A Dropped Stitches Christmas by Janet Tronstad

one of the salad containers toward her.
    “She was probably more hurt than mad anyway,” Marilee says as she hands Lizabett a plastic fork and then holds one out to me. “When Becca realizes that, she’ll call.”
    “I hope so.” I take the fork and pull a salad container toward me. It’s a Greek salad and I note there are a few black olives in it. Everything seems to remind me of Mary and the part of the world where she lived. It would be odd to have all the olives you wanted to eat but no cell phone to call your friends.
    We talk about the play while we eat our salads.
    This time Lizabett wants to come with me to my rehearsal and I say I think it will be okay. The play is being held in a huge church and we were already told they’re not closing the doors during rehearsals, because people might want to come inside and pray. I told Lizabett that if she wants to bring one of her schoolbooks and study, I’d appreciate having someone there with me. She might even take some time to write in the Sisterhood journal.

     
    Hi, this is Lizabett. Carly is right that we haven’t been writing in the journal like we should. I’m sitting in the church where Carly is rehearsing so I thought I’d write a little about it. Carly is so totally cool when she’s onstage. Honestly, I could see her being a Jennifer Aniston or someone. Not that the director seems too happy with her. He’s not even looking at her. He just yells out directions to stand there or walk around that circle. I think they are trying to measure the road Joseph and Mary would have taken to Bethlehem. I wonder how long a pregnant woman can ride on a donkey.
    I don’t know what they’re going to use instead of a donkey, but it’s something with wheels because the director is using a stick to plot out turns. Every time the director makes a turn, Mary needs to stand in a new place so someone can measure everything.
    I hope Carly gets a chance to be onstage as Mary.
    There is an area where some of the cast members are getting their costumes while the director blocks out the action. There’s a lot of faded material in the costumes. I see one man who is going to be a shepherd. He has a faded blue shirt and old denim jeans. I think he’s a farmworker in the play rather than a nomadic shepherd like Mary might have known. Whoever he is, his straw hat is stained and frayed.
    They also have some guys dressed up like ’50s rock stars. I think they might represent the three wise men. They definitely have enough shiny gold necklaces and watches to be rich. They even have gold belts. Not that they’re perfect. I don’t see how they’d be able to see the night star with those dark sunglasses they are wearing.
    I keep my eye out for the woman who is playing Mary, but she’s not here today.
    Ah, there’s Carly walking again. She does everything just like the director asks her to and I think she does it with feeling. It’s not easy to portray I am the mother of the baby Jesus just by the way you walk.
    I really think this could be Carly’s big break. I know this is a small experimental play, but people will be watching. After Carly said she’s going to need to get a job before too long, I’ve been hoping that she will get some notice in this play. If she has to get a job, she won’t be able to go to auditions and things like that. I wouldn’t want her to miss her chance at stardom just because she has to get a job.
    I know Carly says stars don’t get discovered anymore, but this is a nativity play. Maybe there will be a miracle or two. I haven’t said anything, but I’ve started to pray that Carly will get to actually be seen in this play. I’m not sure about prayer. Usually, I would just ask Quinn to pray for me, but I want to do this one on my own. I’m not sure God will listen to me, but I’m going for it.
    Here Carly comes. They’re taking a break. I notice Carly walks up the aisle toward me with dignity. She’s a natural for the role of Mary.
    I’ll