Title: O Holy Night
Author: Kathy
Email: [email protected]
Disclaimer: The Magnificent Seven and its characters are the property
of MGM, Trilogy Entertainment, and the Mirisch Corporation.
Summary: Follow up to M7M Challenge for 7/11/05: "Use aisle, I'll, isle."
Universe: OW
Rating/Warnings: Suitable for all ages
Notes: For Phyllis & Jen, who wanted to know how Josiah talked JD
into this, and how the rest of the 7 reacted.
JD stood in the back of Josiah's church, watching the handful of people who had straggled in for midnight Mass.
"I'll never know how Josiah talked me into this," he fretted as Buck and Ezra sauntered down the aisle to a pew. Why couldn't he be on a desert isle out of 1001 Arabian Nights instead of in this icy building?
Josiah signaled to Mrs. Villanova, who began to play "Ave Maria."
As JD's clear, sweet tenor filled the air, his compadres turned to stare at him in wonder. The cold room was transformed into an isle of paradise.
Josiah was finally headed back to his bed after a night indulging his spiritual side; the wrong spirits, he thought wryly, still amused by that pun. Approaching the church, he heard a voice drifting through the bitterly cold air. He stopped to listen. It was mesmerizing, beautiful, but so sad. He followed the singing to the livery. That clear, sweet voice definitely didn't belong to Yosemite.
Not sure if he was hearing a demon, an angel, or a voice in his head, Josiah gently pushed the stable door open. At that late hour, most of the livery was deep in shadow. But from one stall, a lantern shone dimly and Josiah could just make out a small form leaning against the partition. Creeping closer, he saw that it was JD, singing to his horse. Fascinated, Josiah sat on a bale of hay and just listened.
That boy could make the devil cry, he thought, listening to the tears in JD's voice.
Josiah was having a vision. Christmas was coming. He dreamed of standing before his congregation, the church filled with candlelight and organ music. Never mind that his congregation would barely fill one pew, and that a discarded player piano would have to stand in for the organ. Josiah's imagination transformed it into something magnificent. Now he was adding JD's voice to the scenario.
Josiah cleared his throat; the singing abruptly stopped and JD whirled to face the intruder.
"Geez, Josiah, you shouldn't sneak up on a man like that."
"Just followin' the siren's song, JD. Spend many nights out here singin' to your horse?" Even in the dimness he could see JD flush with embarrassment.
"It calms him down."
"And makes you a little less lonely?"
JD dropped his gaze. Living in this tiny town, under the scrutiny of six older men, he often felt like he couldn't even have an impure thought without someone knowing what he was up to. It was downright unsettling.
"It does make me feel better," JD answered, "even if the song is so sad it makes me �" Oh, no, he didn't almost tell Josiah he sometimes cried when he sang. Great. What next, Dunne? Tell the man that you keep one of Buck's old neckerchiefs under your pillow for those long, dark hours after a nightmare? Then again, everyone probably already knew � they were just waiting for the right time to use it.
"JD?"
"Huh?"
"You got awful quiet on me, son. You alright?"
"'Course I'm alright. Just `cause a man's not talking his fool head off every minute doesn't mean he's not alright."
Josiah had no answer; he was trying too hard not to laugh. Finally composing himself, he ventured, "I couldn't agree with you more, John Dunne. Y'know, your singing puts me in mind of Christmas. I sure am gonna miss not havin' a choir to sing all those beautiful Christmas carols. It just don't seem like Christmas without music."
"I know what you mean, preacher. I think that's my favorite part of Christmas."
"So glad you agree. Then you'll sing?"
"What? No, Josiah, why me? I mean, can't you just have everybody sing?"
"Well, son, this is Christmas. Somebody should be singing as the people come in. Put them in the proper frame of mind and all."
"I don't know, Josiah, singin' in front of everybody."
"Now, JD, I've seen you sing plenty of times in the saloon when one of the gals talked you into it."
"But that's different � we're all drinking and having a good time, and they sing with me. You're talkin' about standin' up in front of everybody all by myself."
Josiah was suddenly inspired, "John Dunne, I remember Ezra not only singing all by himself in front of a whole tentful of strangers, but allowing us to rig him in that blindingly ugly purple creation. Now I'm not asking ya to wear a wig, just to sing something to bring a little Christmas into the lives of these sorry souls. Do you mean to say we can count on Ezra more than you?" It was conniving, it was low, Josiah knew it. But dammit, it worked.
So JD resigned himself to spending his free evenings in the church, running through his repertoire with Josiah and Maria Villanova, the little widow who sometimes cleaned the church for Josiah, and had offered to play the piano the moment she saw it being carried from the saloon to the church. They practiced Ave Maria, Adeste Fideles, the Coventry Carol, and several other songs Josiah figured most people would know.
