The Salvationist - Chapter Three

“Quit pulling my hair!” snaps Ariel as she stomps on Allen’s foot.

“Ow! That hurt! Why did you do that!” as he releases her hair to inspect his foot.

“You know why she did it. You would let go of her hair” politely explains Maggie as if Allen didn’t realize it.

“Her hair gets in my way. I’m tired of having girl’s hair on my book!” shouts Allen.

“I wouldn’t have my hair on your book if you would back off!” shouts Ariel “You are the one always in my way!”

“Okay, okay, okay” clapping her hands, Emma begins “It is time to start. Everyone turn your faces forward and look at me” while doing the baseball sign of eye-to-eye with her first two fingers with each student.

The kids turn around and look at Emma. Ariel throws back a momentary glance at Allen sticking her tongue out with Allen responding with the ugliest face he can make up at the moment. Ariel then turns around, smiles sweetly at Emma with her hands in her lap as if nothing has happened.

Emma smirks with a grin, “Turn to the first song in your new Sing Praise books that Jane so kindly has ordered for you. Jane is playing through the first song so you can have an idea what it sounds like. Look at your part and try to follow along”.

As the piano ends the song, “All right, let’s try to sing the notes using “la” that includes you Mike” who is staring out in space thinking of his new pet lizard, “Rock Star” who upon the music stopping starts to move in the pocket of his hoodie.

Mike squirms in his seat at the rest of the group intently tries to sing along with the music. He pushes the tail of Rock Star back into his pocket. Allen notices the green bumpy tail and wants to look more closely. Mike gives him a look to leave him alone which Allen conveniently ignores.

Rock Star intelligently decides to slowly crawl out of the pocket during the non-verbal conversation of his owner. He makes his way to the floor and under Allen’s nemesis chair who is politely singing to her heart’s content at Emma’s cue.

Maggie notices that something is up with Allen and Mike. Mike is desperately looking for something around him but doesn’t seem to be able to find whatever he is searching for. Allen is quietly laughing at whatever is happening.

Rock Star is expertly climbing up the silver chair leg unnoticed by a focused Ariel or anyone else in the vocal group. Rock Star gets lost in the trenches of Ariel’s long hair.

Mike sees a glimpse of a tail and leans over to whisper in Mike’s ear while pointing “there he is!”

Instinctively Allen grabs for a clump of Ariel’s hair while trying to capture Rock Star. He pulls back to himself as hard as he can to keep Rock Star from running away.

“That’s it! I told you to quit pulling my hair!” taking her new Singing Company book and continually whapping it on Allen’s head as hard as she possibly can. Rock Star on feeling released from the hand grip, scatters as quickly as possible but gets bumped and safely lands in Maggie’s lap.

“Eww! I have a monster on me!” standing up with her arms outstretched to each side, screams Maggie at the top of her lungs.

“It’s not a monster, it’s Godzilla!” encouragingly adds Mike.

Everyone screams and the girls climb on top of their chairs with the boys jumping up and down with delight at the frantic chaos. Even Emma in quick response to the hysterics has found herself on top of a chair as well “Where is he? Where did he go? I can’t stand reptiles!”

“His name is Rock Star and he’s my pet. But I can’t find him!” anxiously replies Allen “Don’t hurt him!” pointing to Emma’s shoulder.

Emma stands perfectly still and slowly moves her head to the side of her shoulder and then slightly grins. Rock Star is looking up at her with his long slim tongue sticking out and makes a Lizard noise which is somewhere between a hiss and heavy breathing.

Dizziness fills the room as Emma feels the room fading from her vision into darkness. Fortunately, unnoticed Knightly is amusingly observing the circus and valiantly removes the lizard from Emma’s shoulder while helping Emma down from her chair before completely passing out.

The kids are all giggles and grossed out as Allen puts away Rock Star in the canning jar that he brought with him from home.

Knightly asks Emma while trying to hold back laughter, “Are you all right?”

Emma squints and sternly looks back at him “Of course I am all right, I just lost my balance that’s all” but then catches Knightly’s grin and starts laughing herself too.

“There is only ten minutes left to practice. I think we’ll take a break and go to the playground for awhile” defeated by the night’s antics replies Emma.

