As they walked onto the stage Saturday morning, Sammie and Cindy were called over to the Christmas tree.

“These wrapped boxes are made up to look like Christmas presents,” Hannah pointed to two wrapped boxes with the lids off. “They should be just the right size to fit your open instrument cases. You two will be starting the Christmas Concert by opening these presents and taking your instruments out.”

Hannah got Cindy and Sammie to put their instruments cases in the boxes. Before the lids were put on, it was decided that Cindy should already have her flute assembled. Looking at the end product, both girls smiled at the big bows adorning the presents.

“Now, when it’s time to start, go over to the other side, just off stage so you cannot see any seats in the audience,” Hannah explained. “Mr. Frances will bow to the audience and then turn around toward the orchestra. That is when I want the two of you to come over to the tree. Do you remember that first day you saw it?”

The two girls nodded.

“You were enjoying the big tree and all the lights. I want you to act like that again. Pretend this is your first time seeing the tree. Ignore any sounds from the audience and the orchestra, just focus on the tree and the presents. Once you reach the tree, slowly count in your head to ten and then open up the present with your instrument in it. Do you understand the directions?”

Hannah had each girl individually repeat the directions.

“Once the presents are open, pretend like you just got the best present in the world. Take the instruments out and admire them for a moment before you start to play White Christmas.”

“Easy,” Sammie responded.

Hannah smiled down at the two little girls, “Larry is going to do the star lights again to make it look like it is snowing on the stage. You can move around in the snow a little bit but work your way to your designated platforms. Before the end of the piece, I want both of you on your platforms.”

Sammie and Cindy were once again asked to repeat the directions from start to finish. After each girl had done this, Hannah went over to Jessica at the piano.

“Sammie, Cindy,” a scream came from just off stage.

Turning, Cindy and Sammie found Ciara from summer music camp running towards them.

“What are you two doing here,” Ciara asked after giving them both a hug?

“We’re doing a Christmas Concert with the Symphony Orchestra,” Cindy replied. “What are you doing here Ciara?”

“I’m going to the Children’s Museum with my Mommy and cousins.”

Both Cindy and Sammie looked at her in confusion.

“Oh,” Ciara turned and looked at the orchestra. “That’s them over there with Aunt Lisa.”

Cindy and Sammie looked over at one of the Oboe players who had two young girls around her.

“Your Aunt is in the Orchestra,” Sammie asked?

“Yeah, but I didn’t know you were,” Ciara smiled. “It is soooo cool that my aunt gets to play with you two.”

The three girls chatted for a bit as more of the Orchestra members arrived and set up.

When Ciara’s Mom came over to get her, Ciara asked to have her picture taken with Cindy and Sammie, “I need proof that I know you two. I saw your video. They’re calling you the Christmas Angels. That was a really cool performance you put on at that mall, but when I told my friends that I knew you, they didn’t believe me. I want a picture to show that I really do know the famous Christmas Angels.”

“Can’t have people not believing you,” Sammie commented. “Jessica, come over here a minute.”

Once Jessica joined the group and the situation was explained, the Christmas Angels and Ciara all posed together for a picture.

As the girls were looking at the pictures taken, Ciara’s cousins came over.

“Hi Stephie and Izzie,” Ciara said.

The five and seven year old were introduced to the Christmas Angels and then Ciara’s Mom said it was time to go. She looked over at her sister before taking Ciara, Stephie, and Izzie off to the Children’s Museum.

Mr. Frances tapped his baton on his music stand, causing the many different people warming up to go silent, “Today will be a little different. This will be more for the kids and Larry than the orchestra members. We are going to run through the whole performance, while Hannah tries to get the kids all in the right places and figuring out the best way to transition between pieces. Sammie and Cindy, get in position please.”

That is how the morning went. Hannah was on stage the whole time, directing the five kids. Even in the middle of a musical piece, she would ask one of the kids to move or adjust their position on the stage. They got through the whole performance twice before it was time for lunch. Since it was a Saturday, that was all they were scheduled to practice today.

As Cindy was putting away her flute, she was suddenly hugged from behind. Turning around, Cindy found her big sister, “Holly! Oh, I’ve missed you.”

“Yeah right, Munchkin,” Holly ruffled Cindy’s hair. “I bet you have been too busy to miss me.”

