Nutcracker Sweets at Moonglow

by Deborah Garner

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Low lighting barely illuminated the double row of chairs that had been set in a wide semi-circle against the walls, leaving the rest of the room completely dark. Only the bottom of an arched trellis just inside the door caught a fraction of the faint light.

  Two local schoolchildren, dressed in their finest holiday garb, handed out souvenir programs as guests entered, giving strict instructions not to open them until after the show. The directions would have been unnecessary, in any case. The room was far too dark for anyone to read. As it was, those attending the show had to inch sideways cautiously as they sought places to sit along the rows. More than a few clinks and groans pierced the air as people bumped into chair legs or stepped on the toes of others close in line.

  “How did Clayton manage to make the room this dark?” Betty whispered as she and Mist stood to the side of the door, watching the crowd ease into the parlor. “I can’t even see the Christmas tree by the front window. Usually the moonlight outside outlines it, even with no lights on at all.”

  Mist leaned closer to Betty. “The tree has been moved to the center of the room. The furniture that is usually in front of the fireplace has been moved out. Only the tree is there. Fortunately the empty fireplace allowed room for the tree to back up close to the wall. We also covered the front window with dark cloth.”

  “Ah, I understand,” Betty said. “And the lighting right now?”

  “Two soft lights, aimed only at the chairs,” Mist said. Looking around the room, she was impressed with the effort Clayton and his crew had put in. The normally bright front parlor looked indeed like a darkened theatre.

  Luisa and Rafael held back, allowing others to file into the rows first, and then took two end seats. Even with the added arch inside the doorway, the entry was wide enough for Maria to sit with them when the show started. Her wheelchair would fit nicely along the edge of the row.

  Hushed voices conversed with one another in the manner common to audiences waiting for a show to begin. Paper fluttered as programs settled into laps. Olga took the third seat over in the front row, next to Luisa and Rafael on one side and the professor on the other. Michael took an end seat across the aisle, so that Mist could stand beside him while still attending to the show.

  Luisa shuffled nervously in her seat, worried that Maria was going to miss the show. Rafael patted her arm, assuring her that Maria wouldn’t miss it, whether she watched from the audience or backstage.

  What little light there was faded to black, and the room fell silent. The sound of shuffling feet accompanied faint shadows of moving figures. When the movement ceased, a stick tapped on wood, replicating the sound of a conductor readying an orchestra.

  “Nice touch,” Michael whispered to Mist, who simply smiled.

  Gradually, a circle of light appeared at the top of the Christmas tree, growing wider and lower as the well-known Tchaikovsky score filled the air. As the illumination reached the floor, two sights brought “oohs” and “aahs” from the audience: a silver box adorned with bright red ribbon just below the lowest branch, and the sleeping figure of Clara curled up beside the tree.

  “Look how lovely Keira’s costume is,” Luisa whispered to Rafael. Mist, overhearing, had to agree. It had only taken a few yards of blue ribbon and white lace to turn the vintage white nightgown from the thrift shop into the proper attire for Clara’s dream sequence. In addition, with the young girl’s back to the audience, matching blue ribbons and golden ringlets could be seen cascading across her shoulders to match the costume, just as Glenda from the Curl ‘N Cue had arranged backstage.

  A crescendo of music accompanied a shift of lighting to highlight Matthew, dressed as Herr Drosselmeyer, entering the stage area. His salt-and-pepper hair was a perfect match to his old-fashioned black and white costume, complete with cape and eye patch.

  “He’s scary!” a young boy near Mist murmured.

  “It’s okay,” Mist said, reassuring the child. “He’s really very nice.”

  Matthew ambled dramatically around the stage with adept footing and sweeping arm movements, finally pausing by the tree to pick up the silver package. With one sideways whoosh of an arm, he pulled the red ribbon off the box, tossing it gleefully to the side. The lid tumbled off along with it, and Matthew reached inside and lifted out the hidden gift: a brightly painted nutcracker. Facing the audience, he held the colorful wooden toy out for all to see.

