Herbert sat on Cindy’s bed and shook her awake, “Morning, Princess.”

Stretching and cuddling her stuffed rabbit, “Morning, Daddy.”

“No turning over and going back to sleep silly,” Dad said peeling back the blankets. “I have a special Christmas surprise for you today.”

Cindy immediately sat up, “I get to open presents early?”

Dad chuckled and tapped Cindy on the nose, “No silly, you have to wait for Christmas to open up the Christmas presents. But, we’re going on a mystery surprise trip into the city. Come on, up and at 'em. Put on something comfortable to wear for the long car ride.”

“After school?” Cindy inquired.

“No Princess, you’re not going to school today.”

As Dad got up and headed for the door, Cindy started to get out of bed, but stopped when she saw her unicorn suitcase and Frozen backpack next to the door. Sticking out of the backpack was her flute case.

“Daddy?”

“What Princess?” Dad picked up the suitcase and turned back towards Cindy.

“Suitcase?”

Dad smiled at Cindy, “You’ll be in the city for several days. Put your stuffed rabbit in your backpack, so you have her on the trip.”

Dad walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Confused, Cindy went over and looked in her Frozen backpack. Inside was her flute, her music tablet and her regular tablet, some activity books, a chapter book, and some toys. Same type of stuff she would have in her backpack for a trip to Grandma’s house. No clue in there as to where they were going. Dad said she would be missing school, which was strange, since Dad usually says the only reason to miss school is if you are sick. Cindy felt her forehead, nope, not sick, just confused.

After a quick trip to the bathroom, Cindy put her stuffed bunny in the backpack and got dressed. Putting in a hair clip with a Christmas bow, Cindy headed to the kitchen for breakfast. As she got close, she could hear her sister and Dad talking.

“You get everything packed,” Holly asked Dad.

“Yup, only thing left to put in the car is her backpack and us.”

“Wish I was going.”

“Not this time, Holly. You have your end of term exams.”

“Daaaaaddddd . . . . This is more important than those.”

Cindy walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table, “You’re not coming?”

“Nope, Dad thinks teachers torturing me is more important,” Holly rolled her eyes. “But, Cindy, I want you to be a brave big girl. Oh, and have lots of fun.”

“Where are we going,” Cindy asked?

“No, no, no,” Dad interrupted. “That is a surprise. You used to love surprises, and I know you will think this is a fabulous Christmas surprise.”

Cindy looked at her older sister with pleading eyes and puffed out lower lip, “No go little one. I agree with Dad. This is something you will love, and it will be even better as a surprise.”

“Eat up Cindy,” Dad said putting a bowl of cereal on the table. “We have a long drive ahead of us.”

Before Holly left for school, she painted Cindy’s fingernails with red nail polish containing silver glitter. After watching her sister go off to school, Cindy plopped down on the living room couch and turned on Disney Junior.

About an hour later, Herbert entered the living room, “Cindy, time to go potty and then into the car.”

With Cindy’s backpack in hand, Herbert waited for Cindy to return and put on her coat. Then the two headed out to the car. Climbing in, Cindy stopped upon seeing her American Girl Molly doll buckled into the seat next to Cindy’s booster seat. There was even the doll’s flute on her lap.

“Come on, in you go Princess,” Dad came up behind Cindy.

“What’s Molly doing here? She never leaves the house. It’s my other American Girl doll that goes with me when we go to Grandma’s house.”

Dad smiled, “Holly and I thought Molly would like this trip as much as you.”

Cindy looked at Dad and then over at her Molly doll before looking back at Dad, “Where are we going?”

“Nope, not time to tell you yet.”

Cindy got into her booster seat and buckled up. Dad handed Cindy her backpack before shutting her door.

“Daddy?” Cindy asked as he got in the driver’s seat. “Molly really wants to know where we are going.”

“Nice try. If I tell her, she will tell you. Nope, I’m not going to fall for that one.”

Cindy looked over at Molly, “Sorry, I tried.”

After two hours on the road, Herbert looked into his rear view mirror at Cindy looking out the window. “There is a McDonalds at the next exit. Let’s stop for potty, a stretch, and maybe a snack.”

They pulled into the parking lot and headed into the restaurant. First stop was the bathroom, then they got a chicken nugget Happy Meal for Cindy. As they entered the play area of McDonalds, Cindy noticed a lady at one of the tables, and heard a kid up in the play structure.

“Cindy!!!” a scream came from the top of the play structure.

Turning to look up, Cindy couldn’t tell who it was behind all the netting.

“Hi Joyce,” Herbert said as he approached the lady sitting down. “Hope you haven’t been waiting long.”

“No, we have only been here about ten minutes.“

Cindy looked around at the lady. She looked familiar, but Cindy had no idea who she was.

“Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee,” the kid coming down the slide screamed out.

Cindy just stood there holding her Happy Meal box, trying to figure out what was going on.

Suddenly, a girl about Cindy’s size, wearing braided pigtails and a Vampirina t-shirt popped out of the end of the slide.

“Cindy! What are you doing here?”

“Sammie?” Cindy said in shock, looking between her grinning dad and Sammie.

Within seconds, Cindy was tackle hugged by Sammie.

