Open My Eyes

{Ch. 1} Cemeteries and Smirks ✓

Skipping, I bee-lined to a gravestone I could recreate with my eyes closed. A carved angel sat atop the stone, arms open as though to capture the entire galaxy in a hug. The words "Vanessa Height, smile despite the odds" looped in swirling cursive in a mimic of her handwriting on the headstone.

As a breeze passed by, smelling of freshly mowed grass and dirt, I lay a new bouquet of delphinium, baby's breath, and daisies on the grave site. With a sigh, I sat crisscross applesauce before the gravestone and beamed at it.

"Guess where I'm going." I bounced, waiting for a response I would never get. "That milkshake place?" I chuckled. "Nope! Good guess though. I'm going to Hope and Miracles!" I squealed and clapped my hands. "Isn't that exciting? I finished my training so I can finally volunteer there. How amazing is this!"

Despite the fact that I couldn't see her, I could feel her smiling. I cast an unrestrained smile.

"I knew you'd be excited. I get to work at the place that brought us together. My dream is finally coming true."

I spent most of my free time at Lavender Woods Cemetery. It was quiet and peaceful and always smelled like fresh flowers. But that day, I told the gravesite that my free time would lessen—I couldn't visit as much anymore. After all, my destiny began today.

I ran my fingers along the engravings, my smile shrinking slightly. But I huffed, pushed my flyways from my face, and stood to my feet. I clenched my fists and said, "I'm off! Wish me luck, Vanessa. I'll do you proud."

A ten-minute walk from the cemetery stood my place of work: "Hope & Miracles" in neon lights. Beneath the lights hung a sign that read, "Children Rehabilitation Center." The center stood two-stories high, with large windows overlooking the nearby parks.

My heart raced and my palms sweated. I sucked in a deep breath, reached for the door handle, and pulled it open.

A strange mix of antiseptic and floral scents hit my nose as soon as I stepped inside. The hallways were wallpapered in pastel colors and animal prints. Plants stretched in corners and shook their limbs in welcome as a summer breeze wafted through the building.

When I spotted the receptionist's desk, I straightened my shoulders and my spine and marched forward. I flashed a smile to the woman sitting there.

Her youthful face suggested early twenties. Her auburn hair, pulled into a tight bun atop her head, glimmered beneath the fluorescent lights. Her eyes were a kind of green that made me think of Oregonian forests. Her pale skin sported a dotting of freckles across her cheeks and nose. She wore cotton candy pink scrubs with bunnies on them. Her nametag read "Taylor."

"Hi," Taylor greeted, her voice soft and soothing like a lullaby. "What can I help you with today?"

"You're expecting me." I lifted onto my tiptoes, smile growing as I leaned onto the counter.

She arched a brow and chuckled. "Are we?"

I nodded. "Angela Duff-Valentin, H and M's latest volunteer!"

"Oh!" Her eyes widened and she ruffled through some papers on the desk. With a click of her tongue, she gathered a packet in her hands and smiled. "Here we are. Angela Duff-Valentin. First day of work, today, May twenty-ninth! Pleasure to meet you, Angela." She held out her hand.

After shaking hands, she stepped out from behind the desk and gestured that I follow her. "I'll help you get settled in here for today. Do you have any experience working at a place like this?"