“I think we should have her party in the garden,” Star said, sitting down on the grass. “We should work together to paint a banner that says ‘Happy Birthday!’ or something along those lines.”
“We should also have a barbecue,” Sharkell added.
Scazzarda nodded. “Might work.”
The puppies, their parents, Miriam’s mom, Meta Knight, and Scazzarda were suggesting some last-minute touches for Liloy’s party. As they talked, Cloudy kept sneaking glances toward Miriam’s house, hoping Miriam would return early so she could join the discussion.
Waffle frowned. “I don’t know if I want to do a banner or a piñata. I think a piñata would be more fun.”
“Isn’t Liloy a bit too old for a piñata?” asked Yodi.
Scazzarda chuckled and reminded him, “Yodi, you’re never too old for a piñata.”
“Cloudy, what do you think?” Meredith asked.
When there was no reply, Meredith looked up to see Cloudy staring off across the road, her eyes distant. “Cloudy? Cloudy? Cloudy!”
“What?!” Cloudy snapped, then put her paw over her mouth in dismay as she realized who had spoken to her. “I-I mean, yes, ma’am?” she said in a soft, sheepish voice, gazing fearfully at Meredith as though expecting to be punished.
Meredith had to laugh. “Lost in space, huh? I guess we all suffer from the wandering mind disease at one time or another. Anyway, what I asked you was, do you think we should make a banner or a piñata for Liloy?”
Cloudy shrugged. She didn’t really care which one they picked; either one was acceptable. “I don’t know. Why don’t we just try both?”
“Good idea!” Showerstorm said. “But you know, we don’t really have to make the piñata. We can buy one. Now, we can make the banner by hand—or by paw,” he hastened to add, grinning at Cloudy. “It’ll be very colorful and vibrant.”
“Yeah!” Yodi chimed. “It’ll be so radical! We should paint the letters in rainbow colors and add some glitter to it! And maybe we can also add some little plastic flowers and stars! Liloy would really love that!”
“Speaking of Liloy, where is she?” Cloudy asked Meta Knight.
“She went to the Spring Breeze Mall downtown,” Meta Knight answered. “She said she would meet us here in an hour or so after leaving her purchases at her house.”
Cloudy’s eyes widened. “What?! Spring Breeze Mall?!” she blurted. “But that’s where Miriam is!”
Meta Knight was surprised. “Let me guess. . .to buy Liloy a gift.”
Cloudy nodded. “Why did Liloy go?”
Meta Knight shook his head. “In truth, I have no idea. She said she wanted to catch up on some errands, but was being very mysterious about the whole thing.”
Cloudy grinned. “I hope they don’t meet.”
Star cleared her throat meaningfully to bring the two back to the topic at hand. “Ahem,” she said loudly. “I think we should take Yodi’s suggestion on how to make the banner. Who agrees?”
“I do!” hollered Sharkell.
“Me too!” Meredith conceded.
“Me three. I want her to have a wonderful party, especially considering she hasn’t had a decent birthday celebration in five or six years,” said Cloudy.
“How do you know that, darling?” Springtime wondered, seeming shocked by Cloudy’s statement.
“Meta Knight told me the day we had the picnic.”
“I did,” Meta Knight nodded.
Star smiled at her younger sister. “I love the fact that Cloudy is willing to help anyone in need. She truly has a magnanimous spirit.”
Sniper, sitting a few feet away from Star, scoffed and called out, “Are you gonna start using gobbledygook now, Sis?”
Star shot her eldest brother a dirty look. “Why don’t you shut up?”
Sniper rose to his feet, stretched. and peered at Scazzarda’s watch. “Personally, I don’t even know why we’re sitting around yakking about party banners and piñatas and magnanimous spirits. What I’m wondering is, where in Planet Popstar is Miriam? It’s ten minutes past the time she was supposed to come back.”
Meredith instantly began to look worried. “Hmm, you’re right,” she declared, glancing at her own watch. “I hope nothing happened.”
“Maybe it’s nothing,” Sniper said lazily. “Probably her bus just got delayed or something.”
Everyone wanted to believe Sniper. So they waited. And waited and waited. Cloudy was getting restless. Several time she stood up and looked across the deserted road to see if Miriam was home, but saw no sign of her friend. By the time forty minutes had passed, Meredith had had enough.
“All right, now I know something happened to Miriam,” Meredith stormed anxiously. “She should have been back by now. Something happened. I just know it.”
“You know,” Meta Knight began, sounding troubled, “Liloy is late too. But she’s never late. That’s not her.”
“Bruh,” Sniper sighed. “If something did go wrong, it’s your fault. You shouldn’t have let them go alone.”
“Thank you, Mr. Know-It-All!” Meredith retorted. “I hadn’t quite figured that out for myself!”
“Girl, take a chill pill,” groaned Sniper. “I was only saying.”
Meredith sighed, her face showing irritation and concern. “We need to look for them now. And the first place we should check is the mall, for that’s where they were last seen.”
“Congratulations,” Sniper said sarcastically. “A nice piece of detective work. Maybe we should buy you a pipe and detective hat.”
“Ohhh!” Cloudy whirled and screamed at her brother, “Why can’t you learn to be quiet for once in your whole life?!”
Sniper withdrew, shocked at his little sister’s shrieking tone and the anger flashing in her eyes. “I-I was just kidding,” he said in a small voice. “I didn’t mean anything.”
“Cloudburst.” Springtime’s voice was stern. “Do not yell at your brother like that. He may be annoying, but you don’t have to react.”
Cloudy blinked and stared at her mother, then at Sniper, who was watching her cautiously. Then she realized what she had done was wrong. Her mother was right. Sniper could be bothersome, but screaming at him out of sheer anger and annoyance was downright disrespectful and rude. Dropping her head, she murmured, “I’m sorry, Sniper. Truly.”
Sniper stepped forward and gently laid his paw on Cloudy’s shoulder, which surprised everybody. He wasn’t normally so tender. “That’s okay, Cloudy. You didn’t mean any harm. Besides, I probably deserved it anyway.”
Springtime smiled warmly at her son and daughter bonding. Then her expression became somber,. “But we have to look for Miriam and Liloy. Let’s take the bus to the mall and see what we can find.”
* * * * *
As soon as the bus ground to a halt, Cloudy was the first one off. She jumped into the road and slipped on a rock, scraping her paw, but she ignored the pain. Her friends were more important than a stupid injury. Scrambling to her feet, she hurried into the mall, her family and friends behind her.
“Okay, we need to split up,” Springtime ordered. “Split into four groups. One searches the northern parts, another the southern, and the other two the eastern and western. Got it?”
“Got it!” Meredith said.
