Second Chances: The Return of Gollum

Chapter 14

After the show, we all gathered in the lobby to meet and greet the audience, as well as each other.

"Incredible job, everyone!" Lucy announced. "You all sang every note perfectly! I think this was our best concert yet!" Then, she approached each soloist to compliment them on their performances.

"You two did amazing," Hayley said proudly. "Then again, I knew you would. You've been working hard on that duet."

"Yes, you two were incredible," Lucy chimed in. "I'm so proud of you. You made everyone in the room cry... including myself." She laughed heartily.

"Awwwww, bless your heart," Sméagol said sweetly, giving Lucy a big hug. "Thank you so much for letting Sméagol sing in the choir."

"Oh, it's an honor to have you with us, Sweetie."

"You know, Sméagol," I said, "I think everyone was cheering more for you than they were for me."

"Awwww, Sweetie," Sméagol said, putting his arm around me, "Sméagol thinks they were cheering for you, too."

"But, I think they liked you better, and honestly, I don't blame them. I tell you all the time, but your voice is so sweet and beautiful and incredible. You really do have an angel's voice. Everyone could feel all the love radiating from your heart when you sang."

"Yes, they did," Lucy agreed, "and it meant the world to them. You never know how many people in the audience are going through something tough, and music always lifts their spirits, especially music from the heart. And, Sméagol, you sang straight from your heart. You probably turned a lot of lives around today."

Sméagol's eyes filled with tears. "Sméagol loves making people happy," he sniffled. "Sméagol loves everybody very, very much."

"Aww, Sweetheart." Lucy hugged Sméagol with tears in her eyes. "Bless your kind heart."

As we talked, a little boy approached Sméagol, sobbing his heart out. "Um, Mr. Sméagol?" he sniffled.

Sméagol turned to the little boy, and his heart broke when he saw the tears in his eyes. He knelt down to the boy's height, and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Awwww, why does it cry, Precious? WHat is it?"

"Your voice is the nicest, prettiest, most awesomest voice I ever heard," the little boy sobbed.

"Awwwwww!" Sméagol cried. "You're a sweet little boy. Thank you so much." He gave the little boy a big hug, and stood back up.

"Thank you so much, Sméagol," said a young woman, the boy's mother. "You really helped Joshua through a painful time." She tried desperately not to cry. "His father was in the Army. He's been in Afghanistan for five months. He was recently killed... on Joshua's sixth birthday." After that, the mother couldn't hold it in anymore. She broke down sobbing.

"Awwww, Sméagol so sorry!" Sméagol wept. "Come here." He wrapped his arms around the mother, giving her a big hug. "Must be so hard for you, too, Precious."

"It is," she sobbed. "I loved him so much. He was my love, and now, he's gone."

"No. No, Precious," Sméagol said, stroking her hair. "He's never gone, never." He bent down, picking Joshua up, and holding him and his mother close. "He's always with you, both of you, watching over you. Always his spirit is following you wherever you go. He will never leave you. He will be there to love and protect and watch over you for the rest of your lives. Always in your hearts he will live. Always. He is not gone, precious friends."

"But, I can't see him anymore," Joshua sobbed. "I can't ever hug him again."

"You can, Precious. You can. Look and listen and feel with your heart. He is hugging you now. Yes, he is. He's giving you the biggest hug, and never will he let go, never." He held them both closer. "You don't have to go through this alone. Sméagol be here for you. If you ever needs a friend, Sméagol be there for you. Yes, Sméagol be your friend."

"Thank you, Sméagol," said the mother. "You are a good man. God bless you."

"Thank you, Mr. Sméagol," said Joshua.

"Awwwww, God bless you both," Sméagol said sweetly as he hugged them one more time.

I was so captivated by their conversation that I didn't even notice that the whole lobby was dead quiet, listening to and watching Sméagol help that family. As they walked away with smiles on their faces, I heard several people sniffling, so deeply moved by Sméagol's kindness.

"Wait!" Sméagol called after them as he reached into his pocket for his little stack of heart shaped cards. He hurried over to the mother and child, and handed each of them a card. "Keep it with you," he said kindly. "Read it whenever your pain becomes too much to handle."

They graciously accepted their gift, and left with even bigger smiles on their faces.

We decided to stick around for a little longer, because so many people wanted to talk to Sméagol. He was very kind, warm, friendly, and loving to everyone he met, and every time the conversations ended, more people would walk away with a heart shaped card in their hands, smiles on their faces, tears in their eyes, and hearts filled with joy. However, the heart filled with the most joy was Sméagol's, because he loved seeing other people happy. He loved helping in any way he possibly could, and he just genuinely loved people so deeply.