Miracle in Music City

by Natalie Grant

  “Me too.”

  They watched Lulu and Miss Julia move from guitar to guitar, Miss Julia lifting, and Lulu checking.

  “Why do you think they’re so mad at us?” Mia asked Maddie. “I don’t understand.”

  Maddie had noticed a few things, like the way Annabeth tensed up every time Mia talked about their competing dances. It seemed, though, that the problem was bigger than the dances. Especially with the way Annabeth kept mentioning their tour and everything they got to do because they were Glimmer girls.

  “I don’t think we’re any different this year than we were last year,” she said. “Are we?”

  “I don’t know,” Mia said.

  “Annabeth said we are being selfish,” Maddie said. “And if we are, of course that would make them upset. But I don’t understand what we’re being selfish about.”

  “I think they’re just a little jealous,” Mia said.

  Maddie didn’t have a good answer for this. Maybe their friends did feel a little jealous, but wasn’t that how friends felt every once in a while? She felt that way sometimes, anyway. And even though the idea of singing at the Opry scared her, she’d definitely feel left out if Mia and Lulu were going to perform without her. Feeling left out was what had started all this in the first place—that closed-out feeling she’d had watching her friends dance. And now, she and Mia had the concert on Friday with no room in it for Annabeth and Emily. Since they couldn’t include their friends in the performance, maybe there was a way to help them feel less closed out.

  “Maybe there’s something we can do to include them,” she told Mia.

  “In the concert?” Mia frowned. “How would we do that?”

  “Maybe not in the concert, but in the benefit . . . I don’t know,” Maddie said. “I’ll think about it.”

  “It’s not here.” Lulu checked the bottom of the last guitar and sighed.

  “Let’s go see what the others have found,” Miss Julia said.

  Unfortunately, no one had better news. They’d scoured the dressing rooms and backstage areas, and the guitar was nowhere to be found. Dad checked in at the security desk, and Charles hadn’t spotted anything on the video footage, either.

  “We’ll have to postpone the search until tomorrow,” Mom said. “Maybe by then, Charles will have found something.”

  “Will he sit there all night reviewing the videos from the security cameras?” Maddie asked. She wanted to find the thief, but she didn’t want Charles to have to work all through the night.

  “I’m sure he’ll go home when his shift ends,” Dad said. “And someone else can pick up the search tomorrow morning.”

  “Maybe whoever took the guitar will decide they don’t want it after all,” Maddie said.

  “If he went to all the trouble to steal it, why would he give it back?” Mia asked.

  “You never know,” Dad said. “Especially since this is a charity benefit. If we spread the word about the missing guitar and why it’s important to the cause, maybe the thief will have a change of heart.”

  “Speaking of the cause, let’s head on out to the car, girls,” Mom said. “Tomorrow, you need all your energy. We’re going to Third Street to help serve lunch.”

  “We’re going to the shelter tomorrow?” Mia asked.

  “We’re not going to school?” Maddie didn’t want to miss any more time with Annabeth and Emily, even if they were ‘taking space.’ Maybe by tomorrow, everything would have blown over.

  “I thought it would be nice for you girls to see what our concert and auction is all about,” Mom said. “You can go to school in the morning, and Miss Julia will pick you up a little before lunch.”

  “And then we can warm people’s bellies, like Earl Eldridge Jr. did,” Lulu said.

  Dad grinned. “What’s that?”

  “One of the Opry staff told us some stories about him—about when he used to serve food at a soup kitchen. E. E. Jr. said he didn’t only want to warm people’s bellies, but their hearts too,” Maddie explained.

  “If anyone can warm hearts,” Dad said, wrapping them into a hug, “I’m sure my girls can. Now, off to the car with you, and I’ll see you at home to tuck you into bed.”

  “See you soon,” the girls said.

  FIFTEEN

  After they’d all buckled in, Mom sat in the car with the ignition off for a moment.

  “I suppose I should call Jennifer,” she said to Miss Julia.

  “Everything will work out,” Miss Julia said. “Maybe we can’t see how right now, but God can work a miracle here.”