  Again the light shifted, this time highlighting Liam, whose burgundy and gold costume far outshined that of the elderly, eccentric Drosselmeyer. A round of applause circled the room as the handsome Cavalier executed a leap – modified for the limited space – and stepped to the center of the stage.

  “Why is the Cavalier appearing so early?” Heather said, being all too familiar with the usual order of the two act ballet. Mist watched her lean forward, taking in all aspects of the scene – the festive tree, the open gift, Herr Drosselmeyer, the Cavalier, and Clara.

  Betty, within hearing distance, answered Heather. “It’s just an abbreviated show.”

  “You’ll see,” Mist added.

  The music segued from that of Liam’s majestic entrance to a softer portion of the Act I score. Matthew mimed a desire to give the nutcracker gift to the sleeping Clara, imploring the Cavalier’s help. Liam spread his arms open and bowed his head in understanding, then tiptoed gracefully around Clara so that he faced the audience. Lowering to one knee to the floor, he gently slid both arms under the sleeping girl and raised her from the floor.

  “No, it can’t be!” Luisa gasped, both hands flying to her mouth. Rafael wrapped his arm around her to calm her. Others in the audience began to whisper as they caught on.

  Liam turned a full circle as the waking Clara’s arms began to stretch. He then carefully adjusted her position so that he held her legs curled inside one arm, and supported her ribcage with the other. Now, with the audience’s full view of the sweet face beneath the golden curls and blue ribbon, it was clear that Clara was not Keira, but Marie.

  Matthew stepped forward and bowed, then presented Clara with the nutcracker. As he stepped back, Marie clasped the new gift with both hands and held it high in the air, Liam swinging her gently forward to help extend her reach.

  Suddenly the arch by the entry way lit up with twinkling lights intertwined with white cotton batting. Glittery paper snowflakes hung from the top of the arch, as well as from the ceiling above. The Cavalier moved swiftly to the arch, Clara secure in his arms.

  “The Land of Snow!” one guest murmured as Liam spun Marie in circles below the twinkling lights and snowflakes.

  As Liam and Marie moved back across the room, another set of sparkling lights came on, resulting in more gasps throughout the room. Herr Drosselmeyer had retreated offstage during the Cavalier and Clara’s trip through the Land of Snow, reappearing with her wheelchair, now adorned with strands of twinkling lights and garlands of candy. As Liam placed Marie gently in the chair, she sat upright, as regal as a princess, ready for the show in The Land of Sweets.

  A round of applause filled the room, and then faded away as Matthew, Liam and Marie all stayed in character - a sign the performance wasn’t over.

  Heather leaned forward again, her eyes searching the stage with the unspoken question that had occurred to more than a few in the audience. Olga tapped her cane to get Heather’s attention, smiled, and mouthed the words, “Just wait.”

  The stage area faded to black, and again the audience heard the sound of feet moving in the dark. After a moment of silence, the lights came back on, sudden and bright, this time illuminating the most beautiful Sugar Plum Fairy the audience had ever seen. Keira stood poised in the center of the stage area, her usual white snowflake costume now adorned with pink tulle draped in scalloped fashion from her waistline and shoulder seams. Pink and lavender organza flowers dotted each curve of fabric. A headpiece of pink roses and baby’s breath framed a classic hair bun above her slender neck. Mist sent Maisie a smile o
f appreciation for that final touch.

  As the bell-chiming music of the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy began, Keira executed precise steps and graceful movements. Each pirouette and every arabesque demonstrated technique far beyond that of a dancer her age. And her glee was contagious when, during a brief pas de deux, Liam lifted her in the air.

  “Thank goodness for our high ceilings,” Betty said as applause broke out.

  Liam lowered Keira effortlessly to the floor, and then stood back, arm extended toward her. Posing with serene preparation, the Sugar Plum Fairy spun into a final series of turns and ended with a crisp finish.

  Applause and cheers filled the room and floated throughout the hotel as Keira curtsied to each side, and then extended an arm just as Liam had done. Maria, now unplugged from the source of her chair’s twinkling lights, rolled out beside Keira. The two girls hugged, bringing the audience to its feet for a standing ovation. Matthew and Liam walked out to join the girls, placing a bouquet of roses in each dancer’s lap and then standing to the each side. All four bowed as guests snapped photos of the proud moment.