Cloudy and Meta Knight made a group, along with Star, and they searched the northern area of the mall. But though they hunted in every store, they could not find either Miriam or Liloy.
After thirty minutes had passed, the four groups met up in the center of the mall and reported their findings to one another. All were dismayed to learn that none of them had found the missing girls.
Meta Knight clenched his fist in frustration. “Where are they?”
“I don’t know,” Springtime replied. “But they have to be here, unless they’ve already taken a bus home.”
“Then they should have already met up with us at the house!” Star insisted. “And that’s not the case!”
“Why don’t we just ask someone here if they’ve see Miriam or Liloy?” Scazzarda suggested. “Someone here must have spotted them.”
“Good idea,” Showerstorm said. “Why don’t we ask the clerks here?”
Again they divided into four groups and went to all four areas of the mall, asking the salesclerks if they had seen any girls who resembled Miriam or Liloy.
“A dark-haired girl about seven years old with dark skin?” a young female clerk of the shoe store asked.
“Yes, along with a woman who has dark-yellow eyes and is pregnant. Have you seen them?” Meredith asked.
The woman pondered the question a moment, then shook her head. “Well. . .no, I do not recall seeing any girls like that all the time I’ve been here behind the register today. Sorry I can’t help you.”
“That’s fine.” Meredith told her. She, Sharkell, and Yodi exited the store.
“Well, we’ve been all over the eastern section of this mall, and nobody’s seen Miriam or Liloy,” Sharkell said morosely.
“I wonder if the others are having better luck than we are,” Yodi wondered.
* * * * *
Showerstorm, Scazzarda, Pancake, and Waffle asked around in the southern area of the mall, but none of the salesclerks had seen Miriam or Liloy. They said they really didn’t pay much attention to customers’ appearances.
* * * * *
Meredith, Springtime, and Sniper were exploring the western portion of the mall, but had no more luck than the southern and eastern groups had.
* * * * *
Cloudy, Meta Knight, and Star roamed the northern part, asking the clerks whether they had seen any girls resembling Miriam or Liloy. Every question resulted in a puzzled frown from every clerk, a single shake of the head. Luckily, there was still one more store to try—the jewelry store.
“Come on!” Star said impatiently. “This could be our lucky break!”
It was a small hope. But it was still hope.
Meta Knight and the sisters entered and walked up to the counter. Behind it stood the same humanoid lady. As she turned, she smiled at Meta Knight, but then her smile dropped and she stared at him, recoiling slightly.
“Is there something wrong?” Meta Knight asked, puzzled.
The woman shook her head. “No. . .sorry I’m being rude. But you look so much like that—that girl who was here not too long ago. . .”
Meta Knight started. Cloudy and Star gasped ad stared at each other, wide-eyed.
“What girl?” Meta Knight demanded.
“A girl who looked very much like you—but she didn’t have on a a mask. And she was. . .well, it looked she like she was expecting. There was a child with her, too—cute little girl with black hair and dark skin.”
“Was the little girl wearing a yellow dress?” Cloudy piped up.
The woman thought a few seconds and nodded. “Come to think of it, she was.”
Cloudy was thrilled. They had stumbled upon a valuable clue!
Star grabbed Meta Knight’s cape i her fangs and gently tugged on it. “Meta Knight, should I go round up the others?”
“Yes,” Meta Knight said, his voice sharp. “And hurry.”
Star nodded and darted away.
When Star had rounded up the other groups, herded them to the jewelry store, and everyone was assembled in front of the counter, Meta Knight said to the clerk, “Now please tell us about these girls. Where did they go?”
The woman shot him a suspicious look. “Why do you want to know?” she demanded. “I don’t give out certain information to strangers.”
“The pregnant girl is my daughter,” Meta Knight said shortly. He gestured to Meredith, who stood a few feet behind him. “And the little girl is this woman’s child. They were supposed to meet us nearly an hour and a half ago, but they didn’t, and we fear something went wrong. You must tell us where they went.”
The woman’s suspicious look was replaced by one of contriteness. “Oh,” she said simply. “Well, I’m very sorry. I didn’t know. All right, I’ll tell you. I talked to the little girl for a bit, and then she met up the other woman. Both went off and were gone for a while. The next time I saw them was outside at the bus stop, and this strange car drove up.”
“Strange car?” Scazzarda clarified, confused.
“Yes. A crazy-looking man was driving it. He had very dark hair, maybe black, and he was smoking a cigarette. He stopped to talk to the two girls, and they both got in the van and they drove off. When they did, the tailgate fell off.” She pointed outside near the bus stop, and all saw the shiny hunk of metal lying in the road.
Meta Knight shook his head in disbelief. “But Liloy’s not one to hitchhike with random strangers she doesn’t know!”
“Maybe she’s flipped,” Sniper joked.
“I’m gonna flip you if you don’t shut up,” Yodi snarled.
“I’ve told Miriam not to hitchhike anyway!” Meredith moaned. “Oh, what am I gonna do with that child? She doesn’t listen, for goodness’ sake!”
Cloudy nudged Meta Knight. “Meta Knight, does that guy sound like anyone Liloy knows or used to know?”
Meta Knight looked down at her and his eyes flashed light green. Then they reverted back to yellow and he nodded. “Yes, Cloudy, he does, in fact. The description fits Joseph Unswall, a classmate of Liloy’s who used to want to date her.”
“What was he like?” asked Showerstoem.
“He was very kind to Liloy, but was continually clashing with Tilry. They were archenemies, so to speak, or maybe rivals is the better term.”
The woman had been listening to the conversation with little interest, but when Meta Knight mentioned the name of Joseph Unswall, her face grew dark. “Joseph Unswall! Did you say joseph Unswall?” she asked.
“Yes.” The knight’s eyes glowed orange. “Why?”
“Hold up.” The woman moved to a small computer she kept in the back and turned it on. The others exchanged funny glances. “What is she doing?” whispered Star.
Cloudy shrugged, her ears perking up ever so slightly. “Wish I knew.”
The woman typed something on the keyboard, pressed a button, and hurriedly scanned the screen. “Ah, here it is,” she said, her voice grim. “Joseph Samuel Unswall’s prison record.”
“Prison record?!” Cloudy exclaimed.
“You mean he’s been jailed before?” Star asked.
“Joseph Samuel Unswall,” the woman said, “is a notorious serial killer who got out of jail three months ago. He got six years for killing a woman and her child, three young girls, and a man.” She glanced at the children. “And, um, he was also jailed for some other stuff that’s not fit for these children to hear. I’ll only say that.”
Cloudy’s mouth was agape as she stared a the woman, completely and utterly astounded. A killer who had murdered six people? And he only got six years in jail? Seriously?!
