"I wouldn’t have expected you of all people to be holding something as open as this. Yo u were never one too display your students talent in public. Rather sad if you ask me."

"Well, Patricia, it seems your worried." Mrs. Fraumeni concluded.

Mrs. Barone snorted. "Worried? About what?"

"The competition." Mrs. Fraumeni stated simply. "Now, Mrs. Barone, it seems your blocking the doorway, so if you would please make your way into the auditorium." Her polite smile faded as she watched Mrs. Barone walk into the gym, looking confused. She then continued to greet the people.

Backstage, the children peered through the curtains on one side of the stage, watching in awe as the seats filled up.

"We’ve never sung in front of so many people before. . ." Shelby said shakily.

"Yeah. . .its kinda scary. What if we make a mistake?" asked Trevor.

"We wont. We’ve practiced this too much for there to be a mistake." replied Stephanie, just as Amelia entered the room.

"Mrs. Zadorsky would like us in the green room to begin warmup." She informed them. The Children made their way towards the green room, to begin warmup, while the seats continued to fill. During a pause in singing, while the children and Brenda were switching songs, they heard a new tune drift through the doorway.

"Listen! It’s the Laendler! Like in the play!" Shannah exclaimed excitedly.

"Oh yeah!"

"Oh Mrs. Zadorsky, could we please dance this? We’ve just learned it!" Kayla inquired.

"Yes! It will take our minds off of the cabaret!"

"Now, now children! Now is not the time! We must prepare ourselves for this upcoming performance." Brenda replied. The children looked saddened, but nodded. "Now, how do you do today?" sang Brenda.

"I-I feel great!" The children replied. After another 15 minutes of warming up, Mrs. Fraumeni walked into the room, smiling at the beautiful sounds the children were making.

"Oh hello Major!" Brenda said cheerfully.

"Good evening Mrs. Zadorsky, children."

"Good evening Mrs. Fraumeni" The children replied in unison.

"Well, children. Its your big night isn’t? Well, one of them at least." Mrs. Fraumeni winked at the nervous faces. "Come now children, you mustn’t be frightened. You know, when I get stage fright, I just imagine that everyone in the audience is wearing pink polka-dot shorts on their heads." A couple of the students chuckled.

Brenda stepped forward. "Is it time to go?"

"Yes, actually. That was the reason that I came here you see. The room is filled, ready for a spectacular performance from the children at St. Mary Choir and Orchestra School." Mrs. Fraumeni smiled at her pupils. She could remember a time in her life when she was this vulnerable. It was the night of the opening performance of Hello Dolly, in which she was the star.

"Who cares what they think?"

"U hh...I do!"

That night, as she recalled, Kathy made a total of 14 mistakes, all of them she never regretted making. But there was no time to dwell on thoughts of that, as drifts of the children’s singing was floating through the room.

"There's a sad sort of clanging from the clock in the hall
And the bells in the steeple too
And up in the nursery an absurd little bird
Is popping out to say "cuckoo"

Cuckoo, cuckoo

Regretfully they tell us
Cuckoo, cuckoo
But firmly they compel us
Cuckoo, cuckoo
To say goodbye ...

Cuckoo!

... to you!

Mrs. Fraumeni walked into the auditorium, as the children began to walk into their new formation. As each of them sang goodnight, they were kicked out of line, and into the audience. After the final person sang, the entire ensemble began to sing again, and say goodnight to the guests.


"So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye

The party guests waved as the children disappeared backstage. "They're extraordinary." exclaimed Max. "What they would do at the festival! Oh, young lady, I must have a word with you." he said to Brenda, who was on her was backstage to sort the students out.

"Yes sir?" Brenda inquired as Max dragged her to where Mrs. Fraumeni stood.

"Kathy, Kathy, you're not going to let this girl get away. She has to join
the audience and see what gems these kids are."

"No, really, I cant! I have to help sort them else."

"Surely there’s someone else to do that?" Max probed, looking at Mrs. Fraumeni.

"No. No there’s not, now if you will excuse me..." Brenda left Max and Mrs. Fraumeni standing, and hurried off to find the children. Ms. Crickard joined the two, along with the parents of Mr. Chiras.

"Major, you must be very proud of your youngsters." Mr. Chiras’ mother said to Mrs. Fraumeni.

"I am, thank you" Mrs. Fraumeni said, smiling.

