A Step With Fate/The Phone Call
17-year old Charity Grace Standish yawned and stretched out on the couch, running her nails down the upholstery and making a jaggedy sound. A chill went through her body, and she could just sense by the feeling in the air that something wouldn’t be right tonight. No, there would be something wrong.
The phone rang. One ring, two rings, three. Charity dashed quickly into the kitchen and answered. It was bad news: Miguel and Neil had crashed their motorcycles and were in Intensive Care. “K.....KK.......Kaaayyy?” Charity yelped.
“What happened?” Simone asked, seeing both girls sobbing.
Charity hated the hospital. She hated the fakey-sweet smell like Barbie-doll dresses, the plastic-feeling white walls and smell of medicines and vomit and blood. She hated the rubber gloves, the white coats, the uncomfortable chairs. Right away she rushed into Miguel’s room, right into the arms of Pilar and Theresa. Luis was sitting in one chair, Sheridan kneeling beside him; It looked as if she was comforting him. His head was in his hands. Miguel was sleeping in a narrow hospital bed, Ethan and Whitney were sitting in two other chairs they had probably pulled out of the waiting room.
“How is he doing?” She asked. She remembered the way Miguel had sat by her own bedside when she’d been in the same room after the terrible fire, how he’d held her when she learned about her mother.
Charity took Miguel’s hand and pulled up a chair beside his bed. She looked at the short fingernails, the rough palms, traced the fine lines with her pinky. She fingered the short black hair, touched the eyelids, as if she was a blind person seeing for the first time. A small prayer issued from her body. “Dear God, please let him awake. I’ll be your faithful servant forever if you would just please help this one time.”
A bright white light floated from a window. The little angel girl appeared. “Place your hands on his chest, Charity.” She said softly. Charity did so. “Concentrate on the healing. Visualize him awake.”
Charity closed her eyes and thought of Miguel waking. She let the rest of herself go and threw her entire might into healing him. White fire issued from her hands into his body, glittery and swirling around her. The angel smiled. “Good.”
When I’m lost in the rain, in your eyes I know I’ll find the light to light my way.
Pilar entered. “How is he doing?” She asked.
In the waiting room, Simone, Grace, Jessica, and Sam were sitting in the chairs, thumbing thru magazines. “Oh, Charity!” Grace said. “How’s Miguel?”
Charity’s hand gripped the cold metal doorknob and turned it. She walked into the room where the blonde Neil was sleeping peacefully, his head titled down by his left shoulder. He looked like a little boy tired out from a long summer day. “Kay?” She asked softly.
Kay slowly opened her eyes and placed a hand on Neil’s chest. Her face looked pained and confused, but she continually tried placing some of her strength into him. Neil’s football-player body shook and his eyes slowly opened. “My angel!” He said softly. Kay began to cry with joy, and she squeezed his hand.
Charity crept back into Miguel’s room and sat in a plastic chair. He was asleep again, and Charity breathed out a sigh of relief. She held his hand and began to cry joyfull tears, like rain.
“Jessica? Kay? Simone?” She asked. “Do you feel it?”
“Feel what, Charity?” Kay asked.
“That horrible feeling, the one I get when something will go wrong.”
“Nuh uh.” They chorused.
“What?”
“It’s....it’s.....Mmmm..Miguel.....and...and....”
“Neil?” Kay asked, her face becoming very pale. Charity’s own face was dead white.
Charity nodded. “They...they crashed.......their motorcycles....” Kay instantly held Charity in her arms, the cousins held each other tight, crying together.
“Neil and Miguel. They crashed their motorcycles.” Jessica said. She was sitting on the couch, Kay and Charity on either side, crying. Simone sank down beside Kay and let Kay cry into her shoulder, smoothing her hair. Jessica did the same to Charity. “Let’s call my parents.” Jessica said.
“Dr. Russell says that maybe in a few days he can get out of Intensive Care.” Theresa said. She walked over to Ethan and sat on his knee like a little girl meeting Santa Claus.
“A few days.” Charity repeated. “And Neil?”
“He’s worse. Seems like he had a full head-on collision.” Luis said.
“Poor Kay.” Pilar said. “We must go see to her. Luis, Sheridan, Theresa, Ethan, Whitney, come.” The group of six stood up and walked into the adjoining room where Neil slept.
“What am I doing?” Charity asked.
“You have the power for healing, along with the powers of good.” The angel said. She closed her eyes and lifted her hands and a soft music filled the air. The room shook violently for a minute and then stopped. Charity and Miguel were alone again in the hospital room. But the soft music was still playing. It was Christina Aguilera. It was the song she and Miguel had taken as “their song.”
When I’m scared, losing ground, when my world is going crazy, you can turn it all around.
And when I’m down you’re there, pushing me to the top.
You’re always there giving me all you’ve got.
For a shield from the storm, for a friend, for a love to keep me safe and warm, I turn to you.
For the strength to be strong, for the will to carry on, for everything you do, for everything that’s true, I turn to you.
When I lose the will to win, I just reach for you and I can reach the sky again.
I can do anything coz your love is so amazing. Coz your love inspires me.
And when I need a friend, you’re always on my side, giving me faith, taking me thru the night.
For a shield from the storm, for a friend, for a love to keep me safe and warm, I turn to you.
For the strength to be strong, for the will to carry on, for everything you do, for everything that’s true, I turn to you.
For the arms to be my shelter, through all the rain, for truth that will never change, for someone to lean on, for a heart I can rely on thru everything, for the one who I can run to-
For a shield from the storm, for a friend, for a love to keep me safe and warm, I turn to you.
For the strength to be strong, for the will to carry on, for everything you do, for everything that’s true, I turn to you.
“He’s still asleep.” Charity said. Pilar walked over to Charity and rubbed her back. Once again, Charity placed her hands lightly on his chest and let the white fire do it’s job. Miguel’s body shook, and his eyes flew open. “Mamma? Charity? Where am I?”
“You’re in the hospital. You crashed your motorcycle.” Pilar said softly.
“I did?” He asked.
“Yes, you did. With Neil.” Pilar said again. She kissed her son’s forehead and left him alone with Charity.
“Charity. I dreamt you were an angel and you healed me. You were in a white sundress, and you had gold wings. You opened your arms and held me, and then I awoke.” Miguel said. Right now, Charity did look like an angel. She held his hands very tightly.
“Miguel, I did heal you. The little angel girl gave me the power.” She smiled. “Neil isn’t doing well.” She finished. “I’ll be right back, you sleep.”
“He’s awake.” She smiled. “Neil?”
“Not so good.” Sam said quietly. “Evidentally he crashed so much harder than Miguel.”
“He had a concussion, Charity.” Grace finished. “Kay’s in there now.”
“Charity!” Kay cried. “He hasn’t woken up yet!” Charity hugged her cousin.
“It’s gonna be okay.” Charity said quietly. “He’ll be okay.”
“Are you sure?” Kay asked. “Can’t you do some sort of magic to save him?”
“I could try......but it’s your love only that can awaken him...” Charity said.
“Me? But Charity, I have no powers...nothing.” Kay protested.
“Just try.” Charity placed a hand on the side of Neil’s hospital bed and waited for Kay to do something.
