Through some unexplained miracle, my tin can of a car survived the 20 mile trip to Children's Hospital. The day I turned 16 I inherited my mom's Dodge Dart when she upgraded. She probably assumed it would die in a number of months, maybe even days. But somehow, after 7 years the little black shitbox is marching on.
Then again, it could've found its way to this hospital on autopilot. Kenny had countless appointments, endless treatments, and unsuccessful therapies in these halls. The only thing strengthening me to walk through the doors is knowing how many other kids' lives have been saved here. From my baby's death, how much research went towards helping others?
"Hey, hun," I was immediately greeted with an arm wound around my waist.
Quickly pecking his cheek, I returned, "Hey, babe. Sorry, I caught like every red light."
"No big deal, they're just starting to bring the kids down now," he explained leading me through the toy-littered waiting room, "You sure you're ready to meet everybody?"
Three weeks may seem haltingly soon to meet the family, but our relationship doesn't follow any accustomed timeline. Hopefully, the charming little darling I've turned into doesn't suddenly disappear, "Of course I am."
His brothers and mother attempted to inconspicuously get a first glance at his new girl. Since I was returning the curiosity, I couldn't get defensive. Criss paused in front of the trio grinning wildly, "Guys, I'd like you to meet Olivia. Olivia, these are my brothers, Costa and J.D. And this is my mother, Dimitria."
"Hey, it's so nice to meet you," I quickly shook his older brothers' hands.
His unbelievably precious mother stood on her tiptoes to affectionately kiss both of my cheeks like Criss warned me her Greek blood would compel her to do. Grasping both of my hands with a smile, she raved in a heavily accented voice, "Such a sweet, beautiful girl you found, Christopher."
"Thanks, Ma," he massaged the bridge of his nose and looked at the ground embarrassed.
"Thank you," I echoed with a laugh, "You raised a pretty great guy, too."
Once Criss and his brothers were whisked away to prepare for his trick, Dimitria and I stood alone shooting the sunshine. For the gigantic uproar everyone makes about impressing the mother, this seems too simple. Then again, I have beginner's luck and an incredibly sweet woman on my side.
"I'm surprised Christopher didn't end up in a hospital like this with all of the crazy things he did when he was a boy," she joked as wheelchairs and children filed in around us.
"I guess he's always had the talent on his side," I pointed out.
Already becoming thick as thieves, we traipsed toward the performance arm in arm. Young patients who hadn't experienced half of a real childhood giggled as he taught them a card trick. A young girl whose bandana-wrapped head held evidence of cancer climbed into his lap beaming. My lips unfolded into a similar grin.
"Hi, sweetheart, what's your name?" he gently asked the toddler balancing on his leg.
"Izzie," she answered. Her crystal blue eyes sparkled with optimism no adult could muster.
"Would you like to be my special helper, Izzie?" he goaded causing my heart to swell.
Nodding vigorously, he held her in place and reached to his side to retrieve a book. He displayed the front cover, "I saw this sitting in the waiting room; "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie", has anyone read this before?"
Many of the patients raised their hands excitedly. Opening to the first page, he began,
"I think the story might be a little different this time. Now, Izzie here will be my page turner. Ready, here we go."
Each page he finished left the kids in more suspense wondering when he would so something magical. To look past how this used to be one of Kenny's favorite stories, I marveled at Criss' charisma. Without any practice around children, he even knew what voices to mimic and when to show pictures.
"Now, we've all heard about giving the mouse things, right? What if he gave us something, would you like that?" he quizzed.
All of them cheered and craned their necks to get a closer look. He continued, "Alright, then. Izzie, can you hold your hands out like this? Perfect, now watch."
After he removed his hands from on top of hers, a small white mouse scurried across her palm. Shrieks and giggles resonate from the entire group. Lifting Izzie to the ground, the kids took turns fondling the rodent and receiving hugs from Criss.
Traipsing over to stand between his mother and I, he chuckled, "Did you ladies enjoy the show?"
"That was beautiful, Christopher. I'm so glad you did that for the kids," Dimitria cooed enclosing his hand, "Your father would be so proud of you."
When she excused herself, I embraced him with a comforting smirk, "You alright?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" he disguised the pain resurfacing at the mention of his father.
Even though small children littered the room around is, I pressed my lips against his. Bracing his face between my hands, I assured, "He would be, you know that, right? Did you see how you made them laugh and smile?"
"How does that really help any of them?" he challenged dodging my line of questions, "No trick I can do is gonna cure them."
A young, distraught woman whose shoes I could easily put myself in two years ago stepped towards us. Her reddened eyes matched her bright auburn hair, "Hi, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I…"
"No problem, ma'am," Criss comforted shaking her nail-bitten hand, "What's your name?"
"I'm Lorriane, Izzie is my daughter," she explained as tears began to trace her high cheekbones, "Thank you so much for doing that for her. She's been such for months now, I haven't seen her smile that much for so long, Thank you so much."
Taking my turn to hug her whimpering form once he'd finished, I whispered close to her ear unbeknownst to Criss, "It all turns out good in the end. I promise."
Izzie ran towards her mom latching unto her leg like a security blanket. As Lorraine secretly dried her eyes, Criss hoisted the doll-like girl unto his hip, "I think you might have a performer on your hands, Mom. You were an amazing assistant, Izzie."
"I'm gonna be like you when I'm big," she announced poking his chest with a tiny finger.
"I bet you will. I bet you'll be even better than I am," he placed her on the ground searching for something in his pocket.
Dropping to one knee he scrawled, "To the Amazing Izzie. From Criss Angel" on the card box. Her eyes gleamed as he placed the deck in her hands, "You practice that trick I taught you, okay? Show it to everyone in the hospital."
With a shriek, she latched her thin arms around his neck, "Thank you! Thank you!"
"No problem, Amazing Izzie," he humored as a similar spark ignited his dark eyes.
"Mommy, Mommy, come on! I have to pwactice, come on!" Izzie persisted tugging on Lorraine's sleeve excitedly.
Before she followed her magic-intoxicated progeny, she remarked, "You really are an angel, aren't you?"
I ran my hand along his back, "I hate to say it, Christopher, but I told you so."
The unstoppable determination boiling inside of him overflew, "I'm gonna do something for every one of these kids. And so many fucking more. They deserve to believe, too."
"Well, you're not going in alone, that's for sure," I resolved.
Laughing with surprise, he solidified," Is that a promise?"
"Absolutely," I resolved becoming infected with his energy and so much more.