“I can’t believe he got six years for killing six innocent people,” Sniper said, disgust strongly evident in his tone. “He ought to have died!”
“You’re right, young man,” the woman said dryly. “We need some justice for those who were so cruelly used and murdered.”
Meta Knight said no words, but Cloudy glanced at him and saw that he was trembling all over. Her eyes widened and she glanced at the clerk with a frightened gaze. The salesclerk gave her a solemn look in return.
“I hate to say this,” the woman said slowly, “but if your daughters are with that man—” Here she looked directly at Meredith and Meta Knight. “—they will probably not last long.”
The sun set.
Shadows sank deep
Into the folds of the darkness.
He sat alone.
No one around.
No one nearby.
Just him.
The sky darkened with the shade of evening.
The sand became red and gold
With the colored splotches
Of the descending sun.
The shadow of grief befell him.
He sat alone for a time.
Yet it seemed like an eternity.
A milestone.
She had passed.
He still recalled her last days.
The time spent with her.
The memories they created.
The special bond they shared.
But she was gone now.
Never to come back.
Sorrow cast a shadow on him.
He recalled her last words: “Be brave, and love As Christ loved us.”
He has promised.
But had he kept it?
The shadows fell on him.
And so did the agony.
The tears came.
He wept all alone.
Refusing comfort.
Defying love.
Abandoning hope.
Believing he was an outcast.
A reject.
No one to love him.
But one thought differently.
A child approached.
A girl of twelve.
Sunshine-colored hair.
Emerald-hued eyes.
A mature and loving face.
The fountain gurgled
As its waters spilled down
Into the basin.
Tear spilled down his face.
His body shook.
His shoulders heaved.
His breathing ragged and uneven.
The child walked to him.
Halted right behind him.
Put her hand on his arm.
No words were spoken.
The silence of the evening engulfed them.
Sobs of anguish escaped his lips.
The child stood still.
Saying nothing.
Offering nothing
But her love
And companionship.
Love needs no words.
She stayed beside him.
Letting him know
He was not alone.
He was loved.
Cared for.
Rejoiced over.
Not a mistake.
The child remained silent
For the longest time.
Then she spoke for the first time.
“I pray you heal from things. . .”
Her strong fingers gripped his.
Unthinkingly, he tightened his grip
On hers.
“. . .no one ever apologized for.”
His sobs quieted.
His breathing slowed.
The child released her grip.
Sat down a few feet away.
She didn’t look back at him.
But he knew she cared.
And was listening.
Watchful.
Ready to comfort him.
Ready to be a messenger of hope
Sent from the One Who loved him.
* * *
2 Corinthians 1:3-4- “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” ✟ ✟
A few hours later, at five-forty-five, just fifteen minutes before the Christmas Eve service was to start, Jacob dropped Cloudy, Eloise, Nika, Valerie, Lea, Star, and Miriam off at Christ Church and drove back to Vastre Hall to get the others. Cloudy glanced listlessly at the huge white building as she stood in the three-inch-deep snow, not feeling at all happy about the play as she had a few days earlier. Star noticed her sister’s depressed behavior and asked, “Are you all right, Cloudy?”
“Wonderful,” Cloudy muttered.
The girls entered the church and looked about the lobby, then went into the sanctuary. Many men, women, and children were standing, sitting, or milling about the room, chatting and laughing happily. But Cloudy wasn’t feeling the festive mood. Only deep sadness.
Eloise, Nika, Lea, and Valerie moved off to talk with others in the room while Star went back to the lobby to get a drink. Miriam stayed behind with Cloudy, though.
“Cloudy,” Miriam began, “are you feeling okay?”
Cloudy shrugged. “I guess.”
Miriam put a hand on Cloudy’s back. “Are you still feeling bad about Nathaniel?”
Cloudy let out her breath in a sigh. “I wish Jacob hadn’t shot him. Then he could have had a chance to repent and be saved.”
“Cloudy, we’re not in control of what happens in our lives,” Miriam said. “Only God is. And only He knows what will happen in the future and what the outcomes will be. We have to trust Him.” She smiled ever so slightly. “I knows deaths are hard for us all, but we can’t stay in the past. We have to move on.”
Cloudy sighed again and looked at the decorated stage, which was all prepared for the play. She knew Miriam was right, but couldn’t bring herself to accept it. How could she have fun tonight when Nathaniel’s tragic death was hanging over her like a dark cloud?
“We must choose joy even in hard times, Cloudy,” Miriam reminded her friend. “If we are children of the Lord, we can praise and rejoice even amidst the tragedies. But if we are not saved, we have no hope. We are bound by despair.”
Before Cloudy could answer, she heard a whispered “Psst!” Miriam and she looked over at a dark-haired man who was gesturing to them. “Come on, kids. Y’all need to get into your costumes. The play’s starting right after the interpretive dance and the worship. And where the heck is Dana? She needs to direct the play.”
Cloudy gasped. She had forgotten that a director was needed for the play! “I don’t think she’s gonna be able to direct it,” she said.
“Why not?” the man asked.
“She’s in the hospital,” Miriam explaoined.
The man slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand. “Well, that’s just great! Without a director, the play can’t go on!”
At the moment, Jacob drove up in front of the church with the rest of the kids, Meta Knight, Springtime, and Showerstorm. Frank was not there; he had decided to stay with Dana at the hospital.
Everyone piled out of the van and entered the church. Sniper, his brothers, Arrow, and Zach all ran into the sanctuary long with Meta Knight while the other adults lingered in the lobby to chat.
As the boys entered the sanctuary, they immediately began to look around for the girls. They didn’t find tem all, but they did see Miriam and Cloudy by the stage, talking with some man. They darted over to them and Sniper asked, “Where’s the fire?”
“There’s no fire, but we can’t do the play,” Miriam said.
Meta Knight gasped. “You can’t! Why not?”
“Miss Dana is supposed to direct the play, but she can’t. She’s not here. Remember?” Cloudy said.
Sniper sat down and scratched his ear. “Well, why can'[t we get another director? That would be the most simple solution.”
“Yes, it would, but who could do it?” the man sighed.
Suddenly, in the midst of the chatter and laughter from the crowd mingling in the sanctuary, Meta Knight heard a strangely familiar voice behind him. “Well, good evening, children and Magnus! It’s wonderful to see you all again after a while.”
Meta Knight tensed slightly. That voice—why did it sound so familiar? It couldn’t be, though. He turned slowly and looked up. . .and found himself looking straight into the eyes of his own mother.
“Mother?” Meta Knight breathed.
“Miss Scazzarda?” Cloudy asked, deeply surprised.
