Iâm gonna call you that, since Mom and Dad donât have any names for you yet. I just want you to know Iâve been practicing a lot and Iâm ready to be your big sister. Actually, Iâm really looking forward to meeting youâeven if Iâm a little scared. But I want you to know I will do my very best. Truly. I even have your first bedtime story all picked out for you.â She held up a copy of Charlotteâs Web .
Delaney hit the button to stop recording. âI think thatâs a wrap. All I need to do now is add a cool sound trackâ¦â
âOf course you do,â Kylie said. âThatâs our Delaney!â
As the red velvet curtains rose on the auditorium stage, the characters of Charlotteâs Web appeared to leap off the pages of the book (thanks to Lexiâs amazing set!) and spring to life. Olivia flapped her feathered arms and honked; Harrisonâdressed in a black leather jacket and sunglassesâdid his creepiest rat crawl. An assortment of geese, cows, lambs, and even two kids playing the back and front of a horse made their way onstage.
âWhereâs Delaney?â Sadie whispered to Kylie in the audience. âIsnât she supposed to be on the farm?â All of the cupcake club were there to see Delaney star as Wilburâeven Juliette and her fiancé Rodney.
âIâm not sure I would have directed it this way,â he said.
âShhh!â Juliette hushed him. âThis is not Shakespeare and youâre not the director. Delaney is!â
Kylie looked around, but there was no pink pig in sight. âIâm sure sheâll make a grand entrance.â
Of course, she was right. Delaney burst onto the stage with an âOink!â and did a cartwheel. She wore a pink shirt and leggings, with a curly tail attached at her waist and her pink pig ears perched on her head.
âWill anybody be my friend?â she asked the barnyard animals hopefully before launching into a perky tap-dance routine.
âA friend is someone to play with, to stay with, to dream with, to scheme withâ¦â Delaney sang.
Mr. and Mrs. Noonan were seated in the front row and beamed with pride.
âSheâs great!â Kylie said, applauding.
Suddenly, Sophieâs voice boomed over the loudspeaker. âSalutations, Wilbur! Iâll be your friend. Go to sleep now, and in the morning, Iâll show you who I am.â
âLights down! Cue the curtain!â Ms. Kutchen called from the wings.
The lights dimmed, and everyone raced offstage to get ready for Charlotteâs web-weaving scene.
âRemember, no worries. We got you covered,â Tyler assured Sophie.
Corey held up his hands: he was wearing his dadâs no-slip work gloves. âOkay, here goesâ¦â Sophie said. As the lights came back up, a web of silvery thread was draped across the proscenium.
âWait âtil they see your entrance,â Delaney whispered, giving her friend a tiny push into the center of the stage.
âI am Charlotte, and this is my web,â Sophie said softly. As the music began to play, Tyler and Corey tugged on the rope and she gently rose in the air. She did a beautiful aero-ballet routine, twirling and swirling, high above the stage.
âOh!â came a loud voice from the audience.
âWow,â Harrison whispered in the wings. âSomeone really likes this number.â
âOh! Oh!â came the voice again. Delaney knew that voice. It was her mom!
âOh! I think itâs time!â Mrs. Noonan moaned.
Delaney ran over to Ms. Kutchen. âStop the show! My mom is in labor!â The house lights went up, and the show came to a screeching halt. Delaney ran into the audience. A crowd was already gathered around her mom.
âItâs okay, Laney,â her mother assured her. âThe babies are just getting ready to make their grand entrance.â
âWhat? Now? Itâs too early!