Capítulo 348: Meeting Lia's father
Three days left before Christmas, and Edward Harris Elementary School hosted their customary holiday fest in celebration. The establishment stood in all its festive glory, glowing under the holiday spirit.
Last night's snow showers already melted and seeped into the ground from the warmth of the daylight. The path that ran stayed clear and dry by the time people started to show up, wearing thick winter clothes for warmth. Despite the crisp breeze, their faces held bright smiles as they arrived as a family to witness a joyous occasion.
Upon entering, one could notice all signs of celebratory mood spread out. Starting from the floral wreaths with wild berries hanging on the school gates, welcoming the visitors, to snowflake ornaments swinging melodiously to the chilly breeze on a leafless tree, running along its branches. The Christmas lights added on the tree shared less spotlight because its day and were waiting joyfully for the nighttime so that it could reveal its charm to its visitants.
"Slow down, Lia," Giselle cried next to Ethan.
Ethan signaled to supervise her and ran after chasing the child. From the looks of it, Giselle was sure that Ethan did not seem to handle Lia, whereas he was too excited to join his daughter.
The first step into the school ground exposed the visitants to a spectacular view of a large Christmas tree. Catching up to his daughter, Ethan instantly lifted little Lia to his shoulders, and the two began studying this enormous display reigning in front of them. Soon, Giselle joined to witness everyone who enters stops by to gape at this image. She did recall Lia mentioning that the school is trying to arrange a large Christmas tree this year.
Staring at the tall tree, filled with full of life, decored well and stood to grace everyone, it's bright golden star hung on the top, radiating the atmosphere, accompanied with soft jingles of Christmas carols playing through the speakers.
The tree gleamed with different ornaments like little bells, candy canes, tiny trees, small Santas, reindeers, fragrant garlands, classic stockings, and many more. The spot stood in the middle, surrounded by a rope gate to provide security. Down under the Christmas tree, a large display of the nativity scene rested with exquisite details of the dolls, telling the story of the birth of Jesus.
Naturally, the place became a hot-spot for people to stumble upon their arrival. Everyone stood to watch the display in awe and shared it with their family.
"Giselle?" a voice surfaced amongst the growing crowd, and Giselle turned to a surprise.
It was Mrs. Beth, who appeared out of nowhere.
As the vice-principal of the school, she had the utmost duty in supervising the staff and manage the event to run smoothly. Naturally, Mrs. Beth was busy as a beaver, making rounds as she went to every displayed stall for patrol, making sure that no one encountered any trouble. On her way to check up on the tall Christmas tree, she spotted Giselle's silhouette in the crowd. Next to her was little Lia, who seems to be sitting on a man's shoulders, enjoying the jingles by singing along. On a curious note, Mrs. Beth yelled her name without reasoning. Only after meeting Giselle's gaze did she confirm that her guess wasn't wrong.
"Mrs. Beth," Giselle turned swift to the voice.
Lia turned to find Mrs. Beth, and so did Ethan.
"Mrs. Beth, good morning!" Lia greeted cheerfully as she still hung above. Ethan, who watched the sudden intrusion, recalled Giselle mention the said person. At once, he bought Lia down to the ground.
Seeing him react, Giselle took the lead and introduced Ethan to the vice-principal of the school.
It was Mrs. Beth's first time meeting Lia's father. She watched him in silence, reading his demeanor discreetly.
Ethan greeted formally, thanking Mrs. Beth for taking care of Lia. His personality resembles soft in nature, and his attitude towards his daughter matched Giselle's description. Throwing a glance at Giselle, Mrs. Beth lightly nodded her head in agreeing to what she said about Lia's father being supportive in every way possible.
The three briefly chat before all of their focus shift towards the child eventually. Since Lia is participating in the stage play, they conversed about anticipating her performance, which stirred little Lia to inquire Mrs. Beth if anyone from the drama team had already arrived.
Lia's homeroom teacher, who is in charge of the stage play, along with the boy who plays the main lead, both had arrived early before Lia. Mrs. Beth suggested Lia get ready as well as it might get hectic if everyone swamped the place at once. Lia thought to agree and requested her parents to accompany her. Mrs. Beth stopped them before leaving, informing Giselle that parents aren't allowed before the performance except in case of emergencies. Ethan and Giselle looked at each other, perplexed.
