Peace On Earth

"Could have fooled me," he laughed with her. "The show's almost over, sit down and relax." He steered her over to where Romey sat with Carmen. "Time to swap, are you ready?" Wang held out his hand to Carmen.

"Oh yes, it's getting so late now, and the kids will be up so early," Carmen took his hand and stood. "You were lovely up there Changying, thank you," She said softly before walking to the stage with Wang.

"Wine?" Romey offered.

"Yes please I think I am still shaking," she said quietly watching Carmen and Wang climb onto the stage.

"You didn't look that nervous," he smiled. "I think you did that song better than Baozhai herself. Wait until you hear this one, though, they make us all look like amateurs," he passed her the glass of wine, "We are amateurs, of course, but that's beside the point."

Changying laughed accepting the wine and settled back into her chair. A hand touched her shoulder lightly, and Changying turned to find Dante leaning forward in his chair.

"You can sing, who knew?" he chuckled. "You looked good up there."

"Thanks," she whispered and turned back towards the stage as the music started again. She sat mesmerised by a version of Peace on Earth that made her fall even more in love with Wang. She loved that Carol.

What an amazing way to spend Christmas Eve, she thought as Wang left the stage to hug his mother. It was most fun she could remember having including the few occasions she had gone out with her friends.

With a small farewell the neighbours who had stayed until the last and whispered goodnights for each of their children, Joseph and Antonia retired for the night.

"I'm going to turn in too," Carmen leaned down to kiss her husband. "Don't let them keep you up all night like last year," she said smiling indulgently. "Thank you, Changying, you did very well tonight, you should have seen the look on Ang's face when you started to sing," she laughed softly and headed toward the house.

"Want to let me in on what that was about?" Romey turned a suspicious eye on Changying.

"I think it's one of those cases where what you don't know can't hurt you," she considered her words then added, "Or what you don't know you can't divulge." Then she shook her head. "let's just agree not to talk about it."

"Yeah, I am not sure that's going to work for me," he chuckled. "I like to know when my wife is involved in any of the Christmas shenanigans."

"Maybe you should catch up to her and ask her," Changying felt like she had entered a new minefield. "I thought she was just lovely because I was so nervous."

"No need I've got the next best thing just over there," he pointed to Bianca and Jules. "Juliette," he called loudly only to have his twin turn and scowl at him. "Give me your wife for a few minutes."

"You've never asked before," he narrowed his eyes at his brother.

"Yeah but I'm too lazy to get up and fetch her myself right now, send her over would ya?" Romey chuckled.

"I was just heading to bed, some of us have children who will be up at first light," Bianca rolled her eyes at them both and wandered over to where Romey and Changying sat closely followed by Wang.

"Wang you were amazing," Changying said standing up to hug him. "I never knew you could sing like that."

"I could say the say the same about you," he chuckled.

"It seems Carmen was very grateful that Changying had sung," Romey looked at Bianca with a cocked eyebrow. "Any idea why that would be before I call shenanigans and let my brothers in on my suspicions."

"I might know something," Bianca said guardedly looking at Changying worriedly. "What did she say exactly.

"She might have mention that Ang didn't look happy with Changying's performance," Romey said quietly, and Wang took a seat leaning into the conversation pulling Changying down onto the seat beside him.

"Okay, in a nutshell, we found out about Ang's plan to ask Changying up on stage, he didn't think she would agree because she always seems so quiet and shy. He thought if he teased her Wang might get mad enough to declare war and then it would be a prank battle all holidays as usual. So we helped Changying out and told her how much it would mean to us if that didn't happen," Bianca whispered. "He always singles one of you out, this year it's your turn," she patted Wang's shoulder.

"So you and Carmen did this," Romey was not finished with his interrogation. "Just the two of you?" When Bianca nodded slowly pursing her lips. "I see, I have just one more question then, how did you find out what he planned to do?"

"It's bad enough being married to a lawyer but having to deal with you as well is just painful," she groaned. "I'm not on trial here am I?"

"Tell me, Changying, would you have gotten up and sung if the girl's hadn't come to you with their story and asked you to help them thwart a terrible scheme?" Romey asked still talking quietly and seeing Bianca balk at being questioned further turned his attention to Changying.

"I don't know, I probably wouldn't have gone up there so easily," she admitted, "But Wang was getting ready to argue for me, so probably."

"Rosanna," Wang began to laugh. "Always mothering people and making things run smoothly. You all thought Changying was too shy to go up just because you asked. So Rosanna fed all of you a story to make it happen. Ang wouldn't target one of you, girls, to get at us."

"Especially after he took my son and Carmen was so distraught we thought she was having a breakdown," Romey said seriously. "You got played Bianca, and Ang got what he wanted all along." He chuckled then transforming his serious face into one of happy laughter.

"All Hail, Rosanna," Romey called loudly and lifted his glass in her direction.

"Don't tell Carmen," Bianca groaned. "She was so happy to be getting her payback I think she could almost forgive Angelo this Christmas."

"So you worked it out huh?" Angelo said as he and Rosanna came to sit with them. "You lose points for that you know," he told his wife.

"Totally worth it, did you see her up there?" Rosanna laughed. "All of you men had your tongues hanging out."

"They're arguing over who has dibs on your girl when you fail to produce a ring," Angelo teased Wang. "I think Jack has the edge at the moment because he met her before anyone else but Dante's playing the sad story card so its close. Carlo is just waiting to see who wins that argument before taking on the winner. If you ask me I think Lio is the dark horse he hasn't said anything yet but you know how he hates conflict, so he will probably just do a Bradbury and be the last man standing."

"She already said yes," Wang said as if that ended the whole debate.

"If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it," Angelo held up his hand waving it in a poor imitation of Beyonce.

"I'll do it when I'm ready," Wang said with an enigmatic smile reaching out to take Changying's hand. "She knows how I feel. She doesn't need the ring to prove it."