Apparently, Lily wasn’t the first sick child who had been pressured to rehearse.
And judging by the director’s face, those emails contained far more than a disagreement about one solo. 👇
Lily’s mother did not open the folder immediately. She crossed the auditorium first and put one hand against Lily’s forehead.
“You are burning up,” she said.
Mrs. Reyes gave a short nod. “She needs to go home.”
Ms. Crane remained beside the front row with her arms folded. “And as I already explained, leaving final rehearsal has consequences.”
Lily’s mother looked at her. “Consequences for being sick?”
“Consequences for missing required rehearsal.”
Evan shifted on the risers. Several students looked at one another. Lily felt the old pressure return immediately. The solo. The concert. The months of practicing in her room until her little brother complained that he knew every note by heart. She wanted to tell her mother she could stay. She wanted to prove she was not weak.
Then she coughed so hard she had to bend forward.
Mrs. Reyes put an arm around her shoulders. “We are done here.”
Ms. Crane said, “If she walks out, I am assigning the solo to someone else.”
Lily closed her eyes.
Her mother opened the folder.
“Then perhaps you should explain why you told another parent the same thing when her son had strep throat.”
Ms. Crane’s posture changed. “I do not discuss other students.”
“Fine. We can discuss the message you sent me yesterday.”
She pulled out a printed email. The subject line read WINTER CONCERT ATTENDANCE. Lily recognized the message. Her mother had shown it to her only after asking why Lily was begging to go to rehearsal despite feeling sick. The email said participation decisions would be made based on commitment demonstrated during final rehearsals.
That wording had frightened Lily enough to come.
But it was not the only message in the folder.
Lily’s mother held up several pages. “Three parents forwarded me emails after I asked whether this had happened before. One child had a fever. One had a sprained wrist and was told she would be removed from the featured group if she sat out choreography. One was told missing rehearsal for a medical appointment showed a lack of dedication.”
The auditorium became completely silent.
Ms. Crane’s face hardened. “Parents often misunderstand the demands of performance.”
Mrs. Reyes stared at her. “Children are not professional performers. They are students.”
“And students learn discipline.”
Evan spoke from the risers. “Is threatening us discipline?”
Ms. Crane snapped her gaze toward him. “Enough.”
Another student raised a hand, then lowered it when Ms. Crane looked over. Lily knew that girl. Hannah had missed a rehearsal the month before after her grandmother went into the hospital. She had lost her place in the front row for a week. Everyone had assumed it was a casting adjustment.
Hannah whispered, “She told me not to expect special treatment.”
Ms. Crane took one step toward the stage. “This rehearsal is over. Everyone go home.”
