The Winter of Candy Canes (A Sweet Seasons Novel) (9 page)

“Have you met all the Game Masters? I'm quite sure at least a couple of them are certifiable.”

“But she could fall!”

“Not Becca,” someone said.

“She's got great balance; she used to be a dancer,” someone else pointed out.

Candace couldn't believe how calmly everyone else seemed to be taking Becca's high-wire act.

Finally Roger turned and looked at Candace. She could see that his face was pale, and there was fear in his eyes. “Do you honestly think you could stop her?” he asked.

“No,” Candace admitted, “even if I had two good legs.”

“Exactly. If you find a way to get her off there now, she'll just be back. She's almost done; it's better to let her finish.”

“She certainly is taking this candy cane hunt to new heights,” Candace said, wincing at her own pun.

Three minutes later Becca finished. She jumped back down onto the loading deck, and everyone gave her a round of applause. She blushed and did a little curtsey before retrieving her clipboard and heading for the exit.

“She's amazing,” Roger said wistfully as he watched her go.

“Roger.”

“Yeah?”

“Actually I was looking for you.”

“What's up?” he asked.

“I was thinking. I have a way that you could go to the Winter Formal and have a chance to sweep Becca off her feet.”

“How?” he asked, eyes wide.

“You could go with my friend, Tamara — strictly platonic of course. She said she'd take you as a favor to me so that you could get a chance to be there with Becca.”

“That would be awesome!” he said, grabbing her in a bear hug. “Oh, sorry,” he said, pulling away as she winced.

“I'm okay. So, would that be cool?”

“Yes.”

“Great.”

“What color dress will she be wearing?”

“Becca? I don't know.”

“No, Tamara. I should at least get her a corsage as a thank you.”

“Oh. Red.”

“Cool.”

“I'll see you later then,” Candace said as she headed back toward the Santa Zone.

As she climbed up on her stool and accepted the basket of candy canes, she couldn't get Roger and Becca out of her mind. Soon her thoughts drifted to Becca's search for the golden candy cane.

“Now, if I were a Game Master, where would I hide that golden candy cane?” Candace asked herself. The obvious answer was in one of the baskets of real candy canes that they used in the “Santa Zone,” as she had started calling the area.

That didn't seem quite fair, though, since it would distinctly narrow the field of possible refs who could find it. No, it would either have to be somewhere isolated where no one was likely to find it, or somewhere everybody went on a regular basis. Since it seemed like it definitely wasn't off field, that would severely limit the possibilities for the latter group.

“So, where does nobody go, and where does everybody go?”

Becca would know the answer. Then again, somebody else might have already found the candy cane. She had to believe, though, that it wouldn't be that easy to find. It would take skill, perseverance, and lots and lots of luck. That's how she'd set it up if she were a Game Master.

On Friday morning Candace considered staying in bed. She really was not looking forward to auditions in drama class. She knew she'd never hear the end of it from Tamara, though. Reluctantly, she got up.

By the time she made it to drama, she was so nervous she thought she might be sick. Tamara didn't look any better than Candace felt. Mr. Bailey, however, had never looked better. He was laughing and jumping around the stage, his impossibly long legs bending in every direction as though he were a rag doll.

“Okay, class, as you know, today we are auditioning. First, we'll sing a little, and then each of you will read a couple pages of the script.”

He sat down at the piano. “Ladies first. Gather around here.”

Candace stood up and hobbled over to stand next to Tamara.

First he played a series of notes, asking them to sing “La” to each of them. After that, he had them sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.” After a few minutes he let them sit down and had the boys come forward and do the same.

“Good!” he said, standing up and taking a seat with the rest of the class. He picked up a clipboard and shuffled some papers.

“Now, I'm going to have you read some scenes. Let's start with Candace and Greg. You don't have to go up on the stage … just stand in front of it.”

Candace grabbed her copy of the scene from Mr. Bailey as she hobbled to the front. Candace felt herself beginning to sweat as she glanced at the lines for Aldonza, the female lead.

