"Am I pretty Mommy?"
"You are beautiful darling."
It was the next night and Monica was getting Zoë ready for her play. Zoë was beautiful. She was wearing white tights, a white leotard and a white ballet skirt as well as light pink ballet shoes. Her light brown hair was in a bun on top of her head and she was wearing a gold, sparkly hallo. In addition to this, she also had, what else, wings. Her Mother, however made her remove her wings and put on her coat until she got to the school.
"This is such a neat school, I wish I went here!" Tessa commented as she looked around the vast auditorium.
"I do to." Tess agreed.
"You know, I think that I may have had an assignment here before."
"Really Dad? You mean someone died here."
"No, this was a non-death assignment."
"Come to think of it, this place looks familiar to me too. Everything from the bright red curtains to the seats, to the ornate stage, I think that I've worked here before too."
"I know I haven't, but I like it, I like it a lot. Where are Gloria and Adam anyway?"
"Gloria was too tired to come, remember. And Adam thought he should stay with her, to keep her company and see if she needed anything."
"Well, that makes sense." Tessa said just before the play started, the room grew dark and the overwhelming noise of the audience quieted down.
The play had several acts; all were elaborate and surprisingly good for a play consisting of kids from the first through twelfth grades. The first act was a whole bunch of kids singing a song about the winter holidays and snow, you know the typical thing. The second act was the school choirs singing many different holiday songs. The third was the school dance teams, cheerleaders etc, and then a few students from the speech and debate team made small speeches about the historical and social significance of the holiday season. Then there was a Hanukkah presentation; Tessa was both surprised and very excited to see her friend Jodie playing the part of the Pharaoh. After that there were scenes regarding the rest of the world's religions. And last but not least, came the Christmas Story, the birth of Jesus. This is the part of the play Zoë was going to be in, although no one had any idea that as an angel, little Zoë was going to get to fly. Although the play was long, two hours and fifteen minutes to be exact, it all seemed to go by as quickly as it had started, and finally they were at the final act. The whole cast of the play were on stage singing the final song and Zoë was flying above everyone. Monica smiled as she watched from backstage. This reminded her of when she was in a Christmas play at a small church, quite a few years ago before Tessa was even born, and before she was even married. She had played an Angel that night too, in place of a girl about Zoë's age who was to sick to. That night the wires that held her up had broken and...It was then that Monica realized that the wires holding Zoë in the air were beginning to break. Her heart said a prayer, her breathing stopped and her mind raced and her body froze she was powerless to do anything. Zoë dropped straight down, but suddenly she was back up again, wearing white robes and glowing, with the light of God, just like an angel, well a grown up angel anyway. And in an instant, Monica's horrible fear for Zoë was gone and she sighed with relief. She smiled as she watched her daughter soar in the air and the amazed crowed.
As the crowed left and Andrew, Tess and Tessa made their way backstage they listened to the jargon the crowed was spilling out. Tessa was incredibly amused by the fact that many people assumed that what happened with Zoë were special effects. Other people believed that it was the real thing, a Christmas Angel.
As soon as the play was over, Zoë ran into her Mother's arms. Monica held her tightly and kissed her head.
"Mommy," Zoë whispered, "It was the first time I glowed!"
"I know darling, I'm proud." She said as she saw the rest of their family come up to them.
"Well done baby Angel." Tess smiled.
"Thank you Auntie Tess."
"Great job, I enjoyed it."
"Thank you, Tessa."
"Very good, are you okay?"
"Of course Daddy." She said as they hugged. Andrew and Monica smiled at each other.
"Mom, did you notice that Jodie was the Pharaoh?"
"Yes I did. Are you going to go see him?"
"Yes I am."
"Okay, I'll come and find you when we leave."
"Thanks Momma."
"Monica?" Monica turned around to see the school principle and the head art director standing behind her.
"Yes."
"Well," the principle began, "We would like to congratulate Zoë. Her performance was spectacular, I don't know how she did that, but we won't ask. Congratulations Zoë."
"Thank you." She said as she smiled and shook the Principle and Art Directors hands.
"We also have something else to talk about." Said the Art Director in a slightly nervous tone. "It's about the rope that was holding Zoë up. It was a brand new rope. It did not break. And I'm afraid, that it looks like a clean cut."
"So, you mean that someone cut it?" Andrew asked.
"Yes," the Art Director replied, "And when she was up there too."
"Who did this?"
"I don't know Monica, but we will be sure to find out and reprimand the party at fault."
"Reprimand?" Andrew asked, "It could've killed her!" Zoë's eyes grew huge.
"Come on Zoë, let's go find your sister." Tess said as she quietly took Zoe's hand. Monica nodded.
"Well, surely we will do all that we can to punish the party at fault, we understand the severity of this issue."
"No, I don't think that you do..."
"Thank you very much Principal Houghton, Mrs. O'Brien, come on, Andrew." She said as she took Andrew by the arm and guided him in another direction.
"That really makes me mad." He said, just as soon as they were out of ear-shot.
"I know that it does Andre, but there's nothing that you can do about it, it isn't their fault that it happened."
"Monica, this is our daughter we're talking about, aren't you mad, aren't you worried, or sceared? I know that I am." He admitted.
"Of course I am Andre. Of course I am." She decided to just leave it at that. She did not really want to have an argument that night. It was too much of a nice night.
