“Yes, Mom.”
“And your white shoes?”
“Yes and my dress and my makeup.”
“You won’t need much makeup, Avvy, I told you that.”
“Not even eye-lashes?”
“No especially not eye-lashes. This is a natural pageant. You’re only allowed to wear very light makeup.”
“What about my hair?”
“I’ll make your hair really nice. Avvy, I want this pageant for you children to show your personalities and your talent. It isn’t just about the way you look.”
“I know, Mom, but I’m scared that I’ll look ugly.”
“Why would you think that?” Erin asked. “You have a very pretty face. More than that, though, you’re a very sweet and polite girl.”
“I don’t think sweet and polite win pageants, Mom.”
“You just might be very surprised.”
“Are you still going to sing for your talent?”
“Yes.”
“Which song?”
“I’ll decide when I get there.”
“Okay then. We better leave. What about you, Jordie? Do you have all your soccer things?”
“I’m wearing them,” Jordan said. “See the cool cleats Daddy got me?”
“I see. Very nice and they’re very colorful, too.”
“Neat, huh?”
“Yes they are.”
“Are you going to see my game, Mom?”
“I sure will.”
“But what about my talent and my question thing,” Avvy asked.
“I’m going to see them both,” Erin said. “So is Daddy.”
“We need to get going or we’ll be late!” Zach said clapping his hands.
“I’m thrilled with this so far. I hope it goes smoothly,” Erin said as they walked out to the car.
“It’ll be great,” Zach said. “Don’t worry.”
“What if it isn’t?”
“Then you improvise.”
***
“Yay, you’re here!” Sienna shouted.
“Hi,” Erin said. “Don’t you two look very handsome.”
“Yes, we do,” Sienna’s twins chorused. They were both dressed up in the cutest of suits.
“Do you have your talent ready?”
“Uh-huh,” Deacon said.
“Yep,” Dean added. “Do you wanna know what it is?”
“No! Don’t tell her!” Deacon said. “It’s a surprise.”
“Okay, well that’s a good talent because I like surprises,” Erin said.
Erin walked over to the make-shift stage. They’d chosen the park area outside the community center. Close enough that they had electricity but also within sight of the soccer field. The biggest nightmare for parents with regards to children’s activities is when things clash and you’re forced to choose between your kids. That wasn’t going to happen to anyone this time, because all the activities were near each other. “Come on children, it’s time to line up,” she said.
***
“And now introducing Dean and Deacon to do their talent,” Jonathon said. He smiled nervously when only one of the twins came up to the stage. “Hello there,” he said. “Are we missing someone?”
“No,” A little voice said.
“Okay. Well you’re going to have to help me out here. Which twin are you?” Jonathon asked.
“Dean.”
Sienna and Toby looked on with confusion.
“Well, hello, Dean. What talent are you going to do for us today?” Dean said nothing but he looked to the side steps and his brother walked on stage. “Well, we seem to have found your other half. Hello, Deacon. I’m happy that you joined us.”
“I’m not Deacon,” he said with a grin.
“Hang on, one of you must be Deacon. I thought you said you were Dean.”
“I am Dean.” The first little boy giggled.
“I think you’re playing with me,” Jonathon said.
“Nope,” they chorused.
“You’re not?”
“Nope, we’re doing our talent. Mommy said to do the thing we do best. And the thing we do best is trick people!” One of the Deans burst out laughing and his brother joined him, as did the rest of the crowd.
“Well, I think you did your talent very well,” Jonathon said. “Give them a round of applause!”
The crowd erupted and the boys took a bow, and another bow and eventually Sienna and Toby had to come up on stage and get them.
***
“Go, Jordie! Go!” Erin jumped up and down as she watched her daughter run the length of the field, dodging this way and that until she kicked the ball into the net. This must have been a great thing because the crowd cheered and Zach tossed the sideline flag thing he was carrying in the air.
“Is that it?” she called to Zach.
“Yes, honey, they won!”
“Really?”
“She did great,” Zach said.
“She sure did,” Erin said. “You know I was wrong. I never saw her that excited in a pageant. Never.”
“Different strokes,” Zach said. “Come on, They’re about to the judge the pageant. Let’s hope Avvy wins something.”
“I could have cried for her when she forgot the words to her song,” Erin said. “I really think she lost her nerve because of her lack of makeup.”
“Avvy’s nine. She shouldn’t know what it’s like to wear makeup.”
“Yeah, I know.”
When they got to the stage there was no sign of Avvy. “Where’s Avvy?” Erin mouthed to Jonathon as he was about to read out the winners.
He shrugged. “She dropped out,” he mouthed back.
Erin looked at Zach horrified. “She’s probably crying somewhere on her
own.”
“Don’t panic, we’ll find her,” he said.
Erin heard her name being called. She looked around and saw Carol and Crystal waving wildly from over near the cooking table. “Avvy!” she mouthed.
Carol pointed to the row of tables where the kids were displaying the cake decorating efforts.
“She’s there with Brianna!” Erin shouted. She ran and Zach followed her. She squealed when Lilo stood beside Avvy and Brianna with a trophy.
“First prize for the tallest most colorful cake goes to Avvy and Brianna, who joined their cakes together and covered them completely with M&M’s,” he said. The girls were giggling as Lelo passed the trophy.
Erin’s eyes were full of tears when Avvy came over to them all smiles.
The little girl’s face fell when she saw her mother’s tears. “Are you disappointed that I changed my mind?”
“No, Avvy, no. I’m just happy to see you so happy,” Erin said. “Why did you change your mind, though?”
“Being in a pageant wasn’t as much fun as I remembered it. Bri and I had a lot more fun decorating our cakes.”
“Well that’s great!” Zach said.
“It sure is, honey, now I’ll have a helper in the kitchen.”
“Sometimes,” Avvy said. “I have to go do something now. Is that ok?”
“Of course,” Zach said.
***
“Can I please see Erin, Sienna, Carol and Jen on the stage?” Jonathon called out over the microphone.
The four girls walked over to the stage and up the steps on either side.
“These girls have worked tirelessly to bring everybody together for today’s events,” Jonathon said. “These kids are all very grateful and they’d like to say thank you.”
He stepped back and the stage filled with all the kids from the town. They strode on to the stage in a seemingly unending stream until the stage was full. Jonathon turned on the music player and the children started whistling. When they started singing with a Jamaican accent the girls started laughing, then crying and finally they sang along, swaying with the kids.
“Here’s a little song I wrote, you might want to sing it note for note. Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”
The End
&nbs
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