Page 63 of Kiss Me at Christmas
“Nothing that hasn’t been seen or done before, my dear,” said Gideon. “Richard Burton would be proud of you. When you’re ready.”
Billy and Isabel made their way to the stage, and Harriet took her seat. Sid plonked himself down beside her, and James settled beside him. They regarded each other over the top of Sid’s head.
“I jumped to the wrong conclusion,” said James.
“Did you tell him that?” She didn’t want to mentionBilly’s name with his little brother sitting in the chair beside her.
“I did.”
“Don’t do it again.”
“I won’t.”
It was hard to stay angry at someone so quick to take responsibility for his actions. Plus, he had smoothed the way for Isabel to have a second chance at auditioning. Harriet was wise enough to know that any kind of relationship required equal amounts of goodwill and forgiveness if it was to succeed.
“Thank you.” She smiled at him, and he smiled back.
“Ready when you are!” Gideon called.
Billy cleared his throat and haltingly began to read the part of Mrs. Cratchit. But Isabel, high on being given another crack at the part and the relief of knowing that the worst had already happened, spoke loud and clear. Every syllable was perfectly enunciated; every nuance and cadence in the words of Bob Cratchit was executed with precision. And at the end of her audition even Grace, with all her censorious hubris, had nothing negative to say. The applause was enthusiastic, and Harriet hoped that this would be the moment people associated with Isabel.
“And so, we have our contenders for the parts of Roberta and Mr. Cratchit!” Gideon boomed. “Magnificent!”
Billy held his hand up to protest. But his objections were lost as Carly and Ricco barreled down the center aisle, rucksacks swinging wildly, shouting, “We’re here! Don’t stop the auditions!”
They brought in the refreshing scent of cold evening on their clothes and generated enough electric excitement to recharge the battery on a flat Tesla.
“We’ve put together a set list that we think couldreally work,” Carly shouted from the stage while Ricco handed a folder of music to Prescilla. “We’ve only properly learned three so far, but if you want more, we have loads of ideas.”
“Hmmm.” Gideon’s expression was dubious. “I am not yet sure that singing has a place in this particular production…”
“Please, Gideon,” Harriet entreated. “Give them a chance. Hear them out.”
He flapped his arms in the air. “Okay, so be it. Sing on, yonder duo! Convince me!”
Prescilla gave Carly and Ricco a very enthusiastic thumbs-up, and Harriet thought maybe under those nice manners she was a bit of a dark horse.
Prescilla played the opening notes to “Underneath the Christmas Lights” by Sia, and Carly and Ricco began to sing, Carly’s alto having the slightest amount of scratch to Ricco’s clear tenor. Their voices echoed around the auditorium like a lament, a call to all the ghosts who resided in the walls. Harriet heard the doors being pushed open and bodies filling the aisle behind them and the balcony above as the maintenance crews were drawn into the auditorium.
“Brava!” Gideon shouted as he stood in ovation as they finished. “Magnifico! Stupendo! Fantastico!”
Harriet worried he would run out of Italian compliments. Applause filled the theater.
Carly and Ricco took a bow.
“You said you had more,” Gideon almost panted with desperation.
“You want another one?” asked Ricco, shielding his eyes against the lights.
“I’ve never wanted anything more!”
Carly ran over to Prescilla for a brief confab beforetaking her position back at Ricco’s side. This time they sang “What If.”
When they finished, half the maintenance crew were sobbing into their mugs of tea. Harriet was a mess. She could tell from the amount of black all over her tissue that she had no mascara left on her lashes. James’s mouth hung open, and even Grace was silenced.
“Sold!” Gideon enthused loudly. “It would be a criminal offense of the gravest kind not to share your talents with our audience. Your voices are in the show!”
Harriet jumped up and down whooping and punching the air as more tears streamed down her face. These kids were amazing, all of them, and her heart was full and overflowing for them.
