Angel In Disguise
By: Aiken04Clay
Sirens…the clear, silent night sky was being drowned in sirens. A shiny white
ambulance sliced through the black night, screeching to a stop before the town
hospital.
They weren’t sure if she was gunna make it.
Covered by silken sheets, was a brown haired girl. She had just gotten out of
surgery, and the doctors were surprised she had lived through it. Her face was
bruised and cut, her shoulder had a large gash in it, and there was a cut from
her eyebrow to her ear on her head. The loss of blood was great, yet somehow she
had pulled through. But at any time, she could die. ‘It wouldn’t be long,’ the
doctors had told her sobbing mother. She had an idea though, and through her
tears and small sobs, she managed to request a stereo put into her daughter’s
room. The doctors gave her a few odd looks, but did as she asked.
The mother was clutching a small package as she walked into her daughter’s room,
turning on the stereo. She then looked down at the tear-stained package and
gently pulled it open. Inside, was a light baby blue cd. It had been the only
thing in the car that had survived. She gently set it into the stereo, and
turned it on low, skipping to the second song. A few familiar guitar notes
filled the room, somewhat calming the mother. Then a seemingly angelic voice
joined in the instrumental.
She sat beside her daughter’s bedside, joining in quietly. “Yeah, I know it
hurts. Yeah I know you’re scared. Walking down the road that leads to
who-knows-where. Don’t you hang your head, don’t you give up yet. When courage
starts to disappear, I will be right here…”
The girl’s mother knew…if anything could soothe her daughter, it would be the
ever-calming voice of Clayton Holmes Aiken, the pop star from American Idol. Her
daughter admired the man so much. She took his cd everywhere. And she knew, that
there had to be a reason that the cd was saved from being wreaked.
She took her daughter’s hand, sighing. If only the music would help. She looked
at her lap, crying silently. But then, she felt her hand being squeezed.
A young man walked down the hall, rubbing his forehead. He’d done it again…he
knew he shoulda asked what was in that soup. But he didn’t, and nearly choked
himself when he found out he had just eaten seafood. It had happened so many
times…he was surprised he hadn’t learned his lesson yet. He stuffed his hands in
his pockets, heading for the elevator, so he could go home. But just as he
passed the last door in the hall, he froze. He heard…ever familiar music. He
stood by the door, ear pressed to it, to make sure, then he gently opened it.
He stared at the sight before him. The room was dimly lit, and in the hospital
bed was a teenaged girl. Even though she was horribly bruised, he still found
her quite pretty. He looked at the woman sitting beside her next. The mother
looked up to see their visitor, and gasped, dropping her daughter’s hand. She
stared at the man, wondering if she was dreaming or not. Had this angel come to
take her daughter away?
“Clayton…?”
“What happened to her…?” was the one called Clay’s question. The mother was
still in shock; she thought she was dreaming. Could this really be the 25 year
old popstar in her daughter’s hospital room?
“She…was in an accident…that’s all we know…” was her response. She slowly stood
up, examining him curiously. “Are you really…?” she began. He gave a low
chuckle, nodding.
“I am.” He extended a hand to her, emerald eyes full of sympathy. “I am Clay
Aiken.”
The woman tightly grasped his hand, in awe and shock. “Clay Aiken….I don’t
believe it. If only my daughter were awake to see you…” she started. She broke
down into a fit of sobs once more, falling back into her chair. Alarmed, the
young man made sure she didn’t miss the chair, and he squeezed her hand gently.
“It’s ok…it’s ok. She’ll be alright…don’t worry…” The words flowed from his
mouth without him even thinking about it. He continued to console the woman,
even though he wasn’t sure if her daughter would indeed survive. But he had to
think positively.
“Can I pray with you…?” he asked quietly, taking her other hand. She looked up,
eyes meeting his, and nodded once.
“I would appreciate that greatly.” was her reply.
The two of them prayed for ten minutes, the mother sobbing the whole time. Once
they were finished, she hugged the pop star. “God bless you…you don’t know how
much this means to me. Thank you.” she said.
He nodded, embracing the woman, trying to comfort her. “You are welcome. I’m
only sorry I can’t do more.” he replied, looking around the room. His cd was
still playing in the stereo, he noticed. He smiled gently, then looked at the
woman, who had pulled away and was now searching for a tissue. “When your
daughter wakes up, I promise, I shall sing for her.” he said.
The woman looked up, greatly surprised. “You don’t know how much that would mean
to her. Thank you so much.”
He smiled and nodded, then took a scrap of paper off the nightstand and jotted
down a few numbers, then handed it to her. “This is my cell number. Call me if
you need anything. And…please don’t give it out” He said jokingly.
The woman managed a weak laugh, and nodded. “Thank you again Clay. You truly are
a wonderful man, and an angel.”
He smiled, patting her hand. “I’m not wonderful ma’am. And I’m certainly not an
angel. But I try to help those who need it. Call me if you need me, and good
luck to your daughter.” He let go of her hand, then exited the room quietly,
leaving the dumbfounded and grateful mother to stare at the number in her hands.