After a brief exchange, Cindy and Holly joined the mini-orchestra kids and their parents who were deciding what they were all going to be doing for the next day and a half when they didn’t have rehearsal. George’s Dad immediately stated, while looking at Cindy, that George and he were going home to see the family. Marcus said he was off to do stuff with his friends. Jessica’s Mom invited the two younger girls and their families over to their house for the afternoon.

As final details were worked out for some things at the beginning of next week, Jessica looked around at the group. She saw the smiles on Cindy and Sammie’s faces, but she also noticed something unexpected and interesting. George and Holly were holding hands. She so wanted to say something, but worried about what Mr. Dillinger would say if he found out his son was . . . dating? . . . Cindy’s older sister.

Everyone going to Jessica’s house was split up between two cars. Since the two little one’s booster seats were in Joyce’s car, the three girls and Holly rode with Sammie’s mom. When they arrived at the house, the kids were immediately off to Jessica’s room.

Saturday afternoon was full of games, chatting, and even some art activities. After dinner, the three youngest girls were chatting in Jessica’s room. When they decided to watch some Christmas specials, Jessica was confused when Sammie headed to her mom’s car to get her violin.

“Why do you need your violin to watch Christmas specials,” Jessica asked?

“It’s more fun that way,” Sammie said with no further explanation as she was putting on her shoes.

Jessica looked at Cindy, who just smiled at her and shrugged her shoulders as she also started to put on her shoes so she could get her flute.

With Sammie’s violin and Cindy’s flute out of the car, Sammie turned to Jessica, “So, what room has a TV and piano?”

Jessica looked at the two little ones putting their instrument cases on the dining room table and getting their instruments out, “What are you two doing?”

“We’re getting ready to watch Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Clause is Coming to Town. Come on Jessica,” Sammie declared. “Keep up. What room has a TV and piano?”

Utterly confused, Jessica responded, “The living room, but all the adults are in there.”

Sammie headed for the living room with Jessica and Cindy in tow.

“Can we have the living room to watch Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Clause is Coming to Town?” Sammie blurted out as she approached Jessica’s mom.

“Why don’t you girls go down to the playroom and watch the shows down there?”

“No,” Sammie responded, standing tall with a big eight-year-old little girl smile on her face. “We need a room with a piano and TV in it. The Playroom doesn’t have a piano, so we need this room to watch the shows.”

“What,” Jessica’s mom questioned? “You don’t need a piano to watch Christmas Specials.”

“Actually, they might,” Sammie’s mom stated. “This is kinda cute to watch, so let’s give them the room. We can go somewhere else. Or if you want, we can stay here and watch the performances.”

Jessica’s mom turned to Sammie’s mom before turning back to Jessica, “Go ahead, I guess.”

“I don’t know what is going on either Mom,” Jessica said as she went over to turn on the TV and start the DVD player. “But the two of them seem to think we all need our instruments to watch the shows. Sometimes it is just best to go along with Sammie, whether you understand or not.”

A few of the adults chuckled.

Soon the shows were starting, and immediately Sammie and Cindy started to play along to the opening music to Rudolf The Red-Nosed Reindeer. That is when Jessica finally got it and sat down to the piano with a big smile. The adults stayed and watched the kids perform during the first show but left when Santa Clause is Coming to Town started.

After the shows, Cindy’s and Sammie’s families left for the night. Before they reached the hotel, the two girls were sleeping in the back of the car.

“She may like pretending to be such a big kid, but she’s still my baby girl,” Sammie’s mom said to Cindy’s Dad. “Car rides have always caused her to fall asleep. When she was a baby, sometimes a car ride was the only way we could get her to take a nap.”

“Yeah,” Cindy’s Dad commented looking back at the two girls. “We have to keep a Squishmallow in our car as a pillow. It is so easy for Cindy to fall asleep on a car ride. Unfortunately, she also uses the Squishmallow to hit her older sister.”

“She definitely does that too much,” Holly piped in.

Sammie’s mom giggled, “I used to do the same thing with my sister. It’s how little sisters show love for their older sibling.”

The adults all laughed, but Holly just rolled her eyes.

After parking at the hotel, the sleeping princesses were woken up for the short trip to their rooms. They were back asleep before the parents had managed to get them undressed and into pajamas.

Sunday, they all met again at Jessica’s house. At two in the afternoon, there was a call from the dress shop to let them know that the dresses were done and ready to be picked up. Jessica and Sammie’s moms both felt they should go that afternoon to get the dresses, so the kids were packed into the car. The moms made sure that each girl had their shoes and tights that they would be wearing with the dresses. The girls also insisted on wearing the matching jewelry they had bought for the occasion. This required a detour to the hotel to get Cindy and Sammie’s supplies.

