CHAPTER 5: KENNEDI'S BIG DEBUT
The chapel was packed for the show. All of the gang had showed up, as well. Thibault had finally come out of the house. He was still a work in progress, and he wouldn't be out too much, but he did come out for this performance. Frieda still came in support of Kennedi, who was a barrel of nerves. She was pacing back and forth hoping she would do good. Charlie Brown was talking to his girlfriend a bit.
"So what did the doctor say?" he asked Frieda.
"He said to take it easy for a week or so and my voice will be back in no time," Frieda responded with some cracking in her voice. "He also suggested drinking tea with honey to help heal my voice, as well."
"Well, I'm glad you will get better soon."
"I am too, babe." She kissed Charlie Brown, who blushed and smiled.
In the audience, Lucy, Schroeder, Cobra, Dominick, Rattler, Thibault, Joslyn, Maynard, Peppermint Patty, Franco, Marcie, Franklin, Claudia, and Skylar all sat together. Cobra looked over and saw Mallory a few seats ahead of them. She got angry.
"You've got to be kidding me!" she fumed.
"What is it, Syl?" asked Dominick.
"Your ex is right in front of us, Dom!" said an angry Cobra. "Does she have ESP or something?!"
"It just may be a coincidence she's here. The whole school has heard about this performance, so she may have wanted to see it."
"As long as she doesn't start anything, I guess it's okay that she's here."
As the show began, Kennedi took the stage. With the band and choir backing her up she began her performance.
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
'Round yon virgin Mother and Child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight!
Glories stream from heaven afar;
Heavenly hosts sing Al-le-lu-ia!
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born!
Silent night, holy night
Son of God, oh, love's pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With the dawn of redeeming grace
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth
Jesus, Lord at Thy birth
Everyone applauded her singing. Frieda shed some tears of happiness backstage. Snoopy brought out some flowers and, in typical Snoopy fashion, planted a kiss on her cheek.
"Sh-she was amazing!" said a happy Claudia.
"She sure was," agreed Skylar.
"Wasn't that beautiful, sir?" asked Marcie to Peppermint Patty.
"It was, Marcie," Peppermint Patty answered. "I'm going to ask Chuck where they've been keeping this girl!"
"Now aren't you glad you didn't miss this, Tee Wee?" asked Rattler to Thibault.
"Yeah, it was a good performance," agreed Thibault.
Backstage, Charlie Brown, Frieda, Linus, and Eudora greeted Kennedi with cheers.
"I told you that you'd do great!" said Charlie Brown.
"You were worried for nothing!" added Eudora.
"Great job, Kennedi," said Frieda, still gravely at the voice.
"Thanks, everyone," said a happy Kennedi. "I couldn't have done this without you guys."
"It was our pleasure, Kennedi," said Linus. "Want to go to Joe's after the show is finished?"
"Absolutely!" And the show continued. Kennedi got over a huge hurdle and was able to get over her stage fright. And Frieda's voice eventually came back after a few days of rest.
Afterwards, Thibault was in his room looking at old photos of him and his uncle Max fishing and doing stuff together. He thought that his uncle had his best interests in for him, but it turned out the opposite. He was grooming Thibault to be a chauvinist like he was, and he almost succeeded, with the whole Marcie playing baseball incident years earlier, and him stalking Patty (Swanson) after their breakup. But unlike Max, Thibault had seen the error of his ways and strived to become a better person. So when someone wants to revert that person back to where they were, without any regard for the person in question, something must be wrong. And Thibault wanted nothing more to do with his uncle, and the kidnapping was the final nail in the coffin for his and Max's nephew/uncle relationship. Thibault took those photos of him and Max and threw them into a lit fireplace. Now his healing could truly begin.
THE END