"Is it strict to not allow parents, at lease one can accompany, right, Mrs. Beth?" Giselle requested.
Mrs. Beth wished she could bend the rules for a close acquaintance, but if she allows one parent, then a line of them could come up with excuses to be with their child's stage debut. Restraining herself, Mrs. Beth changed her tone to sound like the vice-principal of the school,
"Giselle, a rule is a rule, worry not because we have teachers taking care of the kids. Plus, we want them to focus on the play and not get distracted by their family. Once the show is over, you can meet Lia backstage and have all the fun. Until then, please follow the rules. In case of any emergency, we will immediately notify the parents first, which I can confirm will never occur."
Mrs. Beth's professional attitude could no longer get persuaded, and Ethan and Giselle no longer appealed and submitted to the school's policy. Giselle turned to Lia and saw the little scowl on the corner of her lips.
"It's alright, honey. We will be waiting for you with everyone. Mrs. Beth is right! We don't want to disturb you or other kids," she persuaded her child instead, and Ethan joined.
With the two's assistance, Lia's scowl ceased to content, and she agreed to obey, pulling her parents, both closer to whisper,
"I'll sneak out somehow and come see everyone before the performance."
Lia's whisper could perceive easily by Mrs. Beth, but she believed that the child doesn't break any rules only to get into trouble later. Thus, she warned them all over again to send off the child inside.
Lia kissed her parents a brief farewell, bid a formal greeting to Mrs. Beth, and then carried her bag to dash into the building, already aware of the place she should arrive. Shortly, she reached one of the classrooms, close to the auditorium, dedicated to the drama team's sake. Entering, she found a few of her classmates and her homeroom teacher. The boy who plays the main lead is already in his costume, silently sitting in a chair while the staff went to put makeup on the kid's steady face.
A Christmas Carol, Charles Dicken's greatest classics, the play Lia's class is going to perform, talks about the redemption of a miserly old businessman called Ebenezer Scrooge.
The story starts with Scrooge's disinterest in celebrating Christmas, followed by the visit of his dead business partner's ghost on a Christmas eve. The spirit reminds Scrooge about changing his morals and warns about the other three ghosts that would visit him tonight.
Scoorge then gets visited by the ghost of past, present, and future, and finally comes to realize how he should value people more than money. Towards the climax, the old guy transforms to reveal his change of heart. Thus, on the next Christmas morning, he makes a generous donation to the charity that he rejected the previous day, anonymously aids his clerk, who was underpaid and overworked. The employee seems to have received an increase in pay, and later, the old chap visits his nephew to have a lovely Christmas lunch with the family.
The boy who plays Scrooge appeared similar to his character. His whole face covered with fake wrinkles, grey eyebrows, and bulging nose. His natural black hair covered with a bald wig and then fitted with a grey hair.
As the teacher focused on adding more effects to his face, accentuating the character's age through the strokes of her brushes, Lia watched it steadily. Soon, a new voice came exclaiming for her, and she turned to find her friends, Stephanie, Jessica, and Andy, arriving to wish for her play.
Being in the choir allowed Stephanie to drag her other two friends inside smoothly, and once assembled, the group sought to meet Lia.
Lia was still in her casual attire, and the sight slightly disappointed her friends, who were eager to see Lia in her costume.
Lia plays Belle, Scoorge's ex-fiance, who leaves Scoorge upon seeing him respect money more than the love they shared. Her part comes early on the show, yet she gets to dress in pretty gowns and look ladylike.
They were anticipating to meet Belle, but when saw Lia still in her casuals, their faces suffered a change.
"You still haven't changed? Aren't you slacking, Lia," Stephanie asked.
Stephanie was already wearing her pretty pink dress with her hair tied to a high, twin ponytails. A pair of white stocking ran till her knees, covering the exposure to meet the tip of the dress. She arrived early, got ready quickly the first thing before trying to help her friends infiltrate.
"I am about to get changed!" Lia answered.
Leaving her be, the three explored the room to get a view as Lia accompanied their sightseeing.
Soon, one of the helping staff noticed to call out Andy, alarming the girls to disperse at once while sending their wishes to Lia and threatening her to get changed soon before their second infiltration.
With that, Lia went ahead to get changed for her show, leaving her friends to escape for now.
