Woolly Jumpers || Nativity

Eleven

The night of performance had been long anticipated by the entirety of the faculty. The children had worked harder than anyone to bring it all together, and everything had fallen into place. It didn't matter to them that Hollywood wasn't going to be there.

This was their night. This was there performance and it was going to be perfect, no matter what.

They were still at the Cathedral, gladly taking it as the offer was standing. Backstage, Robin and Paul were working on the children's costumes and making sure they were all in the right things. Whilst Ms Harper was also helping them with their vocal warm ups... very few of them were listening.

"Mr Maddens, I don't want to be a building." Bob sighed, poking the man's side as he had finished dressing into his all black costume. "I want a proper part like everybody else."

"You're playing part of Nazareth in a song called Nazareth. Now please, will everyone just calm down!"

It was safe to say that Paul was fairly stressed. He was unsure whether the whole thing was going to go to plan... but seeing the parents file into the courtyard made the nerves subside for a short while.

Though, there were nerves in more places than one, which seemed to make everything worse. Jamie was waiting for Josh to show... and so close to the opening curtain, he wasn't there. It was a sickening feeling, but whilst he was in purgatory, he was in the upstairs rig for the sound and lights. Buddy was so happy that it rubbed off on everyone around him.

"This is exciting, isn't it?" Jamie smiled, keeping half an eye out for his boyfriend. "Look, the audience is filling up."

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When all of the children had been pushed into their first costume of the night, Mr Poppy gathered them all together. There wasn't long before they needed to go on, so he had volunteered himself to give the talk every teacher dreaded.

"Okay, everybody listen up, alright? Big but of advice, and I had to learn this the hard way. Can everybody make sure you've done a poo and a wee, because there won't be a chance when we get the show going so, you can use my caravan. Just get in there, do a poo and a wee."

It was unfortunate that Mrs Bevan had walked through the doors at that moment. She was bombarded by children, and shouted their way, angrily.

"Come back! Come back! There will be no show this evening!" If steam could have been coming out of her ears, it would have been. "Now, I have just had a phone call telling that this was all happening. I cannot believe my eyes. What is all this?"

"Mrs Bevan..." Paul began, quietly, trying to calm the headmistress down.

"I cancelled this performance!" She bellowed. "I cancelled the show! You are sacked! You know you are sacked!"

"I'm already sacked." He shrugged. "What else can you do to me?"

She knew there was nothing else that she could do, so called upon her nephew instead. "Desmond! Desmond!"

Thankfully, the Lord Mayor arrived before anything else could happen. He kissed Mrs Bevan's cheek and grinned. "Thank you! This is absolutely marvellous! Well done young man! Look at them!"

It was enough to make Paul smile from ear to ear. "Thank you."

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As the show was about to begin, the Lord Mayor made his way onto the stage. Since it was at the Cathedral, it was only right that he say a word on behalf of the council that had given them the venue.

Even if it still felt wrong, the opportunity for the children was better than anything else. This entire play was for them, and for no one else, for no benefit of their own.

Robin was getting increasingly nervous, just like Paul. A part of her was frightened that the play would be cancelled for some reason. Mrs Bevan could be subdued, but others, perhaps not.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. Mums and Dads. I just want to take a maintenance to thank you for all the efforts and the time and everything that you've put into the show." He chuckled like a dark haired Father Christmas. "But Ladies and Gentlemen if I had to single any one person out, for their efforts, for their time, their diligence and their enthusiasm, it would have to be Mrs B. Better known to you as Mrs Bevan. Come on come and take a bow. Come and take a bow."

The headmistress did not want to be on stage. She did not want to take any credit. Yet, there she was, on the stage, taking the credit. There were enough beers and claps to last a lifetime.

"Um... hello." She greeted, nervously. "Thank you very much ladies and gentlemen. It's very kind of you. Er... this will be my last nativity play, so it's a bit special really. Ah, we're used to the school hall, we don't have all this beauty around us normally for the play. And the mums and dads who've been before to see out nativity play know that... you know, things can go a little bit wrong with the little ones."

There was an uncomfortable laugh from the audience. Robin's heart twinged.

"Don't expect... I was going to say, don't expect too much. But, uh, I shouldn't have said that. Smack. Nobody ever expects enough of the children at St Bernadette's. Everyone expects them to go down the drain, and I'm going to change that. That's what I said 17 years ago and, uh, tonight it stands a change of coming true. I've not seen it. I don't know what's going to happen. But all I know is that each and everyone of these children is amazing. And wonderful. And a little pocket of stardust."

"Hear hear." Replied the Lord Mayor.

"Hope you enjoy it."

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Disclaimer!!!
I do not own Nativity. I do not own the cast or the characters. The only things I own are my changes to the storyline and my original characters: Robin and Jamie Harper. I do not own the character of Matt either, just the change that he is related to my original characters. Please do not copy my work. Any similarities to real life are purely coincidence.