Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Author's Note: My first time writing this couple, so…Merry Christmas, or Happy Hanukah or whatever it is that you celebrate at this time of year. A lot of these ideas I got help with from Meloda26 and my younger sister and nephew.
A Family Concert
"Angela, honey, aren't you ready yet?"
"No. I just got back from work."
"Karen's going to be going on you know."
"Joel, we'll be there on time."
Joel turned around to see his wife coming down the stairs dressed in a simple skirt and shirt. As she adjusted her glasses he smiled at her, "You look beautiful."
"Thank you." Angela said blushing a little. "Are we ready?"
"Yes. Tim, Becky, we're going."
Two kids around the ages six and ten hurried out of the kitchen.
"Alright, no need to worry, I am here." The little boy said with as much confidence as he saw his Father have.
"It's about time." Joel joked with the two kids. "Alright, let's get going."
The four went outside and piled into their car and headed off to the school. The traffic was absolutely horrible causing them to get to the school a little later than they had planned, but they still had some time to get inside and get seats.
"Mom, Dad, Tim isn't wearing his seatbelt."
"Becky, no tattling. Tim get on your seatbelt, we haven't parked yet." Angela said as she helped Joel look through the school parking lot for a space.
"I see one." Joel said and he hurried to it but not before someone else speed into that space. Joel hit the steering wheel. "I hate parking at Christmas time. There's no parking spaces."
"Don't worry." Angela said as she placed her had on his arm, "Let's try that row over there."
"Alright." They continued down the row until they saw something that looked like it was free, but when they drove up to it, they saw that it was a motorcycle.
Continuing down they found a parking spot near the end of the lot. "Okay guys, we have to move fast if we want to make it there one time." Joel said as he helped Angela out of the car. As Joel took Angela's hand, Tim grabbed her other hand and Becky walked next to Joel. She had already told Joel that she was much to old to hold hands with her Dad, which had disappointed Joel to say the least; he was still upset about his other daughter not wanting to hold his hand.
They were able to get in and find a seat in enough time. Soon the curtain was up and the conductor stood up and began the band. They raced through Jingle Bells, circled their way through O Christmas Tree, and then they began The Nutcracker. They weren't doing the full version, but they were hitting many of the songs.
Angela sat drinking in the music as it flowed out to her. She had loved The Nutcracker ever since she was younger. Now sitting here watching her daughter be a part of it was just amazing. She turned and looked at Joel, normally he didn't much like the classical music but he sat entranced as he watched their daughter on the flute. Reaching over she took his hand and squeezed it, a gentle squeeze back showed her that he was really paying attention. Smiling she went back to watching the young musicians play the beautiful songs.
After they played The Nutcracker, they continued with various other Christmas songs ending the concert with Sleigh Ride. The Rawlings family stood up and cheered their family member that stood beaming on the stage. Finally after the applauding was over the auditorium emptied out into the hall where family members looked for the person they had been cheering on.
"I don't see her." Tim said as he jumped up.
"That's because she's not out yet." Becky said who stood taller than the younger boy.
"There she is." Joel said pointing toward a door.
They slowly made their way over to the young girl. Becky hugged her older sister, "You did great."
"Thanks." Karen said.
"Yeah, I guess you were okay." Their youngest said.
Karen smiled at him, "Thanks, I guess."
Angela pulled her into a hug, "Great work. You got it down just perfect."
"Thanks."
Joel put a hand on his daughter's shoulder with a pretend serious face, "You did a good job."
Giggling Becky pointed at her Dad while the fourteen year old flutist gave her Dad a weird look, "Thanks."
Joel smiled, "Come on, let's go."
They headed home with a stop for some ice cream.
After their children were in bed Angela and Joel sat together on the couch. "You really enjoyed the whole concert didn't you?" Angela asked Joel.
He looked over at her, "Of course I'm going to enjoy something my daughter is in." Then, after getting a certain look from his wife, he sighed, "I suppose you're rubbing off on me."
"That's a good thing."
"Hey, I do remember you listening to whose CDs the other day?"
Laughing Angela looked down, "Yes, and…"
"And…" Joel leaned in and captured his wife's lips in as searing kiss lasting until they were both breathless. "I think this is a conversation that we should have elsewhere." And the two leaned in and kissed again knowing that it wasn't going to end there.
