Several moms went out and started up their cars so as not to drain the batteries and did just that, illuminating the lobby with spotlightlike brightness. It was terribly uncomfortable but better than one dim light in the corner. They needed to be able to see the kids in case somebody wandered off. The harsh light revealed the lobby, now a disaster of candy wrappers and smashed, stepped-on chocolate ground into the beautiful tapestry carpet.
It was now six forty-five. The ice storm had held off for the most part, but the theater was still pitch-black. How in the world would they get the play on with no lights? Dallas grew more and more nervous, knowing the whole event might have to be postponed. Her mom called and said she and Houston and Amy were on their way. Dallas knew it was only a matter of time before all of the audience would be making their way inside from the lobby.
“Okay, listen up, everyone,” Dallas announced. “We need to clean this all up the minute you’ve all finished eating. Corey and Betty Ann will lead you to the bathrooms to wash up. Each of them has a flashlight, so stay close to one of them. Come back and help gather all the trash and throw it away in the big can behind the counter.”
The children were giggling and fidgety, on a sugar high they might never come down from with all the candy and then doughnuts. Dallas could only hope everyone would remember their lines.
“Cal, do you know anything about generators? Maybe we can rig us something up just in case,” Dallas said with a desperate look on her face.
“I know a little but not enough. Let me go see what I can do,” he answered, heading up the stairs from the lobby to the sound booth.
Cal was gone about ten minutes when Corey shouted, “Hey, look, we have lights on the stage!” If nothing else, the footlights were working. Cal came down from the balcony smiling. Dallas walked over to him and hugged him happily. “You really are the genius I heard you were,” she said, kissing him.
“Well, I try,” Cal said modestly. “But we won’t have any lights in the auditorium, and I know that’s gonna be a safety issue. So let me just call the power company back. We got about half an hour before the show’s supposed to start. The audience will be here any minute.” He stepped aside to make the call.
Dallas felt defeated. She knew they really couldn’t have the play if the auditorium had no lights, and there were no lights in any of the bathrooms.
“Maybe we can just delay the beginning,” Betty Ann said, trying to console her. By now the kids had settled back down, all looking sleepy, which was not good either.
“Okay, they said about half an hour and we’ll be back in business,” Cal said.
“Half an hour? We’ll just have to announce the delay as the guests arrive at the box office,” Dallas said.
Which was right this minute.
Vivi stepped into the box office and took over, leading everyone inside the lobby. Mike Maddox from the TV station and Abigail Harper and some others from the local media arrived, ready for all the big announcements coming at the end of the performance. Dallas talked to them for a minute before Corey led them all to their seats by flashlight. The green room was bursting at the seams by seven-twenty. The lady who usually ran the box office was scared to drive over because of the weather reports of the impending ice storm, so Blake and Vivi worked with the growing crowd while Dallas and Cal held down the fort with the kids. Still, no ice was falling from the sky and no lights were shining inside. It all seemed like a major bust.
“May I have your attention, everyone?” Dallas called out to the crowd. “Things aren’t looking so good right now. Mr. Hollingsworth has just checked with the power company and they are running behind. All of downtown is dark, and it’s already seven forty-five. We have decided to postpone the play.” Dallas dropped her head in disappointment as she spoke.
Everyone shouted aww’s and booed, but she and Cal and Betty Ann didn’t know what else to do.
“Hey, wait a minute! I see the streetlights back on down the block,” shouted Betty Ann, peering out the front doors. Then suddenly, the lights in the green room flickered, and Cal and Dallas glanced into the auditorium. The tiny star-lights came up, and the whole place was instantly a Christmas wonderland.
“Okay, scratch that,” Cal announced. “We’re on in twenty minutes. Everyone take your seats.” He pulled Dallas into him for a passionate good-luck kiss and smiled as he rushed up the balcony stairs, skipping every other one with his long legs.