Scazzarda grinned, her eyes twinkling. She wore a pretty green dress with sequins that sparkled in the red and green spotlights. “Hello, Magnus and Cloudy.”
Meta Knight was so astonished he didn’t know what to say. “How. . .?”
“I flew by jet,” Scazzarda said. “I wanted to surprise you all, So, surprise!”
“You sure did surprise us!” said Miriam.
“But why are you down here?” Sniper wanted to know.
Scazzarda chuckled. “Well, you kids need a director for the Nativity play and Dana’s out, so I’m taking over.”
“What?!” exclaimed Zach.
“Hey, wait a minute! How did you even know there was a Nativity play going on?” Cloudy asked, getting very suspicious. “Meta Knight, did you tell her when you two were talking last night?”
Meta Knight shook his head. “I swear I didn’t.”
“Then how did you know?” Miriam asked Scazzarda.
A mysterious smile formed on Scazzarda’s lips, but she said nothing.
Meta Knight frowned at Scazzarda. “All right, Mother, what’s going on? How do you know about all this?”
“This might strike you as rather surprising, but Dana and I have been talking together via laptop every night,” Scazzarda said. “She told me all about the play and went over every detail and line with me, even showing me videos she took of you kids rehearsing. She also said that of she happened to get hurt or sick and was unable tot direct, I was to step in and take over. I’m an expert at directing plays, since I’ve been doing it at churches for over twenty-five years. So I agreed. And that’s why I’m here now.”
“But how did you hear about Dana being in the hospital?” Cloudy queried.
Scazzarda sighed and folder her hands. “Frank told me a few hours ago, and I took a plane down here to save the day, as you already know. Earlier this month, he also told me about your plane crash, your run-ins with Nathaniel Osen and all—and today said Nathaniel was dead.” She glanced around, as if missing somebody. “Um where is Frank anyway?”
“He’s not here. He’s at the hospital with Dana,” Meta Knight replied.
Scazzarda nodded, her gaze falling to her son’s bandaged arm as she did so. She immediately looked alarmed. “Magnus, what’s the matter with your arm?”
Meta Knight couldn’t look at her or even answer. Luckily, Miriam came to his rescue and explained what had happened. When she finished, Scazzarda looked stunned. “That’s the craziest adventure I’ve ever heard. Seems like wherever you children go, trouble and adventure follow.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. Then the dark-haired man gestured wildly for the children to get their costumes on, so off the kids scampered.
Then the man, a grateful smile on his face, turned to Scazzarda. “Thanks so much for filling in for Dana, Scazzarda. I really appreciate it.”
“My pleasure,” Scazzarda replied. The man nodded and walked off.
After he had diappeared backstage, Scazzarda said, “Come on, Magnus. You can stand near the stage with me while I direct the play.”
Meta Knight said nothing. His eyes were riveted on the floor.
Scazzarda frowned a little, worry clouding her eyes. “Magnus, are you okay?”
Meta Knight still didn’t speak. He felt distant, emotionally lonely. He couldn’t explain why he felt the way he did or how he was going to resolve his feelings. He raised his eyes and met Cloudy’s gaze. Cloudy was standing on the stage, wearing her angel costume, a sparkly piece of twine wrapped around the top of her head. Her eyes reflected the same hurt he felt, but in a less painful way.
She has hope. The word was foreign to him. I have only despair.
“Magnus?” Scazzarda’s voice broke into his thoughts. “Hey, are you all right?”
Meta Knight looked back at his mother and found her staring at him, her face full of concern. He began to cry, burying his face in his hands. Scazzarda stepped forward, took her son in her arms, and held him close as he cried into her chest.
“Are you feeling upset about Nathaniel?” she asked softly.
Meta Knight nodded. Scazzarda caught her son’s hand and grasped it, her strong fingers gripping his. “Magnus, I know deaths are hard for you. They are hard for me too. But we have to move on. We cannot linger in the past.” She took a deep breath. “Nathaniel brought on his own death by his own wickedness, Magnus. He ultimately fell into his own trap of death.” She let out a heavy sigh. “The Bible says that the wicked shall not prevail, nor will their deeds. In the end, the enemies of God, if they do not repent, shall fall.” She squeezed his hand gently. “Do you understand, Magnus?”
Meta Knight carefully pulled away from his mother’s embrace, but kept his hand in hers. “Yes, Mother.”
“Good.” Scazzarda smiled encouragingly at her son. “Hold your head high, Magnus. You’re very brave.”
Meta Knight had to smile. She sounded so much like Cloudy! “Thank you.”
Scazzarda chuckled and gave her son another hug. “Now in a few minutes, let’s go watch our young friends star in their acting debuts.”
* * * * *
“Are you nervous?” Miriam whispered to Cloudy.
“No. Are you?” Cloudy asked absently. She was watching the interpretive dance from behind the curtain.
“I know I am,” Lea said. She tugged at her plain white robe and adjusted her satin angel wings. “But I’m also excited. This is my first play outside of school.”
“Do you like acting?” Star asked Lea.
“More than anything,” Lea confessed, “but I mostly get minor parts in school plays.”
“Well, I’m sure everyone acting in this play will be a big hit, especially Sniper.” Star gave her oldest brother a meaningful glance. “Isn’t that right, Sniper?”
Sniper, dressed as Gabriel, wasn’t paying any attention to the girls’ conversation at all. Rather, he was whispering to Zach. “. . .so I’m going to improvise my lines a little.”
“You sure that’s a good idea?” Zach said doubtfully.
“Hey!” Sniper threw up his head and smirked. “Part of acting is that you get to change your lines a little. That’s the great part!”
“And just what are you planning to change about your script?” Zach demanded.
Sniper grinned mischievously. “I’m going to say ferkensnopper-doodlehopper whenever Gabriel comes around. It’ll be so funny and everyone will laugh.”
“Oh, no, you don’t, Sniper,” Star said. She had overheard the entire plan. “You’re going to stick to the script just like we rehearsed.”
“Shut up!” Sniper snapped. “I can do what I want.”
“No, you can’t,” Star objected. “And if you dare try to say furkinmopper-hoppledopper, I’m going to tell Mommy on you!”
“It’s ferkensnopper-doodlehopper,” Sniper sighed.
Before Star could make a snappy retort, Cloudy suddenly gasped soundly. Star rushed over to her sister. “What is it, Cloudy?”
“I can’t believe it!” Cloudy exclaimed. “I just noticed. . .” She pointed to a girl onstage dancing with several other people. “Do you recognize that girl?”
“No,” Star said, puzzled.
“Oh, right. Well, of course you don’t.” Cloudy gazed at the girl in astonishment. “The day Meta Knight first taught me how to swordfight, he and I went to a concert. That girl dancing was the same one who was singing at the concert!”
