Page 145 - Nuts to You - The Nutcracker Retold

her Godfather had known all along, even before she did, that she – Clara – loved Franz.
She really didn’t know what to think about that, but she was convinced that Drosselmeir did.
Clara concluded that Drosselmeir trusted that her love could protect Franz. And if this Nutcracker truly was Franz, and Franz truly was under a spell – for how else would a living, breathing boy become a toy – she, Clara, must do something about it.
She really didn’t know what to do about it, but she was convinced that Drosselmeir did.
And with that thought, Clara did what one must NEVER do when listening to one of the rants of Mother Stahlbaum – she took her eyes off of her mama to look into the eyes of the Nutcracker. All her doubts and questions and disbelief spoke to the wooden doll in her hands, and she felt the wood warm in her arms – and thought she saw the trace of a tear on its wooden face.
But it was all short-lived.
For Mother Stahlbaum went from fury to furious, and in the wink of an eye, grabbed the Nutcracker from Clara’s arms, threw him into the curio cabinet, locked the door and pocketed the key! Clara looked at the curio cabinet in disbelief, as her mother stalked away from her, to the stairs. Here she was, not fifteen minutes from being told to protect the Nutcracker, and she had already lost him!
“Marie!’’ Mother Stahlbaum’s tone was NOT one to ignore or disobey.
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