Sofia2017planning asked about this song from Billy Ray Cyrus, so enjoy your request! I thought it would be nice if, as a way to help her recover after her ordeal, James and Bobby Lee sang to Madeline to help her go to sleep. And it's a special song to Roland as he watches them, since it's not only the song James sang for Queen Melinda after he got his voice back, but James is singing it with his door open. Thanks to Sofia2017 planning for helping with the story. Adventure Stories Weekly and Silverstein's Adventure Stories are from Niagara14301's Dorrie series. Billy Ray Cyrus' music is not mine.
Robert "Bobby" Lee Johnson grinned as he carefully closed the door to the guest room that his childhood friend Helen "Nell" Genevieve O'Malley was in. She and her sisters, Madeline and Sabrina, had just been rescued a short time ago following their abduction two years previously. On the way to the castle, he had promised them that he'd be with them during their recovery.
After the castle physician, Dr. Craig Heydenberg, and the doctor from the village hospital, Dr. Archibald Riker, had examined Nell, she told Bobby Lee to check in on Madeline and Sabrina, who had been examined earlier. Madeline and Sabrina seemed to be doing well, and so Bobby Lee told them that he'd be back later to check on them.
As he walked down the hall, he heard Sofia and James talking in James' room. He heard Sofia giggle, and he figured James was trying to help her feel better. Sofia had been terrified when she first learned about Nell, Madeline, and Sabrina's abduction, and so James always tried to help her feel better when she felt scared or upset. Bobby peeked into James Room, seeing him and Sofia working on the story James had been writing for Nell and her sisters.
Sofia smiled as she hugged his plush tiger, Prince Blizzard. "James, I can't believe Nell and her sisters are safe after two years!"
James smiled. He always tried to help Bobby Lee and the guards with their investigation, and they incorporated the tips from his stories into their searches. He had also promised not to write about what happened to Nell and his sisters, but Bobby Lee had suggested that he write a story for them to cheer them up.
"And I like the way this story's coming," Sofia continued. "I used to read Adventure Stories Weekly when I lived in the village, and I always loved Andrew Harmon's adventures. I just never knew he was you!"
"That's right, Sof; I use people's middle names as my characters' first names," James explained.
"Okay, so what do you think Miss Amanda should do in your story?" Sofia asked.
"Or Mr. Lee?" Bobby Lee grinned as he came up. "I just came back from checking on Nell, Madeline, and Sabrina, and they're all doing just fine. Nell also told me that she likes your stories. She said Jimmy would go out and get a few magazines for her sometimes, and she'd read them with the girls."
"And nobody ever asked him why he got a children's magazine when Beth and Robby were older?" James asked, "Or why he was getting them in the first place?"
"Everyone likes the stories, James, not just kids," Sofia smiled. "When Mom and I worked in the shop, she kept a few copies of Adventure Stories Weekly or Silverstein's Adventure Stories for customers, and not just the kids, but the adults liked reading them as they waited for their orders."
James smiled. "That makes sense, and I like the idea of a Mr. Lee in the story. I'll see if I can give you a good part in the story, Bobby Lee!"
Bobby Lee grinned. "Okay!"
Sofia smiled. "Okay, but Bobby Lee, how are Nell, Sabrina, and Madeline doing now?"
"They're doing fine," Bobby Lee smiled. "Helen fell asleep after the doctor examined her, and Sabrina was just about ready to go to sleep after the doctor was finished checking her. As for Madeline, I saw Mr. Baileywick helping her to the bathroom a few minutes ago." He looked over the notebook in James' lap. "How's the story coming?"
"Pretty good so far," James smiled. "Andrew and Julie are working together with Miss Amanda to solve a mystery. I thought about having them solve an actress's kidnapping, but that sounds too much like what just happened with Nell, Madeline, and Sabrina, so I threw that idea out. So now, we're tossing other ideas around."
"This one sounds kind of interesting," Bobby Lee said as he picked up one of James' folders. "A map gets stolen and Andrew and Julie have to find it before everything gets erased?" He scanned the story. "And if something gets erased on the map, the landmark it represents gets erased too!"
"Yeah," James shrugged. "That's from my 'try again later' box. I was having trouble figuring out how the plot was going, and I got the idea from Cedric, when he said something about a map that he saw once do something like that."
"Well, if you need ideas for that one, let me know and I'll help you," Bobby Lee offered.
James smiled. "I will, Bobby Lee."
Bobby Lee smiled. "Okay, James; I'll be back later to check on you two."