“No way!” Star exclaimed. “What’s her name?”
“Um, I think her name is Juliana or something like that,” Cloudy answered.
Before the two sisters could say anything more, the dance ended and the audience applauded the performance. Cloudy and Star clapped along with the crowd. “She is so talented,” Star said, referring to Juliana.
“That she is,” Cloudy agreed.
The worship songs were the best. They played a lot of Christmas songs, such as “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” “Mary, Did You Know?” “Joy to the World,” and “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” Cloudy loved singing, and her voice was beautiful. Everyone around her seemed impressed by her singing.
When the worship was over, the pastor stepped up to the pulpit and smiled widely at the excited crowd. “Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the Christmas Eve service here at Christ Church! Our young actresses and actors will perform a special rendition of the Nativity play! Please enjoy!” He backed off the stage as the spotlight shone on Arrow, who was dressed in a priest’s outfit and carrying incense inside the Temple. He went up to the altar and held the sweet-smelling incense above the altar. For a few seconds, the crowd’s gaze was riveted on the dangling incense, but then was drawn to Sniper, dressed in bright angel’s clothing, appearing on the other side of the altar. Arrow pretended to be frightened and dropped the incense.
“Here we go,” Cloudy muttered to herself from behind the curtain. “I hope Sniper’s not really going to say ferkensnopper-doodlehopper.”
“Don’t be scared, Zechariah!” Sniper intoned. “God has heard your prayer, and your wife, Elizabeth, will have a baby boy, whom you shall name John. You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in God’s eyes. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks, and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God, and he will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord.”
“How can that happen?” Arrow asked. “I’m old and my wife is way past the age of having kids.”
Sniper frowned slightly at Arrow. “I’m Gabriel, sent by the Lord to tell you this wonderful news. But because you have not believed me, you won’t be able to talk until your son is born.” Then Sniper vanished from view.
Cloudy sighed in relief. Thank goodness Sniper didn’t mess up the entire play!
Arrow went outside and saw Sniper’s brothers, all dressed as priests, They looked curiously at him as he emerged, but he couldn’t speak, so he made signs to them instead.
“Zechariah’s seen a vision in the Temple!” Waffle exclaimed.
So Elizabeth became pregnant and she hid herself in her house for five months. “The Lord has done this in order to keep me from being mocked and scorned by others,” Star said out loud to herself.
Scazzarda gave them all a thumbs-up sign and Meta Knight smiled. “So far, so good,” Star muttered to Arrow. “I’m just glad Sniper didn’t goof off.”
“Not yet anyway,” Arrow reminded her, “But he’s still got a few more lines.”
“Yeah, he’s still got a chance to improvise,” Pancake added. They all went back behind the curtain except for Sniper as Miriam and Zach went onstage to act in the next scene.
Miriam, clad in a simple brown dress and white veil, carried a water jar o her head back to her humble little house. A she entered inside and set the clay jar on the table, Sniper appeared. Miriam gasped and accidentally bumped into the jar, knocking it onto the floor and breaking it, causing water to gush out all over the floor.
“Who are you?!” Miriam gasped.
Sniper, who was thinking so much of the word ferkensnopper-doodlehopper, automatically said without thinking, “I am Ferkensnopper-doodlehopper, the angel of the Lord.” Then his eyes widened as he suddenly realized what he had just said. Miriam gave him a strange look, lost control of herself, and began laughing uncontrollably. Pretty soon, everyone in the congregation, including Scazzarda and Meta Knight, were laughing.
“Oops,” Sniper said under his breath, feeling embarrassed. Why had he said that? He looked toward the curtain and saw Cloudy staring at him with disapproval, and he mouthed, “It was an accident!”
“Uh-huh,” Cloudy said skeptically. “Right. I bet it was.”
Scazzarda finally managed to get control of herself and called, “Okay, Sniper! Take it from the top!”
Sniper inhaled deeply, then exhaled and said, “I am Gabriel, the angel of the Lord.” Much better!
Miriam didn’t know what to say. Her expression was one of anxiety. What sort of greeting was this?
“Don’t be frightened, Mary,” Sniper assured her. “You have found favor in the eyes of God. You shall become pregnant and give birth to a baby boy, and you are to name Him Jesus. He will be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High, and God will give to Him the throne of David, and He will reign over Jacob’s house forever, and His kingdom won’t ever end.”
Miriam was puzzled. “How can this be? I have never known a man; I’m a virgin.”
Sniper smiled. “The Holy Ghost will descend in you, and the power of God shall come over you; therefore the Baby to be born will be called holy—God’s Son. And your cousin Elizabeth is six months pregnant with a son. For God’s word shall never fail.”
Miriam clasped her hands in front of her and bowed her head. “I am the Lord’s servant. Let all be done to me just as you have said.”
Sniper smiled again and then disappeared.
Then the scene switched to Mary hurrying to Elizabeth’s house. She knocked on the door and was welcomed in by Elizabeth.
“Good day to you, cousin!” Miriam said happily.
Star smiled broadly and then gasped. “Oh!”
Miriam drew back a little and asked with concern, “What’s wrong?”
“Oh, Mary!” Star exclaimed. “Blessed are you above all women, and blessed is the Child inside of you! And why should I be so honored, that my Lord’s mother should come to me? When you greeted me, the baby inside me leaped in joy! You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do as He said.”
Miriam was amazed and was filled with joy, and she sang out:
“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord! How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me!”
About three months later, Elizabeth had a son, and relatives came to her house and celebrated the child’s birth. Lots of people wanted to call the baby Zechariah after his father, but Star shook her head and said, “No, his name shall be John.”
“But no one in your family has that name,” Sharkell objected.
Lea made signs to Arrow and asked what he wanted the baby to be called. Arrow took up a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John,” and held it out for all to see. Everyone in the house was astonished. And suddenly, Arrow began to talk, blessing God! He who could not speak for over nine months was now rejoicing and praising the Lord! And everyone in the hill country of Judea talked about these things and reflected on these events, asking, “Who will this child become?”
After Elizabeth’s baby had been born, Mary went back to her house and spoke with her husband-to-be, Joseph, a carpenter, played by Zach. They walked together and chatted about Elizabeth’s new baby and all the news that was being spread about by all the gossipy well women. After a time, Mary began to feel it was best that she tell Joseph she was pregnant.
“What is it, Mary?” Zach asked as the two sat down together. “Do you want to tell me something?”
Miriam sighed. “Actually, yes, I do.”
“Then go ahead. I’m listening.”
Miriam clasped her hands in front of her and looked at the ground, then up at Zach. “I’m having a baby.”
Zach blinked in disbelief and stood up. “What?”
