was here? Remember what she said after practice?”
Jordan reconsidered. Apparently, the possibility of his grandmother coming to discipline him again was enough of a threat, because he sat where Sophie put him.
“Let’s review the Three Wisemen Song,” she told the group.
Things went fairly well for about ten minutes. Sophie started to relax as the kids sang a rollicking song about riding a camel across the desert. She taught them to bend their knees and then straighten up on alternate beats of the song, illustrating a rough ride. But the cooperation was short-lived.
“I don’t wanna sing that song. It’s stupid.” Jordan got up and headed to the door. “I’m gonna call Mom. I wanna go home.” He pulled open the door and ran smack into a pair of khaki covered legs. He looked up and grinned. “Uncle Nolan! Can you take me home?”
Nolan DeSmit, dressed in his police uniform, was a formidable figure. He knelt down so he was face to face with his nephew. “Sorry, buddy. I can’t do that. You need to stay here and do what Miss Sophie says without running around. Unless she says to run around.” He looked up at Sophie. “Did you tell Jordan to run around, Miss Sophie?”
Sophie shook her head.
“Then I guess we’d better sit quietly like the rest of the kids here.” He stood, took Jordan’s hand, and led him back to the chairs. “Why don’t you show me where you’re supposed to sit? I’ll watch. I’ll bet you’re the best singer in the bunch. But if you want people to listen, you’ve gotta be doing what you’re asked to do. And afterwards, if you behave yourself, then I’ll take you home, if you want.”
“ I wanna sit by Uncle Nolan, too,” Josh cried, leaping up out of his chair.
“ Josh, Miss Sophie probably had you sitting over there because you were getting into trouble with your brother. If you want to move, you’d better clear it with her. Otherwise you need to stay where you're supposed to sit.”
Josh turned pleading eyes toward Sophie, and she managed to keep a serious face as she nodded her consent.
Sophie mouthed a thank-you to her high school friend. Running into him after church, she’d been eager to ask for assistance from both sides of the twins’ family. Though having their grandmother there the previous week had been helpful, she couldn’t ask the lady to sit through all the rehearsals. Not surprisingly, only a few of their other relatives had been willing to help. Fortunately, Nolan had agreed, and having a big policeman there encouraged the rest of the children to behave.
Seeing the twins settled, she proceeded with the rehearsal.
“I am going to play some Christmas songs you might know, and I want you to sing along,” Sophie said. “While you’re singing, I want you to use your best voices, because I’m going to come around and listen. You don’t have to sing louder when I’m nearby, because that just makes your voice sound bad. But while I’m listening, I’m going to find out who has the best voices for singing, and who has good voices for speaking.” She started up her mp3 player, which she had plugged into a portable speaker. Strains of familiar Christmas songs began, and some of the kids sang along. A lot of them were monotone, and Sophie made mental notes to give those kids speaking parts. But one voice soared with clarity. Josh Longton. Jordan wasn’t bad either, but not quite as good as his brother. She’d have to speak to him later about singing a special song for the program. Again, she wrote frantically on her notebook.
The song ended, and another one started. This one was a bit cheerier. She started a simple dance step, side to side, encouraging the kids to join her. Most obliged her, though several stopped singing when their feet started to move. Again, she made mental notes about the kids who caught on quickly, and who needed more direction. She added a hand jive, and again the kids cooperated.
A half hour later, she had a better idea
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