A little later, James was coming back from the kitchen with a tray of snacks for himself and Sofia. "Any luck coming up with ideas, Sof?"
"Not yet," Sofia admitted, putting down a folder she'd been reading. "I was just reading a few of your other stories to get an idea of my own. You're really good!"
James smiled. Bobby Lee had convinced him to contribute some stories to the magazine after he'd borrowed a few of them to read himself to sleep a few years ago. He even took the Creative Writing class at Royal Prep, even though it was for older students.
He offered Sofia a cookie, and she smiled. "It's a good idea to take a break now and then."
"James is taking a break?" Bobby Lee smirked as he came in.
"Of course he is," Sofia looked puzzled. "You make it sound like all he does is work on writing."
"Well, sometimes he takes a break for a snack," Bobby Lee started as he snatched a cookie off the plate. "But you can always get James' attention with music."
"And at least he sings with his door open a crack now," Sofia agreed, remembering how James said he only sang with his door closed.
Bobby Lee smiled. "That's right, and we know he'll sing with the door open all the way again when he's ready. We just need to take it one day at a time."
"That's a good lesson," Sofia smiled.
"But sometimes I think someone opens the door more than a crack sometimes," James agreed.
"What can we say?" Bobby Lee smiled. "My guard friends and I like the songs you sing, and we want to hear them better!"
"Oh, really?" James smirked.
"That's right," Bobby Lee smiled as he looked in James' box of tapes and CDs. "And I found a song James and I used to dance around to when we were younger!"
"What kind of songs do you like?" Sofia asked.
"Well, Mother always said that my father used to sing a few older country songs when I was younger," Bobby Lee paused as he tried to remember. "She gave me the tapes after he died, and I'd play them for James when I came to the castle with her."
"Did Amber ever join you?" Sofia asked.
"Oh, yes," Bobby Lee smiled. "She liked a lot of the songs too."
James nodded. "I remember a few songs Amber loved to sing along to!"
"She did like a few of the songs," Bobby Lee smiled. "I remember she'd open your door a little so she could hear them too."
"Should we invite her here so she can help with the story too, or let her keep working on the painting I saw her working on earlier?" James asked.
"Let's let her keep working," Bobby Lee suggested. "You know that once Amber starts working on one of her paintings there's no stopping her!"
"Just like with James and his writing!" Sofia giggled.
Bobby Lee smirked. "That's so right, Sofia!"
"Do you think Amber'd like to join us?" Sofia asked.
"I checked on her earlier, and she was working on a painting for Nell, Madeline, and Sabrina," Bobby Lee replied. "She gave me a few sheets of paper and paints for Sabrina, since she likes drawing too, and thought that would cheer her up. I also took a few books out of the castle library for Helen and Madeline, since they like reading."
"And I know better than to interrupt Amber when she's working on a painting," James smirked. "She only takes a break from painting for meals, school, and bedtime!"
"Just like someone else we know!" Bobby Lee smirked, nuzzling James' plush dog Little Rex against him.
"You make it sound like I never take a break!" James laughed as he tried to fight him off.
"Anyway, Helen, Madeline, Sabrina, and Amber will get along just fine," Bobby Lee smirked. "And I think we'll have to set up two more beds in the library for Helen and Madeline, since they won't want to leave the library when we show it to them!"
"Bobby Lee, when can we give Nell, Sabina, and Madeline a tour of the castle?" Sofia asked.
"Let's give them a day or two to rest," Bobby Lee suggested. "You know how much they've been through, and they deserve some time to themselves. But your father gave me permission to be their personal guard and to take them around when they need to go someplace."
"We can help you with that too," James offered. He put the song he'd found in his tape player. "And if they feel up to it, we can open my door a crack so they can hear us sing."
"Or, we could invite them in here if they feel up to it," Sofia offered.
Bobby Lee smiled. "That sounds like a plan!"
They were cut off when they heard a knock on the door. "Bobby Lee? Are you in there?" they heard Madeline ask.
"Madeline, come on in," Bobby Lee invited. "Sofia, James, and I were just thinking of a song to sing for you, Helen, and Sabrina."
Madeline smiled. "That would be so nice. I'll take you to Nell's room. Sabrina's been asleep for a little while, and she won't wake up."
"That's okay," Bobby Lee smiled. "We'll let her sleep. She deserves it after everything that happened."
Madeline nodded. "That's true, but I want someone to play with. Please, Bobby Lee!"
Bobby Lee smiled. "Madeline, you could use some sleep too. You hear what the doctor said, you need to rest for a few days."