“I’m having a baby,” Miriam repeated.
Zach was speechless. How could this be? Had Mary been with another man? But he and Mary were supposed to be engaged! This couldn’t be happening!
Without another word to Mary, Zach turned and stormed off back to his house, determining to divorce Mary, but not publicly. He would do it privately, for he loved her too much to bring shame to her and her family.
That night, as Joseph was sleeping, he had a dream. Sniper appeared to Zach in a dream and Zach was terribly frightened.
“Don’t be frightened, Joseph, David’s relative,” Sniper said. “And don’t fear to take Mary as your spouse, for the Baby inside her is the work of the Holy Spirit. She’ll have a Son and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save the whole world from their sins.”
So Joseph awoke and pondered these things in his heart, and he obeyed. He took Mary as his wife and both eagerly awaited the coming of Baby Jesus, the Savior of the world.
When Mary was about nine months along in her pregnancy, a decree wen tout from Caesar Augustus that all had to go each to his own hometown to be taxed. Joseph was from the city of Bethlehem, so he took Mary and both went up to Bethlehem. The journey was hard and took several days, but at last, they reached the little city. The problem? There was nowhere to lodge. The entire town was practically filled up with all sorts of people coming to Bethlehem for the census.
Joseph walked to the lone inn not too far away and knocked on the door, and the door was opened by Pancake, who played the innkeeper in this scene.
“What do you need?” Pancake asked.
“We need a place to stay for the night,” Zach explained. “You see, my wife is about to have a Baby.”
Pancake shook his head a little sadly. “I wish I could help you really I do,” he sighed, “But this place is full. There’s not a single room left in the entire inn.” He managed a half-smile. “But there is a stable out back you could try.”
“Thank you,” Zach said. He took Mary and went around back to the giant stable, which was hewn out of a rough cave. He escorted Mary inside and lit a light for her to see better. There were real animals, such as a few horses, two cows, a donkey, and lots of pigeons in the dusty hayloft, who cooed and preened themselves. Mary took off her veil and spread it o the floor, and Joseph helped her lie down on it. Then he went out.
As he was looking up at the sky, he saw a strange sight. An enormous star, five times bigger than the other stars, suddenly appeared in the sky and threw beams of white light over everything. And then Zach heard something else—a baby’s cry. Excited, he darted back into the cave and saw Miriam wrapping a life-size baby doll in her veil. When she was done, she put it in the manger and smiled down at it.
Zach sat down on the other side of the manger. “At long last, the promised Messiah!” he breathed.
“Thank You, Lord,” Mary said softly.
* * * * *
Now it was Cloudy’s turn.
“Go on, Cloudy!” Lea whispered. “You can do it!”
Cloudy took a long, deep breath and looked out at the audience as she marched onstage and onto the wooden platform with fake rubber clouds nailed on the front. All eyes were locked on her. It was her time to shine. But could she do this? It was time to find out.
Here we go, Cloudy thought.
* * * * *
Sharkell, Pancake, and Waffle, all dressed as shepherds, sat in a large field filled with ten to fifteen live sheep. The sheep were grazing contentedly as the shepherds lounged peacefully in the grass, looking at the stars or playing their flutes.
At length, Sharkell turned to Pancake and said, “Hey, Abel?”
“Mm?” Pancake glanced inquiringly at his brother.
“I have a funny feeling that something amazing is going to happen tonight.”
“Is that so?” Waffle asked, lowering his flute.
“Yes, Shem,” Sharkell replied. “I feel the same way.”
“You know what, I do too, Abner,” Waffle admitted. “But why do we all feel this way?”
The three shepherds were quiet for a moment, each thinking their own thoughts. Then Sharkell gasped and exclaimed, “Look up there!”
“Where?” Waffle asked, completely forgetting to say his lines.
“The sky, you idiot!” Sharkell snapped.
Pancake gave them both a dirty look and hissed, “Those are not our lines, you twits!”
The crowd burst into hysterical laughter at the boys’ funny banter. Scazzarda laughed too, but her laugh seemed forced. It was obvious she didn’t approve of this wonderful story of Christ’s birth being turned into a laughingstock by a couple of immature boys.
“Hey!” Star whispered loudly from backstage. “All three of you quit acting like a couple of circus clowns and be serious! This is a Nativity play we’re doing, not a comedy TV show!”
“Sorry,” Pancake whispered sheepishly.
“Take it from the top!” Scazzarda called.
Sharkell cleared his throat, then gasped and exclaimed, “Look up there!”
Pancake looked up to the sky and saw a huge star. “What’s that?!” he exclaimed in amazement.
“It looks like a star,” Waffle concluded.
“I’ve never seen a star like that,” Pancake mused.
Sharkell’s eyes grew wide. “Maybe it’s a sign from the Lord?”
That was Cloudy’s cue. Appearing from behind the fake clouds and in full view of the shepherds, she smiled and spread her wings. The shepherds let out cries of alarm and the sheep scattered wildly in fright.
“Don’t be afraid!” Cloudy said, her voice ringing out strong. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
Cloudy waited until the other angels appeared, and then all began to sing “Angels We Have Heard on High.”
“Angels we have heard on high Sweetly singing o’er the plains And the mountains in reply Echoing their joyous strains!
Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!”
Cloudy smiled invitingly at everybody in the audience to sing with her, and all willingly obliged except for Meta Knight.
“Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong? What the gladsome tidings be Which inspire your heavn’ly song?
Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!”
Cloudy was exhilarated. She felt as though she were no longer starring in a play, but had actually gone back in time two thousand years ago and was firsthand witnessing the angels singing in front of the shepherds. It was a glorious image: the shepherds in a spacious field, awestruck at the sight of the sky full of worshipping angels, singing out their praise and elation, the echoes of their song reverberating throughout the field to add to the cacophony of frightened sheep bleating and of the crickets’ buzzsaw chirps.
Cloudy let out a cheer and everyone cheered with her. They raised their voices louder, sounding like a choir with their voices perfectly melding together in unison.
“Come to Bethlehem and see Him Whose birth the angels sing Come, adore on bended knee Christ our Lord, the newborn King!
Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo! Gloria in excelsis Deo!”
Cloudy finished the song and she and the other angels disappeared backstage. Then the shepherds excitedly raced to Bethlehem and found the Baby, Jesus Christ, whom they had waited for so long. Then the shepherds returned to the flocks, glorifying and shouting praises to the Lord for all He had done.
Then Arrow, Sniper, and Yodi, dressed as the three wise men, came onto the scene. These wise men were not followers of Christ; they were astrologers—those who relied on the stars and the motion of the planets to predict their destinies. But these wise men came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is newborn King of the Jewish nation? We saw His star from far away and have come here to worship Him.” Now King Herod (played by Sharkell) heard about all this and was concerned. So he gathered together all of his wisest counselors and asked them, “Where is the Messiah prophesied to be born?”
