How to Save A Life (Anthony Rizzo)

9- What Their Heart Desires

Clara

"Hey, where are you going" I ask Anthony as he pulls his shoes on. He was wearing his jersey already but I knew he didn't have another game until tomorrow so I wasn't sure why he had it on already.

"I was going to go to the children's hospital downtown. I'm a regular there and it's about time I drop in and say hi to everyone. No agenda or cameras, just me checking up on the kids I've met and seeing if I could put a smile on some faces" he explains.

"Would you mind if I tag along" I wonder and he raises a eyebrow at me.

"You... want to leave the house" he questions.

"I always want to leave the house" I assure him. "But now I have a good enough reason too."

"And why do you want to come to the children's hospital with me? For someone looking for a reason to be happy being around a lot of sick kids is not the place to be" he claims.

"Because since I was a little girl I wanted to go there and paint a kid as whatever they wanted to be. You know, make them a super hero or a football player or maybe just a happy and healthy kid again. Whatever it is their heart desires, I can give it to them. Give them something that can inspire them, give them hope for a brighter future, to make them happy" I explain.

"That's actually a really good idea" he nods and I smile. "Why don't we load up some of your art supplies and head on over there" he suggests.

"That would be awesome" I admit.

We load his car up with my paint stuff and I get changed. Although it was April I was in a sweatshirt and a pair of shorts. I didn't want to chance him or someone he knows seeing me so I make sure my face is covered. I know he has had everyone trying find me, he knows a lot of people and I certainly don't want to run into someone from that part of my life. So until I knew I could be safe that's what I was going to be wearing.

We get to the children's hospital and Anthony finds someone to bring my things up. He claims to know just who I should hang out with today and paint. We get up to a room with light pink walls and a hospital bed in the middle. There was a bunch of toys and dress up clothes scattered around the room and a little girl was sitting up in the bed. She was watching Frozen on the tv and saying the lines verbatim. Such a spirited little girl she was.

She sees Anthony standing in the doorway and just lights up. She jumps up in the bed and launches herself into Anthony's arms. She had a pretty purple bandana on her bald head and she was quite petite, but she was so incredibly beautiful.

"Bethany, I want you to meet a very special woman" Anthony claims as he brings her over to me and my cheeks start to heat up. "This is my friend Clara. Claire, this is Bethany" he says and I smile.

"Well hello there cutie pie" I say tickling her side as she starts to laugh. "How old you" I wonder.

"Four and a half" she claims and I let out a gasp.

"Well aren't you a strong young lady" I ask and she happily nods her head.

"I am because I have a awesome mommy and daddy" she claims.

"I did too" I admit. "And I know they are so very proud of you" I insist.

"They tell me they are every day" she claims.

"Would you mind if I painted a picture of you" I ask her and she basically glows as she sits in Anthony's arms. He smiles over at me as I interact with the little kid.

"Yes please" she replies and I can basically feel my heart melt. This girl was such a sweetheart.

"Awesome! But you have to tell me who your favorite Disney princess is" I say and she taps her chin.

"That's hard" she admits and I laugh.

"Alright. Then give me your three favorite princesses" I bargain.

"I would say Belle because she likes to read and doesn't have a lot of friends so she made some with the objects around her. Aurora because she likes to sleep just like me. And Rapunzel because I used to have long golden brown hair and I wish I still did" she explains and I nod.

"Perfect" I smile.

I get set up in her room and Anthony leaves us alone for a while. He had to go set some things set up and wanted talk to the other kids while I chilled out with Bethany. She stands between my legs as I sat on a stool in the middle of her room. The canvas sat in front of me as I get started on her painting. I ask her a bunch of questions to get to know her better and I'm loving what I'm learning.

"So Bethany, tell me about yourself" I pry before I finish outlining her painting.

"Let's see... my friends call me Beth and since we're friends you can call me that now" she starts. "My favorite color is pink and my favorite animal is a penguin. Before I got sick I did gymnastics and I was really really good, at least that what my mom tells me. I wasn't the most strongest but I worked the hardest. I do miss it a lot and I hope I can do it again soon" she admits.

"Well once you get all better and you can go do gymnastics again I would love to come watch you" I insist.

"I would like that" she smiles.

We continue to talk and I really get going on her painting. I paint her with long golden brown braided hair with flowers in it like Rapunzel from tangled. Then she had the crown that Aurora wore and her pink dress too. Then I had her sitting in a boat with Lumier and Chip from Beauty and the Beast. They were floating along the river with all the floating lanterns from tangled and it looked nice. She was sitting in the boat letting a lantern fly as it joins all the other hopes and dreams she had that had been released into the sky. It actually came together really quickly and before I knew it I was just detailing what I had. We had been there for four hours and I didn't even notice.

"Sorry I've been gone so long" Anthony starts as he rejoins us in Beth's room. "I started playing Mario cart and I couldn't stop" he claims.

"It's okay. I've hand a wonderful time hanging out with Bethany" I admit as I squeeze her side.

"Did you know your girlfriend has super powers" she asks Anthony and my eyes go big.

"No no sweetie, she's not my girlfriend" he clarifies.

"Well she's a girl, and she's your friend. So doesn't that make her your girlfriend" she asks and I had to laugh. It was cute.

"Literally yes, technically no" he explains. "And what is her super power" he questions.

"Art" she claims.

"Well then yes, I did know she had super powers" he claims.

I turn the painting around to show them the finished product and they both wore huge smiles. Bethany claps her hands together as she sticks her arms out reaching towards the painting.

"I love it" she yells and I laugh.

"I was hoping you would" I admit.

"You seriously did this in less than four hours" he asks.

"Yeah. Beth gave me a lot of inspiration and I was pretty dialed in. I think it turned out pretty well" I admit.

"It's beautiful. You have a real gift" he claims.

"Well thank you, that's very kind of you to say."