THE CHOIR CONCERT CATASTROPHE

When Jami’s Santa hat goes missing right before the holiday concert, she thinks someone is sabotaging her solo. But who?

Fa la la la la, la la la la!” Jami belted out as she stood in front of her mirror. “Whoa there,” Jami’s father chuckled as he stood in the open doorway of her bedroom. He was walking down the hall when Jami’s booming voice stopped him in his tracks. “I have to go all out, Dad!” Jami explained as she fixed the massive Santa hat that was starting to slip off her head. She looked back at her dad with a pleased grin across her face. “The holiday choir concert is tomorrow, and I have a big solo. I need to practice like it’s the real deal!” “Well, I’m so proud of you, sweetie,” her dad beamed. He took another glance at Jami’s hat and added with a smirk, “It looks like you really went all out with your festive cap there, too.” Jami twisted back around to face the mirror. She had to admit: The bright red, oversized Santa hat with an extra-fluffy lining did look a bit ridiculous. “Well, the hat wasn’t exactly my choice,” Jami laughed as she yanked the cap off her head and tossed it onto her bed. “The choir director is making all of us wear these Santa hats for the show. I’m not really a fan of them, but at least everyone has to wear such a goofy cap!” “That’s a good point,” her father cackled. “You’d stick out if you didn’t have one of those hats on!” “I agree,” Jami nodded. “But one of my classmates, Meg, really didn’t want to wear one. She threatened to drop out of the concert!” Jami looked back at her father and shrugged. “But if I’m being honest, I think she’s just upset she didn’t get a solo.” “That may be true, so try not to rub it in that you’re one of the singers who scored a solo part. Put yourself in her shoes,” Jami’s father reminded her. “Now get to bed! You have a

big day tomorrow. And make sure you grab that Santa hat off your bed and put in your backpack. You’re sometimes distracted in the morning.”

Jami playfully rolled her eyes as she put her Santa cap in the front pocket of her bookbag. She then climbed into bed, got cozy under the covers and blissfully fell fast asleep. But by the morning, Jami felt anything but blissful. “Daaaad,” Jami groaned as she made her way into the kitchen. “My throat feels a little sore!” Jami’s father looked up from his newspaper, startled by his daughter’s groggy voice.

“Oh no, honey!” her dad cried. “We need to take you to the doctor before it gets worse.”

“But the choir concert!” Jami grumbled. “I can’t miss it!”

“That’s why we have to get you to the doctor,” Jami’s dad said as he slipped on his shoes. “We have to see what he says,” Jami’s father quickly glanced his watch. “If we leave right now, I think we’ll make it to the school in time for the show.”

Jami hurriedly grabbed her backpack without zipping it and darted out the door with her dad. They made it to the doctor’s office in record time. Thankfully, the doctor had just enough space in his schedule to squeeze Jami in.

When she got back to the exam room, Jami wasted no time explaining what was wrong.

“Please help me,” she squeaked as she mindlessly threw her bookbag onto a chair. “I need to sing at my choir concert!”

“Don’t worry,” her doctor smiled. “Your throat doesn’t look too bad. We’ll get you your voice back in no time.” He gave Jami some medicine, and within the hour she felt good as new, so her dad decided it was safe to rush her to school for the concert.

“Phew!” Jami exclaimed as the car pulled up to the front of the building. “I didn’t think I’d actually make it.” Jami hopped out of the car as her dad’s phone rang. “Oh, that’s the doctor again, sweetie. I’ll see what he needs and meet you in there.”

Jami rushed backstage and found her place with the rest of her classmates. But when she reached into her bag to put on her Santa cap, she discovered it was nowhere to be found!

“My hat!” Jami yelled, panicked. “Where is my Santa hat?!” To her right, she heard a snicker. “Meg!” Jami exclaimed. “You stole my hat!” Meg crossed her arms. “No I didn’t,” she insisted. “But since you don’t have the proper uniform, maybe I should just sing your solo ...”

“No way,” Jami snapped. “I knew you wanted my part! You totally stole my Santa hat. Please, give it back!”

Suddenly, the girls heard a deep voice yell, “Jami stop!”

“Dad?” Jami gasped, confused at the sight of her dad running backstage.

He bolted up to her, panting. “I know what happened to your hat!”