Forever and a Day (17 page)

Carlos’ mother’s eyes flew open wide, “Se habla usted Espanol?”

“Uh, solo habla, uh, un poquito de Espanol.” Halo replied as best as her memory served up.

“Que Bueno! Que la bendicion de Dios sea con usted y su familia.” Carlo’s mother said and quickly kissed Halo’s hand.

Halo saw more tears well up, she in turn held the mother’s hands in both her own and kissed the soft brown worn hand of Carlos’s mother, “Gracias, Senora. Gracias.” Halo let go of the mother’s hands and watched as the woman began fanning herself with a handkerchief, then dabbed at her eyes. With a smile and a gentle touch to Carlo’s mother shoulder, she moved to the next family.

There waiting patiently for her was a little boy of about ten years old seated in a wheelchair. He wore a cast on his entire arm. From under his Dodgers baseball cap, she could see he had no hair whatsoever. Looking at his forlorn face, she saw that his eyebrows were missing too. Her heart fell in her chest as she put on her best smile for him. Taking in a silent breath, she brushed her dress back and kneeled down to meet him eye to eye.

“Hello, my name is Halo. What’s yours?”

The boy looked down at his hand then started fidgeting with his cast in silence. Halo glanced up to his mother and father.

The mother spoke up in a soft voice, “Chuck is a little shy, Miss Raines.”

Halo nodded and looked to the little boy, “Chuck? Wow, that is such a cool name! I only know of one other Chuck, he’s a friend of mine who used to be on TV every week. You want to take a guess on who he is? I’ll give you a hint! He wore a big black cowboy hat!” She watched little Chuck as he shrugged his shoulders at her while still playing with his cast.

“No idea, at all? Do you need another hint?” She saw him shake his head slowly and with only using his eyes, he looked upwards at her.

“Ranger Walker?” Chuck replied in a little whisper.

Halo clapped her hands, “Awesome! Yes, Ranger Walker! Now I know two cool guys named Chuck!” Halo held out her hand to little Chuck in an attempt to shake his good hand. It took him a moment, but he shyly reached up and grasped her hand with a weak squeeze, “I am happy to meet you Chuck!”

Halo looked up to his parents and as she made to stand up Chuck spoke out in as loud of voice as he could muster, “I watched you in the movie you sing in too. I—I like the part when you are singing under the lights the most.”

Halo beamed her smile at him, “You do? That’s my favorite scene too, thank you!” Halo saw Chuck’s father wave at her for her attention, she looked to him and he made a heart shape with his forefingers and thumbs then pointed at Chuck then to her. Halo felt her heart skip a little beat at that. An idea hit her, “Hey Chuck! Would you like to come dance with me under the lights in the other room? If it’s ok with mom and dad of course.”

Halo watched as Chuck’s mother grabbed her husband’s arm, tearing up they both nodded emphatically.

“Uh, Halo?” Caroline quietly interrupted, “We aren’t really prepared for this?”

Halo stood up and gave Caroline a firm smile, “Of course we are Caroline. It’s early still and I will have my dance with all the kids here.”

“Of course Halo, thank you!” Caroline replied happily.

Halo turned back to the parents, “Is this ok with you? It’s a bit busy out there, but I am sure the dance floor is empty.” She got back nods from all the parents including Carlos’s mother who had been busy listening to Carlos interpreting.

Halo leaned down to Chuck, “Would you be ok with letting Kylie and Carlos go first? This way I can save the last dance with you?”

Chuck nodded slowly, “I—I can’t walk…”

“Well then? It will be you, me and your cool wheels, ok?” Halo asked excitedly.

Chuck’s face finally showed a flicker of enthusiasm, “Ok.”

Halo turned to JJ who was standing by off to the side, “Please go tell the band that I would like some music to dance to in a few, ok?”

JJ nodded with a smile plastered on her face and quickly left.

“Then let’s go!”

Halo gestured towards Chuck’s wheelchair handle and his parents nodded. She grasped the wheelchair’s handles and began pushing Chuck to the door as Caroline held it open for them.

Once inside the ballroom she parked Chuck next to the dance floor and patted his good arm lightly, “I’ll be back for you soon.” He nodded to her then she gestured for Kylie and Carlos to follow, “This is the Crystal ballroom.” She heard the kids utter their ‘oohs and ahs’ as she brought them to the middle of the dance floor.

She saw Robert wave and smile to her, Halo smiled back and took Kylie’s and Carlo’s hands then nodded to JJ who was standing by the band. Soon Fergie’s song, ‘Glamorous’ rang out filling the Crystal Ball room.

Halo’s smile was joyously full as she danced with the two children spinning them around the dance floor. She let go of their hands and Carlos began a hip shaking dance as Kylie began jumping up and down to the beat. When the song ended, she thanked the kids and gestured them towards to their waiting parents. She made eye contact with Chuck and gestured for him to wait a moment, he gave her a quick nod then she went to talk to the band.

Halo looked at a confused JJ then to the lead singer of the band, “Thank you so much for doing that, may I ask for another favor?”

The lead singer nodded emphatically with a big smile, “For you Halo, anything.”

“Thank you, uh… I want to sing Chuck a song...”

“What?” JJ asked in amazement. “You are going to sing in front of everyone, here? Now?” JJ exclaimed.

Without a pause, the lead singer handed Halo her microphone. Halo shrugged her shoulders at JJ, “Why not? I want to see little Chuck smile.” She looked to the singer, “Do you know Goldfrap’s “Fly me away? It’s pretty basic…”

The singer smiled, “No problem Halo, we know it! Cue us when you are ready! This is gonna be awesome!” She said as she turned to the band.

