Wish Upon A Christmas Star Part 4

Lydia Grant bangs her African carved wooden cane on the hard wooden floor in the dance rehearsal room: “Okay people, we can’t wait any longer, Michael front and centre, you’re dancing the lead!"

As Michael looks around at the rest of the dancers and nervously takes his position in front of the class. Lydia continues: "Okay, 5,6,7,8....”

Leroy turns over in bed and slowly opens his eyes. He’d worked an extra late shift last night at Lou’s Lanes, to make up for missing a couple of previous shifts and was feeling tired. Yawning he looks at the clock, realising he’s overslept and is running late for the dance rehearsal. He jumps out of bed: “Oh No Miss Grant is going to kill me!”

Holly watches Bruno lying in bed sleeping and feels happy about the previous nights events. She smiles to herself and then quietly gets out of bed to get dressed. She places a gentle kiss on Bruno’s sleeping face and leaves the room.

In the hallway a voice calls out: “Oh Bruno, I need.....”

Mr Caruso stands in front of her in his underwear: “Oh you’re not Bruno! Wait a minute aren’t you one of the kids from that school? Holly? isn’t it?”

Holly blushes: “Yes Sir that’s right. I was just going to use the bathroom.”

Suddenly Caruso realises that Holly must have spent the night with Bruno: “Oh right, I see. Well certainly, ladies first.”

Holly thanks him and rushes inside the bathroom, closing the door firmly behind her.

Leroy enters the dance rehearsal room: “Miss Grant, I’m sorry....”

Lydia interrupts: “Sit down Mr Johnson, Michael is dancing the lead. You see Michael was here on time, as were the rest of us. We didn’t want to be here at this time of the morning. We didn't want to venture out of our warm beds into the freezing cold and the dark, but we are all professionals and we all agreed to help you out! So take a seat, the class is doing just fine without you!”

Leroy is annoyed: “But Miss Grant I can explain.....”

Lydia snaps cutting him off mid sentence: “Mr Johnson, we are rehearsing at the moment and we don’t want to waste anymore time listening to your explanations. See me after school and Maybe, I’ll be ready to listen to your excuses then!”

Leroy has learnt when not to go up against Lydia so quietly finds a place to sit in the corner, frustrated at himself for oversleeping.

Holly sits alone at the piano in the music room, gently playing and singing, with Dwight standing in the doorway watching:

"Aye... hmmm...

Dreams are like angels

They keep bad at bay

Love is the light

Scaring darkness away

I'm so in love with you

Make love your goal

The power of love

A force from above

Cleaning my soul

Flame on burn desire

Love with tongues of fire

Purge the soul

Make love your goal

I'll protect you from the hooded claw

Keep the vampires from your door

When the chips are down I'll be around

With my undying death defying love for you

Envy will hurt itself

Let yourself be beautiful

Sparkling light, flowers and pearls and pretty girls

Love is like an energy

Rushing in, rushing inside of me, hmmm...

The power of love

A force from above

Cleaning my soul

Flame on burn desire

Love with tongues of fire

Purge the soul

Make love your goal

This time we go sublime

Lovers entwined divine divine

Love is danger, love is pleasure

Love is pure, the only treasure

I'm so in love with you

Make love your goal

The power of love

A force from above

Cleaning my soul

The power of love

A force from above

A sky scraping dove

Flame on burn desire

Love with tongues of fire

Purge the soul

Make love your goal

Make love your goal"

Dwight stands looking longingly at Holly he loves the sentiment in Holly’s song as it expresses exactly how he feels about her. He’d never been able to express his feelings to her in person but they had increased during the school year. He wishes he’d been able to sing the song to her to let her know how he is feeling.

In the office, Sherwood, Shorofsky and Mrs Berg stand chatting. Elizabeth places some money in Mrs Berg’s collection tin for Ethiopia.

Mrs Berg smiles: “Oh thank you Miss Sherwood”

Mr Morloch enters the room: “Morning everyone!”

He then notice Elizabeth: “Oh Miss Sherwood I wanted to talk to you!”

Elizabeth raises an eyebrow: “Have you apologised to Mrs Berg yet?”

Mrs Berg pulls a face and interrupts: “He most certainly has not!”

Elizabeth shakes her head: “I warned you I hadn’t got anything to say to you until you apologised.”

Frustratedly Morloch looks around at each of the faces, who are all looking back had him expectantly. Eventually he takes a deep breath.

Morloch: “Mrs Berg, I’m...... erm.... I’m sorry for upsetting you.”

Mrs Berg smiles: “Why thank you Mr Morloch but nothing says sorry like cold hard cash!”