“Yea! Woot!” the children respond running out the back door of the buff and bronze stoned tiled hallway to the open sport fields and playground made of forts and canopies.

“What are you doing here?” asks Emma after the dust in the practice room settles.

“I have to be at area command tomorrow for a meeting and thought that I would stop by the corps tonight and say ‘hello’ to everyone” remarks Knightly “and didn’t know that I would be entertained too. I hope that you have gotten over your attack of Godzilla.”

Emma lowers her head and looks up with a slightly annoyed look “I’m fine” and then mockingly adds “Thank you for coming to my rescue and saving me!” as she bows to him.

Knightly shakes his head at her with his hands at his waist “Do you want to catch a bite to eat at Shipley’s after you are finished tonight? I haven’t eaten all day and some pizza sounds rather good right about now” looking over towards the piano “Jane, would you like to come along too?”

“Sure! I have to let my aunts know that I will be coming home a little later than usual or they will worry about where I am” replies Jane “Sounds like a great idea.”

“We can ride together in my car. It’s only a few blocks from here anyway” offers Knightly kindly smiling at Jane. Emma notices and for the first time doesn’t make her feel all that comfortable but puts it to the side and ignores the feeling.

Arriving at the local pizza place, it is crowded and noisy. The smell of fresh baked bread, garlic, oregano and basil fill the restaurant. They are led by the jean and t-shirt with the restaurant logo to a red booth with plastic covered menus of ads of local businesses on the margins.

“They have the best calzones in town!” remarks Knightly to Jane “Have you had them before?”

“No, but I’ve been to Shipley’s pizza on some of my other visit’s and it is one of my favorite places to go” smiles Jane back at Knightly.

“I go here all the time. It’s really nothing special but the food is very good” remarks Emma not understanding Knightly’s fascination with the place.

The sodas arrive with the pizza order. Each delves into the slices of thick pizza. “You’ve got a little bit of cheese on your chin” notices Knightly pointing to help Jane remove it. Jane giggles and tries to remove it herself but misses. Knightly politely removes the cheese for Jane and smiles back at her. Jane blushes a little.

Emma glances at Knightly to say “What is that?” noticing the trivial flirtation between Knightly and Jane.

The conversation continues and everyone is having a good time. Emma asks Jane “You live near Grant Churchill. Do you ever see him?”

“All the time … but I don’t really know him that well” as she moves trying to get more comfortable in her seat and then picks through her salad “He’s very popular and has a lot of friends. I don’t get to talk to him very often.”

“Does he attend your corps?” inquires Knightly.

“No, he attends the larger one in the city. I attend Longbourn Citadel with my distant cousins the Bennetts” nervously answers Jane “He attends the Netherfield corps”.

“What is he like? What does he look like? Is he nice?” curiously asks Emma.

“Grant Churchill is wonderful” Jane states this gushing a little but quickly checks her self before continuing “He is a really nice guy. A lot of girls think he is good looking. I think he knows that too” she shrugs her shoulders and her own feelings of inadequacy “I think he would be a great guy to date if he’s your type.”

“I just wondered. Mr. Weston talks about him a lot but I don’t really remember him all that well from when we were kids” honestly replies Emma “Mr. Weston misses him. Do you remember him Knightly?”

“Yes but I was starting college when he left as a child. I vaguely remember him. However, his mother was a lovely woman. The Westons always seems to be a very happy couple together” reflects Knightly “Mr. Weston is a good man. It would be nice to see him happy again.”

“I’ve got a plan” replies Emma and looking directly at Knightly “I think even you will approve.”

“Be careful Emma” warns Knightly “I hope you know what you are doing.”

“I didn’t realize how late it was. My aunts will be calling the police and reporting me as a missing person” observes Jane noticing the time on the clock on the dark walnut wood wall.

Emma thoughtfully considers “this might be an exaggeration for other people but I think you might be right about your aunts. I guess it is time we go back to the corps” looking down at her watch “Can you believe it? We’ve been here three hours already”.

“Really? I hadn’t noticed the time. It’s been a great evening with both of you” honestly remarks Knightly. He pays the bill and tip as they leave the restaurant together. Knightly thinks to himself on his way to the motel after dropping Jane and Emma off at the corps about how much he enjoyed being around and the conversation with Emma tonight.