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The next day at pageant practice proves to be very interesting.  Alastair finds himself seated next to Savannah again.  This time she doesn’t do anything to get his attention.  I watch them over the course of several minutes.  Savannah keeps sending surreptitious, little glances his way, but she keeps her hands to herself this afternoon. 

Alastair spends at least five minutes peeking at her off and on.  He seems a little nervous to me.  I can see him screwing up his courage.  Finally, he turns his head and stares at her until she glances up into his eyes.  I see him smile at her and begin to speak.  Then he points at her paper.  After a momentary expression of bafflement flits across her face, she hands him her paper.  He holds it crisply in front of him, and his eyes travel across the sheet for a moment.  Then he looks up at her.  Expectantly.

I watch as she begins to recite her lines.  Alastair runs his finger across the page as she speaks.  He stops her a moment later.  To correct her, most likely.  She grimaces and begins again.  After a few minutes, he hands the paper back to her.  He misses the smile she sends his way as he turns to say something to Abner.  I am beaming with pride in my little peacemaker.

Allie is still mooning over my handsome Everett.  Only, today he’s aware of it.  And every once in a while, his eyes slide her way.  They linger on her cute, little face until her own eyes collide with his.  Then his gaze frantically disappears in another direction. 

I smile at how adorable they both are before I run off to help one of the sheep get her costume zipped up.  Mary is having trouble with her head scarf too.  And Joseph’s belt keeps falling off.  At least, the shepherds are already wearing their bathrobes.

Everett has a leading role in this little pageant.  He’s the head angel who announces the birth of Jesus to the shepherds.  It just so happens that adorable Allie stars opposite him.  She also has a line.

“Don’t be scared!” Everett admonishes the shepherds.  “I’ve come to bring you the very best news you’ll ever hear!  It’s for you and for the whole world.  Today in Bethlehem the Savior was born.”

Allie interrupts him, “How will they know which baby is the Savior?”

Everett is quick to reply, “This will be the sign of the Savior: you’ll find Him wrapped in cloth strips and sleeping in a feeding trough.”

Suddenly, Yoon’s elegant hands release a crescendo of praise from the keys of the piano as a chorus of voices – all the other angels – begins to thunder in song.

“Glory to God

In the highest heaven!  

He has released

Magnificent peace

On the earth

Through the Savior’s birth. 

He’s sent a rescuing rope,

Given people everywhere hope.

Glory to God!

Glory to God!”

Did I mention that Noel is the head shepherd?  So he also gets a few lines.

Several minutes later, as the overjoyed angels finally quiet down and disappear from sight, he turns towards the other shepherds and exclaims, “Let’s go to Bethlehem!  Let’s go see what God has done.  The thing He’s just told us about!”

The shell-shocked shepherds begin to make their way to Bethlehem.  But the tiniest one experiences a wardrobe malfunction as he trips over the belt of his bathrobe.  I rush over to the crying child and help him find his feet again.  I also tie that rebellious rope around his waist into a bow so that it can’t do any more damage to him.  Thankfully, the remainder of their rehearsal runs smoothly.

Near the end of it, Melody returns to practice with Yoon.  I spy her entering the auditorium.  Her eyes immediately seek out his face.  But they’ll have to make do with his back, for he is bent over the keys of the piano still.  Melody looks excited to see him but like she’s trying to stifle her reaction to him.  I hope for her sake that she learns to relax in his presence.  I’d like to see what Melody is like when she’s not wound up tight. 

Yoon, on the other hand, seems very relaxed.  Even when he spots her a few moments later.  He keeps grinning at her.  He knows the song well enough today that his eyes remain on her face throughout her first rehearsal of Heaven’s Breath.

After she sings it through once, he breathes, “Melody, that was just perfect.”

Her lips twist awkwardly.  “I doubt that very much.  I felt like I was a little off-key during the second verse.”

He shakes his head. 

I’m pretty sure Melody is extremely hard on herself.  This makes me a little sad.  I understand having a perfectionistic complex.  I used to be a little that way myself.  I hope she learns to relax and enjoy life.  One day at a time.  The way it always comes. 

Sometimes, it takes people a while to figure that out.  Some of them never do.  I’m hoping Melody will be one of the ones who figures it out sooner rather than later.  She seems like a nice girl hidden underneath a lot of care.  I’m still wondering what has made her so rigid.

“When will we perform this during the pageant?” she asks him.

“It’s the opening act.”

“We’re first?” she queries in surprise.  “I guess that’s good.  I won’t have too much time to be nervous.  We can get it over with right away.”

He smiles sympathetically up at her.  “You’re going to be wonderful.  You have no need to be nervous.”

She glances at him uncertainly.  “Thank you for your confidence in me, but I’m pretty sure I’ve done nothing to deserve it.”

“Melody, you have a phenomenal voice.  Aren’t you aware of it?”

She shrugs.  “It’s okay, I guess.”

“No, it’s not,” he remarks emphatically.  “It’s not just okay.  It’s stunning.”

She blinks, but then she holds his gaze steady for a few moments before clearing her throat.  “Uh, thanks.  I…we better practice some more.”

He nods, and those fingers of his are flying up and down the keys once more.  I happen to catch the wave of tenderness that flows over her face as she looks at him just then. 

Oh, yeah.  Yoon has definitely made an inroad into her heart.  I find myself smiling.  I’m happy for her.  Is it possible that she might have a date for the Snow Ball after all?