(Christmas Eve afternoon. SUZY, JOHN, an...

(Christmas Eve afternoon. SUZY, JOHN, and YOUNG VICKY run on from the outside, they’re wearing coats and hats and boots and gloves. They brush off some “snow.” They’re all talking at once.) KIDS: Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!

JOHN: (Overlapping:) Did you see all the snow out there?!

YOUNG VICKY: (Overlapping:) It’s white everywhere!

SUZY: (Overlapping:) White snow! We made snow angels!

YOUNG VICKY: It just keeps coming. You can’t even see the road.

JOHN: Good thing Daddy left with the farmers so early, or else he never would’ve got out.

SUZY: Look, Mommy, look!

(MRS. AUSTIN gets up and looks out the window.)

MRS. AUSTIN: Looks like the road already filled up again. My, it looks like a blizzard out there.

(Phone rings.)

YOUNG VICKY: Maybe that’s Daddy, saying he’s coming home early!

JOHN: Maybe it’s Santa saying he can’t come this year!

SUZY: Santa has a phone?

(MRS. AUSTIN answers it.)

MRS. AUSTIN: (On phone:) Yes, yes…I was afraid of that…. Of course… They’ll be disappointed, but they’ll have to understand.

(She hangs up.)

JOHN: What’s the matter?

MRS. AUSTIN: The Pageant’s been called off because of the blizzard.

JOHN: But why?

MRS. AUSTIN: How do you think anybody could travel in this weather, John? We’re completely snowed in.

YOUNG VICKY: Is it really cancelled, Mommy?

MRS. AUSTIN: I’m afraid so, Vic.

YOUNG VICKY: Maybe the snow will stop?

MRS. AUSTIN: Even if the plows keep the main roads open, all the side roads are unusable. That means about three quarters of the village is snowed in just like us.

(YOUNG VICKY looks like she’s about to cry. SUZY is waiting to take her cue off of her.)

YOUNG VICKY: But…

SUZY: But…

YOUNG VICKY: But the pageant. The rehearsals. We’ve already rehearsed it for weeks, and I’ve worked so hard. Last night was perfect! That’s what the director said and all we have to do is do it again, just like we did!

MRS. AUSTIN: I’m sorry about the angel, Vicky. I know it’s a big disappointment to you—

YOUNG VICKY: And you haven’t even seen it!

MRS. AUSTIN: —But remember Christmas isn’t about pageants and presents. It’s about—

SUZY, JOHN, YOUNG VICKY: (Sighing:) Family.

MRS. AUSTIN: Don’t sound too excited, kids.

YOUNG VICKY: What if—?

(MRS. AUSTIN gives YOUNG VICKY a look ‘don’t upset Suzy.’)

(YOUNG VICKY runs out of the room in tears.)

SUZY: Is Santa still coming, Mommy?

MRS. AUSTIN: Yes, dear. It’s just the pageant is all.

(MRS. AUSTIN sits back down, holds her belly. She looks worried.)

JOHN: (Quieter, to his mother:) How’s Daddy going to get home?

MRS. AUSTIN: I must admit I’m wondering about that myself.

JOHN: But it’s Christmas Eve! He has to get home!

MRS. AUSTIN: He’ll do the best he can. At least I’m the only maternity case on his list right now.

OLDER VICKY: (Out:) In all my worrying about Mommy not being home for Christmas, it had never occurred to me that Daddy might not be.

(YOUNG VICKY is peeking around the corner watching.)

SUZY: I wanted to see Vicky be the angel!

MRS. AUSTIN: We all did, Suzy.

SUZY: I’m mad at the old blizzard.

MRS. AUSTIN: (Laughs.) That’s not going to stop the snow. And remember, you’ve been looking for snow every day. Now you’ve got it. With a vengeance. This is the worst blizzard I remember in years.

(MRS. AUSTIN begins to have a contraction. She breathes through it and sits.)

(YOUNG VICKY has come back into the room during this, and stands next to her mother. They gather around.)

SUZY: Are you okay?

MRS. AUSTIN: Oh yes, just fine. It’s kind of like a baby hiccup that’s all.

YOUNG VICKY: Sorry, mommy. The pageant’s not the most important thing.

MRS. AUSTIN: That’s alright. C’mere.

(They hug.)

YOUNG VICKY: Blizzards can stop pageants, but they can’t stop babies. If the baby starts coming, you’ll have to go to hospital anyhow…

JOHN: The baby’s going to wait till after Christmas!

MRS. AUSTIN: Yes, John, let’s hope so.

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