remember to fill out the guest card and place it in the offering plate during our intermission. Now, let’s all stand and sing, ‘The Star-Spangled Banner,’ page eight in the hymnal. That’s number eight. All four verses, please.”
The instruments began, launching the congregation into a hearty rendition of the national anthem. Pastor Newman then prayed, and the teens began their program. While scenes one and two were presented, Skye and her group stood in the hallway behind the door, growing edgier by the second. They rambled on about nothing and checked the clock every five minutes.
“We should be on soon, shouldn’t we?” Melissa nervously smoothed her apron one more time. “It’s 7:45.”
“Listen,” Chad said, and they all stood perfectly still.
“…and I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” echoed through a microphone, and a round of applause exploded.
“That’s good ol’ Patrick Henry.” Skye glanced at a program printout. “So after the intermission, it’s our turn.”
“I need a mirror.” Melissa fidgeted with the long blonde curls dangling in front of her ears.
“You don’t want to go into the restroom where they can see you in your costume, do you?” Chad gestured with his thumb toward the congregation. “Everybody—and I mean everybody—hangs out in the restrooms during intermissions. Are you sure you need to go now? You look cool.”
“Yes, I need to go now,” Melissa said.
On the other side of the wall, a swell of chatter and shuffling told the backstage teens that the intermission had begun.
“I need to check how I look too.” Skye fingered her cap. “Hey, I just remembered. We can go downstairs tothe Junior Church restroom in the back. Nobody will be down there.”
“Let’s go,” Melissa said. “Morgan, do you want to go with us?”
“No, I’m okay.” Morgan giggled. “I don’t think anyone will notice if my freckles are out of order.”
Skye and Melissa hurried downstairs and returned in five minutes. Back and forth they paced while Chad repeatedly checked his buttons and Morgan readjusted her cap. They glanced at the clock and paced, adjusted their costumes, and paced some more. Skye did her best to ignore Chad.
The piano and organ started playing, and Pastor Newman began, “Ladies and gentlemen, we trust that you’ve enjoyed our program so far. I am so thankful that God has given us freedom in this great land. Join me now in singing ‘America the Beautiful,’ page twelve. We’ll sing the first and last stanzas. Please stand.”
“That’s our cue. Let’s go!” Skye opened the door and the four went into the sanctuary, up the ramp, and took their places behind the facade of row houses. While the congregation sang, the teens checked out each other’s costumes and hair one more time. Skye watched Bobby climb up to his perch while Mr. Chambers held the ladder in place. Her eyes darted to the piano side of the platform. There Mrs. Chambers was seating Joey in a chair against the wall. Calm as a toddler ready for his afternoon nap, he sat holding a broomstick horse between his knees. His red cheeks glowed with a jubilant grin from under a three-cornered hat resting atop his bent ears.
He does look kind of cool. Skye was surprised by her own admission.
Skye’s gaze shifted out her house window and scanned the congregation. Along the side wall three girls stood, talking and giggling.
Hannah Gilbert and her cohorts, Skye fumed. Well, double whoop-de-do!
When the singing ended, Pastor Newman announced, “Please be seated. And now for scene three!”
As everyone applauded, Mrs. Chambers prodded Joey to stand.
Skye dug her teeth into her bottom lip, stepped closer to her door, and prepared to yank it open on cue. “Here we go,” she whispered.
Her side vision caught Chad’s thumbs-up sign.
“One if by land, and two if by sea!” Bobby shouted as he raised his two lanterns. “The Regulars
The instruments began, launching the congregation into a hearty rendition of the national anthem. Pastor Newman then prayed, and the teens began their program. While scenes one and two were presented, Skye and her group stood in the hallway behind the door, growing edgier by the second. They rambled on about nothing and checked the clock every five minutes.
“We should be on soon, shouldn’t we?” Melissa nervously smoothed her apron one more time. “It’s 7:45.”
“Listen,” Chad said, and they all stood perfectly still.
“…and I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” echoed through a microphone, and a round of applause exploded.
“That’s good ol’ Patrick Henry.” Skye glanced at a program printout. “So after the intermission, it’s our turn.”
“I need a mirror.” Melissa fidgeted with the long blonde curls dangling in front of her ears.
“You don’t want to go into the restroom where they can see you in your costume, do you?” Chad gestured with his thumb toward the congregation. “Everybody—and I mean everybody—hangs out in the restrooms during intermissions. Are you sure you need to go now? You look cool.”
“Yes, I need to go now,” Melissa said.
On the other side of the wall, a swell of chatter and shuffling told the backstage teens that the intermission had begun.
“I need to check how I look too.” Skye fingered her cap. “Hey, I just remembered. We can go downstairs tothe Junior Church restroom in the back. Nobody will be down there.”
“Let’s go,” Melissa said. “Morgan, do you want to go with us?”
“No, I’m okay.” Morgan giggled. “I don’t think anyone will notice if my freckles are out of order.”
Skye and Melissa hurried downstairs and returned in five minutes. Back and forth they paced while Chad repeatedly checked his buttons and Morgan readjusted her cap. They glanced at the clock and paced, adjusted their costumes, and paced some more. Skye did her best to ignore Chad.
The piano and organ started playing, and Pastor Newman began, “Ladies and gentlemen, we trust that you’ve enjoyed our program so far. I am so thankful that God has given us freedom in this great land. Join me now in singing ‘America the Beautiful,’ page twelve. We’ll sing the first and last stanzas. Please stand.”
“That’s our cue. Let’s go!” Skye opened the door and the four went into the sanctuary, up the ramp, and took their places behind the facade of row houses. While the congregation sang, the teens checked out each other’s costumes and hair one more time. Skye watched Bobby climb up to his perch while Mr. Chambers held the ladder in place. Her eyes darted to the piano side of the platform. There Mrs. Chambers was seating Joey in a chair against the wall. Calm as a toddler ready for his afternoon nap, he sat holding a broomstick horse between his knees. His red cheeks glowed with a jubilant grin from under a three-cornered hat resting atop his bent ears.
He does look kind of cool. Skye was surprised by her own admission.
Skye’s gaze shifted out her house window and scanned the congregation. Along the side wall three girls stood, talking and giggling.
Hannah Gilbert and her cohorts, Skye fumed. Well, double whoop-de-do!
When the singing ended, Pastor Newman announced, “Please be seated. And now for scene three!”
As everyone applauded, Mrs. Chambers prodded Joey to stand.
Skye dug her teeth into her bottom lip, stepped closer to her door, and prepared to yank it open on cue. “Here we go,” she whispered.
Her side vision caught Chad’s thumbs-up sign.
“One if by land, and two if by sea!” Bobby shouted as he raised his two lanterns. “The Regulars
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