CHAPTER 2: AN OFFER FOR FRIEDA

Charlie Brown, Linus, Eudora, and their new friend Kennedi, were at the chapel getting ready for the Christmas show that was happening there. Frieda had a big solo in the show and she was rehearsing that at the moment. Kennedi was intrigued by Frieda's singing. She liked how the curly-haired girl sounded when she sang.

"Your girlfriend is really talented, Charles," said Kennedi. "You must be proud of her."

"I am, Kennedi," said Charlie Brown smiling.

"You want to hand me that roll of tape, Charlie Brown?" asked Linus.

"Sure, here you go." And he handed Linus the tape. Linus was putting up some garland with lights on it to one of the pews. Eudora was hanging ornaments on one of the trees. And Charlie Brown and Kennedi were laying out red carpet. Rehearsal had finished and Frieda walked up to the other kids.

"You sounded good, as always, Frieda," said Charlie Brown.

"Thank you, sweetie," said Frieda, who kissed her boyfriend on the cheek.

"I thought you were great, Frieda," said a happy Kennedi.

"Thank you, Kennedi," said Frieda. "Man, you guys got it looking good in here."

"We still have a ways to go," said Linus.

"I almost have all the ornaments hung up," added Eudora. "You can help if you're done with rehearsing."

"Sure, no problem," assured Frieda. And Frieda started hanging up ornament with Eudora. Lucy, along with Cobra and Rattler walked in.

"Wow!" said Cobra. "Now it's really starting to look like Christmas in here."

"Hey guys," said Frieda. "You're just in time to help out."

"How's Thibault, Rattler?" asked Linus.

"About the same," sighed Rattler. "Tee Wee is really in a bad place right now."

"We're sorry to hear that, hun," said a sympathetic Frieda. "Here's hoping he gets out of whatever he's going through."

"Thanks, red," said a sad Rattler. "In the meantime, what can we do to help? I need something to get my mind off of this."

"Well, Linus is hanging up some garland right now," said Charlie Brown. "Eudora and Frieda are hanging ornaments on the trees. Two of you can do one of the trees, and another can help Linus out."

"I can help my brother, Charlie Brown," insisted Lucy. "Cobra and Rattler, you girls can do the trees with Eudora and Frieda."

"Already taking charge, huh, Charlie Brown?" sighed Linus.

"Was there any doubt, Linus?" Charlie Brown retorted.

Back at the Watkins household, Thibault was lying in bed, staring at the wall. His father, Chandler, opened the door to check on his son. He, too, was worried about Thibault. He blamed his brother, Max, for what his son had become. Whenever he got out of prison, Chandler was ready to take drastic action to keep his brother away from his son; even if that meant catching a case, himself.

He looked at his son and said, "Thibault, dinner is ready."

"Not hungry, dad," said Thibault, flatly.

"Son, I know you're afraid to go out. But we're eating at home. No one is going to get you while I'm here and you're in the house."

"That's not why I'm not hungry, dad. I'm too upset to eat."

"Why are you upset?"

"I'm upset at what I have become!" Thibault finally sat up. "Look at me! I became a shut-in! My damn uncle made me a shut-in because I'm too scared to even look out the door, let alone walk out of it! I hate what I've become, and I want to feel safe again! But I'm too much of a chicken, dad! I should be heroic for Holly, I should be brave, but I'm not! And it's all because of my so-called uncle. I HATE HIM, DAD! I REALLY %$# &* HATE HIM!"

"Thibault, it's all right!" And Chandler hugged his son, who wept in his father's arms. He was really scared of Max and what he could do. In his mind, Thibault thought that Max had hired people sympathetic to him to monitor his nephew for him until he got out. Even if that wasn't the case, Thibault wanted proof that it wasn't. It would take an act of God to get the young teen out of the house.

NEXT CHAPTER: WE NEED A MIRACLE