JJ laughed nervously and patted Halo’s arm, “I hope you know what you are doing…”

Halo smiled, “No, not really, but that’s the song I sang ‘under the lights’.” She left JJ standing there as she headed off towards little Chuck.

Halo approached Chuck with a big smile plastered across her face, “Are you ready?”

Chuck looked out to the watchful crowd seated at all the white linen covered tables and gave Halo a nervous little nod.

Chuck’s parent’s smiles were plastered on their faces from ear to ear. Chuck’s mother moved away and gestured to the handles of Chuck’s wheelchair. Halo wheeled him out to the dance floor, turned him away from the curious crowd and faced him towards his parents.

She stood next to little Chuck and tapped her mic, “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us at our annual fall charity ball. I’d like to introduce you to my special guest, this here is Chuck. Earlier I asked Chuck if he would dance with me, and he graciously accepted.” Halo smiled and kneeled down to Chuck, “Chuck you mentioned you liked a scene in a movie I was in, do you remember the song I sang?”

He nodded at her, and in a quiet voice her replied, “Fly me away, my favorite...”

“Yes! Chuck, would it be ok if I sang that song to you right now?”

Chuck looked up at Halo with his big brown eyes for the first time, gave her a shy smile, and nodded.

“Awesome!” Halo stood up and looked at the all the faces watching her, intrigued by what was happening, “Ladies and gentlemen, if you would please indulge me, I’d like to sing Chuck a song?” A surprisingly raucous round of applause rolled over them. Halo smiled nervously, “It’s been awhile so please bear with me…” She laughed and cued the band.

A snare drum began its beat and the keyboard started in. Halo reached down and gently grasped Chuck’s little hand, looked into his big brown eyes, and began his favorite song in her beautiful melodic voice.

Chuck’s face slowly began to light up as Halo held his hand, swinging it gently back and forth as she sang. His smile soon grew, she felt her tears began to threaten to fall but she kept on. Soon Chuck was grinning from ear to ear, showing his two missing front teeth in a joyous smile.

The song ended and Halo leaned over to Chuck and kissed his little cheek, he reached up with his good hand and squeezed her as best he could, “I love you Halo.” He whispered to her in his little voice.

Halo’s tears broke loose and flowed like rain down her face, “I love you back little man.” She kissed his cheek again and became aware of the crowd’s furious applause. Halo dabbed at her tears, waved to the crowd then pushed Chuck back to his happily crying parents.

JJ quickly walked over and pulled out her cell phone and quickly texted Lewis:
Makeup! Back hallway to the ballroom. STAT!

Halo shook hands tearfully with Chuck’s parents as they gushed in gratitude. Chuck’s mother leaned close and whispered with a choked voice, “He falls asleep to your soundtrack almost every night, you made his dream come true, Halo. Thank you so, so much.”

All Halo could do was give her a hug and nod. She dabbed at her tears as she let go of Chuck’s mother whose face was as wet as her own. Several guests from the audience made their way up and spoke with a teary-eyed Caroline who introduced them to the families. Halo took in a deep breath and bent over to speak with a smiling Chuck, “When I get back from filming my next movie, I’d like to come visit you. Would you like that?”

“Sure!” Chuck beamed at her, “Where are you going?”

“I’m flying out to Australia tomorrow, I will be around there for the next two months, after that I’ll come see you, ok?” Halo patted his frail shoulder gently.

Chuck smiled up to her, “Ok Halo. I will miss you.”

Halo laughed, “Me too Chuck, me too! Hey, can I sign your cast?”

Chuck nodded, “Cool!” Halo watched as Chuck’s mother whispered something in his ear, “I mean, yes please Halo.”

Halo saw JJ’s hand holding a pen at her with a teary smile, “Lewis is on his way. He’ll be in the hall soon.”

“That bad, huh?” Halo smiled at JJ.

“Yeah, you’ve got some serious racing lines down your cheeks.”

Halo nodded and grimaced at JJ, then leaned over to Chuck, “Show me where to sign!” She asked excitedly.

Chuck pointed to his cast, “Here, please.” Halo saw only a few signatures, then wrote in her flowing script:
To my best little friend, get better soon! With tons of love, Halo Raines. XXOO.

Chuck read it as did his parents, “Thank you!” They said in near unison.

JJ leaned over and whispered into Halo’s ear, “Lewis is in the hall.”

Halo handed JJ the microphone, “Please take this back to the band with my thanks.” Halo beckoned Caroline over and pointed to the door to the hallway, “I have to go get freshened up, would you please ask the kids if they would like some pictures taken together?”

“Oh!” Caroline exclaimed, “That would be wonderful Halo, thank you for what you did. You have no idea how little Chuck fought to be here tonight. We all didn’t think he had it in him, you sure made a difference. This is the first time I have ever seen him smile.”

With tears threatening to burst forth once again, Halo held her breath and could only give Caroline a silent nod. She quickly headed to the hallway leaving Caroline to speak with the families. Halo opened the door as was quickly met by open mouth shock from both, Lewis and Jared.

“Girlfriend!” Lewis clapped both his hands on his face and shrilly shrieked out, “Who did this to you? I will bitch slap him like his momma never could!”  Lewis grabbed Jared’s arm, they both rushed to Halo, who could only try to hold back more tears in silence as she tried to motion with her hands that all was fine.

Eventually she was able to choke out a reply, “I’m fine they are good…”

Lewis leaned close, “What man could upset my Goddess like this? You point him out to me!” Lewis demanded as he helped repair the makeup on Halo’s tear smeared face.

Halo cracked a smile, “He will be in just a moment…” the door opened and the families began filing raucously through.  

Lewis looked up with a furious frown that quickly faded, “I see…” Muttered Lewis, “I see.”