Wishing Pearl (31 page)

“That’s one of the best descriptions of an instrument I’ve ever heard.” Justin’s gorgeous blue eyes twinkled. “You know what? I can’t wait to see you play it again now that I know what it means to you.”

Olivia clamped her mouth shut as her cheeks flamed. He was just toying with her. He couldn’t possibly be serious.

Justin maneuvered the van between some construction cones into the parking lot and drove up to the awning by the main entrance. “I’m going to let you off here and go take care of some things. I’ll be back in plenty of time for the concert.

Okay?”

“I do appreciate you coming. But I hope you don’t feel like you have to.” Olivia turned away. “I mean, you’ve been driving me to all my practices, and now this, too. I’ll be fine if you just want to pick me up when it’s over.” She peeked at his face to gauge his response.
Please say you’ll come
.

“Absolutely not. I can’t wait to see it. It’s been a year or more since I’ve been to one of these shows. Plus I get extra credit.” He winked and gave her a smile that flipped her belly like a pancake.

Olivia knocked on the back window and waved to Alicia before the van pulled away.

Hands shaking, Olivia took her seat to the right of the other oboist. The first-chair violinist stood and directed Olivia to play the tuning A, as was the customary role for the first-chair oboist. She lifted her instrument to her lips and let out a long, solid note. The orchestra erupted in a melee of sounds as the other instruments strove to match her tone. The violinist motioned for Olivia to hit the note one more time. Satisfied, he sat down, and they waited silently for the conductor.

Olivia gazed around the packed auditorium. She’d ask someone how many seats there were if she remembered later. A balcony wrapped around both sides and the back, and she counted six sections on the sloped floor. Something caught her eye in the far left corner.
Ju-Ju?
Olivia’s heart raced as she realized that the people in three rows of seats were waving at her. By her best estimation, the entire gang from Diamond Estates—all twenty-three girls, the three counselors, and Ben and Alicia—had come to see her play. Where was Justin?
Oh, there he is
. Olivia spotted him making his way to a seat beside his mom.

What an amazing surprise. Justin and Alicia must have driven all the way back up the mountain to get everyone. No one had ever done anything like that for her before. Why would he go to so much trouble for her? He must pity her, or maybe his dad made him. On second thought, Ben obviously went along with the plan, but Olivia doubted he had forced Justin to do it. It seemed more Justin’s style—thoughtful and sensitive. He’d probably have done it for anyone though—she wasn’t anything special to him. Or was she?

The last symphonic measure filled the auditorium and faded away to an explosion of applause. Olivia opened her eyes, aware of the audience for the first time since the performance had begun. They were on their feet. Every single one of them. The sound was nothing like the polite applause from the video-camera-wielding parents in the school gym after the band concerts twice a year. This was the real thing.

Olivia stood to her feet along with the rest of the orchestra and took a bow. The curtain lowered slowly and turned the thunderous applause into a dull roar. She fell back in her seat and listened to the sound. She’d always played for the love of the music, the way it affected her soul. But the standing ovation, the approval of the crowd, moved her even more. Not because they cheered for her—but because it meant that she’d had a part in reaching them, too. It meant something. Skill, talent, hard work, practice—it all meant something. To her and to them.

Olivia gasped. She was alone backstage, save for a few stragglers. How much time had passed? Everyone would be waiting for her. She packed up her oboe, gathered her things, and walked across the stage to the back door. She turned one last time to see the place where she’d found her true calling. Home.

She hurried through the back hallway to the lobby where they were probably waiting for her. There! They huddled in the back corner and waved as she approached.

Each of them reached behind their backs and pulled out a single red rose. Everyone, that is, except for two people. Justin, because he was nowhere to be found.

And Kira.

W
ake up!” Skye bounced on her bed and reached over to pull up the window shade, which flapped open, bright light flooding the room.

“What are you doing?” Ju-Ju covered her head with a pillow and turned her back.

“Merry Christmas, everyone!” Skye flopped back on her bed, the shiny waves of her hair flowing out beneath her head. “I just love Christmas.”

“Funny, I just love sleep,” Tricia murmured and dove under her covers.

“Okay. You guys sleep. I’m going downstairs to see if I can help Marilyn with the homemade cinnamon rolls.” Skye jumped down from her bunk. “You’ve seriously never tasted anything like them. We only have them on Christmas.” She paused. “I take that back. We had them last Thanksgiving, too.

But still.”

“Last Thanksgiving? You mean you’ve been here since—” Olivia noticed Tricia shaking her head with her finger pressed to her lips. Olivia closed her mouth and waited until Skye had scampered off for the kitchen—still in her peppermint-striped pj’s.

“What’s the deal?” Olivia propped up on an elbow. “Has she really been here since before last Thanksgiving?” Why didn’t Olivia know this already? Come to think of it, she didn’t have very much information at all about Skye’s past. Strange, since she’d been Skye’s roommate for more than six weeks.

“Yeah. Skye’s in no real hurry to leave Diamond Estates.” Tricia cringed. “It’s kind of a sore spot with her though.”

“What do you mean? Why doesn’t she want to go home?” Not that Olivia could blame her. She tried to remember Skye phoning her parents since she’d been there. Not a single call came to mind. No letters either.

“She has no home to go to. At least not anymore.” Tricia grimaced. “I don’t want to gossip about her.”

“Fine. Then I will.” Ju-Ju groaned and sat up. “Skye got herself kicked out before she came here. Her dad thinks she’s a disgrace, and he disowned her. She isn’t welcome back at home.”