“Ms. Dallas.” Sara Grace tugged at her skirt. “I’m gonna get to be an angel tonight on the stage. I’m so excited!”
Dallas turned and bent down to look into her eyes.
“Me, too, baby. Let’s go get ready. Surely nothing else can go wrong.”
50
Finally, after all the rehearsals, the Christmas production of Sleigh Bells was underway. The music began, the lights went up and all the children entered the stage singing. The audience applauded like crazy. Dallas stood to stage left in the wings. Betty Ann and Corey worked straight across from her on the other side, ushering the kids on and off through their scenes of an old-fashioned Victorian Christmas.
Everything was running so smoothly, Dallas thought this may be the most flawless performance of all. Chris and Jay came forward to do their puppet performance with their German nutcrackers, and even that went off wonderfully. Then Sara Grace approached the microphone, her little angel wings situated perfectly on her back. The music began for “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” and her voice matched her wings. She sang like an angel.
She glanced over to Dallas who was mouthing the words to the song along with her. She gave her a little smile. When Dallas looked up and out into the audience, she saw her mother and brother. She locked eyes with them and began to tear up. Her family was there, and this year she actually would be home for Christmas. Her brother gave her a thumbs-up, and her mom blew her a kiss. Dallas could barely contain herself, tears streaming down her face as Sara Grace finished up.
“Ms. Dallas, what’s wrong?” Sara Grace asked after she bowed. The audience was standing now and applauding her.
“I’m fine, sweetie, just tears of joy. I’m so proud of you,” Dallas said, sending Sara Grace back out for a second bow. The little girl in the perfect angel wings bowed over and over and waved to the crowd.
During intermission the manger scene was set up, the shepherds leading the donkey and the sheep to their spots. All the children were supposed to be Christmas caroling along the snow-covered Victorian street when they come upon a manger scene along the path. That would lead in to “Away In a Manger” as the last formal song, then all the children would head into the audience singing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” as they threw candy canes. It was almost over and Dallas could finally breathe.
But then, Jay and Christopher got their hands on those nutcrackers.
Just as the manger scene was revealed and the children passed by and broke into the song, Dallas could see Christopher give Jay the nod and each of them stuck their nutcracker puppets right on the butts of the two live animals, chomping down. The donkey and the sheep both took off running as the children screamed and jumped back, clearing them a path. The animals ran down the ramp and into the shrieking audience, spooked beyond control.
The shepherds took off after them.
“Stop that donkey!” Dallas shouted. All the children were laughing as the sheep let out a baaaah so loud it drowned out the music. The audience scrambled up, standing on their seats and trying to stay out of the way of the donkey and the shepherds. Finally, with the animals wrangled, Dallas walked to center stage to make an announcement. “So sorry, folks,” she apologized. “We had no idea the manger scene would become a rodeo, and as if that weren’t enough, now for the finale.” Cal immediately started the music, and the children all began “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” and headed down each side of the stage, throwing candy cane
s.
Anna Beth and Austin stopped by Dallas as they started down the aisle, Anna Beth pulling at her skirt. Dallas bent down as the child whispered in her ear, “I’m so glad you’re my aunt,” she said softly and kissed Dallas on the cheek.
Dallas smiled at her. “Me, too,” she said.
The entire audience broke into the song, singing along with the children and catching the candy canes. The children made their way back to the stage as the song finished, all lining up and holding each other’s hands for their bow. The audience stayed standing and clapping as the kids bowed, and Dallas made her way on stage with Betty Ann and Corey.
Sara Grace pulled Dallas into the lineup next to her, Dallas now in the center as the audience kept clapping. Cal made his way up the ramp and stood to the side, clapping until Tristan went over and dragged him center stage next to Dallas. Cal slipped his hand into Dallas’s and clasped her fingers within his. He leaned over to her and kissed her cheek and squeezed her hand as the audience applauded. The stagehands shook the snow overhead, and the flakes fell as the children bowed. The entire stage looked like a snow globe that had just been shaken, and despite the mishaps, Dallas couldn’t have been more proud.
