Disclaimer: I do not own any of the CSINY characters, but Abby is mine!
A/N: So this chapter may be a little cheesy. I got the idea from my friend, we actually did this to her, it was pretty funny. The songs are actually from the movie Sister Act, which the concert/play at church was based on. Anyways, here you go…
Snowbear96 – thanks for the reviews, I love getting them!
Mrs. Fitzgerald – I loooooove fluff, had to include some in here…
Wingsofabutterfly86 – glad you liked it!
The Little Corinthian – so glad you like it. I am so terrible at writing fluff, but I really love to read it. Glad it didn't seem to corny!
Demolished-soul – Flack'll get his lovin' eventually… ;)
Chapter 8
"Could you explain to me why we are getting up at 7:30 on our Sunday off?" Danny asked grumpily after Lindsay had shaken him awake.
Lindsay grinned. "Because we are going to church."
Danny doubled over with laughter. His laughing quickly subsided when he realized she wasn't joking. "You're serious."
"I'm serious. Now, wear something nice." She emerged from the bathroom wearing a skirt and a modest v neck t-shirt.
'Definite church attire' Danny thought. "Montana, why?" he groaned.
"Because I have something to show you and Flack." She grinned.
"We already know we are living in sin." He scoffed.
"Well, in that case, this is a great opportunity for you to repent your sins and seek forgiveness." She deadpanned. "Let's go, we are picking up Flack."
"This is not funny, Montana." Danny growled as he started getting dressed.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Monroe, what are we doing?" Flack complained as he met them in front of his building. "It's not even 8:30"
"She's taking us to church Flack." Danny piped up from the driver's seat of the car.
"Oh come on!" Flack exclaimed. As soon as Flack was in he car, Lindsay flipped open her phone and dialled.
"Hey, we are on our way. What's the fastest way from Flack's place?" she said into her phone.
"Ya, 'we' as in me, Danny and Flack." She grinned.
"Well, I thought they deserved to be a part of it." She paused. "We'll meet you out front in a bit." She hung up.
"What's going on? Where are we headed?" Danny asked.
"St. Basil's Catholic Church on 5th. Best way is to go up this street and turn up 5th. Parking is on the street." Lindsay said
Danny started driving towards the church. "Who are we meeting there?"
"You'll see."
Ten minutes later they were parked near the church. Lindsay got out of the car and looked around.
"Stella!" she called. Both Danny and Flack looked up in surprise.
"Don't you boys look spiffy!" Stella commented. "Let's go get a good seat. Mass will start in about 15 minutes."
"Think she knows?" Lindsay smiled.
"She has no clue. I talked to her ten minutes ago. She's gone to get ready." Stella smiled
Danny and Flack were totally lost as they listened to the girls chatter. They followed them up the stairs of the church.
"Why are we here?" Danny whispered once they had sat down in a pew near the front. "Couldn't we at least sit in the back?"
Just then, a nun came up to Stella. "Miss Abigail asked me to give you this dear." She was holding what Flack recognized as Abby's bag and sweater.
Stella smiled. "Actually, Sister Mary Robert, her boyfriend is here. He can hold them for her." Stella motioned in Flack's direction. "This is Don Flack."
"My goodness, nice to meet you Don." The Sister smiled. "I didn't think she would want anyone here this morning, being as shy as she is."
"It's a surprise Sister, don't tell her. She's nervous enough." Stella winked.
"Stella Ann Bonasera, always the trouble maker. This will be good for her. Perhaps get her out of her shell. Enjoy mass children."
"Always do Sister." Stella replied as she walked away.
"What was that?" Danny whispered completely freaked out. "A nun just handed Flack his girlfriend's personal items!"
"Look, Stella told me that she knew Abby from church. So, I did some investigating. Took me two weeks to realize Abby is always away Wednesday night, Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings." Lindsay explained.
Danny and Flack just stared. "Ok? So she goes to church."
"And sings in the choir." Stella smiled.