The final fitting for the dresses went without a hitch. Before the girls were allowed to take the dresses off, Cindy and Sammie both played a piece of music to make sure the dresses had no problems while they performed. The girls wanted to wear the dresses out of the shop and do another concert in the mall, but that was immediately vetoed by all parents. Besides not wanting to get the Dresses damaged before the Tri-City Symphony Orchestra Christmas Concert, the parents felt one viral video of the girls playing was enough for this holiday season. To stifle the objections, Jessica’s Mom let Jessica pick where they were eating dinner.

Jessica’s eyes widened, looking right at Cindy and Sammie, “Mommy, can I pick anywhere?”

Hesitantly, Jessica’s Mom asked, “Where do you want to go?”

“Just Chinese Mommy.”

“She has used Mommy twice,” Jessica’s Mom looked at the other adults. “This isn’t just Chinese. Jessica, what do you want?”

“Peking Duck!”

Jessica’s Mom rolled her eyes, taking a deep breath, “Figures. I can call the restaurant to see if they have any available for tonight. We usually have to call a day ahead to get one of the few they make for each night.”

No one in Sammie’s or Cindy’s family had ever had Peking Duck before, so when it arrived at the table, Jessica became the teacher, explaining how to put it all together.

“You take one of these thin pancake things,” Jessica started. “Then you take one of these paint brushes.”

“Scallions,” Jessica’s mom explained.

“You dip the paint brush, sorry mom, scallions into the sauce and paint the pancake. You can paint pictures, I often start with a smiley face, but I’ve drawn other things too. My boring parents just scribble on the pancake. When done painting, you put the paint brush,” Jessica looked at her mom. “Scallion, onto the pancake. Then you take some crispy duck skin and a few pieces of duck meat and put them on the pancake. You finish by rolling it up, like you are swaddling a baby.”

Jessica’s mom put her hand to her forehead and shook her head back and forth.

“Make sure it’s tight, so everything stays in when you pick it up,” Jessica continued. “Don’t forget to fold the bottom over, so you don’t lose the baby when you pick it up.”

Sammie, Cindy, and Holly were all cautious before taking the first bite, but they all quickly found it the best part of the meal.

As the table switched to more conversation than eating, Cindy’s dad looked at his watch, “I think we need to get on the road. We’ve got a long drive ahead of us and I have to work in the morning.”

Cindy’s demeanor instantly changed from bright and cheerful to sullen, “Bye Sammie and Jessica. It was great spending time with you both. Hopefully I’ll see you this summer at Music Camp.”

As Cindy went into to hug Jessica, who was sitting next to her, Dad spoke up, “What are you talking about? You’re staying. It is just Holly and I that have to leave.”

Cindy looked at her dad skeptically, “I’m not going home with you?”

“I guess you could, but I don’t know how we would get you back for rehearsal tomorrow morning.”

Pushing her chair back, Cindy got up and ran over and gave her Dad a hug, “Thank You Daddy. You mean I can perform in the Symphony Orchestra Christmas Concert?”

“Of course you can Princess,” Herbert said to his daughter. “That’s why you have been up here rehearsing and why Jessica bought you that fancy dress.”

“Oh Daddy, thank you, thank you, tank ooo.”

“Can I stay too,” Holly asked? “I can help babysit the girls.”

Herbert raised an eyebrow at his fourteen-year-old, “I don’t think so Holly.”

“But I don’t have school this week, and it would give Sammie’s Mom a break.”

Shaking his head back and forth, “And you some time to spend with George.”

“Yeah,” Holly said without thinking, and then turned beat red.

“No Holly, you’re coming home with me. George doesn’t need a distraction, and Mrs. Ellsworth doesn’t need a wild teenager to keep tabs on. She has enough to deal with looking after Sammie and Cindy.”

“Okay,” Holly slumped her shoulders. “But honest, I would have helped babysit.”

Several of the adults smiled as they remembered their teenage years. Goodbyes were said and soon Herbert and Holly were gone. There was a discussion about where everyone would sleep tonight, and it was decided that Sammie and Cindy should go back to the hotel with Sammie’s Mom. The girls all pleaded for a sleep-over, but the adults were not listening. Jessica’s Dad paid the bill, and everyone went their different ways.