  After the townsfolk had gone home, the hotel guests had retired for the night, and the furniture had reclaimed its regular placement, Mist, Michael, Betty and Clive sat together in the front parlor. Upstairs, a young dancer dreamed of her reign over the Land of Sweets, dressed in flowing pink and lavender, a halo of roses above her head. Downstairs, another dancer dreamed of soaring through the Land of Snow with her Nutcracker, no longer just a fantasy. And the adults simply sat in silence. After all, for that particular Christmas Eve, everything important had already been said.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Sunlight flowed through the windows of the café as guests arrived for the late breakfast that Mist aptly called Christmas Brunch. Serving at the later hours on Christmas Day allowed townsfolk to observe morning traditions with their families before heading over for a casual holiday meal. Hotel guests could ease into the day with coffee and croissants from the lobby, lingering in their rooms a little longer than usual, if they desired to. And quite a few chose to do exactly that, as the activities of the night before had left everyone ready for a good night’s sleep, and a leisurely morning.

  Mist, however, had stayed up late after everyone retired, as was her habit on Christmas eve. This was the time her paintbrush most inspired her, when she could touch up the departing gifts she traditionally gave guests to take home as mementos of their stay.

  “Look at that clever fruit plate!” Luisa commented, noting the holiday colors of the grapes, raspberries, kiwi, strawberries, and green apple slices. “It’s like a Christmas mosaic.” Rafael, entering with her, smiled, but looked far more interested in the chafing dishes of eggs benedict breakfast casserole and maple-pepper bacon.

  “Good morning and Merry Christmas,” Mist said as she greeted each guest. Unlike her usual tendency to breeze through the hotel in long skirts, she’d chosen to wear black rayon slacks and an ivory embroidered peasant blouse with gathered neckline and bell sleeves. A triple strand of Moroccan beads accented the outfit. The only nod to holiday colors was a red silk scarf which loosely tied her hair at the nape of her neck.

  Betty, on the other hand, was sufficiently decked out for a holiday catalog. Her red skirt grazed the top of gold ankle boots, and her kelly green sweater featured a puffed reindeer design than ran from neckline to waistline. Clip-on earrings shaped like candy canes graced her earlobes. Clive was only slightly less festive in a forest green shirt and red sweater vest.

  “I’m too tired to roll myself in,” Maria said, yawning dramatically as Keira wheeled her into the room. “So I had to ask the Sugar Plum Fairy to bring me to breakfast.”

  “You girls were simply brilliant last night,” Nigel said. He’d arrived just after Mist opened the café doors. Cup of tea in hand, he sat with Olga at a window table. Keira and Maria stopped by the table and hugged Olga before taking places at the larger table with Luisa and Rafael. Heather also joined the group, sitting down next to Luisa, proud mothers side by side.

  “Did you see that?” Betty said to Mist. “Both girls went to greet Olga as soon as they saw her, before even choosing a table or looking at the food.”

  “Yes,” Mist said, smiling. “I suspect Olga has a more interesting background than she’s let on. I hope she’ll share it with us before she leaves.”

  “She has spent quite a bit of time with the girls the last couple of days, now that I think about it,” Betty said.

  Clive, to no one’s surprise, had been the first to arrive. He sat with Clayton, Maisie, Clay Jr., and Clayton’s parents. Matthew and Liam had both joined the table with Nigel and Olga.

  Michael entered last, taking a seat at the large table with the others there. He patted the empty seat next to him, motioning for Mist to join group.

  “Go on,” Betty said, encouraging Mist to sit with the others. “I can watch the buffet, and you deserve to relax and enjoy today.” Others at the table also echoed Michael’s sentiments, especially Maria and Keira who waved their arms enthusiastically.

  Mist tilted her head to the side, as if pondering the idea whimsically. “You know, I think I will,” she said, much to everyone’s delight.

