The Home Teachers

"Are you coming or not, Chrissy?" Hillman asked referring to the annual hike through Rock Canyon on the weekend, A clear, late fall weekend in November, "It's supposed to be warm and you should probably relax before finals, any way."

"I'm not sure. I feel so behind in Biology, and there is that voice recital that Connie want's me to sing in." She was trying ever so hard to make excuses as she stood between her living room and kitchen, waiting for the timer on her cookies.

"You are singing in a voice concert?" Everett asked. Everett and Hillman were assigned to be the home teachers of these three friends. Angela and Suzy weren't home from class yet. "I would love to come hear you." He had a genuine smile on his face as he said this and pierced her soul with his eyes.

"Yeah," she said, glancing at the oven as she sat down, "my teacher is having a student recital next Saturday." Chrissy sighed. "I just don't know if I'm ready."

"Come on, Everett," Hillman said dramatically, "you're supposed to be on my side. You know, get her to come hiking."

"I suppose you're right, Hillman," Everett conceded. "it is only a few days from now, you sing for this Connie, when? Saturday?" he asked. "And you are a natural at your Biology." He smiled at her and she nearly didn't hear the timer on the oven through his accent.

"That's right, Chrissy," Hillman chimed in as she stood and went to the kitchen. "You're a natural."

"The recital is Saturday, Everett," Chrissy shouted from the kitchen. "And Hillman Sinclair!"

"Yes, Chrissy MacDallan?" He said in a sing-songy voice.

"Just because biology is a natural part of everyone's lives, doesn't mean it's a natural thing for everyone. Duh!" She emerged from the kitchen with a plate of warm cookies and two glasses of milk. Because everyone knows you can't eat warm cookies without milk to wash them down. "Here." She offered the plate to the two men sitting on her couch, "you'd better take these now, before the bopsy twins get home in five minutes." They accepted the goodies and without pause, began to eat them.

"This canyon sounds beautiful. You should go on the hike." Everett said as he lifted a cookie to his mouth and slightly raised an eyebrow at her. She watched as he took a bite, then nearly fell to pieces laughing when his face rolled in some wierd contortions. "What do you call this kind of cookie?" He asked as he impatiently stuffed the rest into his mouth and reached for another.

"This," interjected Hillman, through a stifled laugh, "is a snicker doodle." He took a bite of his followed by a generous gulp of milk.

"Snicker doodle. Mmm." he said, just as Angela and Suzy walked through the door.

"I told you they'd be here when we got home." She looked at them, locking eyes momentarily with Hillman. "We shouldn't have stopped at the book store." Angela said to Suzy, as she slapped her on the back. "Hillman's always early."

"Yes, yes. I relent." Upon seeing that Chrissy made cookies while they were out, at the book store--so they say, Suzy said, "But it's a good thing Chrissy was home to let them in, and make us some snacks." They continued on inside and sat with the others in the living room. "Can I have a cookie, Chrissy?" She asked, almost over-eagerly as she reached to the plate.

"We were just trying to convince Chrissy to come on the hike on Saturday," Hillman said, as he leaned over and nudged Angela on the shoulder.

"Yea?" Angela asked looking from Hillman to Chrissy, with a hopeful look on her face.

"Good luck with that," Suzy shot back,  "we've been trying for almost two weeks to convince her."

"Does she need more encouragement?" Everett asked as everyone ate cookies and tried to hold back their giggles.

"Let me put it this way, " Angela started.

"Angela!"Chrissy said, loudly and firmly.

"Chrissy needs a lot of encouragement," finished Angela with a snort and a guffaw.

Without missing a beat, Suzie followed with, "If'n you catch my drift," she winked at Everett, then narrowly dodged a flying pillow from Chrissy's direction.

Everett smiled. He was catching on to silly American customs quicker than he thought he would. Hillman sat back and smiled at the whole thing.

"I have to practice!" Chrissy insisted.

"Practice what?" Angela and Hillman asked at the same time.

"You people are insufferable!" She smirked as she tried to look angry. "Connie wants me to sing 'Queen of the Night' next week." Her face took a more serious gaze, and she wrinkled her lips and her nose.

Everyone grew silent, instantly. They had all heard her talk about Mozart's "Magic Flute" opera and this "Queen of the Night" aria is listed among one of the most difficult in the world even for some of the most seasoned sopranos.

"So it's not biology. You're not really behind." Hillman said. "I knew it! I knew I would get to the bottom of this sooner or later." He had a deep look of sympathy for Chrissy right now because he knew how she talked about how hard and intimidating this song was. "You used biology as a decoy, didn't you?"

"Sure did," Chrissy said, expelling a gigantic sigh and plunging a cookie into her mouth. Whole.

"Queen of the Night!" Everett exclaimed, "I have heard it performed by Natalie Dessay. And she is very good," he said, breathlessly, "but she even struggles."

"You've seen Dessay? Wow!" Chrissy momentarily looked at Everett in amazement, like a little kid who just saw Santa Claus. She quickly gained back her composure and resumed her explanation. "I have my notes down, even the super-high ones everyone mashes" she paused for dramatic effect. It worked. Everyone leaned in to her next words. "I guess it's all down. It's solid. I'm just not confident yet." She watched her toes draw lines and circles in the carpet. "It's just so intimidating!" Chrissy let out a big sigh.

That was the end of it. Since it was no secret that Chrissy wished she could be Natalie Dessay, with her beautiful blonde hair and silky voice, instead of her wavy hot mess of red hair and what she considered a sub-par amateurs voice, and Everett had actually seen her perform, she was completely sunk.

"From my experience,"Hillman offered, "I've seen you perform many, many times," he continued, "you just have to go for it." He really was trying to be helpful. They had known each other since Hillman had come home from his mission three years ago, right before Chrissy went away as an international student, and had become quick friends.

"You really think so?"

"Yeah." He was quick to add. "I think you should stay home and rest those golden pipes of yours. Don't come hiking. Rest and drink lot's of water." Hillman was thoughtful. He knew how important it was for a singer to stay hydrated, and get lots of rest.

"Yes."Everett nodded in agreement. "Drink a lot of water." As far as he was concerned, the others believed he was being thoughtful no one knew of his occupation back home, except for Chrissy, and he liked to believe he could trust her.