Can't Love Christmas

Twenty

Ash waited for Rowan on the front steps of the high school. The cold wind bit at her cheeks, and she huddled further into her scarf. She knew she could wait inside, but she was going to give him five more minutes to show up. Inside was not the same as meeting on the stairs.

A particularly harsh gust sent her inside before the five minutes were up, but any concerns she had about losing him in the crowd vanished from her mind when she saw him walk in; he was impossible to miss. He stood nearly a foot taller than anyone else there, and had a presence about him that you just couldn't miss. Their eyes met across the foyer.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," he said in greeting. "Thank god you waited inside. I thought you might be crazy enough to wait outside, and in this cold I was worried."

Ash bit her tongue to stop herself from confessing how long she was out there. Instead she dug the tickets out of her wallet and they headed into the auditorium. They took seats near the middle. Ash wanted a good view, but didn't want to be in the way of any of the parents there to watch their kids.

The house lights went down as the stage lights turned on; the first group to take the stage were the youngest ones. They looked so tiny walking out on stage in perfect lines, fidgeting in place under the lights. One of the kids held his hands up to his forehead as if it was a bright and sunny day. Ash looked over and Rowan smiled back at her.

The music swelled and their high voices sang Jingle Bells. It started weak but got stronger as they gained their confidence. One of the boys at the end of the risers decided halfway through that he was done with standing, and sat cross-legged on the floor, head resting in hand.

A mother rushed towards the stage, urging him back to his feet to no avail. They finished the first song and switched to "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" to which he enthusiastically belted out "AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!" from his seat on the floor. Chuckles sounded throughout the auditorium, and Rowan was giggly far longer than anyone else.

"Stop it, you're going to make me laugh." Ash reprimanded in hushed tones.

"I'm sorry." His shoulders continued to heave.

That class filed out and the next grades came on the stage. Not their first time performing in the concert, but not yet old enough to realize what they were actually doing, they walked on stage proud and confident. Ash glanced sideways at Rowan and met his brown eyes again, skin crinkled around them, reflecting the lights from the stage.

They belted out "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" with great enthusiasm, and twin boys provided extra lyrics. They seemed like a handful. Rowan continued to quake beside Ash. She bit her lip to stay calm. The class also sang "All I want for Christmas is my Two Front Teeth" before being ushered off stage.

The third class to come on did not use the risers, and arranged themselves all over the stage. The lights dimmed, and the spot light came on, illuminating the girl and the boy in the middle. The music started and these two began to sing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." Together, the two of them sang the chorus, more and more students joined in with every line until finally they were all singing and the stage was fully illuminated once more.

Rowan sat still at last. Ash was impressed by the students who couldn't have been older than the 4th grade. They started "Frosty the Snowman" and then disaster struck when the choreography fell apart. The girl in the middle of the stage stood stock still while everyone around her began to dance. Her partner crashed into her when she didn't turn at the right time, and the whole stage turned to see what happened.

It was tragic. It shouldn't have been funny. Rowan's shoulders heaved, and tears leaked from the corner of his eyes. The teacher conducting the class at the front was desperate to get them organized again. The pianist had stopped in the struggle to have any of the notes match the mayhem onstage. She shouldn't have laughed. It was rude.