  “Lovely music you have playing this morning,” Heather said as Mist sat down. “Carol of the Bells, one of my favorites. And Little Drummer Boy before that.”

  “A capella, too,” Nigel added from the window table. “Pentatonix. I do enjoy their Christmas selections.” Heads nodded in agreement as guests took bites of the brunch fare.

  Betty slipped a small serving of fruit in front of Mist, so that she’d have something to eat along with the others.

  “Is that all you’re going to have?” Maria asked.

  Mist laughed. “If only you knew how much taste-testing I do while preparing meals.”

  “Now wait just a minute,” Clive said, attempting to pull off a serious objection. “I thought I was the official taste-tester around these parts!”

  “You are, dear,” Betty said. She placed her hands on his shoulders and kissed the top of his head. “Your reputation for that is well-established.”

  Clive let out an exaggerated sigh of relief, bringing both laughter and teasing in turn. The cheerful camaraderie continued throughout the meal, after which Mist invited guests to move to the front parlor.

  Just as it had in the café, sunlight flowed in from outside as guests gathered in the main room to enjoy the beautifully decorated Christmas tree, a warm fire in the fireplace, and each other’s company. Perry Como’s smooth voice began telling everyone it was “beginning to look a lot like Christmas,” which, indeed, it was. Clive escorted Betty over to the tree and asked her to close her eyes while he pulled a “surprise” from one of the back branches – a silver ornament that he handcrafted for her each year, this time a reindeer. Tiny blue Yogo sapphires sparkled from an etched scarf around the reindeer’s neck.

  “It’s beautiful, Clive!” Betty exclaimed, holding the twinkling ornament in the sunlight. She hung it on a front branch and gave Clive an affectionate hug.

  Marie’s parents pulled out gifts of clothing and books that they’d brought, but kept hidden. Heather did the same, giving Keira a gold ballet shoe pendant, along with a chiffon ballet wrap skirt. The other adults watched the children open their gifts, smiling and remembering the excitement of their own childhoods.

  Mist moved to the Christmas tree and reached between branches, slowly pulling out small squares of fabric tied with raffia. “I have something for each of you, so you can remember spending this holiday here with us.” She handed each guest one of the fabric squares.

  “I don’t think it’s possible to forget Christmas at The Timberton Hotel, Mist,” Michael said as he leaned back in his favorite chair.

  “Exactly right,” Nigel said. “Each year here creates a lasting memory.” Luisa and Rafael agreed it would be a holiday to remember for years to come. Heather, Matthew and Liam expressed the same sentiments. T
he girls, caught up in showing each other their gifts, were oblivious to the adult discussion.

  Mist watched as each person pulled the raffia, letting the cloth fall to the floor, revealing a miniature painting. Smiles on the already cheerful crowd widened.

  “It’s me as Clara!” Marie said, holding up the painting, which replicated her raising the nutcracker high in the air.

  “Or as Marie,” Olga pointed out. “Clara, Marie, Masha, even. All those names have been used in different versions over the years.”

  Marie nodded, remembering that her name was the one used in the original story by E.T.A. Hoffman. “I love it!”

  “Same here,” Keira said, showing her painting to everyone. “I’m in my Sugar Plum Fairy outfit! Thank you, Mist!” She jumped up and ran to Mist, wrapping her arms around her. Marie did the same.

  Matthew and Liam sighed at the sight of theirs, a painting of the hotel itself, but with the hotel sign changed to read “Theatre.”

  “So that you can remember you had a place to go when you lost your theatre,” Mist said. “A place to call home for the holidays - a place privileged to have you here with us.”

  Michael smiled as he held his painting up quietly so that Mist could see that he received it. Contrary to the sentimental paintings some were receiving, his was a winding road with Timberton on one end and Missoula on the other. He winked at Mist, and she blushed. Nothing could have pleased them more than their closer proximity to each other.

  “Show us yours,” both girls said to their parents. Luisa, Rafael and Heather held theirs up. Each painting showed the two girls together at the end of the show, in costume, holding their bouquets with expressions of joy.