And Waffle answered, “In Bethlehem in Judea, your Highness, for so the prophet Micah wrote: ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not least among the ruling cities of Judah, for a ruler will come from you who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’ ”
Later, Herod secretly called the wise men to him and asked what time that star had appeared so he could get a good guess at what time the Messiah had been born. When they told him, he said, “By all means, go to Bethlehem, and when you have found this King, please let me know, for I too wish to worship Him.”
Now Herod was a wicked man, and he had no intention of worshipping Baby Jesus. He saw this Child as a threat to his kingdom and wanted to annihilate Him as soon as possible. But the wise men knew nothing of Herod’s plan, and they obeyed and went to Bethlehem. And they followed the star to a small house, for Jesus was no longer a Baby in the stable. About two years had passed since His birth. And the wise men rejoiced greatly when they saw the star and went into the house and saw Jesus with Mary His mother. And they gave Him gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But they were warned by the Lord in a dream not to go back to Herod so the next morning, they took a different way back to their country.
And that signaled the end of the play. All the performers came forward and took a bow.
“Let’s give our young friends a round of applause!” Scazzarda shouted, and the crowd erupted into loud cheers. The cheering and clapping continued to go on and on until the pastor finally had to stop it.
Just then, somebody’s phone rang and Cloudy glanced quizzically at Meta Knight, thinking it was his. He signed to her that it was his phone and asked Scazzarda if he could be excused. Scazzarda said yes. Meta Knight hurried off toward the back of the church to take the call.
Meanwhile, the actors and actresses went backstage to shed their costumes and put them back in the costume box. As Cloudy was putting her robe in the box, Eloise high-pawed her said, “Great job!”
“Thanks. You did great too, Eloise,” Cloudy replied.
“Hey, I did good too,” Sniper boasted.
“Except for the part where you messed up and said ferkensnopper-doodlehopper, you mean!” Yodi teased.
“Hey, it wasn’t my fault!” Sniper snarled. “My brain just conked out for a few seconds!”
“Sniper, why do you always have to to turn serious situations into ridiculous farces?” Star groaned. “Heck, somebody could slip on egg yolk and break their back and you’d be cracking jokes about it.”
“Like you just did?” Miriam said.
Star blinked and burst into laughter. “Yeah, I guess I did.”
Just then, who should walk backstage but Juliana! She smiled warmly at the group. “Hello!” she greeted them. “You all did splendidly on the play!”
“Oh, you’re Juliana!” Star said.
“That’s right.” Juliana’s gaze came to rest on Cloudy and a smile came over the young girl’s face. “Oh, I know you,” she said. “You were with Sir Meta Knight at my concert several days ago. What’s your name?”
“Cloudburst, but call me Cloudy. Everyone does.”
“Well, I’m glad to meet you, Cloudy.” A twinkle came into Juliana’s blue eyes. “And for the record, your singing is excellent.”
“Thanks,” Cloudy said quietly.
“Come on, come on!” Nika whispered. “Let’s go take our seats in the sanctuary; the sermon’s about to start!”
“Coming!” Yodi said. He and the other children followed Nika out the backstage door, and they crept into the audience and seated themselves in a row at the front. Only Cloudy didn’t sit.
Arrow gave her a funny look. “Aren’t you going to sit, Cloudy?” he asked.
Cloudy cast a look at the side door and saw Meta Knight going out through it. Though she was far away, she could sense he had something heavy weighing on his mind. “Ummm. . .no,” she said. “I’ve got to do something real quick.”
“Don’t be too long. You don’t want to miss the candlelight ceremony,” Arrow said.
“I won’t take long,” Cloudy promised. Arrow nodded and Cloudy was off like a shot toward the side door. But before she could reach it, Springtime stopped her. “Hi, dear!” she whispered.
“Mommy!” Cloudy said. “Hi!”
“Good job on the play, dear.” Springtime complimented her child. “You make a perfect angel.”
“Uh, yeah. Thanks.” Cloudy glanced apprehensively at the side door. “But I need to do something.” “And what’s that, honey?”
“Meta Knight seems upset, Mommy, and I want to go see what’s wrong,” Cloudy replied.
Springtime bit her lip. “Well, I don’t know, sweetie. . .We may have to ask Scazzarda first; maybe she sent him to do something. . .”
“Sent who to do what?” Scazzarda asked, walking over to the mother and daughter and interrupting the conversation at hand.
Springtime smiled. “Oh, hi, Scazzarda.”
“Hi, Miss Scazzarda,” echoed Cloudy.
“What are you two up to?” Scazzarda asked,
“Cloudy wants to see Meta Knight,” explained Springtime.
“I saw him going out through the church’s side door,” Cloudy added. “We wondered if you set him to do something outside.”
Scazzarda shook her head. “No, I didn’t.” Her face suddenly showed concern. “Cloudy, I think you should go check on Magnus. Do you mind if I come with you?”
“No, of course not,” Cloudy replied. She looked up at her mother. “We’ll be back soon, Mommy.”
“Okay, sweetheart.”
Cloudy and Scazzarda darted for the door and Cloudy nudged it open, and both walked out into the church courtyard. Cloudy thought about how pretty it must look in the summer, with the cherry trees blossoming and the water in the fountain sparkling and bubbling cheerfully. But now it was cold, snowy, and dark. A full moon was shining of the soft snow, making it glow. The water in the fountain was frozen solid. And on the side of the fountain sat Meta Knight, wrapped in his cape, his back to them, shaking. His mask lay on the concrete beside him. Cloudy started to feel afraid. What did this all mean?
Scazzarda softly stepped forward and placed her hand on Meta Knight’s arm. Startled, he looked up and saw his mother, then sighed in relief. “Oh, Mother, it’s you.”
Scazzarda started as she stared at the tears on her son’s face. “Magnus, are you crying?”
Meta Knight looked away, ashamed to be caught in such a vulnerable state. Cloudy remained where she was too astonished to move. At length, she made herself go forward and jumped up on the low stone wall, seating herself beside Meta Knight. She looked up at his pained face, surprised. It was the first time she had ever seen him without his mask. He had yellow eyes, plain yellow eyes with no pupils. His expression no longer looked fierce as it did when he was masked, but now seemed more soft.
But none of that mattered to young Cloudy. What really made her heart ache was his eyes—so full of pain and anguish.
Meta Knight, what’s your trouble? Or are you going to keep it inside as another one of your many dark secrets?
Meta Knight attempted to speak, but was unable to. His throat felt choked. Lowering his head, he cried as the tears coursed down his cheeks. Scazzarda put her arms around him and drew him closer to her.