  “Wouldn’t it be amazing if God could find the guitar wherever it is, and move it back to the studio where it’s supposed to be?” Mia said.

  “You mean like with superpowers?” Maddie said.

  “I guess that’s kind of what I mean,” Mia said. “But I know God doesn’t work that way. Maybe he’d use angels.”

  “God can do those kinds of things,” Mom said. “In the Bible, he talks about faith being able to move mountains. You know, Mia, that’s an important reminder. Before we do anything else, we should definitely pray.”

  “Can I do it?” Lulu asked.

  “Of course,” Mom said.

  They all bowed their heads. Maddie tried to quiet the worries bouncing around in her mind, but it was hard, even with her eyes closed.

  “God, somehow Earl Eldridge’s guitar got lost,” Lulu said. “We don’t know what happened, but we looked everywhere in the Opry, and we can’t find it anywhere. You see everything, so I’m sure you know where it is. Please show us where to look, or help us find it. Pretty, pretty please?”

  “Amen,” Mom said. “Thank you, Lulu. You’re right, God does see everything, and he knows where the guitar is. We’ll trust that he’ll help us figure this out in his timing.”

  “Sometimes it feels like God’s timing takes such a long time,” Mia said.

  Mom laughed, and with her laughter, some of the heaviness in Maddie’s chest lifted. If Mom could laugh even while the guitar was still missing, somehow, in some way, things would work out.

  Mom turned the car on and backed up, dialing Ms. Carpenter on the speaker phone.

  “Hi, Jennifer?” Mom said.

  “Oh, hi there, Gloria,” Ms. Carpenter said. “How is all the benefit prep?”

  Mom took a deep breath, and Maddie took one right along with her. What would Ms. Carpenter say when she heard the news?

  “That’s actually why I’m calling,” Mom said. “Unfortunately, I have bad news. I’m so sorry, but tonight while we were practicing, someone stole your grandfather’s guitar. Or at least, that’s how it appears. The guitar may have been misplaced or moved, but we don’t believe anyone in the Opry would have touched it. We searched the premises and haven’t found it anywhere yet. In retrospect, I suppose there were many things we could have done to prevent something like this happening. We could have put locks on the studio doors, added more security monitoring, or even posted someone in the room with the items at all times. It just never occurred to us to think that anyone would steal items set aside for the auction. The building is pretty secure, and we didn’t think . . . Oh, Jennifer, I’m so sorry.”

  Ms. Carpenter’s voice was dull and missing all its usual brightness when she answered. “I’m sorry too, Gloria. What a terrible loss this is for everyone.”

  “We’ll keep looking for the guitar, of course,” Mom said.

  “Of course,” Ms. Carpenter echoed, but her voice didn’t have much hope in it.

  “I keep hoping the person who stole the guitar—whoever they are—will have a change of heart,” Mom said.

  “It’s possible,” Ms. Carpenter said.

  “I know it’s a long shot,” Mom said. “We’ll keep you informed as we continue to look.”

  “I appreciate that, Gloria,” Ms. Carpenter said. “I should let you go. Sounds like you’re driving home. Are the girls in the car with you?”

  “We’re here,” Mia said.

  “I�
��m so sorry, Ms. Carpenter,” Maddie said, pushing the words out past the lump in her throat.

  “I know you are, girls,” Ms. Carpenter said. “I don’t want you worrying. Okay? The benefit will be a success, even if the guitar isn’t recovered. I know this situation will work out one way or another, even though it’s hard to see how that will happen right now.”

  “Thanks, Jennifer,” Mom said. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “See you tomorrow,” she said.

  Mom hung up, and no one spoke for a few minutes.

  Finally, Mia broke the silence. “It’s horrible, someone taking the guitar like that. Especially after Ms. Carpenter saved it for so long, waiting for just the right cause to donate it to.”

  “I don’t want the guitar to have been stolen,” Maddie said. “Do you really think that’s what happened, Mom?”

  “I’m not sure what else to think,” Mom said. “It would be wonderful if the guitar is simply misplaced, but the likelihood of it being moved accidentally is pretty small.”

