nodded and signaled them to turn on their candles. John said his final words, and as he stepped offstage, the overhead light went dark, leaving the kindergartners’ candles as the only light.

Celeste led her group down the aisle, singing
“
The
First
Noel.” Each student stopped at their assigned lantern that hung along the rows of chairs and in front of the buildings of the village. One by one, the lamps came to life as the children’s sweet voices filled the air. They slowly disappeared behind the storefronts that made up stage left. Their song faded out.

Surprised at the overwhelming sense of pride, Lorrie Ann bit her bottom lip.

“They did great!”

John’s whisper caused her to jump. She placed her hand over her rapidly beating heart.

He leaned in again. “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”

Apple candy filled her senses. She smiled at him, and her heart soared, loving that he chose to be next to her as their little production unfolded.

In the heavy silence, people started shifting in their chairs. Anticipation of the unknown filled the atmosphere.

From the front entrance, hooves hit the concrete floor. People turned to see Alfredo the donkey led by Seth, playing Joseph. Sarah Garcia, a fourteen-year-old middle schooler, had been transformed into Mary, tired and miserable.

“Hang on, Mary. I’ll find us a place to rest.” Seth opened with the first line.

They made their way through the audience, stopping at each facade. Each time they were turned away. Finally they made it to the last inn, next to the stage. Alfredo, the sweet little donkey, plodded along without a fuss or rude odors. Lorrie Ann couldn’t contain her smile.

They made their way up to the stage. The lights dimmed as the band and choir started “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”

A spotlight found Rachel with large golden wings above the crowd. The audience gasped in surprise as they watched the cherry picker rise above them, cloaked as a white cloud.

Lorrie glanced at John and nodded with a full grin. His eyes glowed with pride, and he draped his arm over Lorrie Ann’s shoulder and gave her a quick hug while staring up at his daughter.

The music faded, and Rachel spoke to the shepherds in a strong voice that brought good news and joy. As the light faded, the band and choir started “O Holy Night.”

Horses’ hooves pounded the ground from the outdoor area. People turned, and some stood as light flooded the right side of the grounds. Three riders, all from the high-school roping team, brought their horses to a sudden stop.

Bobby Gresham pointed to the east, toward the stage. “Magi, look! There is the Eastern Star we have been waiting for.”

Kevin, his brother, removed his cowboy hat. “Where is the newborn King of the Jews? We see his star, and we’ll go worship him.”

The youngest of the trio and a cousin of Lorrie Ann, Rafe Ortega, swung his hand over his head, spinning his horse around. “Let us ride!”

Some of the spectators chuckled at Rafe’s enthusiasm. All clapped as the three wise men rode out and the spotlight shut down.

The shepherds came and worshipped. The Magi brought gifts while the choir and band went through their songs. Rachel stayed overhead, leading the voices in praise.

The music stopped and the actors froze. Once again, the audience started murmuring. Whispers grew louder. Anticipation stirred the cool air.

Lorrie Ann bit her lip and reached for John. Would Derrick come through, or was it too much for him?

She looked up at John. His fingers interlocked with hers and squeezed. Then she heard it, the light tapping. It built as the drum moved closer.

As one, the audience turned to the front doors. Derrick stood still, playing a steady beat on his drum. The rebel teen’s eyes remained glued to the stage, on the baby.

One boot at a time, he moved down the aisle. With each step, the beat became stronger. His voice joined the cadence, giving his only gift, the gift of his music.

Not another sound could be heard; even the animals remained silent. Derrick stopped in front of Mary and the baby. When his song came to an end, he bowed his head. The baby reached out to him, touching his hair. Derrick looked up to see the tears on Mary’s face.

“Thank you for your song.” Her soft voice carried throughout the silent building.

Lorrie Ann wiped the wetness from her face and realized many of the audience members had tears in their own eyes, including Mrs. Miller, the Dragon Queen.

Rachel raised her arms. “In the highest heaven, glory to God! And on earth, peace among people of goodwill!”

All stage lights went out, and the actors exited backstage as the choir sang “Joy to the World.”

Lorrie Ann’s heart burst with pride and happiness. She watched John make his way to the stage, giving credit to the members of the band and choir. He called the kinder group up and introduced each as they waved to family members. The actors came onstage, and he called their names. Derrick hung back, but John motioned him forward, and as he nervously stood center stage, the audience surged to their feet with applause.

Lorrie Ann clasped her hands together and brought them to her mouth. Her throat tightened as she tried to swallow. Derrick shifted his weight from one foot to the other, gripping the drumsticks tightly. She smiled and waved at him. He sent back a crooked grin.

John had the committees stand and acknowledged everyone who’d worked on the pageant. Celeste and her friend Carlos brought flowers to John, giggling the whole time. The pastor smiled at Lorrie Ann and waved her over. She shook her head, her muscles suddenly going numb. Could she refuse? She felt over two hundred pairs of eyes turn to her.

“There is one last person we would like to thank before we leave for the night.”

Celeste jumped up and down. John laughed as he placed his hands on her small shoulders.

Swallowing, Lorrie Ann made her way to the stage, one slow step at a time. She battled a strong desire to run the opposite direction as fast as possible. Her skin felt too tight for her muscles as blood ran a furious race throughout her body.

She made sure to stay focused on John in order to avoid the stares of the townspeople.

He took her hand. “Lorrie Ann, you have brought so many gifts to our town and its people. But mostly to me.”

To her horror, he dropped to one knee. She became immobilized; the crowd froze.

“Lorrie Ann Ortega, I love you.”

The townspeople gasped as one.

“You have brought more joy and happiness than I thought possible. You already have my heart. Will you do me the honor of sharing my life and becoming my wife?” He held a ring up to her.

Her eyes went wide when she realized it wasn’t just any ring but her grandmother Ortega’s ring. Her gaze shot up to find Aunt Maggie standing with Sonia, offstage behind John. They had known? The sisters, both her mothers, stood in identical stances with hands clasped over their chests and tears in their eyes.

She forced air back into her lungs and looked down at John, still holding his pose. She saw his throat work as he kept his gaze locked on her.