Meanwhile, outside, waiting for the rest of the group to arrive, Ethan and Giselle caught up with Jessica and Andy's parents and had just sent them off to explore the installed stalls around the school.
"How long do we have to wait? Are they close?" Ethan inquired, sensing that time was running fast.
Giselle fished out her mobile to check for any messages and found no new news to notify.
"They should be on the way. I'm sure they will reach soon," she reassured, turning to scan the place searching for her people.
"Is your sister coming as well?" Ethan asked after a pause. His voice exerted slight nervousness.
"I don't know! I'm not sure!" Giselle frowned.
"Why? Is she busy? Didn't Lia send her an invitation as well?"
Giselle nodded to reveal how less enthusiastic Gigi responded with a simple answer, 'Okay,' and Giselle knew not to force if her sister isn't willing.
"I hope she could make it. Lia got disappointed when she heard that Anna and Jake couldn't come," Ethan prayed as the two waited outside on the same spot.
Earlier today, before leaving the house, Giselle received a call from Anna, where the couple cried to confess. Anna and Jake got invited to attend an unbreakable lunch date. Both kept grieving until they got convinced by Giselle that Lia understood their tight spot. However, after the call ended, the child did appear gloomy for a while before Ethan lifted her to console.
**
More people entered the gates. Kids, who invited their families gathered at the entrance, and Gigi silently watched to accompany her parents, who were steadily taking light steps.
"I wish I could go back to being a kid-" Gigi muttered, thinking to herself.
"Why? Are you feeling nostalgic, Gigi?" Melanie called out with a slight chuckle. Her wrinkled face still radiated from being surrounded by little kids. Everywhere she turned, she would spot children with their families, which made the mother content while Eric inspected the naughty kids amongst the crowd.
Gigi explained how she appreciates the life of a kid, free from worries and responsibilities, except playing cute and getting spoiled by her parent's love. Melanie smiled while Eric threw a glance back at his eldest daughter's rant.
Ignoring his gaze, Gigi continued to share how the school festival brings back lots of memories. She resumed remarking when she had her time on the stage. Eric's visible chuckle unquestionably remarked his ridicule. This time, Gigi couldn't manage to neglect his mockery and coughed to hide the embarrassment.
"Dad, at least I did a stage play!" Gigi spoke for herself.
Eric chuckled again, scratching his grey mustache on one hand while another hand grasped his wife gently towards him when he noticed a lively group overtake them. Gigi saw and moved aside to give them space.
"You were playing a tree because of your ridiculous height at such age while your sister desperately avoided any social events at school. With both of you, we never had a chance to watch your performance. However, my granddaughter, my little angel, Lia, is already playing one of the characters, and that is a rational part, Gigi-" Eric bragged with a sneer directed at his own child.
"I know- you don't have to rub it into my face! Well, I'm happy for my niece then," Gigi sneered back as the group could finally reach the tall Christmas tree upon first sight. Eric held Melanie's hands, never to let it go because everyone stood to watch the exhibit as well. He supported his wife to take a good look at the propitious display. Melanie gazed at the tree for a long moment while Gigi watched it for ten seconds before switching to glance around. She caught sight of a familiar face and immediately recognized it as Ethan. Her eyes swell in double to confirm, and she grew anxious.
A few days ago, Gigi heard about Ethan's situation from his sister and was assuming that he won't show up.
If Ethan had to meet their parents at Lia's school, then god knows how the old couple would react! Gigi took it for a good omen that Lia's father might not make it to her school festival. Though it may seem harsh, Gigi prayed for the family's peace not to get smeared or bitter.
Nevertheless, now seeing the man's chiseled face charmingly chatting to her sister with kind eyes and calm face, threw Gigi's mind into chaos.
Before she could comprehend the situation, Eric appears to have already spotted Giselle, signaling at her, while still holding on to his wife's hand firmly. He then escorted Melanie to her daughter and caught on the scent of another soul accompanying his child.
By this time, Gigi got delayed back, and she rushed at once to join when Eric's cold voice called out.
"Who is this guy, Giselle?"
Giselle's smile faded to a daze, and she glanced over at Ethan, then turned to respond indifferently.
"This is Ethan Ruz, dad, Lia's father-" Giselle revealed.
Both Eric and Melanie remained quiet as they stared at this new guy for a long time.
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