Joined By Secrets

Seven

I looked at the guitar in my lap. I stroked it again and looked at the decal around the neck. I traced it with my finger.

I took a deep breath, "In high school, I loved to sing. You would never see me without my guitar. I had a gig every week at a café and my friends would always come to support.

My senior year, I realized I couldn't be a musician anymore. I needed money for college or to get a full scholarship. The foster system was gracious enough to pay for one full semester. I had to get money and a real job.

I gave up music to do science internships and I did get a good percentage of a scholarship. Except I still needed a few hundred bucks, I made up my mind to sell my guitar.

One day I went home and I walked into my room. There is was.....my guitar on my bed. Sara bought it back for me, she knew how much it meant to me. She told me not to give up what I love.

Even though I didn't have the strength to play it, I kept it all these years. I want to play a song for Sara because she's my best friend. She believed in me when no one else did, she cared about me when no one else did, and I don't know what I would do without her."

Tears escaped my eyes and landed on my guitar. "She needs to know that I will be there for her too. I will give her the love and care she gave me. She needs someone and I'm that someone."

We arrived at her room and walked in. I grabbed her hand and squeezed it. I looked at her heartbeat and it beeped normally. That's a good sign. I smiled and tried to be strong for her.

I began to strum my guitar and sang:

"I remember tears streaming down your face, when I said I'll never let you go......."

"Just close your eyes, the sun is going down. You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now......"

"You and I'll be safe and sound....."

I sang with my heart as tears filled my eyes. I finished and sat there silently, listening to her heartbeat.

I looked at Dylan and he stared at me with tear filled eyes. I smiled weakly, I felt free for one moment. I felt that everything was going to be okay.

Finally, once this whole day I felt real hope that Sara would wake. I grabbed her hand and squeezed it. I kept hold of her hand and suddenly I felt a slight squeeze.

I snapped my eyes to her face, she's waking up. The squeeze tightened, I smiled happily.

That was until the monitor went flat....... And I could no longer hear her heartbeat.