“And action!” Mr. Bailey said.

Candace read the lines with as much feeling as she could. Better that than for Mr. Bailey to ask her to do it over. When they reached the end of their scene, he asked them to read for two different characters. Then he asked them both to sit down, and he called up Tamara and one of the other guys.

Incredibly, everyone had auditioned before class came to an end.

“Excellent,” Mr. Bailey said, smiling. “You all did a fine job. I'll be posting the cast list before Christmas break.”

Candace was relieved. That way she wouldn't have to spend the break worrying about what she was going to have to do. She would already know, and hopefully the news would be good.

“You were awesome!” Tamara said as they headed for their lockers.

“Please,” Candace said.

“Truly.”

“I thought you did really well.”

Tamara shook her head. “I did okay, but I think he's got his eye on you for the lead.”

“I have a hard time believing that. Besides, it's not just about acting, it's also about singing, which I've never done before.”

“You sounded just as good as anybody else,” Tamara pointed out.

“I refuse to stress about it until I have more information,” Candace said.

“Candace, you totally rocked!” one of the guys said as he walked by.

Tamara raised an eyebrow. “Is that enough new information?”

Candace just shook her head.

When she got to The Zone, Candace was a couple minutes early but decided to head for her post anyway. She saw that she would again be taking over for Lisa.

“Hey,” Candace said as she hobbled up.

“You know, I can't figure you out,” Lisa admitted.

Okay, totally random.

“What do you mean?” Candace asked.

“No matter what happens to you, you keep coming back for more.”

Candace shrugged. “I don't think it's all that unusual.”

“Yes, it is. Even after what I did to you over the summer, you can still be civil to me. What is that?”

Candace took a deep breath. “I don't want to be,” she admitted. “I want to hate you, but that's not what God wants. Don't get me wrong, I really don't like you, but …” She shrugged. It sounded pathetic, even to her. She just wasn't sure how to express it all.

“So, you're what, a Christian?”

“Yes.”

“What's that like?”

Candace just stared at her for a minute. She wasn't exactly sure what Lisa was asking, and she was even less sure how to answer her. “Well, it's good. I mean, no matter how bad things get, I know I'm never alone.”

“Do you really think God answers prayer?”

Candace thought of the miserable night she had spent trapped in The Zone and the miracle when she had actually won the most impossible game in the midway area. “Absolutely.”

“I tried praying once that Kurt and I would get back together,” Lisa said.

Candace really wasn't sure how to answer that one. She sighed.

“Why do you like Kurt?” Candace asked, surprising herself.

“I like him because he doesn't care about next week or next month or next year. It makes him easy to be with. He's so different than my father. My dad is all about the bottom line, the end goal, the plan.”

Candace was struck by the irony of it. The very thing she couldn't stand about Kurt was the thing that Lisa loved.

“You know,” she said slowly. “Sometimes God takes a long time to answer prayer. It's about His timing, not ours. Kurt and I aren't married or anything like that. I mean, who knows what the future will bring.” She swallowed and then said one of the hardest things she had ever said in her whole life. “If God wants the two of you to be together, nothing will stand in the way.”

Lisa hugged her tight and then let her go again before Candace could even react. “I still hate you,” Lisa said.

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

Lisa walked off, and as Candace watched her go, she asked God, “What was that all about?”

He didn't answer, but she could feel in her heart that the meeting had not been coincidental.

She settled herself on top of the stool and began to distribute the candy canes. She couldn't figure out what was up with Lisa, so she tried to think about something else, like the golden candy cane and where it might be and whether Becca already had it.

For a Friday afternoon, it was a lot slower than she had expected it to be, and she was able to do some people watching. She noticed clusters of referees in regular clothes walking around with heads together and clipboards in hand.
They must be taking a page from Becca's playbook
, Candace thought as she watched them. The closer it got to the Christmas party, the
more desperate people were in searching for the golden candy cane.

