Okay, so here's the deal. I really really really wanted to post this story because it's been in my head forever and I was hoping that there was a "JONAS" category, but alas! There is not. So, I figured, the best thing to do was to post this under Hannah Montana and I changed one of the characters to Miley. Originally her name was Clare, so I tried to fix that, but if you see any "Clares" just know that was supposed to be Miley lol.
Also, regular print is present day, italics is a flashback, bold is the song, and bold and italics is a flashback within a flashback... sort of. You'll get it.
A Baby Changes Everything
I heard the opening notes of the song.
"Mary, that's your cue." Marcy Miller, the director (which sounds too professional for a simple church Christmas play), said to me. I took a deep breath and glanced over at my boyfriend, Joe. He gave me a reassuring smile and I nodded back at Marcy. She pulled the curtain aside and Joe grabbed my hand to lead me across the stage for our trek to Bethlehem. Yes, laugh all you want. Mary and Joseph playing Mary and Joseph. Marcy sure got a kick out of it when she assigned us the role 6 months ago.
"Is everyone who wants an acting spot in the Christmas play here?" Marcy asked from stage. People looked around and some nodded. Joe and I sat next to each other on the side with all of the other choir members and glanced over at the potential actors.
"Great." I whispered. There were several children ages 7-12, and just as many men, 45 or older. "It's going to look like the shepherds came from Canaan." I told him, referring back to the story in the Bible about the giants in the promised land.
Joe got the joke and snickered.
"Joseph?" Joe's eyes widened. "Yeah, Mrs. Miller?" I could tell that he thought he was in trouble. The look on Marcy's face told me she was thinking. After a long pause she finally spoke, "I want you and Mary to be the stars of this year's play." Joe and I exchanged looks and he cracked a smile.
I smiled up at Joe as I felt his arm around my shoulder as my friend, Miley, stepped out to sing her solo.
Teenage girl much too young
Unprepared for what's to come
A baby changes everything
I grabbed another plate from the table and started to make my way up to the buffet.
"Are you okay?" My best friend, Miley, asked me.
I stopped and looked at her. "Yeah. Why?"
"Because that's your third plate. Normally you only eat one-one and a half at most. What's with you?
I shrugged. "Nothing. I'm just hungry." Miley eyed me suspiciously. "Miley, I'm fine! I didn't eat a lot for breakfast this morning."
"You had five pancakes. Normally you eat 3."
I shook my head. "Miley, you're reading too much into this. I'm fine."
I glanced down at my feet watching the way the lights cast a dark shadow behind me. I sighed and looked back up at Joe. He cracked a half smile and pulled me closer.
Not a ring on her hand
All her dreams and all her plans
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything
"How much longer?" I asked.
"Thirty more seconds." Miley told me at she glanced at her watch.
I sighed. There was a brief silence.
"I'm sure it'll be fine." she told me and placed a hand on my shoulder.
I nodded. "You're right. You're right. I mean, there's no way I could possibly be-"
BEEP
I inhaled quickly as we caught each other's eyes. "You look." I told her.
We had almost made it to the first inn keeper. Joe stopped me like he was supposed to and walked forward. He made gestures toward me, but I knew he was whispering "Hey, Yo. I got a knocked up chick here, Yo, and we need a place to crash for the night." In his best gangster voice. He did it during practice for the last several months. We used to crack up every time he did it, but had gotten used to it over time. Darryl, the inn keeper, shook his head and flung his arm. gesturing us to go away.
Joe got a defeated look on his face and walked back to me.
The man she loves she's never touched
How will she keep his tust
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything
Miley held me tight. Suddenly we heard an knock on the door. "Miley, it's me, Joe. Is everything okay?"
"Come in." she called back.
Joe swung the door open and immediately saw me. "Mary?" He ran over to the bed where we were sitting and knelt beside me. "Mary, what's wrong?"
Miley got up. "I'll let you two talk." She walked out and closed the door and Joe took her spot on the bed, putting his hands on both of my shoulders.
"Mary, tell me what's going on."
I was choking back sobs. "I'm…I'm pregnant." I told him. I saw his expression change from concern, to confusion, to anger, then back to confusion.
