um yeah thats it so since he's so bad at following directions...and yousent him the wrong way he will really go the right way right? with sugar on top?
luv sarah

Apparently Jonah has cousins -- plenty of them and they're holding a convention my way. Sorry that this is a nonpost post, but I won't be able to manage a real post until this evening at the earliest...might have to be tomorrow morning.

kav

Hang in there, Kav!! If I see Jonah (I'm south from you) I'll just say "Kav who???"!!!

Joy

A Jonah convention? I bet their having a whale of a good time. (Undoubtedly, at your expense.) Hang in there!

Groans at Lorna for the whale reference!!

Sam

I dunno guys... pulling from my Old Testament history class in college... on the book of jonah... It's never been proven that it was a whale... so sounds to me more like Kav is 'fishing' for more love and reviews before she submits to our will....

That's one very interesting theory!!!

I'll bite....
Kav please come back... it's too early to go to bed but i can't go on without seeing Jack propose...
he's just so romantic*sigh*and dreamy*sigh* and beautiful*sigh*
I need more please??????

Kav - Jonah was living at my house this morning (I have the burn and frightened kitty to prove it) so while I'll take one for the team I do demand posting in return.

i hope your jonah days are dissapearing. know that we are all here waiting for you

Kav, I love this! I'm so into Christmas right now! Only 9 days left!!

The ring sounds gorgeous and I'm sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the proposal!!

Are you all right, Kav?? Jonah didn't swallow you, did he???

Joy

Eek, that would be awful!!!

Kav, I hope you're okay!!

Jen

kav, hope you're ok and haven't been swalloed by the big fish and spewed up on a deserted beach somewhere with no internet connection

cath

That's exactly the problem with those darn whales -- no computers in those archaic bellies, never mind internet connections! But I've swum ashore and here I be with a snippet and regular posting from now until the end of the story...I hope!


“You see, we made it in time.”

“Barely,” Lucy eyed the couple beside her suspiciously. There was something different about those two this morning, but she couldn’t quite place it. Tara was more bungling than usual. Bobby had rescued her from a nose dive three times on the way in from the parking lot. He threatened to carry her up the stairs of the church and she had promptly fell down two, stumbling into him. He’d made good his threat and scooped her up, tossing her over his shoulder in a fireman’s grip and took the stairs two at a time. “Is there something up with you two?”

“What makes you think that?” Tara asked guiltily.

“You jumping higher than a jack rabbit for one,” Lucy responded with an arched eyebrow, amusement evident in her voice. “If I didn’t know any better…”

“But you do, so you won’t pry, will you luv?” Bobby interrupted, quickly coming to Tara’s rescue. She was looking a bit distraught…and that was an understatement. She wasn’t settling into their new relationship as readily as Sue had settled into hers. He supposed that Jack’s inaction over the past two years had served a purpose after all -- to ease Sue into the idea of being in a relationship with him.

Unfortunately it looked like Tara had not come to the same conclusion about Bobby. Undaunted, he used the thronging crowd to his advantage, placing a comforting hand against Tara’s back undetected. When she looked up at him nervously he flashed her a cocky grin and tossed in a wink for good measure. “All right, Tara?” he asked solicitously.

How could she possibly answer that? She would never be all right again. Her emotions were stretched to the limit; her muscles taut with anxiety as she tried to process what had taken place this morning. Bobby’s presence both soothed and perturbed her, adding to her heightened nervous tension. She felt his hand on her back, the push of the crowd closing in adding to her edginess. She looked sideways at Lucy, wondering what kind of conclusions she would be coming to right about now and was relieved to note that her friend’s attention was diverted. She was sweeping the crowded church, looking for what was left in available seating.

For just a moment Tara felt as if she’d been tugged back in time to another place, another crowd filled with a different kind of anticipation. She was a child and a black girl held her hand tightly against the crush of excited bodies. Someone’s hand rested reassuringly on her shoulder, guiding her along with everyone else. Her shoulder was squeezed, her hair gently tugged and a voice whispered softly in her ear, “You going to be able to see all right, Pigtails? I can hoist you on my shoulders, if you’d like.” Hands settled around her waist and she was lifted into the air until she was perched high above the crowd of children and elves…elves?

