Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. They are property of Marc Brown and PBS. I don't own the Lyrics to "Valentine" either. They belong to Jim Brickman.
LEARNING TO BREATHE
by Lina Shay
Chapter Seven: Caught in the Feeling
Ratburn stood backstage, peeking through the curtain. Rubella hadn't come in. Where was she? Ratburn tried to straighten his tie, but he couldn't seem to get it straight. He ended upjust re-tying it.
"I think we should start," Mr. Haney told Ratburn.
"Yes," Ratburn agreed.
He quickly glanced at the kids in line to get on stage. Everyone was in their place. Ratburn took a breath, then walked out on stage.
"Good evening," Ratburn said into a microphone which was all ready set up on stage. "Welcome to the Ellwood Elementary School talent show. We are much appreciative for your support. Please hold your applause until after each performer has completed. Um, first up is the Buster Baxter with his comedy act."
There was applause as Buster went out on stage. Ratburn went off stage. He continued to peek out the curtain, watching for Rubella.
"Am I up next, Mr. Ratburn?" came Prunella's voice behind him.
"Yes, you are," Ratburn told her. "I am having a hard time finding your family among the crowd. Are they coming?"
"They should be," Prunella insisted.
She stood next to Ratburn and peeked out the curtain too. Suddenly, she said, "There they are!"
Ratburn looked where she was pointing. There was her parents. But Rubella wasn't with them. He was about to ask her about it when the crowd roared with laughter. Buster bowed and ran off stage. Ratburn instantly stepped out.
"Thank you, Buster," Ratburn said into the microphone. "That was quite hilarious. Next we have the crystal voice of Prunella Kirst singing, 'Valentine'."
Prunella skipped out on to stage as Ratburn left. The music started. Prunella tapped her foot on the floor to count the beats until she was supposed to start singing. Ratburn stared out at the crowd. Rubella said she was going to be there. How could she let her sister down like that? How could she let HIM down?
Suddenly, Ratburn caught a few of the words Prunella was singing.
"All of my life
I have been waiting for all you give to me
You opened my eyes
And shown me how to love unselfishly
I dreamed of this a thousand times before
But in my dreams
I couldn't love you more"
Ratburn felt warm all of a sudden. Hot, really. He glanced around the back of the stage. There was a door. He ran over to the door and shoved it open. Ratburn stepped out into the crisp night air. The chill of the night felt nice on his face. It was a delicious contrast to the stuffiness of the recital.
Ratburn touched his finger to his chin, wondering if he had somehow over-looked Rubella. How on earth could he? That would be like not being able to see the moon among the stars. Ratburn glanced up at the moon and could almost hear soft tone of the harp, cello and piano being played. It was music, and it wasn't coming from the auditorium either. Ratburn followed the music around the school. As he turned a corner, he stopped immediately and had to gape at the sight. There, with the moonlight shining down on her, was Rubella. She made lovely, graceful movements to the soft music. It seemed a mixture between ballet and her own natural movements. Her long, white dress floated smoothly as she spun and leapt across the grassy school lawn.
Ratburn clutched on the wall. She was more than enchanting. She was intoxicating. Ratburn could hardly breathe watching Rubella's dance. Heart pounding and unable to suppress his urge any longer, Ratburn seized Rubella's already outstretched hand and spun her toward himself. Rubella didn't even flinch, keeping her eyes lightly closed. Ratburn was no Fred Astair, but he knew his way around a dance floor. Under the moonlight, Ratburn held Rubella close, gently leading her in a brisk waltz. Every now and then, he would let her spin out, then he would pull her close again, taking in her sweet aroma.
Rubella's moves were so harmonious that it made Ratburn feel as if they were dancing in the clouds, and Rubella was an angel. Her hair shimmered in the moonlight, revealing her hallo. Suddenly, his angel spun out of his arms. She hugged herself, swaying back and forth, her back toward him. Ratburn walked up behind her and ran his hands down her soft arms. Rubella leaned back against him. Ratburn felt warmth run all through him.
The music ended, leaving silence. Rubella opened her eyes instantly and turned to him.
"Mr. Ratburn," she gasped.
Ratburn stood frozen. What could he say to excuse this? His heart was pounding blood right to his face. What could he say?
"You are a lovely dancer, Miss Kirst," Ratburn blurted, clutching his hands behind his back.
Rubella glanced around, "Did I miss the performance?"
"Yes," Ratburn said, surprised that Rubella wasn't making a big deal of the dancing. "Prunella has finished."
"Crud!" Rubella exclaimed, running over to her radio and picking it up. "I guess I lost track of the time. It happens when I dance. I loose track of everything except the music."
Rubella looked into Ratburn's eyes for a moment, then sprinted around to the gym entrance. Ratburn really couldn't tell how Rubella felt about what had happened. He hoped that her attempts to change the focus of the situation and running away weren't her expression of disgust.
When sufficient time had passed, Ratburn knew he must return to the talent show. After all, he was supposed to be introducing acts. Mr. Haney would not be happy that Ratburn had neglected his duty.
He reached the curtain and glanced out to see Mr. Haney announcing the next act. When Mr. Haney returned to where Ratburn was, Ratburn said, "I am so sorry, sir."
"It's all right, Ratburn," Mr. Haney insisted, much to Ratburn's surprise. "The pressure of all your obligations has seemed to have gotten to you. I think maybe you should drop some of your usual activities. I can find someone else to coach the basketball team and the baseball team."
"But, sir," Ratburn objected. "What will I do with all that free time?"
"Try some meditation," Mr. Haney suggested. "You look positively agitated."
Ratburn couldn't believe this. He hadn't known that Rubella was affecting him this much. He wasn't normally like this. Maybe it was best if he tried to stay away from her.
