Time to Laugh Romance Collection

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  Cody raised his hand. “My best friend is here. I already told him I’m wearing a chicken suit and he didn’t laugh, so I don’t think I’ll have to give him a black eye or anything.”

  “Well, that’s nice.” Tangie stifled a laugh.

  Annabelle’s hand went up, too. “My aunt came and she brought my cousins. They’ve never been in a church before. My mom says it’s kind of like a miracle.”

  Tangie’s heart swelled with joy. “It is like a miracle.” Lord, You’re proving what I’ve said all along … the arts are a great way to reach out to people who don’t know You. Use this production, Father. Reach those who haven’t heard the gospel message before.

  “Kids, let’s pray before we do the show.” Tangie instructed them to stand and get into a circle. Some of the boys were a little hesitant to join hands, but eventually they formed a large, unified ring. At this point, she encouraged the children to pray, not just for the show, but also for those in attendance. By the end of the prayer time, Tangie had tears in her eyes. For that matter, Gregg did, too. From across the room, she gave him a wink then mouthed the words, “Break a leg.” He nodded then ushered the children toward the stage.

  Gregg took his seat at the piano, stretched his arms, and then whispered a prayer that all would go well. He could take Darla’s place as chief musician, ensuring the show would go on, but that was where his role ended. Everything from this point forth was up to the Lord. Would He take the little bit they’d given Him and use it to His glory? Only time would tell.

  The lights went down in the auditorium, but not before Gregg saw his mother slip in the back door. He whispered a quiet, “Thank You, Lord,” then began to play the opening number.

  The stage lights came up, and the colorful set came alive. The colors had seemed bright before, but not like this. Maybe it was the energy of the crowd. There were, after all, over three hundred elementary-aged children in the room. Everything seemed brighter and happier.

  In the center of the stage, the spotlight hit the giant Easter egg. Then, as the music progressed, the egg began to crack from the inside out. “Good girl, Margaret,” he whispered. “Come on out of that protective shell of pride you’ve been wearing. Show ’em what you’ve got.”

  She did just that. As she emerged dressed as a baby chick, the audience came alive with laughter and joy. “It’s a chicken!” one little girl hollered.

  Not swayed, Margaret delivered her line with perfection. Then Annabelle entered the stage. Oh, how cute she looked in that little lamb costume. Tangie had been right. The kids loved this sort of thing. Annabelle opened her mouth to sing, and a holy hush fell over the audience. In fact, by the end of the song, Gregg could hardly see the keys. His eyes were, after all, filled with tears.

  When the show ended, Tangie rushed around backstage, congratulating the children and thanking them for doing such a terrific job. When the last of the kids had finally gone, she plopped down into a chair, completely dumbfounded. “You did it, Lord. You pulled it off.” And, with the exception of a couple of minor glitches, the show had been as close to perfect as any show could be. “Lord, I believe in miracles. I’ve just witnessed one.” She paused for a moment to think of all He had done. More than anything else, the Lord had convinced Tangie that she did, indeed, have a call on her life to work with kids. Maybe it hadn’t always been easy … but it had been worth it. No doubt about that.

  “A penny for your thoughts.” Tangie looked up as she heard a familiar voice. Gregg’s mom stood in front of her, a broad smile on her face. “I liked your bunny show.”

  Tangie laughed. “Seriously?”

  “Seriously. Lots to chew on. I’ll have to get back with you on all of that. But I wanted you to know I think you and Gregg did an awesome job.” Penny leaned down and whispered, “And didn’t he sound great on the piano?”

  “He sure did. You should hear him on Sundays. He’s the best.” Tangie stopped herself from saying more. Didn’t want to push the envelope. Still, Penny was right. Gregg had saved the day by stepping into the role of pianist.

  Penny glanced at her watch. “Well, I’ve got to scoot. Thank goodness Sarah was home from school and could babysit the store for me this afternoon.”

  “I’m so glad.” Tangie smiled.

  “You coming in on Monday?” Penny asked. “There’s going to be a lot of cleanup.”

  Tangie gave a hesitant nod. “M–maybe. I’ll get back to you on that.”