The other six peacekeepers would hear snatches of song as they passed by, and would stop in their tracks to listen. Chris heard JD singing "Lullay, thou little tiny child." He remembered Sarah singing that song to Adam his first Christmas. The sweetness of that memory was followed by the sharp stab of loss, and Chris couldn't get away fast enough. From then on, he found himself avoiding any errand that would take him by the church.
Vin hadn't heard many lullabyes in his time, but one of the Celtic songs JD sang sounded almost like an Indian chant. It brought his two worlds a little closer.
Nathan was reminded of his days on the plantation, where music was so integral to the lives of the slaves. They sang as they worked and in their few moments of leisure. They sang in sorrow, in celebration, in secret code to let others know where they could find escape and safety.
Ezra well knew the manipulative powers of music. Though he liked to believe that his knowledge gave him immunity, he was perhaps more easily moved than any of the rest. He sorely missed the concert halls back East, and dreamed of the day when he would go back to New York or San Francisco. He leaned against the stairs outside the church, flask in hand, and imagined himself riding in a carriage, sipping champagne, dressed in a silk frock coat.
And then there was Buck. Buck loved music. His whole body responded to it. He would stand just outside the church door, his face full of wonder as he listened to JD. Buck had heard JD sing before; heck, the boy was always singing around the boarding house, the sheriff's office, or out riding. But this was different. For once, Buck's inner angels got the better of him and he didn't hang around to tease JD, but went on his way, his spirits a little lighter.
Christmas Eve came and JD found himself standing by the piano, waiting for the "congregation" to file in. This was going to be a disaster.
His stomach was so full of butterflies he thought he might throw up. Earlier, while helping him with his string tie, Buck had teased him about his voice cracking. What if that happened in the middle of a song? Why had he ever agreed to this? Josiah was an evil, evil man. Still, he had to admit the church looked beautiful. The preacher must have bought every candle not only in Four Corners, but Eagle Bend as well.
Then Mrs. Villanova started playing the piano and the tinkly little notes reminded JD of snowflakes. He closed his eyes, remembering a midnight Mass from his childhood, his little boots crunching and slipping over the icy snow as they walked to the church, while his mother held his hand tightly in her mitten. The frozen night air smelled of woodsmoke. Josiah's little building disappeared and JD was back in that church, redolent with beeswax, pine boughs and incense.
He began to sing Ave Maria. The townsfolk began filing in, but JD was oblivious to them. Some had come in to get out of the wind and rain, some had been drawn by curiosity at the sound of music coming from the church. But they all stared at the boy singing beside the broken down piano, his face glowing like an angel's in the dim light. When JD finished, he opened his eyes and was surprised to see a roomful of people, their faces softened by the candlelight. These faces he saw every day were now lit with joy, or awash in tears, or lost in some bittersweet memory. JD was amazed at the effect of the music and understood what Josiah had been trying to accomplish. He was grateful to be a part of it. Happy Christmas, he thought.
As for Josiah, seeing his church and the people undergo this transformation made his first happy Christmas in many a year. JD almost laughed out loud to see the twinkle in the man's eyes as he began his sermon.
JD looked out over the room again and saw Buck, looking proud enough to bust his buttons. The boy felt his heart swell with love for this fierce yet tender man who had taken him under his wing, making him feel like he had family again. JD had to look away before Buck saw him crying.
The service continued, and when it came time for the rest of the congregation to sing, JD delighted in hearing Nathan carry the harmony, his rich voice adding depth to the hymns.
Chris hadn't gone inside, but stood in the cold long enough to hear JD. Looking up at the starry sky, he wished Sarah and Adam a merry Christmas.
Vin had snuck into the church towards the end of the service. He stayed just long enough to bashfully tell Josiah that he'd given a right good sermon and nodded a smile to JD before disappearing into the night to make sure his friend didn't get too lost in his memories.
Nathan, smiling broadly, clapped Josiah on the back before turning to JD and telling him that he should use that gift for uplifting people.
JD told him next year it was his turn to sing solo.
The men adjourned to the saloon to warm their blood. As Ezra toasted a merry Christmas, Buck couldn't resist teasing the gambler, "So, Ezra, who do you think sings better � you or JD?" Winking at JD, Ezra complained the boy had an unfair advantage, not having to breathe in a corset. But he did offer to sell tickets should Josiah feel inclined to sponsor a concert for New Year's.
The girls who had been working felt deprived and talked JD into singing for them. When he finished, JD was surprised to see Buck wipe away a tear. "Damn, boy, you done went and made me cry." Winking at JD, he added, "You ain't seen my blue neckerchief, have you?"
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