Tara stopped so suddenly that Bobby nearly bowled her over. “Whoa! Not quite the place to start having the vapors, luv,” he chided good-naturedly as his arm reached around her waist and he swung her up and forward a few paces, intent on following Lucy who was determinedly making her way down the aisle. He hoped she was heading for seats, though he couldn’t see any spaces available from his superior vantage point.

* * *

Manning was easy to spot. He stood a head taller than those still lingering around him. The church was filled to capacity and Myles wondered if they hadn’t exceeded the building fire code regulations. He knew a momentary pang of regret at having left his cell phone in the car. One well-placed phone call would have had the place raided and the crowd dispersed in no time. Now there’s a Scroogey thought for you, Leland. He was feeling a bit cynical. He’d almost resigned himself to Jack’s presence here. After all, the Hudson mating call for the Thomas siren was something heaven and earth couldn’t argue with. Myles knew better than to expect he could stand in its way. But Lucy, Bobby and Tara? He hadn’t bargained on them. Had Jack called them, or had Sue? It didn’t really matter – they were here now and showed no signs of leaving. Lucy had commandeered a nonexistent row of seats for them and they were settled cozily. Myles frowned when Bobby snaked his arm around the back of the pew, his hand dangling casually forward over Tara’s right shoulder. Well, well, well, when did that happen, he wondered. By the look on Lucy’s face he gathered he wasn’t the only one surprised.

Lucy. He grinned. She had somehow commandeered enough space for the three of them to be seated in a center pew. Then she busied herself with finding places for an elderly couple, a woman with two children and bullied the lighting technician into moving his equipment enough so that she could squeeze a wheelchair into position. Only then did she take her own seat. She was such a bossy…his breath hitched in his throat before releasing in a hiss as his mind’s eye focused sharply on the image of a young spindly girl bossing a carload of frightened children, organizing them into parts and ordering them to sing. Her loud clamoring demands shot over the hesitant childish voices. O come all yea faithful…He shook his head and looked down at his hand, noticing with surprise that it shook so much that his sheet music rattled. He looked back out into the crowded audience, finding Lucy in an instant. He wasn’t sure, but he imagined she’d just recognized him. Bossy! Surely it wasn’t actually possible…

* * *

“Is that Myles up there?” Lucy hissed to Tara. “I’m sure I just saw Myles!”

“Where?”

“There…no wait…I know I just saw him…”

“Shhh,” a voice from behind them shushed as the choirmaster concluded his long-winded introduction and the choir was at last stepping forward for their first number.

Lucy shushed, but she carefully scanned each row with narrowed eyes but the faces all merged together as the lights dimmed and the choir began to sing. A soft floodlight swept through the crowd on its journey towards the choir, illuminating a young couple three rows ahead. Lucy recognized them immediately. “Jack and Sue are here,” she said, risking the wrath of the shusher in the back. “What on earth is Sue doing at musical concert?”

* * *

She was blatantly cuddling into his side, just barely able to resist the temptation to rest her head against his solid shoulder. You’re in church, she reminded herself sternly. But shocks of heat scored along her hip and thigh where their bodies pressed together in their scarce space. These are not thoughts to be having in church, she reprimanded as her fingers itched to touch a corded muscle, test the strength of sinew and form. She groaned inwardly, glancing about for something to distract her. The music was useless and Myles solo was later in the program, but if she didn’t think about something else…anything else she risked giving in to the greatest temptation of all – crawling right into his lap and…Cold. Think of something cold. Icicles. Snow. Frigid air that oddly didn’t freeze her bare toes peeking out of her mule slippers. She pictured an icicle-lined walkway in countryside full of pure white show. She could feel the excitement bubbling up inside her. They were going to see him and the reindeer and…Jack was with her? But no, it was a boy she called Chocolate. The one who gave her the bell. To remember me by.