Lindsay smiled a huge smiled. "She's good. I cornered her the other day and made her sing for me. She's really good."
Flack and Danny's faces were priceless. Just then, Abby appeared beside them. Her hair was in large curls, down, but clipped away from her face. She was wearing a sky blue choir gown.
"Ohmigosh." She murmured, her face going pale. She looked like she was going to be sick.
"Don't freak out Abby." Stella tried to do some damage control. Abby just stared at Flack and Danny. She then shot Lindsay a look.
"Aren't you supposed to be getting ready?" Lindsay asked innocently.
"Umm, I forgot my hymn book." She said nervously glancing at Flack, noticing he had her bag in his hands. He silently handed her the bag. She took out the book and gave him back the bag. He couldn't believe she hadn't told him about this. He knew she went to church, but choir? A smile flickered on his lips. He watched as relief flooded over her.
"You better go, have fun, eh?" Stella winked.
"Ok, but don't look at me, ok?" she asked worriedly.
"Ya, sure, whatever you say kid." Danny winked.
Abby's face paled again, then she turned to go.
"Woah…" was all Danny could say. They sat in silence. A few people said hi to Stella, she introduced everyone. Whenever she mentioned Flack was Abby's boyfriend, people commented on her singing.
Finally, the choir stepped out and the priest stepped forward. Flack couldn't help but stare at Abby. She looked so natural and happy up there, she was seated in the front row of the choir, right in the middle. The choir sang a few songs with the congregation. Both Flack and Danny were extremely bored. Abby caught, and held Flack's gaze a few times. He laughed to himself when the woman beside Abby elbowed her to break the gaze.
"The choir will now sing 'Hail, Holy Queen'. As many of you know. The choir is led by Sister Mary Robert. It is made up of members of the convent, as well as members of our congregation. Young and old, alike." The priest said smiling. "Our church is known for our fantastic choir, not only their voices, but also their alternative style of rejoicing."
Flack and Danny exchanged a look. Then they looked at Stella and Lindsay who were smiling encouragingly at Abby. The choir stood up. Flack could tell Abby was nervous. Her hands were shaking like crazy.
Sister Mary Robert nodded to the piano player and signalled to the choir to smile.
The choir began to singing.
Hail holy queen enthroned above
Oh Maria
Hail mother of mercy and of love
Oh Maria
Triumph all ye cherubim
Sing with us ye seraphim
Heaven and earth resound the hymn
Salve, salve, salve, regina
Flack and Danny exchanged another look. Sounded like a church choir to them.
There was a brief moment of silence before the piano picked up and the choir members began clapping their hands. Danny and Flack raised their eyebrows as Lindsay and Stella's eyes went wide.
Hail holy queen enthroned above
Oh Maria
Hail mother of mercy and of love
Oh Maria
Triumph all ye cherubim Sing with us ye seraphim
Heaven and earth resound the hymn
Salve, salve, salve, regina
Flack noticed that Abby was singing quietly seeming unsure of herself. She was glancing back and forth between the choir director and them sitting in the pew. The choir was really getting into it. Flack didn't know much about singing, but their harmonies were bang on. Danny elbowed him and gestured towards the choir with a look of approval on his face.
Our life, our sweetness here below
Oh Maria
Our hope in sorrow and in woe
Oh, oh, oh Maria
Triumph all ye cherubim (Cherubim)
The choir director stood right in front of Abby, looking her right in the eyes, silently encouraging her. Flack and Danny were both taken aback when Abby did the solo harmony. She still looked deathly afraid, but she could really sing.
Sing with us ye seraphim (Seraphim)
Abby looked significantly less nervous as her eyes flicked to Flack and then back to the choir director. The director made a motion towards her stomach, and Abby sang louder.
Heaven and earth resound the hymn
Salve, salve, salve, regina
Alleluia
The piano stopped, but the choir kept clapping. Danny leaned over to Flack "I guess, this is the breakdown?"
