NAN:

There you are. I've been looking all over for you. It's time to take your medicine.

SARA:

Thank you, Nan, but I don't need it. My wrist is feeling much better.

NAT:

You can help us decorate for the pageant, Nan. Here, you can start by hanging this up in the hayloft.

SARA:

[Pulling an angel out of its box.] It's beautiful.

ROB:

Oh, that's my angel.

BESS:

Uncle Fritz made that for Rob the year he was born, and every year he'd lift Rob up to put it on the tree.

SARA:

It's a beautiful angel, Rob.

SARA:

Nan! Nan, wait.

NAN:

Are you all right, Sara?

SARA:

Yeah, I was just going to ask you the same thing.

NAN:

I'm fine.

SARA:

It must be difficult for you, this first Christmas without your mother.

NAN:

I'll be all right.

SARA:

Where's your father.

NAN:

In New York on business until after the holiday.

SARA:

I'm sorry about that. It must be difficult for him too.

NAN:

Yeah, real tough... spending Christmas in New York.

SARA:

Well, maybe he went there because he didn't want to think of Christmas at all. I remember when I was a little girl, my grandmother used to love Christmas, and I loved my grandmother very much. That first year after she died, I didn't want to have anything to do with Christmas. I thought if I could just keep myself real busy, I wouldn't have to think about how much I missed her, but then I started thinking about all the wonderful Christmas's that we had together: How we used to bundle ourselves up in our warm winter coats, and how we used to walk from house to house singing carols. The more I thought about all the fun things that we had done together, the more it was like she was still with me. Is there something special that you and your mother used to do together at Christmas?

NAN:

[Beat.] I gotta go help Asia. [She leaves quickly.]

JO:

Have you seen Rob?

SARA:

No.

JO:

Sometimes I think this house has too many rooms.

SARA:

Jo, I don't know what to do. I've been trying to write Thomas a letter, telling him that I won't be coming home, but I can't stop thinking about what he said. About my child not having a father. What would you do?

JO:

I would write the letter, and I would tell him that I, too, want my child to have a father. But I also want my child to grow up in a home without anger or violence, where everyone is treated with respect and kindness, and until he can prove that his is such a home, my child and I will have no part of it. [Jo exits. Sara begins to write.]

JO:

There you are. You should be getting ready for bed.

ROB:

When do we get our tree?

JO:

Soon.

ROB:

Do I still get to put the angel on top?

JO:

Of course you do. Let's just put this in a safe place for now. That way it won't get broken. Okay?

NICK:

Sorry, I couldn't help listenin' in.

SARA:

I'm a little rusty, and the splint doesn't help much.

NICK:

Sounded all right to me. You know, it takes a lot of courage leavin' your husband like you did. [Beat.] About the other day, I didn't mean to get so angry. I just wanted him to leave you alone. I don't take kindly to men who beat women. I seen too much of it growin' up.

SARA:

Well, I wish I could say that he got what he deserved, but I can't. Whether it's me or Thomas or anyone, being beaten like that is just not right. [Nick exits.]

SARA:

Nan, the other kids are looking for you. They want to do a rehearsal of the pageant. [Beat.] Are you all right?

NAN:

My mother used to make shortbread cookies.

TOMMY:

All right, jump!

BESS:

I don't think so.

DAN:

Don't worry, Bess. We got you.

EMIL:

Hurry up, my arm's getting tired.

BESS:

I'm not doing this.

JACK:

Come on, Bess. You know angels gotta fly.

BESS:

Not this angel.

DAN:

[Nan and Sara enter.] Hey, Nan, will you tell Bess it's safe? We're not gonna drop you.

BESS:

I don't see why this angel has to fly. I mean, I could just stay up here and look down upon you.

JACK:

No. I think it would work better if you fly.

NAT:

It's not that high.

DAN:

Come on, Bess.

NAT:

What do you think, Nan?

NAN:

Looks safe to me.

BESS:

Fine. Then you can be the angel.

EMIL:

She's an angel. She's supposed to fly.

NAN:

All right. [Climbs up the ladder to the loft to take Bess's place.]

SARA:

Asia, did Jo go into town? I haven't seen her all morning.

ASIA:

She hasn't come down from her room yet.

SARA:

But it's almost noon.

ASIA:

I checked on her earlier. She said she was feeling poorly. I was just about to bring her up some tea.

SARA:

I'll bring it to her.

ASIA:

Okay.

SARA:

Jo? Asia made you some tea. She says you're not feeling well.

JO:

Thank you, Sara, but I'm feeling better now. Could you tell Asia and the children that I'll be down in a few minutes?

SARA:

Sure. May I come in? [Beat.] It's freezing in here, Jo.

JO:

[Gets up distractedly and heads towards the fireplace.] I'll put some more wood on the fire.

SARA:

The fire's out, Jo. It's been out for hours.

JO:

I'll just re-light it.

SARA:

Jo, are you all right?

JO:

I'm fine. I just didn't sleep well last night. I've got a lot on my mind.

SARA:

[Picks the angel off the bed.] Rob's angel. He must miss his father very much.

JO:

[Jo breaks down into tears.] I can't believe I'm letting the holidays get the best of me. I thought I was stronger than this.

SARA:

Jo, you're one of the strongest people I ever met. You're running an entire school by yourself. I only wish that I had half the strength that you do.

JO:

How can you say that? You have the strength to be alone, start all over again. You're raising this child all by yourself.

SARA:

But you're doing it, and not just one child. You're raising all of these children, and you're doing a great job. You know, when things got really bad with Thomas, I used to pray to God to rescue me, and for the longest time, I used to think that my prayers had gone unanswered, but I was wrong. He did answer them. He gave me the strength to rescue myself. And he's given you that strength as well. We're not so different, Jo. I lost my husband, too. He's not the same man that I fell in love with. I guess we're both just doing what we have to do for ourselves, for our children.

MEG:

O Night, O Night Divine.