When she finally got her dinner break, she walked over to the Muffin Mansion, curious to find out how Becca was doing with her search. She walked inside and saw George, one of the referees from the Splash Zone, standing in the middle of the room looking miserable.

“What do you mean you don't get it?” Gib was asking.

“Just what I said, I don't get it.”

“How do you not get it?”

“I don't know. Maybe because my parents never told me?”

“That's absurd.”

“Well, it's true. Can you help me or not?”

“What don't you get?” Candace asked, unable to remain quiet.

“Christmas.”

“What about it?”

“What is it?” he asked.

“What do you mean, what is it?” Candace asked.

“See, there you have it!” Gib said.

Candace couldn't help but feel like she was in some sort of farce. She turned to look at Gib. “I don't get it.”

“He doesn't know what Christmas is all about!” another Muffin Mansion referee finally shouted from the back.

“What Christmas is all about?” Gib asked disbelievingly. “I'll tell you what Christmas is all about.”

He struck a pose that seemed oddly familiar. He cleared his throat and began. “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; because he was of the house and lineage of
David: To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.”

“Being what with what?” George interrupted.

“That is, being pregnant,” Gib said. “May I continue?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Gib cleared his throat again and carried on. “And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

“Which inn?”

“Any inn, all inns. Just listen to the story!” Gib bellowed.

“Sorry.”

Gib continued. “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.”

“Luke, chapter two, verses one through sixteen,” Candace said softly. The passage never failed to move her, and she could tell from the passion in his voice that it moved Gib as well.

“Okay, I didn't understand it when Linus said it in the ‘Charlie Brown Christmas’ show, and I really don't get it now,” George said.

“What's not to get?” Gib asked, clearly bewildered.

“Let me try,” Candace said.

“Aye,” Gib conceded.

“Jesus, born to be the Savior of the world, was born in a barn and put to bed in a trough used by the animals. The first people to hear that he was born were shepherds who were poor. They were told by angels and urged to go see the baby.”

“Oh, I get it.”

“That you understand?” Gib asked before throwing up his hands and walking away.

“Well, yeah.”

George turned back to Candace. “I get it.”

“Good.”

She turned and walked out. She was beginning to get a headache, and she figured the longer she stayed, the worse it would get. She'd have to find out how Becca was doing some other way. She'd also been toying with asking Gib's advice on what to get Kurt for Christmas, but clearly that could wait.

She was only a few feet from the shop when Becca appeared. “Coming for a muffin?” she asked lightly.

“No,” Candace said. “I was coming to see how your golden candy cane hunt is going.”

“Good, good, I've eliminated many of the viable possibilities, and I'm confident that I'm closing in on it,” Becca said, tapping her massive clipboard.

“I wouldn't go in there right now if I were you,” Candace said, indicating the store.

“Ton of whiny players?”

“Theological discussion.”

Becca raised an eyebrow but didn't ask.

“So, what do you think I should get Kurt for Christmas?” Candace asked.

Becca smiled. “I can't even figure out whether or not to get Roger something for Christmas.”

“I know he's getting you something. Does that help?”

“Yes and no. How's your knee?”

“Better. I'm getting a bit used to the brace and crutches. I figure I'll be able to ditch them just about the time I master them.”

“Isn't that always the way?” Becca asked.

“Tell me about it.”

“Any more kids try to attack you?”

“No, apparently there's a rumor that I smack naughty kids with my crutches.”

“Ah yes, I heard that one. Your legend only grows by the season,” she said with a smirk.

Candace rolled her eyes. “I'd trade in legend for quiet and simple any day.”

“Really? In my experience, quiet and simple are overrated.”

“With you, I didn't even realize they were an option,” Candace teased.

“You know me,” Becca said. “Well, I better get back before they send out a search party. See ya.”

Candace continued walking back toward the Holiday Zone. She was no closer to finding Kurt a present than she was in finding the golden candy cane. She just hoped they didn't both prove completely elusive.