Read Online Christmas Daisy by Christine Bush - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Christine Bush
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she could muster to rehearsal. But the truth was, each time Miss Gracie would bang out the chord for the each carol to begin, Daisy could actually feel her heart rate increase. At times, her hands shook. Her stomach was in a perpetual knot. She simply dreaded Christmas, and everything that was a symbol of it. And the music was a symbol that permeated her very soul. It hurt.
But she kept on. She did it mostly for the kids , despite the emotional upheaval. There was joy on their faces as they worked on each song, often out of key. The laughter and excitement was a great motivator as they acted out their parts. But she also did it for Ben. She loved to see the grin on his face as he directed each scene. The pageant meant a lot to New Horizons, and New Horizons meant everything to Dr. Benjamin Wilson. And as the days went on, it meant a lot to Daisy too.
And when things didn’t go exactly well, like when the over exuberant shepherds knocked over the wall of the stable in their unbridled excitement to see the baby Jesus, she watched him run his hands through his already unruly curly hair in exasperation. His concern was always evident. And his tolerance and self control were Olympic. He simply loved the kids, and that was clear. It warmed her heart, and almost made up for the Christmas stress she felt.
Daisy and Alexandra had bonded with little Hannah through the rehearsals, often without words. She’d enter the rehearsal space hanging on to Alexandra’s hand for dear life, overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the stage and noisy cast as they began. When it was time for the angels to enter the stage at an early scene in the pageant, it was Alexandra’s turn to feel fear, and she’d turn to Daisy with a face drained white by her anxiety.
And Daisy would swallow her own pain, and step to the other side of Hannah, and the angel trio would step onto the stage to join the other multitude of singers in the angel choir. The angel songs were sung as a group, and they worked their way through “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem”, “Silent Night”, and “ O Holy Night”. In the large crowd, no one seemed to notice Alexandra stood silently on one side of Hannah, who was singing joyously at the top of her lungs, once she got started. Daisy stood on the other side, trying to mouth the words to do her duty, but well aware her lackluster voice wasn’t adding much to the angel choir. But they were there.
Occasionally, she noticed Ben watching her curiously, his brow f urrowed with concern , watching her reaction. She constantly aimed to look calm and normal, and though most people seemed not to notice her stress, she had a strong feeling it was obvious to him. But on she went. Each day, the pageant went smoother.
The angels sang. The babe was born. The shepherds arrived, and Peter, one of the teens with a great voice and courage to match, sang “The Little Drummer Boy”, complete with bongo drum. The three kings made their appearance. The trio of middle schoolers sang “We Three Kings of Orient Are”, with great stamina, even if slightly off key.
“I don’t think we should bring these dumb gifts to the baby,” complained Mario, one of the kings. “What kid really wants Frankincense for Christmas?”
“”Yeah, man,” grumbled Jarrett, king number two. “I think we should give him an Xbox. Or maybe an IPod.”
There was great discussion of the appropriateness of the gifts of Frankincense and Myrrh. Eventually, they conceded they would accept to do the pageant as written. And rehearsals went on.
The final song of the pageant was planned to be “Angels We Have Heard on High”, sung by the wh ole cast, and featuring the angels. At the final rehearsal, when they had added costumes, props, and a giant spotlight, run carefully by Mr. Andy at the back of the audience, they were still working out the details, and there was more than a bit of chaos.
“Everybody,
But she kept on. She did it mostly for the kids , despite the emotional upheaval. There was joy on their faces as they worked on each song, often out of key. The laughter and excitement was a great motivator as they acted out their parts. But she also did it for Ben. She loved to see the grin on his face as he directed each scene. The pageant meant a lot to New Horizons, and New Horizons meant everything to Dr. Benjamin Wilson. And as the days went on, it meant a lot to Daisy too.
And when things didn’t go exactly well, like when the over exuberant shepherds knocked over the wall of the stable in their unbridled excitement to see the baby Jesus, she watched him run his hands through his already unruly curly hair in exasperation. His concern was always evident. And his tolerance and self control were Olympic. He simply loved the kids, and that was clear. It warmed her heart, and almost made up for the Christmas stress she felt.
Daisy and Alexandra had bonded with little Hannah through the rehearsals, often without words. She’d enter the rehearsal space hanging on to Alexandra’s hand for dear life, overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the stage and noisy cast as they began. When it was time for the angels to enter the stage at an early scene in the pageant, it was Alexandra’s turn to feel fear, and she’d turn to Daisy with a face drained white by her anxiety.
And Daisy would swallow her own pain, and step to the other side of Hannah, and the angel trio would step onto the stage to join the other multitude of singers in the angel choir. The angel songs were sung as a group, and they worked their way through “Oh Little Town of Bethlehem”, “Silent Night”, and “ O Holy Night”. In the large crowd, no one seemed to notice Alexandra stood silently on one side of Hannah, who was singing joyously at the top of her lungs, once she got started. Daisy stood on the other side, trying to mouth the words to do her duty, but well aware her lackluster voice wasn’t adding much to the angel choir. But they were there.
Occasionally, she noticed Ben watching her curiously, his brow f urrowed with concern , watching her reaction. She constantly aimed to look calm and normal, and though most people seemed not to notice her stress, she had a strong feeling it was obvious to him. But on she went. Each day, the pageant went smoother.
The angels sang. The babe was born. The shepherds arrived, and Peter, one of the teens with a great voice and courage to match, sang “The Little Drummer Boy”, complete with bongo drum. The three kings made their appearance. The trio of middle schoolers sang “We Three Kings of Orient Are”, with great stamina, even if slightly off key.
“I don’t think we should bring these dumb gifts to the baby,” complained Mario, one of the kings. “What kid really wants Frankincense for Christmas?”
“”Yeah, man,” grumbled Jarrett, king number two. “I think we should give him an Xbox. Or maybe an IPod.”
There was great discussion of the appropriateness of the gifts of Frankincense and Myrrh. Eventually, they conceded they would accept to do the pageant as written. And rehearsals went on.
The final song of the pageant was planned to be “Angels We Have Heard on High”, sung by the wh ole cast, and featuring the angels. At the final rehearsal, when they had added costumes, props, and a giant spotlight, run carefully by Mr. Andy at the back of the audience, they were still working out the details, and there was more than a bit of chaos.
“Everybody,
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