Flack chuckled in response.
Mater a mater inter merata
Sanctus, sanctus, dominus
Virgo respice mater ad spice
Sanctus, sanctus, dominus
Alleluia
Danny felt his jaw drop as Abby harmonized above the rest of the choir.
Our hope in sorrow and in woe
Oh, oh, oh Maria
Triumph all ye cherubim (Cherubim)
Abby was significantly more relaxed this time around
Sing with us ye seraphim (Seraphim)
This time she met Flack's gaze as she sang.
Heaven and earth resound the hymn
Salve, salve, salve, regina
Salve regina
Salve regina
Flack couldn't believe it. He just sat there with his head tilted to the side and a look of awe on his face. Danny seemed to have the same reaction, although his mouth was gaping open. Stella and Lindsay were looking at them with an 'I told you so' look on their faces.
"Where does she hide that voice?" Danny whispered.
"Thank you ladies. I now invite you to join your loved ones in the congregation." The priest smiled.
Abby picked up her hymn book and walked over to the pew where her friends were sitting.
"Good job, Abby." Stella squeezed her arm as Abby shimmied by her, her eye on the space between Danny and Flack.
"Way to go, kid. You've sure got some pipes." Danny winked at her.
"Thanks Danny." She said shyly as she sat down.
Flack leaned in a kissed her cheek. "Why didn't you mention this before?" he whispered in her ear. She looked down at her lap sheepishly. "Never mind, we'll talk later." He squeezed her hand as the priest began his sermon.
About five minutes into the sermon, Flack heard the unmistakable sound of fabric sliding on the wooden pew.
"Miss Abby?" came a tiny voice to Flack's right. Both Abby and Don looked over. Abby smiled.
"Hi Beth. Watcha up to?" she whispered. She put her hand on Flack's thigh to steady herself as she leaned over, closer to the little girl.
"I wanted to tell you that you sang really pretty today, just like Ariel in the Little Mermaid." The girl said. She leaned closer to Abby, putting her little hand on Flack's other thigh. "And I practised out song every single night, so I'm really ready this time."
Abby smiled. "That's great. You can come back with me when Father Michael says it's time, ok?"
The girl's face lit up. "Really? Ok!" she said enthusiastically.
The girl slid back down the pew towards her parents. Abby sat back up and looked at Flack.
"Having a good time?" she teased patting his thigh.
"Oh, of course. How could I not be?" he whispered back.
She laughed quietly and looked back at the priest, but leaving her hand just above Flack's knee.
"At this time, I'd like to ask all those involved in the Children's choir to go to the basement. Today we are going to be blessed with a performance from our youngest members." Father Michael beamed.
Beth was beside Flack faster than flies on butter.
"Okay, that's us. We'll be back." Abby said to Flack and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before grabbing Beth's hand.
The sermon couldn't have dragged on any longer for Flack. After what seemed like an eternity. The Children's choir was introduced.
Abby led the kids up the aisle. All the kids were dressed in frilly dresses and little suits. Abby herself had taken off her choir gown and was now wearing a blue sundress with simple flip flops. She looked exactly like one would picture a kids' choir director.
She lined up all the kids and the music began. Flack and Danny exchanged a look. They recognized the song from karaoke night the previous weekend with Abby and Lindsay.
Nothing you could say
Could tear me away
From my God
Nothing you could do
'Cause I'm stuck like glue
To my God
I'm stickin' to my God like a stamp to a letter
Like birds of a feather, we stick together
I'm tellin' you from the start
I can't be torn apart
From my God
Nothing you could do
Could make me untrue
To my God
Nothing you could buy
Could make me tell a lie
To my God
I gave my God my word of honor
To be faithful, and I'm gonna
You best be believing
I won't be deceiving
My God
As a matter of opinion, I think he's tops
My opinion is, he's the cream of the crop
As a matter of taste, to be exact
He's my ideal, as a matter of fact.