  Penny nodded but took off in a hurry.

  Tangie rose and started cleaning up the stage area. As she reached the farthest corner, a couple of familiar voices rang out.

  “Tangerine!”

  She turned, stunned to see her sisters and their husbands standing there. “Taffie? Candy!” Tangie sprinted their way, her heart now beating double time as she saw her little niece cradled in Taffie’s arms. “What are you doing here?”

  “You didn’t think Gran-Gran would let us get away with not seeing the show, did you?” Candy said, her words framed in laughter.

  “And besides, I wanted Callie to see her Aunt Tangie in her first church performance,” Taffie added, passing the darling baby girl off to Tangie.

  She held the beautiful infant, her heart suddenly quite full. “Did you come alone, or …”

  “Oh, you mean Mom and Dad?” Candy shrugged. “They’re in Texas this week. But Mom sends her love. And Dad says—”

  “Break a leg!” they all shouted in unison.

  “So, you saw the show?” Tangie gave her sisters a hesitant look. When they nodded, she asked, “W–what did you think?”

  “You’re kidding, right?” Candy shook her head. “It was amazing, Tangie. I got it. Every bit of symbolism. Every nuance. It was all there. And the kids were amazing.”

  “So was their director,” Taffie added with a wink.

  “Yes, you’re a natural,” Candy agreed as she reached to give her a hug. “You were born for the theater.” She said the word theater in an exaggerated British accent, making everyone laugh.

  Tangie wanted to ask her sisters’ opinion, whether she should—or shouldn’t—go to New York to audition for A Woman in Love. But this wasn’t the time. No, this was the time to cuddle her niece, chat with her sisters … and introduce everyone to one very special music director.

  Chapter 22

  The Monday after the big show, Tangie received a call from a very hyper Marti.

  “You’re coming home, right? Vincent called again, and he said to tell you to be at the Marlowe Theater at two o’clock on Wednesday afternoon. That’s the final day of the auditions. In my opinion, it’s better to go last than first. You’ll leave a lasting impression on him that way.”

  “I guess.” Tangie sighed. “I’ve been praying about it, Marti, but I’m just not sure.” Every time she prayed, images of Gregg’s face popped up in front of her. And the children … she would miss them something fierce. She would miss Penny, too. And her grandparents. Would it really be worth it—to trade in the people she now loved … for a production?

  “We’re not talking forever,” Marti reminded her. “It’s just one show. And what can it hurt to audition? You don’t have to bring all of your stuff when you come. Just bring a bag or two. Come tomorrow and stay at my place for a few days. You can make your decision after you get here. If you get the part, maybe that will be a sign you’re supposed to be back here. If you don’t …” Marti paused. “Well, I don’t want to think about that because I really want you back in New York. But you can decide for yourself, okay?”

  “Okay.” Tangie realized this was really the only thing that made sense. If she didn’t go back to New York and audition for this role, she’d never know for sure whether she belonged in the Big Apple or in Harmony. And, if she didn’t at least give this a shot, she’d never know if she had what it took to be a leading lady.

  Tangie settled down onto the bed, reaching for one of the programs from the children’s musical. The kids had signed it—using their childi
sh scribbles to offer up their thanks for the role she’d played. She grinned as she saw Cody’s signature, followed by, Break a Leg! And then there was Annabelle’s childish script, followed by, Thank you for believing in me. Her favorite, however, was Margaret’s. After the beautiful, well-placed signature, the tempestuous little girl had written, This was the best play ever! Thanks for letting me be the narrator!

  “Lord, I’m going to miss these kids. And my grandparents. And …”

  She sighed. Most of all, she would miss Gregg. She’d miss the look of disbelief in his eyes when she said something outlandish. She’d miss the way they harmonized together. Most of all, she’d miss the way he looked deep into her soul, challenging her to be a better person.

  Determined to get through this, Tangie made her way to the living room. She found her grandparents watching TV.

  “I, um, I need to talk to you.”

  “Not now, honey.” Her grandmother shooed her away with the wave of a hand. “We’re watching The Price Is Right.“

  “Yes, but … I need to tell you something.”

