Page 29 of A Miracle for the Reserved Flyboy

The girl shyly held out one of her hands. “You can wear one of mine, Miss Simpson.”

Krista chuckled and shook her head. “Thank you, sweetie, but you keep those on. Your job is to stay warm and put on a great show.”

As the kids lined up in eager clusters, Krista spotted her mother across the square, giving her an enthusiastic thumbs-up. Relief washed over her. She glanced around, still hoping to catch a glimpse of Gary. He’d promised he’d be here early, snappingphotos for her of the big event. But as she scanned the crowd, her stomach sank a bit. No sign of him yet.

Clearing her throat, she straightened, picked up the microphone, and stepped onto the small, makeshift platform that served as their stage. “Hi, everyone,” Krista began, her voice amplified to the gathering audience, though a little feedback made her wince and adjust her grip. “I’m Miss Simpson, and this excited group behind me is my class. Tonight, we’re so happy to bring you our own version ofThe Nutcracker!”

The crowd burst into applause, and Krista glanced back at the kids. She covered the microphone with her hand, lowering her voice to speak to them directly. “All right, boys over here, girls over there. Remember, pretend we’re at a Christmas party, and the tree is going to magically unfold! Nobody touch the tree, okay? Please…” Her last word was nearly a prayer as the children surged forward, waving at their parents with wide smiles and giggles. She noticed one little girl’s face fall as tears threatened, her nerves clearly getting the best of her. Krista moved to her side, squeezing her tiny hand to offer a bit of comfort.

In the background, the school janitor, Mr. Munoz, was setting up the wooden tree display. When he was done, Krista gave him a grateful nod as he got into character, slipping into his Drosselmeyer costume. “You’re up,” she whispered to him, nudging him toward the stage.

Mr. Munoz grumbled playfully, his face in a half-scowl. “This is the last time you con me into this, Miss Simpson.”

Krista chuckled. “You said that last year, too.”

He sighed with a reluctant smile. “Guess I’m just a glutton for punishment.”

“That’s why I know I can count on you!” she teased, nudging him forward as he reluctantly clambered onto the platform, lifting a decorated box in the air with exaggerated, theatrical movements as he swayed to the music.

Krista narrated into the microphone, “And then Drosselmeyer arrived at the party… with a special gift for Clara.”

The children gasped in awe, their eyes glued to Mr. Munoz, who twirled in his makeshift costume, playing his part perfectly. The performance was going off without a hitch, and Krista’s heart swelled with pride. But her mind raced as she glanced once more into the crowd, silently hoping she’d spot Gary’s familiar face.

Just then, she realized it was time for the Mouse King and Queen to make their grand entrance. Her dad had volunteered for the part, but where was he? She threw a quick, exasperated look at her mom, who only beamed and gave another encouraging thumbs-up, a gesture that left Krista more confused than reassured.

“Where’s Dad?” she mouthed at her mother, who responded with yet another thumbs-up. Krista bit back a groan, lifting her mouse tail in one hand as she prepared to improvise. But a light tap on her shoulder made her whirl around.

“Hi,” said Gary, his voice soft yet steady.

Krista’s mouth dropped open in shock. There he stood, wearing his own gray onesie zipped all the way to his throat, a foam crown perched on his head. His cheeks bore pink circles, and his nose was smudged with black paint, matching her look exactly. But it was his warm smile, eyes twinkling under the Christmas lights, that made her heart skip a beat.

“What… you’re here?” she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Always,” he murmured with a smile, holding out his arm. “Shall we, my queen?”

Mr. Munoz, taking his cue, smoothly retrieved the microphone from her hand and continued the narration as Gary led her onto the stage, guiding her to a spot marked with an‘X’ on the floor. The music swelled dramatically as the scene reached its crescendo, but then… silence.

Krista froze, her eyes widening as she realized the music had suddenly stopped. She moved to step back, panic bubbling up, but Gary gently caught her hand, pulling her close. His eyes held hers, and in that moment, the whole square seemed to fade away.

“I need you to know how much I care about you,” he whispered, his words barely audible over the sound of her heartbeat pounding in her ears. “Krista, I think you’re amazing… and I don’t want us to lose what we have.”

“Gary… what’s going on?” she asked breathlessly, caught between excitement and confusion.

“I’m going to be gone for a while, but I don’t want us to stop talking, to stop growing.” He paused, his gaze never leaving hers. “I want you to wait for me. And I know this is a lot to ask, but I want to start with a promise.”

Krista blinked, emotions crashing over her as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. Her mind raced, nerves and wonder mingling. “These things have pockets?” she blurted out, and laughter rippled through the crowd around them, but her focus remained solely on Gary, who opened the box to reveal a delicate ring.

“Krista Simpson,” he said, his voice thick with emotion, “this is a promise that when I come back, I’m going to ask you to be my wife.”

Her hands were trembling, tears slipping down her cheeks as he slipped the ring onto her finger. She glanced down, seeing the tiny silver mouse wrapped around her finger and let out a soft, tearful laugh.

“I thought it was fitting,” he whispered, his eyes filled with warmth.

“It’s perfect,” she managed, her voice catching with the weight of the moment. He moved closer, wrapping her in his arms under the soft glow of Christmas lights, the laughter of children, and the warmth of the holiday spirit surrounding them.

“I’ll put a diamond there when I come back,” he promised softly, brushing his lips against hers. “But until then, no more dating – blind dates or otherwise… only you.”

Krista’s heart soared as she whispered back, “Only you.”

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