The mayor stepped out and stood next to Dallas and put his hands in the air to quiet the crowd.
“Okay, y’all, that was wonderful, rodeo and all! Can we quiet down to a low roar? We have so many people to thank. First and foremost, I wanna thank Dallas Dubois and Cal Hollingsworth for devoting their time and energy to our kids. Ms. Betty Ann and her assistant, Corey, too. Y’all have done a fantastic job. The city and the Tuscaloosa Children’s Home have benefited greatly form your efforts. Now, may I introduce the public relations representative for WRCT, Abigail Harper, and the owner, Lewis Heart!”
Everyone applauded at the mention of the Voice of the Crimson Tide.
“Thank you, Mayor,” Lewis said as he and Abigail stood at the mic.
“We’re here as one of the sponsors of this fantastic play,” Lewis began. “Our Twelve Days of Christmas contest was held to benefit the Children’s Home. We’d like to announce the winner.” He handed the mic to Abigail.
“Well, we are happy to announce that our winner is right here tonight as a member of the cast. Sara Grace Griffin, you have won the iPad!”
Abigail handed the child the prize.
“Thank you so much,” Sara Grace said as she took the gift. “Mr. Cal, thank you for helping me,” she whispered to him, so no one could hear her. But Dallas heard. She looked at Cal and smiled. No wonder she’d found that little toy drummer boy in his car that night.
“And,” Abigail continued, “I’d like to thank the anonymous Santa who donated iPads to every child that will be spending Christmas in the Children’s Home. It is an unprecedented gesture.” All the kids from the Children’s Home who made up the cast and choir jumped up and down, screaming with excitement.
Dallas looked at Cal. He was grinning ear to ear. Could it be? she wondered. She leaned over to him. “That’s not you, too, is it?” she whispered. He stood silent, smiling.
Just then, Dallas caught Mike coming out onstage from the wings. He held a piece of paper in is hands as he approached the mic. Dallas felt her gut tighten, and her hands suddenly felt shaky. In all of the excitement, she had put this moment on the back burner. The announcement of the anchor successor was seconds away. She had wanted this job for as long as she could remember. Just then, she caught a glimpse of Courtney standing on the other side of the stage in the wings. Oh, God, she thought. It’s her, for sure. She’s all dressed up and ready to meet her public.
“Thank y’all again for all the support you have given us as we have worked for the wonderful Tuscaloosa Children’s Home this year,” Lewis wrapped up, presenting a check to Ms. Hinton from the home. He handed the microphone to Mike.
“Good evening, Tuscaloosa. I’m Mike Maddox from WTAL-TV, the sister sponsor for this great production. First, I want to thank our star reporter Dallas Dubois, who volunteered her time and creativity to your children here, all while continuing to hold down her full-time job at WTAL every single day.” Everyone applauded and whistled for her. Cal, standing at her side, dropped her hand and clapped loudly. “You have definitely embodied all that we expect from a reporter and more these last few weeks, stepping in without warning for the ailing Ms. Fairbanks. Now, let me present this check to the Tuscaloosa Children’s Home on behalf of WTAL.”
He handed the check to Ms. Hinton while the crowd applauded again.
“Now, as most of you know, we will be announcing a new six o’clock anchor this month. I’ve decided tonight is the perfect opportunity to introduce you to your new anchor. As of January first, keep an eye out for none other than your favorite director, Ms. Dallas Dubois!”
Dallas stood there smiling, but not moving. Her nerves had taken over and she hadn’t even heard a word. She started clapping, thinking she was clapping for Courtney.
“Babe, it’s you,” Cal said, nudging her. “You are the new anchor.”
“What?’ she asked, confused.
“You, babe, it’s you. You’re the new anchor!”
Dallas suddenly registered that every single person was standing in the audience, all clapping for her. She was stunned, but she forced her legs to move and walked over to Mike.