No muscle bound man
Could take my hand
From my God
No handsome face
Could ever take the place
Of my God
He may not be a movie star
But when it comes to bein' happy, we are
There's not a man today
Who could take me away
From my God
The congregation clapped once the song was over. The kids stayed in their formation, took a bow, and then Abby signalled they could go back to their parents.
"That's cute. They changed the words of that song…" Danny snickered.
Another five minutes and mass was over. Flack breathed a sigh of relief.
"Don't make it so obvious." Abby teased. "You guys coming to lunch?"
"Lunch?" Danny and Flack asked in unison.
"Ah yes, the post-mass meal. Strikes fear into the hearts of all." Stella grumbled.
"Sister Mary Robert told me that she noticed you've been skipping out on them lately." Abby smiled.
Lindsay's brow furrowed. "Can't be that bad?"
Abby and Stella laughed. "Wait and see. At least introducing Flack as 'Abby's Don' will shift the focus." Stella said with a twinkle in her eye.
"Miss Abby!" a group of kids called out. "Are you coming to lunch?"
Abby nodded. The kids squealed. "We need to show you something!"
Flack motioned for her to go. "We'll catch up." He smiled.
"Ok, general rules." Stella began. "No cussing, be nice, shake hands, smile."
"Nervous, Stel?" Flack chuckled.
"I grew up in this church, Flack. These people know me. They love Abby. You should be nervous; they'll be analyzing your every move." Stella grinned as the walked down the stairs to the basement. Voices and laughter could already be heard.
Once they were downstairs, Flack looked around for Abby. He saw her with a group of kids looking at something. A woman walked up to her. The exchanged words, Abby smiled and held out her hands to the baby that woman was holding.
She spotted Stella and the group walking in her direction. She said something to the kids and shifted the baby to her left hip. The baby stared at Flack with distain. He had pacifier in his mouth. His grubby little hand was clinging to the strap of Abby's dress strap.
"Who is this?" Lindsay cooed.
"This is Benjamin." Abby smiled. "Isn't he cute?" she smoothed his hair and the infant broke his stare down with Flack and look up at Abby. She made a face and he smiled, dropping his pacifier.
Flack bent down to pick it up. "Thanks Ducky." She smiled. All of a sudden, the baby reached out the Flack's chest and whined.
"Oh, he likes you…." Danny teased. "Why don't you hold him?"
Flack had the most petrified look on his face. Abby laughed. "It's your pin." She informed him. Ben whined some more and leaned towards Flack.
"Huh?" Flack looked down. Sure enough, his NYPD pin on his jacket was sparkling in the light.
"See." Abby stepped almost right up against Flack. She reached up with one hand and touched the pin. She moved it around so it sparkled some more. Ben looked at it intently. Flack just watched her interact with the baby. Ben reached up and put both hands on Flack so that he could play with the pin.
There was a loud crash followed by a screech, topped off with crying. Abby snapped her head around to see kids pushing and shoving near the spare chairs.
"Here, take him for a sec." Abby said handing the baby to Flack before he had a chance to argue.
He watched as Abby helped the parents pry kids apart. Thankfully, Ben was content to play with the pin while Flack held him.
Abby was trying to soothe one of the girls when she caught a glimpse of Flack holding Ben. Ben has decided that Flack's watch was the new trinket of the moment so he was fiddling with it while Flack watched him play with it.
Flack was snapped out of his reverie by Danny. "Visions of little Flacks running through your head man?
"Shut up Messer." Flack growled.
Danny chuckled. "Sure, I can see it. Abby over there talking with your daughter, you here, holding little Donnie the 3rd."
"Oh please Messer….I'd never name my kid that." Flack rolled his eyes.
"Sorry about that." Abby came back. She held her hands out to Ben. "Come here handsome!"
She took Ben from Flack. "What happened?" he asked.
Abby chuckled. "Andrew kissed Annie. She was worried that she got cooties."
Lindsay laughed. Stella came to get them. "Let's eat and get out of here….please!"