Cloudy’s eyes grew wide. No. No.
“What’s the matter?” Cloudy whispered, afraid of the answer she might receive. “What happened, Meta Knight?”
Through his sobs, Meta Knight tried to speak. “Your-Your sister called me, Mother. . .and she told me that. . .that Liloy was with Gregory in his house and he. . .was drunk and. . .and beat her up badly. . .leaving her for dead as he-he ran away into the woods.” He shuddered. “She’s in the hospital, but. . .but her injuries are so severe, the doctors fear. . .she might not live.”
Cloudy gasped, horrified. “No!” she cried. “That can’t be! You mean she’s. . .she’s gonna die?!”
Scazzarda put her hand over her mouth, her face appalled. “Her baby, Magnus. Is her baby okay?”
Meta Knight shook his head in a way which Scazzarda took to mean he didn’t know. “But if she dies. . .her baby dies too,” he whispered.
“Magnus. . .” Scazzarda couldn’t speak. She hadn’t known this. But she knew it was affecting him badly. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”
“I knew she would likely be in danger,” Meta Knight sobbed. “I worried about her the whole time on this trip, dreading what would occur.” Cloudy’s mind went back to his strange behavior on the plane and how he wouldn’t speak his thoughts to her. Now she knew why. It was Liloy he had been worrying about, but he didn’t want to worry Cloudy.
“I’m sorry,” was all Cloudy could say. She had no other words to describe how sorry she was.
Meta Knight laid his head on Scazzarda’s shoulder and cried harder, sobs wracking his body. “Why-Why does this hurt so much?” he cried.
Tears filled Scazzarda’s eyes as she placed her hand over her son’s. Cloudy, somewhat uneasy, looked down at the ice in the fountain, her reflection very faint and misty. Her reflection didn’t seem to match her real countenance. Was her heart the same? She had been told repeatedly she had a loving and caring heart. She longed to help others, especially Meta Knight, who was in a lot of mental and emotional pain. But how could she? She was only a child, not truly intended to understand a lot of burdens at her young age. But she did understand—somewhat—intended or not.
Cloudy glanced up at the sky and scanned the stars. Listlessly, she tried to count them all, but was unable to. It was next to impossible—except for God. Then her gaze traveled to another star—but this one seemed particularly brighter than the others. The Christmas star?
No, it couldn’t be the Star of Bethlehem. That was a one-time occurrence. But perhaps tbhis was a seeming equivalent, like the planet Jupiter.
Scazzarda followed Cloudy’s eyes to the star. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” she asked. “The Christmas star.”
“But not the reals tar,” Cloudy objected. “That was once and it will never happen again.”
“Very true.” Scazzarda chuckled a little. “But I like to think of it as the Christmas star.”
Cloudy said nothing, but continued to look at the star. Almost instantly, a saying she heard often from her mother when Cloudy or her siblings were having a bad day popped into her mind, and Cloudy said it aloud: “Don’t rehearse the hurt. Rehearse the truth.” It was true too, and Cloudy knew it.
Scazzarda smiled at the young puppy. “So true, Cloudy.”
Cloudy looked at the star a bit longer, then got up. “Miss Scazzarda, I’m going back inside. I don’t want to miss the candlelight ceremony.”
“All right, Cloudy.”
Cloudy gently licked Meta Knight’s hand. “The Savior of the world bless you, Sir Meta Knight,” she said. Then she was gone.
Scazzarda gently stroked her son’s hand. “She’s a really nice girl, isn’t she?”
“Very much so.”
“I’m glad you two are such good friends. Where would you be without her?”
“Honestly, I don’t know.” Meta Knight raised his head off his mother’s shoulder and looked up to the dark sky speckled with stars. “She’s helped me through so much. For a little girl, she’s very mature and seems to understand a lot, though she might not convey that idea very well to others.”
“Yes, she is.”
Meta Knight lowered his eyes. “But how can she help me through this latest incident?”
Scazzarda let out her breath. “She cannot help you with everything, son. But she can pray for you and lead you in the direction of restoration. She knows the need for healing.”
Meta Knight said nothing, but his eyes suddenly flashed red. Scazzarda was a bit surprised by his sudden change of mood, and she knew that when his eyes turned red, that was never a good sign.
“Magnus, is something wrong?”
“Yes.” His voice was tight. “A lot is wrong.”
Scazzarda read his thoughts through his voice tone. “Your son?”
Meta Knight nodded.
Scazzarda took both of Meta Knight’s hands in her own. “Magnus, he chose his own destiny.”
Tears filled Meta Knight’s eyes. “I did not raise him to behave that way.” He turned his face away. “Mother. . .where did I go wrong?”
“Magnus, you tried to show him the right way, but he didn’t take it.” Scazzarda placed her hand on his pauldron. “He wanted to go down that path of destruction. He wanted to drink. He wanted to do drugs. He wanted to hang out with the wrong crowd. That wasn’t your fault.”
Meta Knight closed his eyes and a tear rolled his cheek. “If he dies, I’ll never forgive myself.”
“Oh, Magnus.” Scazzarda’s eyes were sad. “You must not say such a thing. It’s not your fault he chose that destructive path. He chose it.” She put her hand to his cheek and brushed away his tears with her fingertips. “You’re a great father, Magnus, and a great son. No one could ever ask more of you.”
Meta Knight opened his eyes and looked up at this mother, the compassion in her eyes arresting. He grasped her hand and gently pressed it to his forehead. Scazzarda couldn’t help but cry at the agonized look in his eyes. She hated witnessing him so upset.
“Mother, don’t.” Meta Knight put his hand on his mother’s shoulder. “Don’t cry.”
Scazzarda blinked hard. “Magnus,” she cried, “you’re the one who’s in a lot of emotional pain and yet you’re comforting me.“
“I don’t like seeing you cry. It breaks my heart,” Meta Knight replied.
Scazzarda sniffled and wiped her eyes, laughing a little. “Magnus, you’re one of the most selfless people I’ve ever met.” Then her expression grew sober. “I’m really glad you’re my son.”
Meta Knight smiled through his tears. “And I am very glad you’re my mother.”
Scazzarda grinned, wiped her face once more, and took her son’s hand. “Come on, Magnus,” she said. “We don’t want to miss the candlelight ceremony.”
Meta Knight nodded and jumped off the wall, and the mother and son disappeared back inside the church.
__ __ __
Note: The Chris Tomlin version of “Angels We Have Heard On High” was written by Chris Tomlin, Ed Cash, and Charles Wesley (traditional), with lyrics also attributed to James Chadwick in some arrangements. All credit goes to them for this song.
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