  Gran-Gran looked up, and for the first time Tangie noticed the tears in her eyes. “We know you do, honey. But not right now.” The way her grandmother emphasized the last four words stopped Tangie cold.

  Ah ha. She just doesn’t want to face the fact that I’m leaving. Well, fine. I’ll talk to them later. Right now, she needed to head over to Sweet Harmony to let Penny know about her decision. Then, of course, she had to talk to Gregg.

  Every time she thought about telling him, Tangie felt a lump in her throat. The sting of tears burned her eyes. She’d fallen for him. No doubt about that. But then again, she always fell for the leading man. Right? What made this one different from the others?

  She drove to town, noticing, for the first time, the green leaves bursting through on the trees. “Oh, Lord! I’ve been so busy with the show I almost missed it! Spring!”

  Yes, everywhere she looked, the radiant colors of spring greeted her. They were in the blue waters of the little creek on the outskirts of town. They were in the tender white blossoms in the now-budding pear trees. Even the cars seemed more colorful than before, now that they weren’t covered in dirty snow.

  Yes, color had come to Harmony at the very time she had to leave.

  “Stop it, Tangie. It’s springtime in New York, too.” She forced her thoughts to Manhattan as she pulled her car into the parking lot at Sweet Harmony. By the time she climbed out of the car, Tangie had a new resolve. “I can do this. What’s the big deal, anyway?”

  She pushed open the front door of the bakery, the bell jangling its usual welcome. Tangie drew in a deep breath and approached Penny, who was working behind the counter.

  “Well, hey, kiddo. I wondered if you might come in today. Made up your mind yet? Are you staying or going?”

  Talk about cutting to the chase. Penny was never one to mince words. Well, fine. She wouldn’t either. “Penny, I hate to tell you this, but …”

  “You’re leaving for New York.”

  “Yes.”

  Penny set down the mound of dough she’d been kneading and gave Tangie a pensive look. “Well, look, kid, I’ve been preparing myself for it for weeks. I’ll just put a sign in the window, and—”

  “No, please don’t do that. Not yet anyway.” Tangie’s nerves kicked in. “I’m going to New York, but I don’t know if I’m going to stay. Auditions are on Wednesday, so I need to leave tomorrow. I should know something a few days later. Can you give me a week, Penny? I’ll call if I’m not coming back.”

  “Sure.” With the wave of a hand, Penny dismissed the idea. “I’ll get Josh to help me till then. It won’t hurt the boy to work with his mama. Go on and go to that audition. Might do you some good.” She went to work washing out one of the mixing bowls. “ ’Course, if you stay in New York it’ll break our hearts, but don’t fret over that.” She turned back and gave Tangie a wink. “Kidding, kiddo. You chase after your dreams.”

  “Thank you for understanding, Penny. I’m praying about what to do, but God hasn’t really given me a clear answer.” She glanced down at the tattoo on her wrist, pondering the little star. Is this really where I’m supposed to go, God? To follow that star? To see where it leads me?

  Everything in Penny’s demeanor changed at the mention of the word God. Her happy-go-lucky smile faded, and she exhaled. Loudly.

  “What?” Tangie approached with a bit of hesitation.

  “Well, since you brought up God and all …” Penny began to fidget.

  “What about Him?”

  “I just wanted to tell you something. I’ve been thinking a lot about this. That play you and Gregg put on with the kids … it was, well, it was great.”

  “Really?” Tangie’s heart wanted to burst into song with this news.

  Penny’s eyes filled with tears. “This is going to sound nuts, but that scene where the little sheep has the conversation with the shepherd about wandering away from the fold …” Penny’s eyes misted over. “I got it, Tangie. I understood what you were trying to say. I’m that little sheep.”

  “Yes.” A lump rose in Tangie’s throat, and she could hardly contain her emotions. “T–that’s right.”

  “Let me ask you a question. Did you write that play with me in mind?”