With that she stretches out her hand, holding the collecting tin, towards him and gives it a shake. Shorofsky and Sherwood exchange smiles as an even more frustrated Morloch reaches in his pocket and places a few coins in the tin.

Not content with the amount of money he has donated Elizabeth clears her throat. Morloch turns to look at her and she indicates he needs to give more money. Mrs Berg keeps the tin held right in front of him expectantly waiting for more. Reluctantly Morloch pulls out his wallet and selects a note which he places in the tin.

Mrs Berg smiles again: “Oh Mr Morloch that makes so much more difference.”

Morloch gives a false smile and turns towards Elizabeth: “Now Miss Sherwood about Christmas.....”

Suddenly Morloch’s face changes to confusion as he realises that Elizabeth has already left the room and he’s talking to himself: "Where did she go?"

Shorofsky raises an eyebrow: "Where did who go?"

Morloch shakes his head: "Why Miss Sherwood of course, she was standing right there."

Shorofsy shrugs his shoulders: "Was she? I didn't notice. She must have been called away!"

The school bell rings and Lydia claps her hands: “Thank you everybody for coming in early today, tomorrow rehearsals will be at the normal time after school. A general sound of relief sounds throughout the group."

Leroy is still sitting in front of the mirror and is frustrated by the Lydia’s announcement: “Miss Grant that’s not fair!”

Lydia turns and faces him with a steely stare: “Not fair?”

Leroy snaps: “You know I’ve got work at Lou’s and that I need the money. If you schedule the rehearsals after school how am I supposed to get the money to get my Mom a plane ticket for Christmas?”

Lydia shrugs her shoulders: “Leroy, you asked me to change the rehearsal and I did but you didn’t turn up on time. I can’t organise my schedule around someone who isn’t even reliable. I’m sorry about your situation but you leave me no choice. You may not be dancing the lead anymore but I still expect you to be here on time for rehearsal and ready to work.”

Leroy stands up, grabs his bag and storms out of the rehearsal room, slamming the door behind him.

Lydia stands watching, shaking her head in despair.

At Caruso’s Bruno starts to prepare for the day’s business. Carsuso comes down form upstairs and calls out to Bruno: “You dirty dog, having Holly stay the night last night.”

Bruno feels embarrassed: “It's not like that. It didn’t mean anything, we’re just friends and we both know where we stand.”

Carsuso raises an eyebrow and shakes his head: “From the smile on Holly’s face this morning I wouldn’t be so sure”

Bruno is puzzled by the older man’s words.

In the girls locker room Doris, Nicole and Cleo notice how happy Holly appears to be.

Doris calls out and asks: “Holly how was your date last night?”

A beaming smile breaks out across Holly’s face and spreads from ear to ear.

Nicole nudges Cleo: “Well that face says it all!”

Doris sighs: “So are you going to tell us who the guy is?”

Holly continues smiling knowingly and shakes her head. Picking up her bag Holly walks to towards the door and leaves. Doris grabs her bag and chases after her friend. In the corridor she catches her.

Doris: “Come on Holly, you know you’re burning to tell us all about your date last night and who it was with.”

Holly just smiles: “Yes but for the moment I’m going to keep you all guessing.”

Dwight has just come out of the boys locker room with Danny and over hears the conversation knowing exactly who Holly was with last night: "I know who it was."

Doris turns to look at him: "Okay Mandenhall who was it?"

Dwight thinks for a moment and then shakes his head, not wanting to betray Holly: "No, I can't. I can't say, it's not my place."

Doris becomes even more frustrated: "You know I'll find out eventually so why not save us all this hassle and tell me now."

Dwight shakes his head "No... my lips are sealed."

Doris sighs deeply and is about to re-enters the girls locker room when Danny stops her: "Hey Ham, wait a minute I need to speak to you. I've just got to speak to Dwight first."

Danny reluctantly turns to Dwight, while Doris waits: “Okay Dwight as much as it grieves me to say it, you’re on board to be in my show. Put something Christmassy together and let me know!”

Dwight nods his head and smiles "Okay".

Although he's not really paying attention as instead he is watching Holly, who is standing, laughing with Chris and Jesse at the end of the corridor. Doris notices where Dwight is looking and becomes puzzled.

Danny unaware that Dwight's attention is elsewhere gives a weak smile: "Okay then bring me what you've got later"

Danny then turns to Doris: "Okay Ham I need your advice. What do you do if your friend's love life is messed up and you see them hurting?"

Doris shrugs: "We'll I guess it depends on who the friend is?"

