9: The Christmas Play

Opening night was chaotic. There were kids running around everywhere. The place was a total pigsty. Charlie Brown was in wrecks, slumped into a chair at the corner of the green room, praying that nobody would find him. But they did, anyways.

"Mr. Brown," a little girl screeched, "Annalysia can't find her cane!"

"Mr. Brown!" another boy hollered, "Jacob soiled his sheep costume!"

"The lights on the stage won't turn on!"

"Someone's been messing with the prop table and a lot of the props are missing!"

"Mr. Brown!" "Mr. Brown!" "Mr.—"

"SHUT UP!"

Charlie Brown opened his eyes, horrified that he had accidentally let the emotion slip, but it hadn't been him. Relief washed through him and painted his face a light pink colour. Standing before him like a knight in shining armour was Lucy Van Pelt, her hands resting on her hips and her feet spread apart as per usual. She was scary, that was certain. In fact, Charlie Brown was sure he was the only one among the crowd that Lucy didn't scare to death anymore. The only thing he felt was relief.

In an instant, Lucy began to shout orders at everyone—kids and adults alike. "Girls, check under the stairs for the missing cane. Jacob, there are extra sheep costumes in the boys' dressing room, and Febreze in the hall cabinet. Try the electric box backstage, Eddie, it's probably shut off. And the props are fine, they haven't been put out yet. Now get back to preparing, five minutes to curtain!"

Numerous shouts of "Thank you, five!" echoed back at her and the crowd dispersed in the blink of an eye. Lucy then turned to the awestruck Charlie Brown and smirked.

"I still don't understand how you do that, Lu," he said to her breathlessly, standing up from his chair to level with her. She was almost as tall as he, and when she looked at him, she looked him dead in the eye.

"And you never will."

She reached up to give him a noogie on his head and he squirmed out of the way, snatching his clipboard from a shelf nearby. Sounds of the orchestra playing 'Silent Night' faintly reached their ears as the show began. Lucy turned to her friend with a genuine Lucy smile.

"You put on a good show, Charlie Brown," she said sincerely. "You always do."

Charlie's face contorted into a goofy, one-cheeked smile and his companion rolled her eyes.

"You're still a blockhead, though."