“Oh, Mike, thank you so much. I can’t believe it!” She looked out into the roaring crowd and waved. Her mom blew her a kiss and clapped. Houston wiped a tear from his cheek and blew her a kiss, too. Her whole family was there. She looked out and saw Vivi and Blake, with Sonny and Lewis, baby Tallulah, Arthur and Bonita, Meridee and Kitty all clapping for her and smiling. She just knew she was gonna wake up any minute.
“You deserved this, Dallas,” Mike said. “You’ve been working for this spot for years. I am happy to be here to give you this promotion in front of the town that loves you so much.”
“But what about Courtney?” Dallas asked, unable to stop smiling as she spoke.
“Let me have your attention, please. One more announcement,” Mike said to the crowd. “Let me also introduce Courtney James as our new morning anchor. The WTAL Sunrise Show also begins January first.”
Courtney walked out and waved, staying only for a moment before she headed off into the wings.
Now I understand. The whole new schedule was for her morning show, Dallas thought to herself.
Everyone started gathering their things as Sara Grace tugged once more at her skirt. Dallas looked down and saw the little girl was crying.
“What’s wrong, baby?” she asked.
“I’m not gonna see you anymore, and I’m gonna miss you,” Sara Grace said, her cheeks streaked with tears.
Dallas looked at Cal and smiled. “I think we need to talk to you, sweetheart,” she said. Cal knelt down right there at center stage. He was on one side of Sara Grace and Dallas was on the other. Cal smiled at Dallas and nodded his head.
“I have a surprise for you,” Dallas said.
“What is it?” she asked, still unable to fully catch her breath.
“How would you like to spend all of Christmastime with me?”
“Really?” Sara Grace squealed with joy. She threw her arms around Dallas in a huge bear hug.
“How would you like it if we spent some time with Mr. Cal, too?”
“I can’t believe this is real,” Sara Grace said.
“Well, it sure is. It’s all set. You can come home with us right now, if that’s okay with you,” Dallas said hugging her again.
Sara Grace was practically bouncing with joy. Dallas clutched the child’s little hand and Cal held the other. The three of them stood and walked into the wings. All three of them knew they had their Christmas wishes in their grasp.
Dallas glanced out and saw Meridee still standing there with Blake and Vivi and K
itty. Meridee winked at Dallas, then leaned into the other women. “I always knew that girl was good. And I’m never wrong when it comes to people.”
Meridee smiled as the women all headed up the aisle together and out into the cold Christmas air of downtown Tuscaloosa.
* * * * *
Acknowledgments
How do I begin to say thank you to all the wonderful people who helped make this book possible? I am so grateful to: My beautiful, brilliant new editor, Michelle Venditti. Your insight is priceless, your patience immense and your hand-holding such a tremendous a comfort. With your ability to teach me as we go, and my ability for quick study, we are an amazing team. I am so lucky to have you!
To the rest of my MIRA family, including the talented cover design team of Michael Rehder and Quinn Banting. The covers are gorgeous and so Southern. I’m super proud of them! And to my fantastic PR team, Michelle Renaud and Lisa Wray, where would I be without you and all your tremendous efforts? You all went above and beyond for me. Thank you so much! And thank you to Jennifer Musico at Kaye Publicity. You have been nothing short of wonderful to work with!
My wonderful mother, Betty, whose nonstop cheerleading keeps me afloat and at the computer even on days when I’m not sure what I’m doing. I have never known what it feels like to be alone—because I always know I have you with me, pulling for me, giving me ideas and reminding me to just keep my eye on the ball. You have given me everything, and I can only pray I am half the mother to Brooks you always have been to me. I know how to love because I am loved by you. You will forever be the wind beneath my wings.
Brooks, my precious son, you love me genuinely every day and make sure I know it—every day. When I’m happy I see it glimmering in your eyes, too. I love sharing life with you! Thank you for your constant support. I love you more than I could ever say.
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