Something brushed down her side, breaking through her memories, pulling her abruptly back into reality. Jack! His hand patted her knee innocently and then rested there, his fingers absently tracing a ring pattern through the fabric of her dress pants. She raised startled eyes to his and he smiled and all sense of propriety promptly melted away at the heated promise in his chocolate eyes. She stopped resisting temptation and placed her head on his shoulder, mulling over the significance of chocolate covered eyes that had haunted her dreams for years.

I wish I could write snippets that long because then I would be done! Of course I don't want you to be done because this is such a nice break in my headlong rush thru Advent (isn't Advent supposed to be peaceful?).

Can't wait for Myles to sing!

I am Glad that most of the team have showed up to see Myles sing even if it was by accident. I think that Myles will be glad too after all is said and done, even if they do tease him.
More Please
Dianna

Very cute.....and the gang will sure be surprised by Myles....

~laura michelle~

That was fantastic pleased they
are all there for myles more soon please Kav Lin

I'm so glad you managed to save yourself, Kav!!!

So, our whole team is there!! Poor Myles - so nervous!! I love the "Hudson mating call for the Thomas siren....."!!!

Bobby and Tara are adorable!! Poor Lucy - the consummate matchmaker and she's totally in the dark!!!

Kav, I love how you are having the team come up with snippets of the Polar Express!! It's all coming together!!!

Joy

Kav - I do so love your 'snippets' (Kinda like my grandma's self-called cooking 'mistakes' - she never could figure out why we didn't complain about eating them LOL )

If I quoted everything I loved, I would go well beyond my allotted 5 quotes (thanks to Flip for the heads up) and it would be the entire post again, so suffice it to say that I loved every word and I'm bouncing up and down excitedly at the 'rememberings' that are surfacing!!!

I was laughing so hard at this line. I can't think of a better description of Jack and Sue.
thanks,
Terie

I just loved this. I think I will go to bed dreaming of his chocolate colored eyes, too.

Wonderful snippet!

Oh boy! I just love how the memories are coming and the pieces are falling into place. Glad that you are back on dry land after your trip with Jonah!

Kim

I'm glad Sue is finally waking up and listening to her senses. I loved the part "crawling into his lap and . . .".

Has Sue made the connection yet?

What a poetic description !!!

Keep the thought alive for later, Sue

I love how they all remember bits and pieces ... this is getting so exciting

Almost time for Myles' solo and for Jack to propose

Come on Myles, you can handle singing your solo in front of the team. You're lucky that D, Donna and the kids aren't there to see you too.. Go Myles Go!

luv how they all came together so smoothly...and Sue, really those are not things to be thinking while in church ... and jack if you don't propose soon...
Sarah
ps kav, my toes are cold you see it's been raining cats and dogs out here and i wore flip flops today... some j/s time would be the perfect thing... i have to drive 5hrs in the rain tomorrow

kav, glad you made your escape, i want to quote the whole post it was so wonderful but instead i will

cath

Kav, did you sustain injuries when thrown onto the shore??

Me hopes not, but even so, surely you can post when injured??



Jen

The choir was good. Even Jack, who didn’t pay attention to such things, recognized their superiority. The music soared heavenwards and so did his heart. As they sang of peace on earth, he felt a new peace settle within him. The woman nestled in his arms was the cause of this new euphoria. He had skirted the issue, hesitated for much too long, looking everywhere but close to his heart to find what he was searching for and he wasn’t about to let her get away now. He felt the slight bulk of the red velvet box in his jacket pocket and his hand clasped hers, his fingers lightly tracing a circle around the ring finger of her left hand.

Sue felt the warmth of his breath stir her hair and uttered a sigh of complete contentment. She almost felt guilty for forgetting about Myles up there, a mass of nerves, so anxious to prove himself. She’d told him he didn’t have anything to prove, and he didn’t – not to her. But Myles was his own worse critic and he had a lot to prove to himself.

