Second Chances: An Unexpected Angel

Chapter 43

The next day, I had a singing gig at a nursing home, my first one in a while. It wasn't easy to get nursing home gigs anymore. However, this time, I planned to give Sméagol the spotlight for a couple songs, as well as sing a few duets with him.

I dressed in a pink, red, yellow, and white flowery dress. Sméagol dressed in a sky blue shirt and gray pants. I packed my laptop and speakers into a small carry-on bag, and the two of us headed out the door. The reason I took my laptop with me was because I had a playlist in iTunes, containing the karaoke tracks for songs I sing. No, I don't sing the same songs over and over. I always change things up. My song choices often included Irish folk ballads, Celtic Woman covers, Broadway showtunes, and some originals as well.

The nursing home was within walking distance, and it was a nursing home I had visited several times. I knew the way, but I felt much better walking there with Sméagol, rather than walking there alone. Why would I be walking there alone before? Well, some of my gigs were scheduled while Hayley was still at work. That's one reason why it's hard to get gigs now, because this particular nursing home was the only one close enough for me to walk to alone. Every now and then, I would get gigs at other homes that Hayley would have to drive me to, but she could only do that if the gigs were scheduled at lunchtime, on the days when she got off early, or days when she did not have to work at all. The other reason? This nursing home, for some reason, doesn't call me to come in as often anymore. I'm lucky if I can get a gig every three or four months. However, when I do get a gig, I get paid very well.

When we arrived, the activities director, Diane, led us to the parlor, where we would be performing. I set up my laptop and speakers, and made sure everything worked while Diane gathered as many residents as possible.

Soon, the parlor was filled with a decent sized audience, and it was finally time to start. For the first half hour, I sang a combination of my favorite Irish folk ballads, older pop ballads, and Broadway showtunes. Then, it was time to bring Sméagol up to perform with me.

"Okay, guys," I said, "I have a very special guest who'll be doing the rest of the show with me. He has probably the most beautiful voice I've ever heard."

"You have the most beautiful voice we've ever heard," said one of the residents.

I blushed and smiled. "Thank you. But, seriously, wait 'til you hear him. He's incredible. Every time I hear him sing, I immediately burst into tears, so you guys might wanna have some tissues handy."

Everyone laughed softly as Sméagol smiled sweetly at me.

"Please welcome my amazing friend, Sméagol Stoor."

Everyone clapped as Sméagol came up to join me in our first duet––our own arrangement of "Something to Believe In" from Newsies. Since Sméagol and I both sing soprano, I made a few adjustments to the song. In the original arrangement, there were many key changes. I cut them all out, and we stayed on the same key, until the last chorus when we went up only a half step. Oh, there was also a spoken part in the original song. We cut that out, too. I personally hate doing spoken parts of songs. It's way too awkward, especially when some people may not know the show the song is from.

When we finished the song, we both noticed many people were already crying. Yep, I thought to myself. Sméagol's voice has that effect on people.

Our next duet was "Endless Love" by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross. Again, we made a few changes, this time to the harmonies.

Then, it was time for me to give Sméagol the spotlight. He sang four of his favorite songs, which included "Angel" by Sarah McLachlan, Celtic Woman's beautiful rendition of "Ae Fond Kiss," originally written by an incredible Scottish poet, Robert Burns, and "The Blessing" by Celtic Woman.

Then, his last song was a devastatingly beautiful cover of "Hurt by Johnny Cash, originally by 9 Inch Nails. Sméagol's cover, however, sounded more like an Evanescence ballad with only the piano and synth and a very haunting tone. As he sang, everyone could feel his pain. The guilt, hurt, unbearable remorse, and self hatred was written all over his face, and heard so clearly in his hauntingly beautiful, angelic voice. In the first chorus, when he sang the lines, "What have I become, my sweetest friend," I knew he was singing about Déagol. The line, "Everyone I know goes away in the end," was about his family and friends turning on him. "I will let you down. I will make you hurt." That was about Sam and Frodo. When he sang the chorus again, his voice began to break a little, until the very last part. "If I could start again, a million miles away, I will keep myself. I would find a way." If he could start all over again, he would've done things differently, done better. In that last part, tears came pouring from his eyes, but even through his sobs, he still sang it so beautifully and on key. Everyone, including myself and Diane, was reduced to tears.

I tried to regain my composure as I rejoined him for our last song, "For Good" from the musical Wicked. As we sang together, we both began to tear up again, for this song, to both of us, represented our friendship so perfectly. He had changed my life for good, that's for sure, and he told me many times that I had changed his. I don't know if I changed his life for the better, but he had changed mine for the better. During the last chorus, I reached out my hand. He took hold of it, and held it tightly, as if to say he wasn't going anywhere, that he was there for me forever. His hand was so big and so warm. I felt an overwhelming sense of comfort and peace of mind. As we finished the song, he wrapped me in a warm, tight embrace as everyone cheered and applauded loudly. Maybe they were cheering for both of us, but I like to think they were cheering more for Sméagol.