  “Maybe, like Mommy said, whoever took it will put it back,” Lulu said.

  “It’s possible,” Miss Julia said.

  Maddie looked out the dark window at wet trees rushing by. Raindrops rolled down her window, reminding her of tears. Sometimes, when it rained, it made her wonder if God ever cried. Did the things people sometimes did—the wrong things—make him sad? It was a strange thought—God who was powerful enough to speak the entire universe into existence, with tears rolling down his face. Or maybe God didn’t even have a face—she wasn’t entirely sure. In the Old Testament, God appeared to the people as a pillar of fire in the nighttime and as a cloud in the day. But Jesus became a man and walked around with a living and breathing body. He’d eaten and slept. He’d even cried, actually. So, maybe sometimes God did cry.

  Maddie spotted one star, and then another, between gaps in the clouds. She pressed her eyes closed and silently prayed, God, please bring the guitar back. Help untangle everything that’s knotted up with the benefit and with Annabeth and Emily, and with me too. Help us know what to do next.

  SIXTEEN

  Waking up the next morning for school wasn’t easy. Mom rubbed her shoulder, drawing Maddie out of her dreams. “I put out some clothes for you. And breakfast is ready downstairs. I let you girls sleep as long as I could, but now we need to hurry so you can make it to school on time.”

  Maddie blinked, and the room slowly came into focus. Her dream thoughts gave way to real-world thoughts. Pieces clicked into place. School—today might be their last chance to fix things with Annabeth and Emily before the concert. Everything that happened last night came to mind too. The guitar—and the conversation with Ms. Carpenter. Ms. Carpenter, who wouldn’t be her usual cheerful self today at school. Even though Maddie knew the missing guitar wasn’t her fault, she felt awful anyway.

  The leggings, skirt, and shirt Mom had put out were perfect for today—soft, cozy, and easy to wear. Maddie finished dressing first and went to Mia’s room.

  “I dreamt last night that we found the guitar,” Mia said, pulling on the skirt Mom had left out for her.

  “Where?” Maddie asked.

  “Well, it wouldn’t happen like this in real life,” Mia said. “In my dream, it was kind of like a treasure hunt, with clues left all over the Opry. We figured out each riddle, which led us to the next clue, and then Lulu finally found the guitar up in the light booth.”

  “I wish it could be like that, just a game,” Maddie said.

  “We’re good at solving mysteries, though,” Mia said. “Maybe we can figure this one out too.”

  Mom must have just finished waking Lulu up, because she passed by the door just then.

  “Girls, are you dressed? Let’s go eat.”

  Maddie had one more sock to pull on, which she did, and then hurried downstairs. As she passed through the kitchen, Dad stopped fiddling with the coffee maker and came over to plant a kiss on the top of her head.

  “Morning, sweetheart,” he said.

  “Morning, Dad.”

  At the table, Mia was mid-conversation with Mom.

  “We’re not looking for mysteries,” Mia insisted. “They just keep finding us.”

  “I was so proud of both of you this summer,” Mom said. “You asked great questions and paid close attention. By doing that, you figured out what was going wrong at the water park, and also found the art thief in London. But, chasing after thieves can be dangerous.”

  “Extremely dangerous,” Dad said, bringing a mug of coffee to Mom. “Think of how dangerous it was for Maddie to walk around London by herself chasing after her art thief. You’ve both promised never to do anything like that again.”

  “But in San Diego, we didn’t break any rules,” Mia said. “We just kept our eyes open.”

  “And you ended up spending your whole vacation looking for clues,” Mom said.

  “And riding water rides and seeing the dolphins,” Mia said.

  “And eating Belgian waffles!” Lulu added, bouncing into the room.

  “Right now, it’s time for you three to eat breakfast,” Mom said. “I want you at school on time this morning, since we’re pulling you out early.”

  Maddie spread raspberry jam on her toast and took a bite.

  “All I’m saying is that sometimes we see things other people don’t see,” Mia said, after dutifully taking a bite of her toast too.

  “That’s true,” Mom said. “But, we have your Opry debut on Friday night. That’s a big deal, and to perform well, all three of you will need to focus. We don’t need another wild goose chase.”