She really should sit up straighter, concentrate on picking him out in the back row of the choir. He was their lead tenor but was very good at blending in with the background thanks to years of undercover surveillance work. Even though she knew just where to look, she couldn’t always spot him in the back row of the choir. She shifted her body, bracing her liquefied limbs to sit upright. It was a struggle Jack wouldn’t let her win and not wishing to draw attention to them she quietly acquiesced and remained where she was.

His finger stopped making aimless circles and began to move with a relentless purpose against her hand. Making a fist, he extended his little finger. I. Tucking in his pinky and extending his forefinger and his thumb he shaped an L into her cupped hand and then brought them together in an O.

Sue’s heart began to clamor when she felt a V stroking along her sensitive palm. She lifted her head from his shoulder to look into his face when his fingers curled into an E. You, he mouthed as she studied his face. He was relaxed, confident, watching her with tender amusement as she processed the message he was conveying.

She stroked his hand in a light massage, her eyes never leaving his as she folded over his middle and ring fingers, leaving his thumb, pinky and forefinger pointing out. This was the universal sign for the words he had just spelled and she made the same formation with her right hand, joining it with his so that the mirror images clung together. I love you.

Energy crackled back and forth between them and Jack marveled that the wood they were sitting on didn’t go up in smoke. Her eyes were so open and honest, allowing him to see the depth of the emotions she was feeling reflected there. She trusted him. His heart burned with this new reality. In her love she was willing to put aside any fears or doubts, trusting him and the integrity of his own heart with all the love she had to give. He was humbled anew and deliriously happy in a desperate kind of way. He wanted to yank her closer, cover her mouth with his and carry them both into oblivion with a demonstration of his newly confessed love. He read the same exciting frustration on her face and that in itself was glorious. She wanted him as much as he wanted her and suddenly it wasn’t enough to simply hold just one of her hands. He reached for the other and tried to interlock their fingers together but he met with resistance. He looked down in surprise at the fist she presented him with.

Overcome with emotion, Sue had long since forgotten the people clustered around them. She forgot that they were in a church surrounded by worshipful songs celebrating the best this season had to offer. She forgot that Levi was mournfully tucked away beneath the pew, that Myles was somewhere up front singing his heart out for Christmas. When Jack looked at her the way he was now, it made her forget everything else. His hand was closing warmly over hers, as if holding one just wasn’t enough. She couldn’t agree more and let go of the special good luck charm she had been holding on Myles’ behalf, allowing it to slip through her fingers. The round object rolled from her hand, across her lap and clattered onto the wooden floor, rolling to a halt right in front of Levi’s nose.

Sue didn’t even notice, but Jack started, looking around to see the reaction of the people sitting close to them. It appeared that no one else heard the strident clanging of the bell. The tone was pure and joyful and it made Jack smile as memories flooded his mind.

“Take this to remember me by.”
“I’ll never forget you!”

And she hadn’t, he realized…not deep inside her heart where it counted most.

AAHHHH{screams very loudly....happiliy}.....YAY....that was perfect....YAY


~laura michelle~

It sounds to me like Sue realized who Chocolate is... yay.

That was such a wonderful post, Kav. Just beautiful. I just hope they remember to pick up the bell on the way out.

I can't wait for Jack to propose.

cath

ohhh wow...when your back...you are really back that was so beautiful. but i'm still so nervous for myles, i hope he sings his lungs out, and i bet he does it with so much power and beauty that everybody will be silent.

This is absolutely perfect, Kav!! Jack heard the bell and I do believe he remembers!!!

Joy

Oh come on! This was great though

That was wonderful kav more soon please
pretty please Lin

Awww, that was great Kav! They're starting to remember.

And here I was thinking of getting out of bed ... too late

Lucy heard the bell. It was crystal clear and so melodious that she thought, at first, it was part of the choir’s presentation. But the tune it was ringing wasn’t the one the choir was singing. She hummed a few bars under her breath and Tara looked at her curiously.