Doris expects Danny to tell her who he is talking about but instead there is silence. In the end Doris breaks the silence: "This is the part where you tell me who it is, so I can help you!"

Danny pauses for a moment: "Sorry, but I can't tell you who it is!"

Doris is not pleased: "You're kidding right? First Holly and Dwight with their secrets and now you!"

Danny continues: "If I could tell you I would, but they asked me not to say anything and I'm trying to respect that. All you need to know is that a friend is in need."

Doris calms down: "Well, I've always believed that if a friend needs your help and you think you know what you can do to help, then you should do everything you can to make things better for them."

Danny nods his head slowly in agreement: "Yes I think you're right. I'll see you later, I've got a phone call to make."

With that Danny turns and heads down the main corridor towards the pay phones in the lobby, leaving Doris wondering what is going on: "Why is everybody around here suddenly so honourable!"

Coco Hernandez sits in her dressing room in an L.A. theatre eating a sandwich. Thoughts of her friends and New York winters danced through her mind. This was her second Christmas in L.A. and it just didn't feel the same. She sighs heavily as this year she is really missing her friends and family and wishes she was back in New York.

Coco was also struggling a little with the role she was currently playing and was frequently clashing with the director about her character. In her heart Coco knew that she was right but the director just wouldn't change his direction. Becoming more and more frustrated with her situation Coco had considered quitting the role but this wasn't the first time she'd found herself in this situation and she was beginning to lose confidence. She makes up her mind that when the play is over she is going back to New York to visit. She presses the play button on her tape player and music begins to fill the room. Coco starts to sing along.

"I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

Just like the ones I used to know

Where the treetops glisten

and children listen

To hear sleigh bells in the snow.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

With every Christmas card I write

May your days be merry and bright

And may all your Christmases be white.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

With every Christmas card I write

May your days be merry and bright

And may all your Christmases be white".

As the song comes to a close, a stage hand pokes his head around the door: "Coco there's a phone call for you."

Coco immediately gets up and follows the stage hand to the office. She picks up the receiver: "Hello"

An excited voice on the line greets her: "Hi Coco it's Danny. Listen I don’t have much time but I need your Help!"

Holly, Chris, Cleo, Jesse, Dwight, Nicole, Leroy, Danny and Doris sit in Sherwood's English class, as Miss Sherwood reads a passage about love to them. Holly had heard some of the lesson but was now happily in a world of her own day dreaming about her relationship with Bruno. Dwight sits watching Holly and he is day dreaming about his feelings for her. Doris notices how both of them seem to be in worlds of their own. For a moment Doris wonders if Dwight is the guy that Holly has been seeing and that's why she's keeping it a secret. Doris quickly shakes her head "NO" it couldn't possibly be Dwight, could it?

Morloch is standing outside the classroom watching the English teacher. Sherwood stops reading and address the class: "Okay class what did we think of what the characters in the story were feeling?"

Sherwood looks around at the students in front of her, many of whom were trying to avoid eye contact in the hope that they then wouldn't be chosen to answer: "Okay anyone? Holly what about you?"

The mention of her name brings Holly out of her daydream: "Sorry what?"

Miss Sherwood shakes her head and Doris quips: "Holly is probably like the characters in the book, too wrapped up in her own feelings of love to notice other people!"

Holly glares across at Doris.

Miss Sherwood continues: "Surely one of you must relate to the intense feelings of love the characters were feeling and can explain it to the class?"

Chris has noticed Morloch hanging around outside the class and quips: "Maybe you should ask Mr Morloch, he's been watching you for about ten minutes now!"

A wave of gentle laughter ripples through the class as a puzzled and slightly embarrassed Miss Sherwood turns to see Morloch looking through the window and watching her. Quickly she gets up, approaches and opens the door: "May I help you, Mr Morloch?"

Morloch is a little embarrassed: "Erm, I was just waiting for the class to be over so that you and I could talk. After all I have apologised to Mrs Berg."

Sherwood sighs: "Mr Morloch, I am going to be teaching this class for another 40 minutes. Are you intending to stand there for the whole of that time, disturbing my students?"

Morloch feels a little awkward: "Erm, no of course not... Erm I guess I'll see you later?"

Sherwood shakes her head in despair, shuts the door and turns back into the classroom. She perches on the end of her desk and tries to continue with the lesson: "Okay class, lets get back to work. It's not quite the Christmas holidays yet!"

As Morloch turns to head back to his office a voice behind him calls his name.

David Reardon comes running down the stairs from the floor above and catches up to Morloch: "Mr Morloch I wanted to have a chat with you about next year."