  “But we don’t go on wild goose chases, Mom,” Mia said. “We find thieves. Honestly, we’ve done it twice.”

  Mom smiled at this. To Maddie, it looked like she was trying hard not to, but couldn’t stop herself.

  “You’re right about that,” Mom said. “Let’s take it one step at a time. School first, and then we’ll head over to the shelter to serve lunch. Then, off to the Opry for rehearsal. Today, we’re going to focus on your song first. And while we’re rehearsing, I don’t want you distracted by anything—especially not by mysteries. Okay?”

  “Do you think Charles or any of the other security guards found anything on the tapes?” Maddie asked.

  Mom raised a warning eyebrow. “No worries about the guitar right now, okay? Trust Dad and me to keep working on it. We want to find the guitar just as much as you do. I promise.”

  “But if we see something, we should tell you, right?” Mia said.

  When Mom looked over at Dad, the corners of her lips tilted up in a small smile. “Yes, of course, girls. If you see something, let us know.”

  “Glimmer girls to the rescue!” shouted Lulu, but then quickly added, “After we do all that other stuff Mommy wants us to do.”

  Maddie was almost finished with her toast when a new question struck her. “What will the shelter be like?”

  She thought of the man they’d seen a few days ago, the one who had shouted at them. Would people at Third Street shout or ask questions she didn’t have answers to? “Are we supposed to talk to the people?”

  “We’re supposed to tell them jokes, like Earl Eldridge Jr. did, right, Mommy?” Lulu asked.

  Mom burst out laughing, and then came around the table, hugging each of them. “I love you all so much. When we’re at the shelter, I want you to be your sparkly, kind selves. After all, Glimmer girls sparkle and shine . . .”

  “But most of all, they are kind!” the girls said.

  Miss Julia arrived right on cue, peeking her head in the front door. “Ready to load up?”

  “Don’t forget your backpacks!” Mom called as they all scurried to pull on their coats and shoes.

  SEVENTEEN

  Mom picked the girls up at the beginning of morning recess, which meant Maddie didn’t have a chance to talk to Annabeth and Emily. It didn’t matter much. Even if she’d had the chance, after thinking all morning, she hadn’t come up
with anything to say. Like Mia said, they couldn’t include their friends in the performance. Without doing that, was there any way to fix Annabeth and Emily’s hurt feelings? Hurt feelings were difficult. You couldn’t fix them with a Band-aid or cough syrup.

  “What are we supposed to do at the shelter?” Mia asked. “Are we cooking?”

  “No, we’ll be serving food,” Mom said. “Denise, the shelter’s director, is going to meet us today and explain what we’ll each be doing.”

  “What if someone shouts at us?” Maddie asked.

  “I’m sure no one will shout,” Mom said. “But we’ll all be together behind the tables, so if you need me, I’ll be right there to help you.”

  The shelter was a brick building right in the middle of downtown. After they circled the block a few times, they ended up parking in a garage. When they came around the corner from Third Street onto Broadway, Maddie saw a line of people waiting to go inside. There were people of all ages, which surprised Maddie. She even saw a few kids. Their clothing was frayed around the edges or even had holes. Most of them were wearing coats, but they still looked cold. Maddie was grateful that at least it wasn’t raining anymore.

  “Are they all shelter people?” Lulu asked.

  Mom smoothed down a wild hair on Lulu’s head. “They are using the shelter’s services, sweetie, but I wouldn’t call them shelter people.”

  Lulu stopped and tilted her head up at Mom, confused. “Why not?”

  “It’s easy for people to forget how special they are to God, especially when they start labeling themselves. When a person needs help, that doesn’t mean they are forever-after a needy person. It’s important to remember that our life situations don’t change who we are.”

  “You mean all those people are homeless?” Mia asked. “None of them have places to sleep, even the kids?”

  Maddie thought of those sheets of rain. Some of the children in the line were younger than Lulu. No one should sleep outside on the soggy ground, but the idea of a tiny child huddled up in the rain, trying to sleep, was terrible.