LEARNING TO BREATHE
by Lina Shay
Chapter Seven: Caught in the Feeling
Ratburn stood backstage, peeking through the curtain. Rubella hadn't come in. Where was she? Ratburn tried to straighten his tie, but he couldn't seem to get it straight. He ended upjust re-tying it.
"I think we should start," Mr. Haney told Ratburn.
"Yes," Ratburn agreed.
He quickly glanced at the kids in line to get on stage. Everyone was in their place. Ratburn took a breath, then walked out on stage.
"Good evening," Ratburn said into a microphone which was all ready set up on stage. "Welcome to the Ellwood Elementary School talent show. We are much appreciative for your support. Please hold your applause until after each performer has completed. Um, first up is the Buster Baxter with his comedy act."
There was applause as Buster went out on stage. Ratburn went off stage. He continued to peek out the curtain, watching for Rubella.
"Am I up next, Mr. Ratburn?" came Prunella's voice behind him.
"Yes, you are," Ratburn told her. "I am having a hard time finding your family among the crowd. Are they coming?"
"They should be," Prunella insisted.
She stood next to Ratburn and peeked out the curtain too. Suddenly, she said, "There they are!"
Ratburn looked where she was pointing. There was her parents. But Rubella wasn't with them. He was about to ask her about it when the crowd roared with laughter. Buster bowed and ran off stage. Ratburn instantly stepped out.
"Thank you, Buster," Ratburn said into the microphone. "That was quite hilarious. Next we have the crystal voice of Prunella Kirst singing, 'Valentine'."
Prunella skipped out on to stage as Ratburn left. The music started. Prunella tapped her foot on the floor to count the beats until she was supposed to start singing. Ratburn stared out at the crowd. Rubella said she was going to be there. How could she let her sister down like that? How could she let HIM down?
Suddenly, Ratburn caught a few of the words Prunella was singing.
"All of my life
I have been waiting for all you give to me
You opened my eyes
And shown me how to love unselfishly
I dreamed of this a thousand times before
But in my dreams
I couldn't love you more"
Ratburn felt warm all of a sudden. Hot, really. He glanced around the back of the stage. There was a door. He ran over to the door and shoved it open. Ratburn stepped out into the crisp night air. The chill of the night felt nice on his face. It was a delicious contrast to the stuffiness of the recital.
Ratburn touched his finger to his chin, wondering if he had somehow over-looked Rubella. How on earth could he? That would be like not being able to see the moon among the stars. Ratburn glanced up at the moon and could almost hear soft tone of the harp, cello and piano being played. It was music, and it wasn't coming from the auditorium either. Ratburn followed the music around the school. As he turned a corner, he stopped immediately and had to gape at the sight. There, with the moonlight shining down on her, was Rubella. She made lovely, graceful movements to the soft music. It seemed a mixture between ballet and her own natural movements. Her long, white dress floated smoothly as she spun and leapt across the grassy school lawn.
Ratburn clutched on the wall. She was more than enchanting. She was intoxicating. Ratburn could hardly breathe watching Rubella's dance. Heart pounding and unable to suppress his urge any longer, Ratburn seized Rubella's already outstretched hand and spun her toward himself. Rubella didn't even flinch, keeping her eyes lightly closed. Ratburn was no Fred Astair, but he knew his way around a dance floor. Under the moonlight, Ratburn held Rubella close, gently leading her in a brisk waltz. Every now and then, he would let her spin out, then he would pull her close again, taking in her sweet aroma.
Rubella's moves were so harmonious that it made Ratburn feel as if they were dancing in the clouds, and Rubella was an angel. Her hair shimmered in the moonlight, revealing her hallo. Suddenly, his angel spun out of his arms. She hugged herself, swaying back and forth, her back toward him. Ratburn walked up behind her and ran his hands down her soft arms. Rubella leaned back against him. Ratburn felt warmth run all through him.
The music ended, leaving silence. Rubella opened her eyes instantly and turned to him.
"Mr. Ratburn," she gasped.
Ratburn stood frozen. What could he say to excuse this? His heart was pounding blood right to his face. What could he say?
"You are a lovely dancer, Miss Kirst," Ratburn blurted, clutching his hands behind his back.
Rubella glanced around, "Did I miss the performance?"
"Yes," Ratburn said, surprised that Rubella wasn't making a big deal of the dancing. "Prunella has finished."
"Crud!" Rubella exclaimed, running over to her radio and picking it up. "I guess I lost track of the time. It happens when I dance. I loose track of everything except the music."
Rubella looked into Ratburn's eyes for a moment, then sprinted around to the gym entrance. Ratburn really couldn't tell how Rubella felt about what had happened. He hoped that her attempts to change the focus of the situation and running away weren't her expression of disgust.
When sufficient time had passed, Ratburn knew he must return to the talent show. After all, he was supposed to be introducing acts. Mr. Haney would not be happy that Ratburn had neglected his duty.
He reached the curtain and glanced out to see Mr. Haney announcing the next act. When Mr. Haney returned to where Ratburn was, Ratburn said, "I am so sorry, sir."
"It's all right, Ratburn," Mr. Haney insisted, much to Ratburn's surprise. "The pressure of all your obligations has seemed to have gotten to you. I think maybe you should drop some of your usual activities. I can find someone else to coach the basketball team and the baseball team."
"But, sir," Ratburn objected. "What will I do with all that free time?"
"Try some meditation," Mr. Haney suggested. "You look positively agitated."
Ratburn couldn't believe this. He hadn't known that Rubella was affecting him this much. He wasn't normally like this. Maybe it was best if he tried to stay away from her.