Star Bright
Little Christmas story for IMSLES
"Grandad, tell me the story again? Pleeeeeeease." Gibbs heard his daughter of Jack.
"Well, your dad…Leroy, he fell asleep…not like your dad…he makes up for it now…..but he left the gate open…all those sheep for the Christmas Pageant….he let them go…..don't know what happened next." Jack said winking at Gibbs.
"Well Kelly, I spent the next 25 hours rounding up 26 missing sheep…..and I tell you, it was easier than rounding up my students after a night off base." Kelly's father replied.
"Hey you guys, Kelly you ready for the off? Tim's here and he looks so cute as Joseph." Shannon laughed.
"Good afternoon Mrs Gibbs, mom says to thank you for the cookies…..and could she have the recipe as gran says they are the best ever." a very shy Tim asked.
Shannon looked out into the yard and saw a young girl kicking the kerbstone, "What's up with Ziva?" she asked Tim.
"Ziva does not want to be the Star of David; she says that the star, the three wise men followed was actually a planet, Jupiter, which shines the brightest next to Venus, which is another planet, when the sky is clear." Tim replied.
Kelly appeared from the living room, her blonde hair loose and the band holding it off her eyes, she looked at Tim.
"Hey that looks like your mom's dish towel on your head?" Kelly laughed.
"Kelly, that wasn't nice," she heard her father say, "Some people do not have the privileges you have, Tim's dad died remember, serving his country, his mom finds it hard, we need to support. Anyway is that not moms underskirt dyed blue and what about the blouse….Kelly, we all have to make do."
"Sorry dad, didn't mean to be cruel….but where is my doll….sorry Jesus." as she leant up to kiss Gibbs.
"Coat Kelly," Shannon shouted, as she watched her daughter grab the coat and run out the door.
"Ok, you kids have a good rehearsal and hope you remember your lines, we'll catch up with you this evening at the show." Grandad Jack finished saying, as he watched the three children skip down the sidewalk.
"Thank you Jack for letting us come here…..for the past few months when Jethro was away….so good to get him home on leave…even if it is for a couple of weeks." Shannon said.
"Shannon, you know we have to go back to Washington eventually, it was good to get that Sniper Instructors' posting at Quantico, and it worked out good that the school could take Kelly, Dad, thank you for organising the school." Gibbs said.
"It was a pleasure, but Leroy, we need to get the livestock to the hall, you think you can manage to get three sheep and a pony there?" Jack enquired smiling.
"Hey I got sheep, but the pony, does Kelly suspect that it is actually hers?" Gibbs asked.
"Nope, she thinks it is just another one for the props…. wait until she actually rides onto the stage, should be something." Jackson replied.
-oOo-
The three arrived at 6.00 for the start of the show. Nothing out of the ordinary, the sheep had not wandered off, they had woopsied and annoyed the stage manager. One had almost ended up roasted, as it gnawed through one of the green cables for the lights, another had tried to sleep in the hay, and the third had eaten the dress of one of the shepherds, who was now crying in a corner as the stage manager and costume mistress tried to mend.
"You think I should help?" Jack asked.
"Nah." Gibbs replied, "Call it character building."
"But they are adults Gibbs," Shannon replied.
"So they will never make the Corps. What?" as he looked at Shannon's glare, "OK I'll help." as Gibbs wandered off to round up the animals.
"You can still order him about, he may be a Gunny with men under him, but you have the female touch." Jackson answered.
Gibbs returned triumphant, he had managed to get the sheep to obey, the stage crew were in a state of shock, the children in a regimental group, they all now knew that Gibbs meant business and would not tolerate the slightest wrong doing, the curtain rose to find Ziva alone on the stage, a spot light shining onto her.
"I am a star from the East…..I bring good tidings…follow me and I will show you a King." As she walked across the stage followed by three boys.
"Look, a star," one pointed at Ziva, "We will follow and see the new born King." as they trooped off the stage.
Kelly and Tim, entered stage left, Kelly on the pony, she had the doll stuffed up her dress, Shannon stifled a laugh.
"Shannon, what have you been teaching my daughter when I was away?" Gibbs asked.
"Nothing, that you don't see on the farm," she replied, "Hey Gibbs you've been away too long."
"Joseph, my time is due, we need to find a room," Kelly said to Tim.
"I will ask at the Inn, but it is census time and everyone is here." Tim answered, as they crossed the stage the pony poo'd.
-oOo-
The next scene saw Kelly and Tim in the stable, the baby Jesus now lying in the crib of straw.
"I am sorry Mary, but this was all the Innkeeper had. It was good that the Innkeepers wife could help in your delivery."
"Do not fret Joseph…. home is where the heart is. But hark is that not a Herald of the Lord singing?" as the audience began to hear the school choir begin to sing. Ziva appeared from the left followed by the Magi, the sheep and three boys trying desperately to control the wayward animals.
"Shalom," one of the Kings said, "We have travelled far, and bring these gifts to a new born King, may he live long and prosper…..oops sorry." The boy said as the audience laughed.
The rest of the nativity went well, no further mishaps happened, and the whole cast bowed at the end of the show. As the friends and families of the cast gathered for a BBQ supper, Shannon and Gibbs said to Kelly,
"You liked the pony didn't you?" Kelly nodded her head, "Well Kelly, Grand-dad has agreed to keep the pony here for you, it is yours Merry Christmas darling."
All Kelly could do was burst into tears and hug her parents, "Thank you." Was all she could say.
The End.
Merry Christmas Sue.