Clay drove down the dark streets in his red convertible, staring ahead
quietly. He felt miserable about the poor mother and her daughter back at the
hospital. He reprimanded himself for not staying. But perhaps the mother didn’t
want him there. No…she looked like she had enjoyed the company. ‘Clay, you
dolt.’ he thought to himself bitterly.
He turned the radio on with a sigh. Maybe some music would clear his mind. He
sighed when he heard the song that was currently playing. It was his own. He
listened to the lyrics silently, pulling onto the highway.
“Why do you ask him, move heaven and earth,
To prove his love has worth?
Would he walk on water?
Would he run through fire?
Would he stand before you, when its down to the wire?
Would he give his life up to be all he can?
Is that, is that, is that…How you measure a man?”
He abruptly pulled to the side of the road, startling a few people behind him.
They simply honked at him, then continued on their way.
The pop star put his head down on the wheel and stared at his shoes. ‘Would he
give his life up to be all he can…’ He hadn’t done that. Sure, he had done
something nice. But he hadn’t done all he could do.
He turned his car around, and headed back down the road, back to the hospital.
She was in a dark place…it was so dark and cold. It was quiet and gloomy. She
was alone.
But where was she?
She was just about to give up, close her eyes permanently, when she heard the
soft, faint lyrics.
“Everybody cries,
Everybody bleeds,
No one ever said that life’s an easy thing.”
She found herself oddly comforted by this music. Yet, she didn’t remember who
sung it. She didn’t remember that it had once been her favorite song. She had to
admit, it was gorgeous. Such a sad voice singing it….and the lyrics were
beautiful.
She could feel her spirit rising. She just couldn’t give up yet. She had to find
out who was singing that gorgeous song…
“That’s the beauty of it, when you lose your way,
Close your eyes and go to sleep…”
She listened to the lyrics closely, and then, slowly but surely, she opened her
eyes.
“And wake up to another day"
“Oh my god. Oh my god!” the girl’s mother was in tears, hugging her daughter
as tight as she could without hurting her.
Clay had paused in his singing, standing off to the side, watching the mother
and daughter with a small smile on his face. He had to admit, he was shocked
that the girl had lived. He had been looking at the medical sheet on her bed,
and it hadn’t looked too good at all. Yet here she was, alive, but dazed.
“Oh Kat...my Kat…look, look who’s here.” the mother said, looking up at Clay.
The one called Kat lifted her head to look at Clay blankly. She blinked at him a
few times.
Clay watched her for a moment, noticing an absent and confused look in her eyes.
‘Oh no…’ he thought miserably. He walked over and gently rested his hand on the
girl’s. “Kat, do you know who I am?” he asked.
Kat stared at him curiously. She thought he looked a bit familiar….his voice was
so comforting…but she couldn’t place where she had heard and seen him before.
She shook her head slowly. No…she didn’t know who he was.
Clay slumped back in a chair, watching as the mother stared dumbfounded at her
daughter. She had lost her memory. ‘How horrible.’ he thought. The girl was
alright…but she lost her memory. It just wasn’t fair at all. ‘Oh God…please…take
care of this girl and her mother…’ he prayed. He looked up as a doctor walked
in.
The doctor stared at Clay for a moment, then turned to the girl’s mother. “I see
she’s up. How is she doing?” he asked.
The mother looked up at him, sniffling. “Yes, she’s up. Thanks to Clay.
But…she…she…” she broke down sobbing again, looking to Clay for help.
Clay stood up, going to put a hand on her shoulder. “She doesn’t remember
anything.” he told the doctor.
The doctor nodded slowly. “I see…amnesia. Well…there are ways she can regain her
memory. Try to do everything she’s used to.” He looked at Clay, raising an
eyebrow. “Perhaps you, can get her memory back for her.” he told him.
Clay blinked his emerald eyes curiously. “How? How can I help? I’ll do anything
for this girl” he replied.
The doctor nodded, moving to check Kat’s vital stats. “You can hang out with
her. Sing some of your songs for her, be yourself. Maybe that’ll click for her,
and she’ll start remembering again.” he replied, writing something on his
clipboard.
Kat’s mother looked up at Clay, wiping her eyes with a tissue. “Oh Clayton…would
you do that for her?” she asked.
Clay nodded, watching Kat. “Of course I would. I wouldn’t let her down. I only
hope it works.” he replied quietly.
The doctor nodded. “Alright then. Good luck Mr. Aiken.” He shook Clay’s hand,
then patted Kat’s mother’s shoulder and then walked out, gently closing the door
behind himself.
Clay watched him go, then looked at Kat. “Don’t worry. We’ll get your memory
back Kat.” he told her. He cleared his throat, then started singing softly.
“When you're down and out,
When you're on the street.
When evening falls so hard,
I will comfort you.
I'll take your part,
When darkness comes.
And pain is all around,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.”
It might take awhile…but he was willing to do whatever it took to help this
girl.