“You hear it too?” she whispered, a look of relief crossing her face when Lucy nodded her head. “Good, because I thought I was going crazy. I’ve been hearing bells ringing off and on since…”

“Sue found her bell,” Lucy finished in a voice louder than the shusher three rows behind approved of.

Bobby bent his head towards the women, his lips shockingly close to Tara’s as he murmured, “I can tell you why you’re hearing bells, luv.”

Tara refused to look at him. She knew he was flexing those dimples of his and she was not going to succumb to their power this time round, not when something momentous was clattering around in her head that needed sorting out.

“I saw Sue’s bell before,” she whispered to Lucy with a cautious glance behind them to make sure she wasn’t disturbing anyone else. Thankfully the choir burst into a Hallelujah chorus and drowned her whisper out.

“Me too…” Lucy said in awe, just realizing this truth now.

“Only it belonged to a boy.”

“Cute boy.”

“Very cute boy.”

“I don’t like the direction this convo is taking,” Bobby interrupted with a frown in a voice that carried just a little too far as the swells of ‘ahhhhhs’ from the choir dropped in crescendo.

“Shhh,” Lucy and Tara chorused with the shusher behind them.

“It’s ringing a tune…” Lucy whispered.

“A Christmas carol…” Tara agreed.

“O Come All Ye Faithful!” they added together.

“Our next carol is a perennial favourite and features our guest soloist, Myles Leland.”

“Did he just say…”

“Myles…”

“Leland?”

Bobby, Tara and Lucy were too astonished to keep their voices down. Jack heard them and his head swiveled, straining backwards at an awkward angle seeking confirmation. Sue straightened in her seat and followed the direction of his gaze. It didn’t take her long to spot the trio sitting in stunned silence towards the back of the church. Oh Myles! I hope you haven't noticed them! she thought worriedly as she turned to scan the choir once again. Myles had just made his way to stand by the microphone set up on the left of the altar. A spotlight flickered before making its bumpy way across the length of the church to illuminate him fully in its light.

“This is what you’ve been doing with Myles?” Jack asked incredulously as understanding began to sink in.

Sue nodded unaware that the first strains of the familiar medley rose from the organ pipes. “He didn’t want any of the team to come. He only let me because I can’t hear him.” Jack put his finger on her lips and nodded to the front where Myles had just begun to sing.

O come all ye faithful
Joyful and triumphant

His voice was so soft the microphone barely carried it to the first few rows, but the timber was true and the melody sound and everyone within hearing distance silently strained to catch every nuance of the deep, compelling voice.

Jack was surprised. In his wildest imaginings he would never have pegged Myles as a choirboy and yet he realized he shouldn’t be surprised. He had heard him long ago. Singing with the rest of the children…the rest of them…on that journey aboard the Polar Express. They had tumbled back into the warm and well-lit train car to become surrounded by the lusty voices of children singing at the tops of their lungs. A little black girl strutted up and down the aisles, waiving an icicle like a baton, singing with more gusto then finesse and she quickly commandeered them into singing as well. He had been sitting beside…Jack’s jaw clenched at the memories as he struggled to disbelieve what he knew in his heart was true. Preposterous but true. Myles had reluctantly begun to harmonize and when Lucy discovered that he could carry a tune, she’d bossed him into organizing a chorus compiled of the better singers and then herded them up to the front where she marched them through song after song until everyone’s voice nearly gave out…all except Myles, who sang as if his life depended on it. And perhaps it did, for singing kept the darkness at bay.

The choir joined Myles in the rest of the first verse. Their rich tones blending into something stunningly simple and yet impossibly beautiful. Lucy was moved to tears, her hand clasped over her heart as she sat ramrod straight, not moving a muscle, soaking up the miracle that was unfolding right before her very eyes.

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem

Myles hadn’t wanted to follow her lead. He wanted nothing to do with their gaiety and laughter, the camaraderie that quickly developed between the five children from such diverse backgrounds. But he wanted to sing, and he sang like he needed to.

