Chapter Two is from Criss Angels POV (point of view). There won't be many from his POV.
I remember the day the call came quite clearly. I was practicing for my Circ du Soleil shows. We were taking a break and I was checking my messages. There were three, all from one phone number. I listened to them all.
"Criss? This is Lucia, your cousin. Listen, we have to talk… It's… It's about Amy. Please call back."
That was at eight, two hours ago. Lucia was on the other coast. Why would Lucia, notorious night owl, call at five in the morning? I listened to the next message.
"Please, Christopher, it's important… Amy… Please call back."
That one was an hour from the last one.
"Christopher! Please… Amy and Danny… Oh God. Please. I don't want to just leave messages. Call back soon!"
Lucia was crying, trying to push out the words. I made a move to dial her number when my phone jumped to life. I quickly answered, afraid of what was going to come next. I answered hesitantly.
"Hello?"
"Criss? Oh, Christopher! Thank God!" It was Lucia again, sounding relieved. I motioned for my brothers to come over and put her on speakerphone.
"Lucia? You're on speaker. JD and Costa are here. What's up?"
"Criss… Amy and Danny were in an accident. They… They're dead."
Shock hit me. Amy? Not little precious Amy! No! That's impossible! My best friend… My very first assistant… My comforter… No… We had grown up together. She was there when my dad died. She named me the godfather of her child, and I promised her the same. Then the fight when both of us moved. She moved for her kid, and I moved for my job. I still loved her even though I was mad at her.
I vaguely remember the rest. JD was asking when and how.
"Two days ago. They were coming home from a party at a friend's house. It was late and there was a snowstorm. A drunk driver was coming from the other direction and skidded on the ice. With think Danny tried to swerve and he hit a tree."
Two days? Two days! Why wait two days?
"I'm sorry… We would've called sooner but there's their will and Melantha."
Melantha… My godchild.
"She's locked herself in her room. Only comes out to go to the bathroom or shower. The funeral's in a week. Please come… I don't care how busy you all are. You need to come to pay your respects."
Yes. And I would get to meet the grown up Melantha.
I cried the rest of the day. I told everyone to take a day off. They'd all get paid. I just needed to be alone. I locked myself in my apartment and cried. JD and Costa were there, but they didn't have the connection I did with Amy. We were almost brother and sister, partners in crime.
I remember clearing my schedule to allow time to fly there and back. Legal complications prevented me from taking Melantha right away, and I had a business to run. The business world didn't understand grief or mourning.
I saw Melantha at the funeral. She was pale and fragile. Some one had tried to put makeup on her and failed miserably. It was running down her cheeks. I wanted to hug her, but there were hundreds of Greek and Irish women she probably never met already there hugging her.
"Criss… Are you sure you are able to care for her?" Mom whispered.
"I have to, mom. Amy… For Amy," was all I was able to choke out before tears got the best of me, so I went back to study Melantha to distract myself.
Melantha was thin, but strong, I could see that. Her hair was Greek and Irish at the same time. It was a dark red brown, chestnut I suppose, and perfectly straight, though it could be done up that way. Her skin was an olive tone and she had a natural tan.
Her eyes were light hazel.
No. Not hazel, but yellow almost, with just a hint of green and flecks of brown. Like mine… only more catlike. She was beautiful just like Amy. Looking at her pulled at my heart, but I couldn't help myself. She was my child now. I had to care for her.
I didn't get a chance to talk to Melantha. My flight back to Vegas was right after the funeral. We did however share a brief smile. Then I was gone, off to practice my show. A week later, I was back in the airport, waiting with a sign for my second cousin, my godchild.
Melantha walked up carrying a pet carrier and a pink Adidas knapsack. She read her name and rolled her eyes. I guess she didn't like her full name. It was traditional to say the least.
"Melantha?" I asked. I held out my hand, feeling awkward. I had a long debate about myself earlier whether or not to hug her and at the last second changed my mind. I had cleared my schedule for the day so I could get to know her better. I really wanted to know Amy's kid.
When she took my hand I was surprised. Her hand was thin and cold, tiny inside mine. She wore a thin band around her right ring finger. It clinked against my multiple rings.
"Mel, please. So, you must be my godfather. "
"Yes, I am. I'm Criss Angel. You mom probably didn't talk about me much," I said. Mel flinched just as she pulled away, however she smiled.
"Criss… Nice you meet you. And you're right; m-mom never said much about you."
"Let's go home, eh?" I offered, patting her back. I lead her to my limo, where, unfortunately, was crowded with Loyals, my fans. I waved, ignoring their chants for a trick. I just wanted to go home and contemplate what I had accepted.