"Is there a more beautiful expression of what is good in this town of ours than the innocent voices of our children?" Mr. Chiras dad asked, stepping beside his wife.

Mrs. Barone was eavesdropping on this conversation, and decided at this point, she should state her opinions on the matter, even though she had no clue who these people around Mrs. Fraumeni were. "Oh, come now, sir, would you have us believe that St. Marys alone holds a monopoly on virtue?"

"Uh, Mrs. Barone," Mrs. Fraumeni interrupted, "some of us prefer St. Mary voices raised in song to ugly, Pierson threats."

"The, uh, ostrich buries his head in the sand -- and sometimes ... in the stones on the playground of a school parking lot." Mrs. Barone sneered. "Perhaps those would warn you that the principal evaluation is coming -- and it is coming, Major -- perhaps they would get further with you by setting their words to music."

"If the school board does do a principal evaluation , I have no doubt, Mrs. Barone, that
you will be the entire trumpet section."

"You flatter me, Major."

"Oh, how clumsy of me. I meant to accuse you. Now, if you please, the show is beginning again, and I would like to watch it." With this, she, Ms. Crickard, and Mr. Chiras’ parents all went into the audience and took a seat. Mrs. Barone on the other hand watched them till the sat, and then snuck outside and into the stage door, to talk to Brenda. Andrew was running by, and Mrs. Baron grabbed him by the arm.

"Hey kid, I want you to go find Mrs. Zadorsky, and tell her that Mrs. Barone wants to talk to her. I’ll be waiting here...don’t mess this up." Andrew looked at her, and than ran away, cause he didn’t want to be near this lunatic anymore. Shortly after, Brenda walked down the hall, looking for Mrs. Barone.

"Uh...Hello. Are you Mrs. Barone?" She asked.

"Yes, thats me. And yes, I was asking for you, but enough with these stupid questions, lets get right down to business!" Brenda was taken aback with Mrs. Barone’s forwardness.

"Um...business? Well, I’m afraid that I cant really talk about that...I’ve got a show to run and-"

Mrs. Barone cut her off, "You will talk about business! And now, if you value your job." Brenda’s mouth dropped. Was she just threatened? I believe so! "Now, I’ve come to the conclusion that you are a rather good vocal teacher...and I’ve come to offer you a job at Pierson Public School...for the arts."

"Well, thank you Mrs. Barone, but I am already employed here, and I find this satisfactory. I don’t think there really is a need to be having this conversation." As Brenda turned to walk away, Mrs. Barone grabbed her arm.

"Oh but there is a need, Ms. Zadorsky...a great need."

"Would you please let go of my arm?" Brenda demanded.

"Only if you listen to me...are you going to listen?" Brenda nodded her head, and Mrs. Barone slowly let go of her arm. "Now, You say this job is satisfactory? Well, if this job is, then I’m sure that the job I am offering you will be more than that. You will be paid double your pay now. The students will be more obedient, and you’ll work less hours." Mrs. Barone pressed 2 $50 bills into Brenda’s hands. "I"ll leave you to ponder this..."

Brenda looked at the money, and ran. She ran as fast as she could towards the children...she didn’t know what to do any more. All she knew was that she had to get away to think. As she entered the room, she noticed Kathleen Vanelli walking by to go tell Katie that she was next. "Kathleen," Brenda called, "would you please make sure the children all stay organized? I seem to have gotten a migraine, and I need to go home."

"Of course! They wont be much trouble. Hope you feel better soon!" Kathleen cheerfully said.

"Yes...me too..." Brenda smiled at Kathleen, then whistled at the students. They all stopped what they were doing to look at her. "Children, I need to leave. I’m putting Kathleen in charge. I do not want to hear that you were misbehaving. Have fun! And remember...your ready!"

"Bye Mrs. Zadorsky!" The children called. Brenda waved, and walked out of the room. She ran upstairs to the vocal room, and put all of her things in a box. Stepping out of the room, wearing her Amabile clothes, carrying her bags, and her newly acquired guitar (a present from the students) Brenda looked around the hall. This may be the last time she walked through these halls. She peeked over the stairwell to make sure nobody was there, and hurried downstairs. Setting her guitar by the door, she took an envelope out of her pocket, and stealthily crossed the hall to carefully prop the letter in the mail box. She then rushed back to the door.

Brenda hesitatingly picked up her guitar and bags, turned to drink in her surroundings one last time, and then turned, and hurried out the door, walking silently into the night.