Come and behold him
Born the King of Angels

It didn’t matter what they asked of him; he didn’t want to do it. Bobby distinctly remembered being ready to clobber the drongo who wanted to ruin things for everyone else, but Jack’s steadying hand had prevented him from making the biggest mistake of his twelve years. That same steadying hand had prevented him from making many other mistakes over the years and had picked him up when Bobby had messed up anyway. They had come full circle, his best mate and himself…the whole team…all except Myles, who had thankfully spiraled forward rather than complete the endlessly spinning circles that had nearly mired him in the lost wasteland of darkness for eternity.

O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him
Christ the Lord

This was Sue’s favourite part. She knew the words by heart, had signed them in her own choir on more than one occasion in Christmases past. Her heart soared to the heavens buoyed by the joyful faces of the choir as she remembered the young boy she’d met and connected with so long ago. No wonder there had been that bond between them right from the start. No wonder Myles resisted while she persisted. She couldn’t let go any more than she could have that frightening night twenty years ago.

Myles felt each note pulse through his body before it traveled out of his mouth. Every measure chipped away at walls he’d long since stopped building up but had no way of tearing down.

O sing, choirs of angels,
Sing in exultation

And he was exultant! Jubilant! His voice rose in synchronized harmony with the swell of his heart and he wanted to weep with joy.

Sing all ye citizens of heaven above
Glory to God, Glory to God in the highest

Every note was pure. Every note controlled to a meticulous exactness. He held the power inside himself and had finally mastered his voice’s true purpose. Not to tear down with cutting sarcasm or cruel jests, but to rise up, to build something more flexible than a wall. Something that would last much longer.

O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him,
Christ the Lord.

His voice was giving her goosebumps and Tara shivered as she closed her eyes in order to maximize the effect of the music that danced in her head as well as around her ears. The jumbled thoughts that had crowded her mind for the past twenty years suddenly sorted themselves into a pleasingly magical order that left her breathless with wonder.

All Hail Lord we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning
O Jesus to thee be all glory given
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing

Lucy was crying. His voice was beautiful. It held a gentle power she had never known he could possess. She wept for the child she remembered him to be, for the man that child had become and for this transformation that filled her heart with a new kind of hope.

O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him
O come, let us adore Him.
Christ the Lord.

As Myles belted out the last refrain in a voice that threatened to shake the stained glass from the windowpanes, the choir matched his rhythm with a chorus of Joys that rose and fell and added to the power of the moment.

Joy. Pure joy. That’s what Jack was feeling. Somehow, Myles had been able to translate his wordless thoughts into the kind of praise Jack felt the Creator deserved. He was filled with joy. Joy because Sue was at his side. Joy because they had at long last been able to keep their childish promises. Joy because he could see a Divine hand in the planning and orchestrating of every path in his life. Joy because he had made enough right choices to enable himself to be so richly blessed. Joy simply because there was nothing left to feel, but joy.

There is no way I can adequately begin to reply to all that I would like to quote.

Kav, it seems, when Jonah handcuffs you to his life and drags you along with him, it inspires you greatly. What you've done with this story - the faith and providence you have intertwined throughout are amazing. Awe seems like such a paltry emotion right now. It's not nearly expressive enough. Seems I'm speechless - and covered with chillbumps! Wow!!!!!

wow is about all i'm capable of, that was sensational



cath

myles you we're amazing...i felt like i was there. everybody knows, they know....o my god, this was so great, and beautiful...this was just magical....i'm so happy... yep jack your right.... there is nothing left to feel anything but joy

Utter perfection, Kay. Words fail me to describe the last two posts, and for that matter, the entire story. How very beautiful throughout. I don't know when I have ever enjoyed reading more. You've brought me to laughter and tears, joy and anguish, and most of all, inner peace. Thank you for this very special gift.

Donna

Joy, that's what I'm feeling when I read this story. Pure, unadulterated joy! I must agree with Jack...there is nothing else to feel!

Kim

WOW....that brings tears to my eyes.....

~laura michelle~