  Tangie smiled. “To be completely honest, no. I just wrote it with people in mind. God loves people, Penny. All people. And He desires that we love Him back. It’s really pretty simple. That’s why I used such a childlike platform to get that message across.”

  “So childlike an old fool like me could get it.” Penny smiled as she gazed into Tangie’s eyes. “Oh, by the way, thanks for letting Josh play the role of the shepherd. I haven’t seen him this excited since I gave him that Star Wars lunch box in the second grade.”

  Tangie laughed. “He did a great job. And I think memorizing those lines about how much God loves His kids really did something to him.”

  “I think you’re right.” After a moment, Penny’s brow wrinkled. “Seeing God as a shepherd really messed up my thinking, I’ll have you know.”

  “It did?”

  “Yes.” Penny exhaled, pursed her lips, then said, “I never saw Him as kindhearted or loving before. I guess I always figured God was as mean spirited as some of the people who say they represent Him.”

  “He’s not.” Tangie shook her head. “And I’m sorry your experience with the church was painful. I can only tell you that the people I know who love the Lord are just the opposite of what you’ve described. They’re loving and giving, and they accept people, no matter what.” She gestured to her bright red hair, her tattoos, and then the tiny diamond stud in her nose. “I speak from experience. No one there has ever judged me.”

  “Except me.”

  The male voice sounded behind her, and Tangie turned to find Gregg standing there. He must’ve slipped in the back door, but when?

  “W–what?” Tangie turned to face him.

  “I judged you.” He sighed. “I don’t think I did it on purpose, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t give you a fair shake in the beginning. I’m not sure why.”

  “My appearance?” she asked.

  “I don’t know. I think it’s just that we’re so opposite. It took me a while to adjust to the fact that I’d be working with someone who’s my polar opposite.”

  “You two are about as different as singing rabbits and dancing chickens,” his mother threw in. “But that’s what makes relationships so interesting.”

  “Yes, opposites do attract.” He took Tangie’s hands in his and stared into her eyes. “But the real question is, can this relationship stand the test of time?”

  Gregg’s heart thump-thumped so loudly, he could hear it in his ears. He’d walked in at just the right moment—or maybe just the wrong moment, depending on how you looked at it. Tangie was leaving. She’d confirmed it. And he wouldn’t stop her, though everything within him rebelled at the idea of losing her.

 
And all of that stuff his mom had said to Tangie about the play. Had she really come face-to-face with the Good Shepherd, thanks to a kids’ Easter production? If so, then God had truly worked a miracle.

  His mom gave him a wink then disappeared into the back room. Gregg took this as his cue. He wrapped Tangie in his arms, thankful there were no customers in the store.

  “So, you’re leaving tomorrow?” he whispered, leaning in to press a kiss onto her cheek.

  “I am.” She lingered in his arms, giving him hope.

  He reached to brush a loose hair from her face.

  “I’ll never know what might’ve happened if I don’t go.”

  “I understand. And I support you. It’s killing me, but I support you.”

  Tangie gave him a playful pout. “You’ll wait for me?”

  “Wait for you? Hmm.” He paused a moment, just to make her wonder, then grinned. “Till the end of time.”

  “Very dramatic. Spoken like a true theater person.” Tangie winked then kissed the tip of his nose.

  He wanted to grab her and give her a kiss convincing enough to stay put, but the bell above the bakery door jangled. A customer walked in. At that same moment, Gregg’s mother reappeared from the back room.

  “You two lovebirds need to go build your nest elsewhere.” His mom snapped a dish towel at him. “I’m trying to run a business here.”

  “Mm-hmm.” He nodded, gingerly letting go of Tangie’s hands.

  “I need to get to work, anyway,” Tangie said, reaching for an apron. “This is going to be my last day … for a while, anyway.”

  “Last day.” Gregg swallowed hard and settled onto a bar stool. If this was her last day, he wanted to spend every minute of it with her.

  “Oh, but, Gregg, before I go.” She turned to him with a winning smile. “There is one little thing you need to do.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yes.” She nodded, a hint of laughter in her eyes. “I seem to remember someone once promising he would eat a whole plateful of artichokes in front of the kids if the performance went well.”