"I… I don't understand. You and I… we… we've never…"
"I… I was raped." I told him before the floodgates broke loose and I began to sob uncontrollably.
The second inn keeper told us "no" and at about the same time, my eyes began to water. Joe turned back to me and after a brief moment of trying to assess the situation. I flashed him a quick smile to show him I was okay and he came toward me and hugged me.
And she cries
Ooh she cries
Oh ohhh
"When?"
"About four months ago. When I cancelled dinner on our anniversary saying I was sick. I was jumped on my way to the restaurant. There were three of them. I didn't see their faces."
"Why didn't you tell me? Did you tell anybody?" He asked me.
I shook my head. "I just wanted everything to go away. To forget it ever happened." He put his arms around me and I threw mine around him. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" I cried into his shoulder.
Joe rubbed my back soothingly as he tried to calm me down. "It's not your fault. None of this is your fault."
We finally reached the third inn keeper. Joe made his dramatic movements and the man, Shawn, shook his head, but pointed to the manger scene.
She has to leave, go far away
Heaven knows she can't stay
A baby changes everything
"Ugh! I'm stuffed." I announced to Joe once after several minutes in the car.
"Well, I'm glad my grandmother's cooking impressed you." We spent Thanksgiving with his family, about five hours away and were on our way back into town.
"The baby enjoyed it too. It hasn't stopped moving since dinner." I hated calling my baby an it, but even though I'd long reached the point where I could find out the sex, I didn't want to. I wanted to wait.
Joe's smile turned into a yawn.
"Maybe we should stop for the night." I suggested.
"Maybe you're right. I'll stop at the next hotel I see."
Once we sat down, the lights went off on our side of the stage, and a spot light was put onto Miley, in her full angel attire.
She can feel it's coming soon
There's no place there's no room
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything
An hour later we were still looking for a hotel with availability.
"Look there's another one." Joe said. "And…no vacancy."
"Well…" I started, breathing heavily. "What do…you… expect? It's Thanksgiving."
"Are you okay?" Joe asked me looking from me to the road and back again.
"I'm not…sure." I told him. "But… I think I may be in labor." Joe quickly made a U-turn back to the last hotel we had passed and ran inside. After a conversation that, according to Joe, went something like:
Joe- Where's the nearest hospital?
Hotel worker behind the counter- About 40 miles north of here. You're pretty far out.
Joe looked back at me. I tried to smile, but I think I looked even more in pain. He turned back to continue his conversation.
Joe- Look, my girlfriend's pregnant and in labor, and I don't think we have enough time to find this hospital. I know your sign says 'no vacancy' but if there's anything you can do to help me. I have no idea what to do."
HWBtC- I have a health room in the back for our staff that I can stick you in. Roger! Go out with this man and bring him and his girlfriend to the back. I'll call Sarah, our physician on staff and 911.
Once the spot light turned onto Miley, somebody dressed in all black-one of the stage workers- reached through the curtain and passed me the baby to hold or set in the manger. MY baby.
And she cries
and she cries
Oh she cries
I ended up giving birth in the hotel health room before the ambulance got there. When I heard the cries, I cried.
"Congratulations." Sarah said. "You have a beautiful baby girl."
Sarah handed her to me and as I held her in my arms- life in that moment was perfect.
"What are you going to name her?" Joe asked me.
"Elisha. Elisha Rayne Lawson."
"That's a beautiful name." Sarah told me.
"A beautiful name for a beautiful girl who's almost as beautiful as her mother." Joe said before he kissed me. Then, he leaned down to kiss Elisha's head. That's when we heard the sirens.
All of the lights turned back on, even on our side of the stage. Elisha winced at the sudden change of brightness. Joe and I both smiled and shared a look.
Shepherds all gather 'round
Up above the star shines down
A baby changes everything
The shepherd and wise men made their ways over to the scene and Elisha stayed asleep the entire time.
Choir of angels sing
Glory to the newborn king
A baby changes everything
A baby changes everything
Everything, everything, everything
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
I passed Elisha to Joe and grabbed the microphone I was supposed to use for my solo in the song. The instruments quieted down and I heard my cue in the song.
"My whole life has turned around
I was lost, but now I'm found
A baby changes everything, yeah
A baby changes everything."