"You are beautiful darling."
It was the next night and Monica was getting Zoë ready for her play. Zoë was beautiful. She was wearing white tights, a white leotard and a white ballet skirt as well as light pink ballet shoes. Her light brown hair was in a bun on top of her head and she was wearing a gold, sparkly hallo. In addition to this, she also had, what else, wings. Her Mother, however made her remove her wings and put on her coat until she got to the school.
"This is such a neat school, I wish I went here!" Tessa commented as she looked around the vast auditorium.
"I do to." Tess agreed.
"You know, I think that I may have had an assignment here before."
"Really Dad? You mean someone died here."
"No, this was a non-death assignment."
"Come to think of it, this place looks familiar to me too. Everything from the bright red curtains to the seats, to the ornate stage, I think that I've worked here before too."
"I know I haven't, but I like it, I like it a lot. Where are Gloria and Adam anyway?"
"Gloria was too tired to come, remember. And Adam thought he should stay with her, to keep her company and see if she needed anything."
"Well, that makes sense." Tessa said just before the play started, the room grew dark and the overwhelming noise of the audience quieted down.
The play had several acts; all were elaborate and surprisingly good for a play consisting of kids from the first through twelfth grades. The first act was a whole bunch of kids singing a song about the winter holidays and snow, you know the typical thing. The second act was the school choirs singing many different holiday songs. The third was the school dance teams, cheerleaders etc, and then a few students from the speech and debate team made small speeches about the historical and social significance of the holiday season. Then there was a Hanukkah presentation; Tessa was both surprised and very excited to see her friend Jodie playing the part of the Pharaoh. After that there were scenes regarding the rest of the world's religions. And last but not least, came the Christmas Story, the birth of Jesus. This is the part of the play Zoë was going to be in, although no one had any idea that as an angel, little Zoë was going to get to fly. Although the play was long, two hours and fifteen minutes to be exact, it all seemed to go by as quickly as it had started, and finally they were at the final act. The whole cast of the play were on stage singing the final song and Zoë was flying above everyone. Monica smiled as she watched from backstage. This reminded her of when she was in a Christmas play at a small church, quite a few years ago before Tessa was even born, and before she was even married. She had played an Angel that night too, in place of a girl about Zoë's age who was to sick to. That night the wires that held her up had broken and...It was then that Monica realized that the wires holding Zoë in the air were beginning to break. Her heart said a prayer, her breathing stopped and her mind raced and her body froze she was powerless to do anything. Zoë dropped straight down, but suddenly she was back up again, wearing white robes and glowing, with the light of God, just like an angel, well a grown up angel anyway. And in an instant, Monica's horrible fear for Zoë was gone and she sighed with relief. She smiled as she watched her daughter soar in the air and the amazed crowed.
As the crowed left and Andrew, Tess and Tessa made their way backstage they listened to the jargon the crowed was spilling out. Tessa was incredibly amused by the fact that many people assumed that what happened with Zoë were special effects. Other people believed that it was the real thing, a Christmas Angel.
As soon as the play was over, Zoë ran into her Mother's arms. Monica held her tightly and kissed her head.
"Mommy," Zoë whispered, "It was the first time I glowed!"
"I know darling, I'm proud." She said as she saw the rest of their family come up to them.
"Well done baby Angel." Tess smiled.
"Thank you Auntie Tess."
"Great job, I enjoyed it."
"Thank you, Tessa."
"Very good, are you okay?"
"Of course Daddy." She said as they hugged. Andrew and Monica smiled at each other.
"Mom, did you notice that Jodie was the Pharaoh?"
"Yes I did. Are you going to go see him?"
"Yes I am."
"Okay, I'll come and find you when we leave."
"Thanks Momma."
"Monica?" Monica turned around to see the school principle and the head art director standing behind her.
"Yes."
"Well," the principle began, "We would like to congratulate Zoë. Her performance was spectacular, I don't know how she did that, but we won't ask. Congratulations Zoë."
"Thank you." She said as she smiled and shook the Principle and Art Directors hands.
"We also have something else to talk about." Said the Art Director in a slightly nervous tone. "It's about the rope that was holding Zoë up. It was a brand new rope. It did not break. And I'm afraid, that it looks like a clean cut."
"So, you mean that someone cut it?" Andrew asked.
"Yes," the Art Director replied, "And when she was up there too."
"Who did this?"
"I don't know Monica, but we will be sure to find out and reprimand the party at fault."
"Reprimand?" Andrew asked, "It could've killed her!" Zoë's eyes grew huge.
"Come on Zoë, let's go find your sister." Tess said as she quietly took Zoe's hand. Monica nodded.
"Well, surely we will do all that we can to punish the party at fault, we understand the severity of this issue."
"No, I don't think that you do..."
"Thank you very much Principal Houghton, Mrs. O'Brien, come on, Andrew." She said as she took Andrew by the arm and guided him in another direction.
"That really makes me mad." He said, just as soon as they were out of ear-shot.
"I know that it does Andre, but there's nothing that you can do about it, it isn't their fault that it happened."
"Monica, this is our daughter we're talking about, aren't you mad, aren't you worried, or sceared? I know that I am." He admitted.
"Of course I am Andre. Of course I am." She decided to just leave it at that. She did not really want to have an argument that night. It was too much of a nice night.