Dr. Noah and the Sugar Plum Fairy Read Free

classic pink tutu and pointe shoes and make her suffering cat watch her demi plié, tendu, and releve at the barre. That would be crazy. Not entirely untrue when the cat was well, but crazy. “I gave up serious dancing a long time ago. In fact, now I’m one semester away from graduation and my first teaching job.”
    “Yes, I know,” he said simply. “Mrs. Salmons told me you were home on break. What age and subject do you want to teach?”
    Oh, mercy, what else had Mrs. Salmons said? “I hope to be certified K-12, but I prefer to teach English-Language Arts and writing at the junior high level.”
    “Are you at UT?”
    “No, I’m an Aggie. And before you get too alarmed, you’re new here, so I’ll tell you it’s more common than you think that Austinites sometimes leave Austin and go to Texas A&M.”
    “I’m not completely new to Texas. My grandparents lived in Wimberley.”
    “So you know what’s what then.” She opened the pet carrier door and made kissing and clicking sounds until Snowball meandered inside. “What else did Mrs. Salmons tell you?”
    “Nothing. Just that they’ve known Snowball since he was a kitten and your families attend the same church. She also said that—her words now—your family is a hoot.”
    Jane sighed. Kiss. Of. Death.
    “Thanks so much, Dr. Barron. Have a good rest of the night. Or I guess it’s well into Saturday morning now.” She reached in her purse and pulled out two postcards. “My mother says I have to give these to everyone I meet. Please consider visiting our church during the holidays. There are a lot of services to choose from. I promise I won’t be preaching about any Old Testament heroes. And this is an invitation to The Nutcracker being performed by our community dance company. There’s one night you can get in free if you bring a blanket and a jar of peanut butter or jelly for the county’s food pantry and shelter. You should come. My sister is the Sugar Plum Fairy.”
    “You’re not dancing the part?”
    “Of course not. I gave up serious dance, remember? But I do help out. You might say I’m Melody’s personal assistant.”
    “All right. I’ll be here all weekend if Snowball needs anything. Don’t forget what I said. He’s getting older and this infection is hard on him.”
    “I understand. I’ll take good care of him.” She gathered her things. “Good night, Dr. Noah, emergency vet from California and returning-prodigal-to-Texas and most likely cowboy wannabe.”
    “And good night to you, slightly clumsy Un-plain Jane, cat lover, soon-to-be teacher and probably not really ex-ballerina.”
     
    ****
     
    ‘Twas the second night of Christmas break
    Monsieur Snowball seemed better,
    Jane helped her mother bake
    And finish the holiday letter.
    The stockings were hung
    And the chimney was swept,
    Jane crawled into the attic
    Where the giant wreath was kept.
    The cat ate tuna pâté,
    And to his pillow did creep,
    Jane settled in beside him
    For some much needed sleep...
     
    Despite her total lack of sleep from the night before and the massive amounts of all things Christmas she and her mother had accomplished during the day, Jane was once again awake at two in the morning. Snowball was sound asleep on his own blanket at the end of the bed. The cat barely lifted his head as Jane slid from under the covers and headed for the game room. There was no light from under her sister’s door, only the soft glow of the moon as it drifted through the shuttered window and onto Melody’s various piles of dance shoes and clothing. Jane clicked on the small accent lamp on the table. Melody’s Sugar Plum Fairy costume glistened from a hanger at the end of the barre. Jane touched the edge of the stiff, classic pink tutu and reverently ran her fingers across the silver beads and clear sequins that accentuated the bodice. The straps were simple and there didn’t appear to be any upper-arm cuffs. That was good because Melody had great ballet arms, and