As the two men walk down the corridor Morloch asks: "What about next year?"

Reardon swallows and pauses for a moment: "Well, you see there's this show I'm up for and I might not be coming back to the school after the Christmas break!"

Morloch is shocked: "What! where am I supposed to find another drama teacher at such short notice?"

Reardon gives a weak smile: "I'm sure we'll find someone."

Morloch snaps: "We? What do you mean we. You'll be out of here, leaving me the task of finding a replacement teacher."

Reardon shrugs: "I don't suppose now is a good time to ask to leave early tomorrow then?"

Morloch glares at him.

Later that day, Holly arrives at Caruso's. As she opens the door she sees Bruno standing by the bar. The sight of him brings a smile that lights up Holly's face. She rushes down the steps and across the room to where Bruno is standing. Putting her arms around him she plants a kiss on his lips.

Bruno pulls back: "Holly, not here, I'm working!"

Holly apologises: "Sorry, I've just been wanting to do that all day."

Bruno realises that Caruso was right and the relationship means more to Holly than it does to him. "Listen Holly I'm on a break in about 20 minutes. I think we need to talk."

Leroy is at Lou's Lanes and hands Lou a Pizza order: ""Listen Lou are there any more shifts I could do. I'm still short of money."

Lou pulls a face and shakes his head: "Sorry Kid I've given you all the work I can. When you let me down those times I had to get in other kids to replace you so I can't let them down now."

Leroy nods his head understandingly but at the same time feeling disappointed.

Lou points to a table across the other side of the room: "I think you've got a customer!"

Leroy walks over to the woman sat at the table Lou was pointing at.

The woman has the menu in front of her face as she ponders her order. Leroy stops and asks: "Excuse me, are you ready to order?"

The woman slowly moves the menu and Leroy is shocked to find Lydia is sat at the table.

Leroy: "Miss Grant? What are you doing here?"

Back at Caruso's Holly had been unaware that someone had followed her from school and was standing outside the café looking in. Doris stares and is shocked to see Bruno. Her heart starts to race with excitement. But then a thought strikes her. Holly had said she'd known her mystery date for about 15 months, which was the time she'd started at the School of the Arts. Bruno had been a student at that time and then when he left everybody had started to hang out at Caruso's. suddenly realisation dawns on Doris that Bruno must be the guy Holly is seeing.

Part of Doris wants to rush into the café and give Bruno a big hug but the other part of her feels betrayed and puzzled as to why Bruno had kept his visit a secret from her.

At Lou's Lanes Lydia has a stern look on her face: "Well as you missed rehearsal and you didn't come to see me after school, I thought I'd better come to find you instead."

Leroy breaks their eye contact and feels ashamed that he had let his teacher down: "I was going to come and speak to you tomorrow, Miss Grant, I swear. I just didn't want to be late for another shift here or Lou is likely to fire me. I couldn't face another person being mad at me today!"

Lydia nods slowly showing her understanding: "Look Leroy. I know you have some stuff going on with your family right now and you're trying hard to raise the money for your Mother but you can't just keep missing appointments and rehearsals. This is an important show and you are letting a lot of people down when you jeopardise it by not showing up."

Leroy lets out a deep sigh: "I'm sorry Miss Grant, I really am. It looks like I'm not going to raise enough money for the plane ticket anyway. Not unless I can find some way of getting the money quickly and that will probably mean having to get even more work and miss even more rehearsals. You know it's just not fair, whatever I do it's just not going to work out, the way I want it to."

Lydia is sympathetic and her voice shows her concern: "Leroy, I think you need to make a choice. All those years ago your Father had to make a choice between family and dancing. I think you now need to decide what is more important to you; this show or the money for that plane ticket?"

Leroy is confused and snaps at his teacher : "You want me to make a choice between dancing or my mother?"

Lydia shakes her head: "No you don't understand. I'm not the one making you choose but it is a decision I think you are going to have to make."

Leroy is angry: "Dancing is my life, it's everything I work all these years for! How can I choose not to dance? But then I haven't seen my Mother in

Years. It's not fair Miss Grant how can I make such an impossible choice?"

Lydia gives a weak smile as she grabs her coat: "I didn't say it was an easy decision. It's just one that I think you need to make. It looks to me that you now know how your father must have felt all those years ago when he had to choose between family and dancing."

Lydia reaches out and squeezes Leroy's arm reassuringly: "I know it's tough Leroy, but it's something you have to do."

Leroy, shakes his head slowly as he watches his teacher head out into the snowy streets. He is unsure how he can make this impossible choice.

To be continued......