14. Merry Christmas Everyone

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[🎶"Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" by Kacey Musgraves.🎶]

"Well, here's one for all the little kids..." Lola said as she sat in front of a kindergarten class. It was now Monday, after school, and she'd hurried over for a volunteer gig at the local elementary school, where she was singing to the kids for a parent night.

Lola: You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen. Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen. 

She was standing in front of them, wearing a reindeer onesie as they all sat around the room, some with their parents and others by themselves on the floor over a reading area carpet. 

Lola: But do you recall... the most famous reindeer of all?

But all of them were watching her with awe and excitement as she called out the main character's name. She pointed at them when it was their turn to sing.

Lola (Children): Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer had a very shiny nose. Well, and if you ever saw it, you would even say it glowed (Like a light bulb).

Then they joined in as she pranced about the room.

Lola with Children: All of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names. 

She stopped elsewhere, facing away from the door just in time to miss the familiar face that arrived in front of it.

Lola: Oh, they never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games.

Alex stood there, surprised to find Lola of all people in his little sister's kindergarten class, but he didn't say a word, watching Lola put on a show for the kids.

Lola (Children): Oh, then one foggy Christmas Eve. Oh, Santa came to say (Ho ho ho). 

She was like a whole new person, so bright and energetic around the kids in a way she never was around the people at school. It was nice to see, really.

Lola: Rudolph, with your nose so bright..! Won't you guide my sleigh tonight? 

She put her arms up in the air as she said the word glee, indicating for the kids to do their part, and Alex spotted his little sister sitting on the carpet, mimicking Lola's movements.

Lola (Children): Well, then all reindeer loved him. As they shouted out with glee (Hee hee!). Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, you'll go down in history!

Then during an instrumental break, while Lola repositioned herself where she started, she finally looked at the door and spotted Alex. She froze for just a second but recovered on time to jump back into the song and end it with as much energy as she'd started.

Lola: Yeah, you'll go down, go down in history!

The children clapped and cheered as Lola took a humble bow and looked up at Alex, wondering why on Earth he was there.

***

"Didn't know you moonlit as a children's performer," Alex said when Lola tried to make her escape, only to find him standing out in the hall, waiting.

"Ha-ha," she said.

But he added, "I wasn't being mean. I promise. I think it's cool. But also kind of shocking. This doesn't seem like the kind of thing you'd do."

"I love Christmas," she shrugged. "My family's Catholic and my mom's birthday comes right before Christmas so..."

"Oh cool, mine's right after," said Alex. "So you sang here because..?"

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