Chapter Eleven: Center Stage
Lauren was so excited to get to school that morning. Today was the day that Miss Reynolds was giving out the parts for their class Thanksgiving pageant. Lauren was hoping to get a good part. She knew she wouldn't get a speaking role, being the fact that Lauren didn't talk, but she still wanted to be something that wasn't a tree.
Snow had come unseasonly early that year. It would be cold that year for the Macy's parade. Ryah and Lauren walked hand in hand down to the subway. Lauren loved the snow and winter in general. She loved seeing her city covered in a blanket of white. She loved to go outside with her parents and throw snowballs at them. She loved making snow angels and snow forts. She just loved snow.
Once on the subway Lauren and Ryah went over her homework from the night before. Ryah bounced off the compliments she got about Lauren. She always laughed when the older ladies on the subway car called Lauren her daughter. She would just smile and say thank you. She loved Lauren and would do anything for her. She had been Lauren's translator since Lauren was three. She had met the Messer's on their first day at the deaf school she volunteered at.
They had been nervous about leaving their child there. Ryah went over to them and introduced herself. She looked down at the beautiful little girl with reddish blond hair and one brown eye and one blue eye. She fell in love instantly. She took the little girl by the hand and led her away from her parents. Before she knew it Ryah had been offered a job as nanny/big sister with the Messer's.
She was warmly accepted by the rest of the extended family. Olivia and Gino Messer, Danny's parents, treated her like another grandchild. Her own had been gone for several years. Her parents had died when she was 17. She did the best she could until she started working at the deaf school. She absolutely loved being a part of a real family again.
Ryah knew that something was bothering Danny and Lindsay when they came home from their meeting with Lauren's teacher. After they had put Lauren to bed the three of them had a powwow over a plate of Oreos.
"Ryah," Lindsay began. "You know Danny and I think the world of you and love that you decided to join our zany little family but something has been said that I know is not true."
"What is it Lindsay?" Ryah asked. "Have I done something?"
"Miss Reynolds has reason to believe that you and Lauren are not putting forth your best efforts in class. Answer me honestly, please. Do you and Lauren, at any time, during times she is supposes to be working talking with each other?" Danny asked.
"No," Ryah answered. "When Lauren is supposed to be working I've told that she's only to talk to me if she has a question. If she tries to stray off topic I always redirect her. That must be what she is seeing."
"We believe you Ryah," Lindsay said. "Not that we didn't before."
Ryah and Lauren arrived at school just before the bell. Their train got delayed and Ryah was seriously wooried that they would be late. They hung up their coats and Lauren took her seat next to Courtney. Miss Reynolds came in and started class. She didn't hand out the parts until after their story time. Lauren was given the part of a pilgrim. As Miss Reynolds explained it all Lauren would have to do was hand a basket of food to the student playing a Native American. She would also give a history of Thanksgiving in sign.
Lauren practiced her speech day and night. Her audience, all her teddy bears, became well versed in the simple history of the Thanksgiving holiday. The first time she did it for her parents, Lindsay cried. She was so proud of Lauren for everything she had accomplished. The next day in class their art project had been making invitations for the play. She had quite a few to make. She made one for each of her extended family members and for her grandparents and Uncle Louie.
When Lauren first met Louie he had frightened her. His face was badly scarred from the beating he took from the Tanglewood boys. It took a lot of explaining on Danny's part for Lauren to understand that Uncle Louie was not a bad guy. Lauren doesn't even hesitate to run to Louie for a hug.
The day of the play came. Two rows were needed to hold all of the Messer family. Danny and Lindsay were front and center with the rest of the family scattered around. Danny set up the good video camera from the lab.
"Miss Tiffany Reynolds and her kindergarten class have a special introduction for us this evening," the headmistress JoAnne Henderson said. "May I introduce Miss Lauren Renee Messer and her sister Ryah Gregory?"
Loud cheering came from the Messer family row as Lauren and Ryah stood center stage. Ryah pointed to the family and Lauren waved. Once everyone was quiet Lauren and Ryah began their presentation.
"Once upon a time a group of people came to America on a tiny ship called the Mayflower," Lauren signed and Ryah translated. "They landed on Plymouth Rock and claimed the land for themselves. They built their houses and grew their farms. Another group of people who lived there came and offered their help to the new people. In honor of the first meal these two cultures shared we now celebrate Thanksgiving. Most people have turkey and stuffing but at my house Nanna makes spaghetti and meatballs. Enough to feed the whole neighborhood. That's what Dad says anyway."
The audience got a laugh out of that part. Danny got a smack to the back of his head from his mother. Lauren and Ryah took a bow and went backstage to watch the rest of the play. Afterward everyone went back to Danny's parents' place for cannolis and coffee.The conversation floated around many topics. It was during those times that the family tended to forget that Lauren couldn't follow the words and jokes as well as everyone else. Ryah's hands were flying faster than ever trying to keep up with a story that Olivia was telling.
Lindsay noticed Lauren slinking her way out of the room and wandered into the kitchen. Lindsay followed her daughter into the quiet kitchen. Lauren sat down at the table and held her chin in her hand. A small tear trickled down her cheek. Lindsay sat across from her daughter and patted her hand.
"What's wrong Lauren?" Lindsay asked. "Why are you crying?"
"They forgot again," Lauren said.
Lindsay understood instantly. She looked back into the crowded living room and then at her daughter. She patted her hand, got up and went to Danny. She whispered something into his ear and pointed back to the kitchen. Danny nodded and went to his mother. He whispered something to her and she quickly vanished upstairs. She came back down with a game box. Lindsay brought Lauren back into the living room and she stood between her and Danny.
"We're going to play a game!" Olivia announced. "We're going to play Pictionary!"
Lauren's face lit up. She loved this game. No one was allowed to talk, at all. No signs, no words, nothing. Everyone was equal. Olivia split the group into two teams, with the boys on one team and the girls on the other. Lindsay was the first up for her team. The game was intense. The boys didn't take losing very well at all.
Soon it was getting late and Lauren was falling asleep on Ryah's lap. Lindsay signed to Danny that it was time to go home. The Messer's and Ryah gathered up their things and made the journey back into the city. Once at home Lindsay put Lauren to bed and bid Ryah goodnight. She then wandered up to her and Danny's room.
"Such a busy day," she sighed. "She did good today."
"Yeah she did," Danny agreed. "I have never been more proud of her than I was tonight. She's growing up. Faster than I realized."
The pair snuggled together. It was moments like these that made Danny remember all the hell they had gone through to get to this point in their lives. Her demons that fought against him at every passing moment. The ordeal with that asshole Todd. He still had nightmares about Todd coming back and hurting Lindsay again.
Lurking in the shadows of the alley behind their house was a monster that they prayed would never be released. A monster so evil and so dark that the sun refused to shine on him. A monster who vowed revenge on a certain man. Todd Brooks would make Danny pay for taking away the one thing he loved more than anything else in the world: Lindsay Monroe.