“I’m missed you soooooooooo much,” Sammie said, before letting go of the hug and leading Cindy over to the table with the two adults. “Look Mommy! Look, it’s Cindy. It’s Cindy Mommy, Cindy! Wow, what are the chances that we would run into Cindy on our way into the city?”

Cindy looked at the two adults who had the biggest grins on their faces, “Sammie, they knew.”

Sammie looked at Cindy and then at her Mom.

“Sammie Pooh,” her mom stated. “This is just one of the surprises for this trip. Have a seat and let Cindy eat her Happy Meal while we explain the second surprise.”

Sammie, dragging Cindy by the hand, went over to her spot at the table. Grabbing a French fry, she sat down. Cindy, however, stood still and just looked at her dad.

“Come on Princess,” Cindy’s Dad pointed at the empty seat next to Sammie.

Hesitantly, Cindy sat down while eyeing her dad the whole time, “What’s going on Daddy?”

“Well,” he smiled. “You are spending the next few days with Sammie and her Mom in the City.”

Cindy thought back to all the times that Cindy was told that she couldn’t miss school unless she was sick. She wasn’t sick, and this was just a . . . playdate? No, there had to be more to this.

Slowly Cindy opened up her Happy Meal and got the food out.

“Owww,” Sammie said when Cindy pulled out her toy. “You got the same one I did.”

Cindy looked at the girl toy in her hand and then over to Sammie holding up one exactly like it in her hand.

“Isn’t this cool Cindy,” Sammie blurted out. “We get to go to the Children’s Museum together.”

When Cindy processed that, she looked at Sammie, “We’re going to the Children's Museum?”

“Yeah, didn’t your Daddy tell you? My Mommy told me last night when she was tucking me into bed, but she didn’t tell me you were going to be there.”

Cindy looked at her dad, “What else didn’t you tell me?”

Dad looked at Sammie’s Mom and then back at Cindy, “Start eating, and we’ll explain.”

Sammie’s Mom got a paper out of her purse and unfolded it before putting it down on the table, “We’re going to a rehearsal for this.”

Cindy and Sammie looked at the paper:

“What’s a Su-mp-hany,” asked Sammie as she started to read the paper.

“What’s an Or-chest-ra,” Cindy asked.

Joyce read the flier to the two girls.

“Who’s this Cynthia kid getting to play with Sammie, Jessica, George, and Marcus,” Cindy looked at the two adults. “Why don’t I get to be in the concert?”

Herbert laughed, “Princess, Cindy is a shortened version of Cynthia. That is your name.”

“Oh,” Cindy looked between the paper and the adults.

“Cindy,” Sammie said with pure joy. “We’re going to be in a grown-up Christmas Concert.”

Cindy just looked between Sammie, the paper, and the adults. Sammie was bouncing around in excitement, but Cindy wasn’t sure what to think. The last concert she was in, was the last day she saw her mom. It was the last happy day of her life. Yeah, she had happy times since then, but at the end of every day the reality of her life came down upon her. Once since then, she had allowed herself to get excited about something. She had been invited to perform in London, but the government wouldn’t allow her to go without a passport. But this time . . . could it really happen?

Cindy wanted to be excited like Sammie, but deep in her heart she knew this concert would never happen. Everything went bad because of her; Mom, London, and now this will too. Cindy just sat there, showing neither joy or sadness.

“Isn’t this great Cindy,” her dad asked?

“Yeah, great.”

The two adults looked at each other. After about five minutes, with Sammie rambling on about getting together with the others and getting to perform in a grown-up concert, Cindy was just starting on her second chicken nugget.

Herbert was looking at Cindy’s behavior before turning to Joyce, “I think maybe I should go with you into the city.”

“No,” Joyce said. “You’re supposed to be at work in two hours. Let’s get Cindy’s stuff transferred into my car so you can get back on the road. I’ll take care of this.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Come on Girls,” Joyce stood up. “Time to go. Let’s throw the trash away.”

When they got out to the car, Cindy found out that Dad had parked right next to Sammie’s car. They quickly had everything transferred over, including the car seat. The last thing out of the car was the American Girl doll, Molly.

“Hi Molly,” Sammie waved at the doll in Cindy’s arms. “Hope you have been doing a good job protecting Cindy.”

Cindy held the doll just below her shoulders, “I’m a great protector. Thanks for letting me protect Cindy.”

The two girls giggled, as they got in Sammie’s car. Cindy put Molly between the two booster seats, next to the American Girl doll that Jessica had given Sammie. As the two girls had their dolls interact with each other, the adults were talking outside the car.

“Thanks Joyce. If you need a break, just give me a call. My mom has said she can come up and watch Cindy.”

“We’ll be fine Herbert,” Joyce looked in the car windows. “Listen to her, she is fooling around and laughing. This will be good for her.”

“My Mom heard what you had planned for this weekend, and sent some money to help,” Herbert said giving Joyce an envelope. That should cover Cindy’s expenses, and have enough for a concert dress.”

Joyce smiled, “Concert dress shopping is going to be fun.”

“I wouldn’t have the slightest idea what to get. Thanks for the help.”

The two said their good-byes and then both got in their cars and drove off in opposite directions.