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Everything in his voice revealed his true agony.
“I’m gonna play you a song.” Noah released my hand.
A sad piano melody echoed around me, followed by an overture of cellos and violins.
“I know how you love music.” He held my hand again. “These lyrics are special, and you know why.”
My mind quickly filed through folders of memories, searching for a specific recollection connected to this song. And then I found it: I was standing at an outdoor benefit concert with Jade and Ally. One of our favorite rock bands was performing on stage: The Tea Party. Jeff Martin was singing “Heaven Coming Down” while everyone waved their lighters in the air.
Listening to his soul riveting voice again made my heart shiver. The song was about love, fear, strength, and faith. Jeff’s lyricism was on another level of consciousness. There was so much depth in his music and soul frequency. His magical voice was like a spiritual awakening: a reflection of God’s voice breaking through the darkness.
“Please”—Noah stroked my hand with his thumb—“open your eyes.”
I suddenly felt as if an invisible tape was pulled off my eyes at last; they no longer felt heavy as I moved them side to side. A tingling sensation slowly returned to my fingertips while the numbness faded. I tried to squeeze Noah’s hand.
“Aria?” His tightening grip seemed like resurrected hope. “Oh God, you can hear me… Baby, open your eyes. Squeeze my hand again, angel. Open your eyes!”
I had restored his dying faith, and it motivated me to find the exit out of the labyrinth I’d been trapped in. I felt like Aurora fromSleeping Beauty,desperately trying to wake up from what seemed like a hundred-year slumber. The only difference was that this was real life, not a fairy tale. I wouldn’t wake up through “true love’s kiss.”
“Squeeze my hand again if you can hear me, baby. Come on!”
Struggling, I moved my fingers.
“Nurse!” Noah shouted. “Someone get a doctor in here!”
I could hear people rushing in and talking, and then something was pulled out of my throat.
“Keep talking to her,” a man said.
“Aria.” Noah kissed my hand. “Open your eyes and look at me.”
The song had finally reached its bridge, as if it were a catalyst to my “great awakening.” By the grace of God, my eyes finally opened, and the room flooded with blinding light. Mysurroundings were a blur. I blinked until Noah’s handsome face came into focus. Those ocean eyes… I wanted to drown in them.
“Thank you,” he cried. “Thank you, God.”
In the short year that I’d known this man, I had never seen him cry in front of anybody. But here he was, breaking down at my side. My fallen angel had resurrected me from sleeping death. He pulled my weak body into his arms and begged for God’s forgiveness. Deep down, we both knew it was wrong for us to love each other the way we did. But the truth was that neither of us could change it. Now that Noah had admitted his true feelings for me, he could never take them back. While I knew he desired redemption for his sins, a small voice inside of me yearned for the same.
Every angel in Heaven must have cried tears of agony. What they had witnessed was the most powerful force shared between two people:love; a love that was condemned between me and Noah from the moment I was born. We were wrong for each other. Our love was forbidden, but it was resilient enough to bring me back to him. The truth could no longer be buried. It was time to step into the light. We were soulmates.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Reality in Reverse
May, 1 2013
8:45AM
The sun had risen in New York City as Natalie rushed past pedestrians on 7th Avenue. She took the subway to work every morning before opening the women’s clothing store she managed. Working in retail wasn’t her passion, but it was a job she had settled for since giving up on her dream. As she opened the boutique and stepped inside, her cellphone rang.
Must be Mom checking in,Natalie thought.
Glancing at the caller ID, she immediately froze. Noah’s name was at the top of the screen. The last time she had spoken to him was in January, and their conversation had been less than friendly. She wondered why he was calling as she finally picked up on the third ring.
“How nice of you to think of me on this fine morning, Noah—but I’m busy. Not all of us are multi-millionaires,” she bitterly stated.
Switching on the lights, Natalie was prepared for a hostile conversation with her ex, but there was dead silence on the other end before her heart dropped when she heard sirens.
“Noah? Where are you? ... Hello?”