"You can stay here in my room," James offered. "I'll be right by your side."
"Well, okay," Madeline gave in. She picked up James' stuffed dragon Sir Blaze-a-Lot, and hugged him. It felt good to cuddle something soft again.
"And to help you go to sleep, we can sing something to you," James continued.
"Okay," Madeline agreed. She found James' other writing helpers, Prince Blizzard and Little Rex. "Can they stay with me too?"
"Sure," Bobby Lee smiled as James nodded in agreement. He left for a minute, then returned with his guitar. "I heard James sing this once and I think you'll like it too."
As Madeline settled back with James' plush friends, Bobby Lee sang as he accompanied himself, Just a single mom raising up the kids
Little Tommy's seven now and
Her daughter Justine just turned ten
James smiled a little when he heard the song begin. He remembered singing this when his voice came back, even if he kept his door closed as he sang this for Queen Melinda, as a way to make it up to her for not being able to sing the other song. He saw Bobby Lee nod encouragingly, and he joined in, Pinchin' every cent, laughin' and lovin' and content
You would never think a couple years ago
She almost let her job, her kids, her mind, her life go up in smoke
Right there on the edge right before the fall
Madeline smiled as she leaned back against James' pillows. It was so nice to hear Bobby Lee's voice again. She remembered how he and Nell had sung to her when she had been scared by a nightmare before she had been kidnapped. "Music makes everything better," she murmured.
"That's what James always says," Sofia smiled. "And he's keeping his door open a crack so he doesn't disturb anyone."
"That's okay," Madeline smiled. "Sabrina doesn't like closed doors or closets anymore."
"Well, she doesn't have to worry about either of them anymore," Bobby Lee smiled. "She won't get locked in one ever again."
At the same time, he and James sang together, Somebody said a prayer, somebody had some faith
Somebody finally hit their knees and asked for help for heaven's sake
Somebody finally found someone who really cares
Somebody said a prayer
As he watched her, James smiled a little. Madeline and her sisters didn't need to know that he didn't sing with his door open.
He took the next verse, He was seventeen and his heart was broke
The middle of the night, a bottle full of pills and a goodbye note
Sittin' on his bed but then he bowed his head
Now I see him every week and every now and then
He talks about that night and the peace that came over him
Bobby Lee also nodded. He tried to have James sing with his door open a crack so people could hear him, but he knew it would take him one day at a time before he was ready to sing with it open all the way again.
He took the next part of the verse, Talk about a sign, can I get an amen?
Well there were tears on his face
He said look what happened lord
Bobby Lee smiled as he discreetly glanced out the door, which was open all the way, since Madeline hadn't shut it behind her when she came in. He smiled when he saw Roland and Miranda peeking in at them.
"Come on in," James murmured as he took the next chorus, "And this time you can keep the door open."
Roland and Miranda smiled as James took the next part of the chorus, Somebody said a prayer, somebody had some faith
Somebody finally hit their knees and asked for help for heaven's sake
Somebody finally found someone who really cares
Somebody said a prayer
"You sound wonderful, James," Miranda smiled. "But you don't have to sing behind a closed door; keep it open so we can all hear you."
"I'll think about it," James smiled a little as Bobby Lee took the next chorus.
Somebody said a prayer, somebody had some faith
Somebody finally hit their knees and asked for help for heaven's sake
Somebody finally found someone who really cares
Somebody said a prayer
As Madeline fell asleep, he and James finished the song, Can I get an amen? Oh
Can I get an amen? Oh
Somebody, somebody said a prayer
Somebody said a prayer
Somebody, somebody said a prayer
"That was really nice," Sofia smiled.
"You did a wonderful job," Miranda added as she gave James a hug.
"Both of you were magnificent," Roland added, "Now, why don't we all let Madeline get some sleep? I'll have Baileywick post a guard outside the door."
"I said I'd stay with her if she woke up or if she needed anything," James sounded doubtful.
"I'm sure she'll understand that you need a break too," Roland smiled.
"That's right," Bobby Lee agreed. "James, you've worked your fingers to the bone on your stories, and you deserve a break from working so hard around the castle. Now, we're going to get a snack, then you're going to join me and my guard friends in a fishing trip."
"Okay," James smiled as he wrote a note for Madeline, telling her where he was going, and leaving it on the side table so she could find it.
"Can I come too?" Sofia asked, tucking her in with James' plush friends.
"Hmm…how does Queen Miranda's phrase go again, the more the merrier?" Bobby Lee smiled.
Sofia smiled as they the room. "Yes it does. Let's go!"
