American Girl (Utah)

Utah

The Beach family gathered in the living room, waiting for an important phone call. The father's phone sat silently on the table. Erwin Beach sat in the middle of the sofa, his wife Elizabeth by his right. Emily squeezed in between Elijah and her father. Ephraim—the youngest—perched on Mama's knee.
The rest of the family ranged around the room. Evangeline and Eden stood behind the sofa expectantly. Ezra sprawled in the recliner with his twin, Eva, sitting on the arm. Ester lounged in the armchair. Ethan leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.
Ethan was the most relaxed of the nine Beach children. The eldest, he had already completed his mission in Switzerland. Emily viewed him as a world traveler and man of the world. Evangeline would go next year. In the meantime, they had to think about the near future and the expected phone call.
"We shouldn't sit here like this," their mother stated. "A watched kettle never boils. Emily and Eden do the lunch dishes. The rest of you, find something to do."
"Aw, Ma," Emily complained, remaining firmly seated. "As soon as we get busy, it'll ring."
"Do as you're told," Elizabeth Beach ordered, rising herself. She carried Ephraim into the bathroom and put him on the toilet. Popping her head out the door, she waved to urge the rest of them up.
The family grumbled but did as their mother suggested. Emily began stacking the dishwasher while Eden hunted through the fridge. Ester pushed in and, grabbing an orange soda, swigged it down. Both girls helped themselves to chocolate cake.
"You're supposed to help, not make more dishes." Emily turned toward her sisters, hands on hips. Eden shrugged, and Ester giggled. "Really?"
Before she could protest further, Ezra and Elijah appeared. They dug into the cake, too. Emily threw up her hands and joined them. Sometimes, she felt she was the only one who did anything in the family. She deserved a break, too.
"Do you believe in love," Ester suddenly broke into song.
"Do you believe it's true," Elijah joined in.
The rest of the Beach family raised their voices on the third line. The Huey Lewis and The News tune was their go-to. It was the song they auditioned with. Each of the nine children was pitch-perfect. They inherited their musical talent from their father. Erwin Beach was one of the Beach Trio. Along with Uncles Earl and Evan, they had topped the charts two decades earlier.
Emily often found herself gazing at the Gold Records above her father's desk in his study. Along with three Grammy Awards, they took pride of place in their Salt Lake City home. Her mother, Elizabeth, sang with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Ethan and Evangeline would also join when they were old enough. In the meantime, they continued to wait for their special phone call.
"Please, please, please," Emily prayed, clasping her hands beneath her chin. She wanted the call to come soon and with positive results. It was their chance, their opportunity. She wanted it desperately—perhaps more desperately than her singing siblings.
"They did say today, didn't they, daddy?" Emily asked, peeking through the kitchen door. She felt both nervous and excited.
"Yes, today," Erwin answered.
Ezra plopped down next to him and stared at the phone. He picked it up, fussed with it, and put it down. Drawing out his own phone, he called his father's number. It rang to the tune of Stand By Me. Erwin grabbed it and said a breathless hello. Then he glared at his son.
"Just checking," Ezra shrugged. "I wanted to make sure it was working."
"It was working," the father snapped, then apologized. The whole family was edgy.
"Is Ephraim going to sing with us?" Eden asked. She stood in the living room sucking chocolate icing from her chubby fingers. She was the plumpest of the nine children.
"Maybe," the father stated with uncertainty. "Your mother thinks he's ready."
"He's not ready," Evangeline remarked. "He won't do as he's told. He wanders."
Ephraim could sing as well as the rest, although he was only two years old. He was intelligent and knew many more words than a normal child his age. Having eight older brothers and sisters gave him an advantage. Still, he wasn't potty trained and remained undisciplined for the stage.
"We'll find out during rehearsals," the father assured. "If he wanders, we won't put him out there."
"We're putting Emily and Elijah in the lead," the Beach mother announced, bustling into the room. She brushed a stray hair behind her ear. Emily thought Mama looked frustrated. She had more trouble managing Ephraim than the older children, and he seemed to require more care.
"Take the baby, Eva." She quickly handed her youngest child to her daughter. When her mother moved, Emily noticed the bulge beneath her dress. She knew it meant another sibling, boy or girl—another 'E' child.
"Mama, you're pregnant," Emily exclaimed without thinking. Her mother blushed and admitted the truth.
The children circled their mother, voicing their congratulations. Every several years, the family grew larger. Emily wasn't sure if she would like a big family herself. Two, maybe three, would suit her fine. She shared her room with Eden and Ester. Evangeline and Eva had one together, and Ezra and Elijah had theirs. Ethan slept by himself in the attic. After he returned from his mission, he didn't want to share with his younger brothers.
Emily wished she were older, too. She felt stuck in the middle with older and younger siblings. She didn't feel lost or neglected in the Beach crowd, but she didn't like being a middle child. Ethan and Evangeline did as they pleased. They could come and go, night or day, because they were over eighteen. Ezra and Eva would graduate from high school the following year. Emily was a freshman the following year, and Elijah was the year after.
Eden, Ester, and Ephraim were still children, although Eden would enter middle school in two years. The Beach children were close because of their musical talent. They sang as a group at church socials and birthday parties. Their father, Erwin, began acting as their manager after a talent scout noticed them at a social event. He promised them big things would happen. That was why they waited anxiously for the phone call.
"Won't it ever ring?" Emily complained out loud.
"Are we doing "Do You Believe in Love?" Ezra asked. "Have we decided yet?"
"I think so," Erwin decided. "You're strongest on the one you like best."
"What if they want an encore?" Ezra couldn't let things go until he was satisfied.
"The Longest Time," Erwin stated with confidence. The Billy Joel tune was their second favorite. "Acapella, of course. Try it now."
"Let Ephraim take the lead," Elizabeth, the mother, suggested. She stood the youngest on the table and told him the song. He went through his little song and dance routine. "We'll hold him back unless there's an encore. If there is, we'll put him in the lead."
Emily wanted to protest. Although she alternated the lead with Elijah, she wanted it all to herself. She had the most vital voice and the personality to back it up. She knew she had the talent to push the rest to stardom if a record deal became available. Instead, she smiled and gave in.
"Ephraim might become the next Michael Jackson," Ester offered, hopefully. Emily shot her a scathing look.
"Elijah already thinks he's the next Donny Osmond," she remarked snidely.
"You think you're the next Marie," Elijah shot back.
"Do not!" Emily put her hands on her hips. "You have a big head already."
"Do not!" Elijah hollered.
"Let's not start this again," Eva wailed, pushing between her quarreling brother and sister. "Do you believe in love," she sang to distract them. The group joined automatically.
"Hush, hush," their father silenced them. He snatched up the phone. Nine mouths clamped shut instantly.
"Please, please," Emily whispered, crossing her fingers.
"Yes, yes, we will." Erwin smiled broadly and nodded. "We'll see you then." His family cheered, hooted, and danced around the room when he said goodbye.
"America's Got Talent, here we come!" Emily practically screamed, grabbing Eden's hands. The girls danced around in a circle.
"Make way! Here come the Beaches!" Ezra screamed.
"Do you believe in love?" the singing family's voices rose. "Do you believe it's true?"