“But I thought her dad was a preacher.” How could a parent do something like that? Let alone a pastor?

“He is. He forgets to listen when he teaches about forgiveness. Don’t matter. She don’t need them. We’re her family now.” Ju-Ju pounded her chest with her fist.

What about when Skye graduated from the program? Where would she go? “How long will Ben and Alicia let her stay here? Do girls ever stay all the way until they graduate high school?”

“Well, the program is designed so that once you’re finished, you go back home and reenter your old school. But they’ll never kick her out of Diamond Estates if she has nowhere to go.” Tricia unfolded her long, lean body from her bunk and padded off to the bathroom, holding on to the waistband of her drooping pants.

Had she lost weight?

“This is home for me, too. I won’t be leaving anytime soon.” Ju-Ju flopped back onto her pillow. “That’s life.”

Olivia lay back with her hands behind her head. She couldn’t believe what she’d heard. The more she learned, the more it became apparent that everyone had a story … and a need.

The door flung open and banged on the wall behind it. Skye barreled in and shouted, “Come on, you guys! You’re never going to believe it! You’ve gotta see this!” The door slammed shut behind her as she twirled into the room.

Skye pulled Olivia from the bed.

“Okay. Okay. Just let me brush my teeth first.” It was tough to deny Skye anything. “Hurry. Hurry!”

“Simmer down, shortcake.” Ju-Ju smiled and pulled a sweatshirt over her head. “What’s the big rush anyway? It’s not like we’re seven and can’t wait to see what Santa brought.”

Skye gave a mischievous grin and tapped her foot. “Oh yes, you are. Come on. Y’all are slower’n molasses.” She bounced up and down, barely containing her excitement.

“What’s going on?” Tricia came out of the bathroom with a plastic shower cap covering her hair.

“You showered?” Skye squealed. “Y’all have no idea what you’re missing. Hurry it up.”

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

“Merry Christmas!” Shouts and bells filled the hall outside their room.

“Wha–?”

Their door rattled as someone pounded on it. “Come on, girls!” It sounded like Patty.

“That’s it.” Ju-Ju pulled on her shoes. “Even I want to see what’s up.” She pulled the door open with Olivia, Skye, and Tricia close at her heels.

All the girls were lined up in the hallway—except for the five who were far enough along in their program they were allowed to travel home for the holiday. Most looked confused; some were dressed and eager—like Skye—while others were still in pajamas, rubbing their eyes as they shuffled toward the stairs. A jumble of Merry Christmases rang throughout the group as they made their way down to … somewhere.

When they arrived at the library door, Patty made them wait for Tammy, Donna, Ben, and Alicia. What on earth was going on? Why did red and green construction paper cover the window and block their view into the room? Confused, she looked to her right and saw that the door to the dining room was covered the same way. She nudged Ju-Ju. “Why do you think the dining room, too?”

“You know that wall between them?”

Olivia nodded.

“It’s removable. It kind of collapses and slides into the back wall.” Ju-Ju tried to peek behind a loose corner of the paper. “What do they have cooked up? Guarantee you, it’s Alicia’s doing, whatever it is. She’s the creative one. She always tries to make things like holidays and birthdays special so we don’t feel bad.”

“Merry Christmas!” Ben and Alicia, costumed as shepherds, poked their heads around the corner. Justin, dressed in normal clothes, looking scruffy and unshaven—yet somehow even more gorgeous than usual—shuffled closely behind, stifling a yawn.

Ben pulled a lamb on a leash.

Olivia did a double take. It wasn’t exactly a leash, but there certainly was a small lamb trailing behind Ben, trying to pull at the rope that tugged him along.

Alicia motioned for them to follow. “Come! Let’s go see the baby Jesus. Born in Bethlehem. Born to take away the sins of the world.”

The girls pressed in behind them and filled the library in stunned silence.

In front of the roaring fire, lay a baby in a manger, wrapped in threadbare cloths, playing with his chubby feet. Gazing down upon his sweet little cherub face were Mary and Joseph. Joseph stood like a proud daddy behind his wife, who knelt beside her baby’s bed. Flanking them stood the shepherds and wise men with their gifts. Lambs, chickens, and even a goat filled the bright room.

Ben opened the french doors to the huge porch and let the falling snow fill the doorway as carolers in a sleigh drawn by two horses approached the house.
Wait a second
. Those weren’t horses; they were reindeer.

The carolers began singing “Away in a Manger.” No one moved while the sweet song and rich harmonies floated on the snowflakes. Olivia had never seen anything so holy or heard anything so pure. The singers climbed down from the sleigh and entered the house, continuing to sing. The girls joined them in “O Holy Night” and then “Silent Night.”

Ben spoke up from behind the nativity scene. “Carolers, thank you so much for filling our home with festive praise this morning.” He led the group in a round of applause. “We’d love for you to join us for breakfast. We also welcome some of our family members who are here to celebrate the holiday with us. Now, shall we? We’re going to step into this winter wonderland”—he gestured to the wall that Alicia was sliding open—”to partake of a decadent Christmas morning meal while gazing upon the live scene of our Savior’s birth.”

The wall squeezed together like an accordion and latched into place. The scene on the other side was another world entirely. The floor was blanketed with inches of real-looking snow. A snowman stood in the corner, and the reindeer had been led in to feast from a trough near a decorative sleigh. The sounds of tinkling bells and Christmas songs filled the air.