not come easily. Her parents had been angry, so angry that they had cut her off completely. She had not heard from them since. Her friends had told her she was crazy. She often wondered if they were right those first few years. Audition after audition, rejection after rejection, each one a fresh heartbreak.
She had been so sure of her purpose, so certain that leaving college behind and pursuing her dream had been the right idea. Now that she was a part of Alvin Ailey, the most popular modern dance company in the world, and a part of something that embodied the African-American experience, she knew that she had made the right decision. When she’d received the offer from Alvin Ailey, how could she have refused? She was happier than she had ever been, family or no family. She knew she had plenty of time to make a family of her own.
She removed her skirt and slid a pair of jeans on over her leotard and tights. She stuffed her feet into a pair of sneakers and wrapped a scarf around her neck before donning a baseball cap over her ponytail. Thinking of the Indian takeout menu in her kitchen and a hot bath, she threw her pointe shoes into her duffel bag, slung it over her shoulder, and hurried out the door.
The cool evening breeze felt wonderful on her face as she walked toward the curb. She stopped just long enough to ensure that the street sign across from her read “Walk” before she stepped into the crosswalk. She did not see the bright headlights of the speeding SUV until it was too late.
Chapter 2: The Breath of Life
Amir paused outside of Shayla Gaines’ hospital room. Before his hand had even touched the knob, terrible pain wracked his entire body. It was so intense that it nearly knocked him to his knees; he found himself fighting for breath. The fact that this woman was even still alive was a miracle in itself. Amir took a deep, shaky breath before entering the room.
He was taken aback to find her completely alone, with only the buzz and hum of the machinery keeping her alive for company. Did she not have any family or friends to sit beside her? Was there no one in her life who cared enough to be there?
As he neared the bed the pain became more intense, but Amir continued on. The closer he got the more the pain increased, yet he began to feel something else as well. It was a feeling that welled up inside of him until he was nearly bursting with it. Determination. This woman was a fighter. Amir smiled; this would make his job that much easier.
He stood for a moment and watched her, trying to see the person beneath all of the bruising and equipment. Her skin was smooth and brown like mahogany where it wasn’t black and blue. Her eyes were closed but he pictured velvety brown eyes in his mind behind long lashes. He could barely see the rest of her face for the oxygen cannula in her nose, the tube down her throat and the tape holding it in place. Her chest rose and fell with the help of the machine beside her, but she was otherwise still. Dark brown hair with lighter brown highlights fanned out on the pillow beneath her head.
Before he began his work, he decided to have a peek at Shayla’s memories, something he liked to do with all of his longer-term assignments. It gave him insight on what drove people to survive and allowed him to help them draw on those things during their times of weakness. All it took was a little gentle probing on his part to learn everything there was to know about a person. He held one hand inches away from her head and closed his eyes, swiftly flipping through Shayla’s lifetime of memories.
She was estranged from her family, which would explain why she was all alone. She had become a professional ballerina after spending years in college studying business. She had been raised by affluent parents who had wanted her to follow in their footsteps and were disappointed with the choices she had made, thus the reason for the estrangement. Amir saw several past boyfriends, but no husband
She had been so sure of her purpose, so certain that leaving college behind and pursuing her dream had been the right idea. Now that she was a part of Alvin Ailey, the most popular modern dance company in the world, and a part of something that embodied the African-American experience, she knew that she had made the right decision. When she’d received the offer from Alvin Ailey, how could she have refused? She was happier than she had ever been, family or no family. She knew she had plenty of time to make a family of her own.
She removed her skirt and slid a pair of jeans on over her leotard and tights. She stuffed her feet into a pair of sneakers and wrapped a scarf around her neck before donning a baseball cap over her ponytail. Thinking of the Indian takeout menu in her kitchen and a hot bath, she threw her pointe shoes into her duffel bag, slung it over her shoulder, and hurried out the door.
The cool evening breeze felt wonderful on her face as she walked toward the curb. She stopped just long enough to ensure that the street sign across from her read “Walk” before she stepped into the crosswalk. She did not see the bright headlights of the speeding SUV until it was too late.
Chapter 2: The Breath of Life
Amir paused outside of Shayla Gaines’ hospital room. Before his hand had even touched the knob, terrible pain wracked his entire body. It was so intense that it nearly knocked him to his knees; he found himself fighting for breath. The fact that this woman was even still alive was a miracle in itself. Amir took a deep, shaky breath before entering the room.
He was taken aback to find her completely alone, with only the buzz and hum of the machinery keeping her alive for company. Did she not have any family or friends to sit beside her? Was there no one in her life who cared enough to be there?
As he neared the bed the pain became more intense, but Amir continued on. The closer he got the more the pain increased, yet he began to feel something else as well. It was a feeling that welled up inside of him until he was nearly bursting with it. Determination. This woman was a fighter. Amir smiled; this would make his job that much easier.
He stood for a moment and watched her, trying to see the person beneath all of the bruising and equipment. Her skin was smooth and brown like mahogany where it wasn’t black and blue. Her eyes were closed but he pictured velvety brown eyes in his mind behind long lashes. He could barely see the rest of her face for the oxygen cannula in her nose, the tube down her throat and the tape holding it in place. Her chest rose and fell with the help of the machine beside her, but she was otherwise still. Dark brown hair with lighter brown highlights fanned out on the pillow beneath her head.
Before he began his work, he decided to have a peek at Shayla’s memories, something he liked to do with all of his longer-term assignments. It gave him insight on what drove people to survive and allowed him to help them draw on those things during their times of weakness. All it took was a little gentle probing on his part to learn everything there was to know about a person. He held one hand inches away from her head and closed his eyes, swiftly flipping through Shayla’s lifetime of memories.
She was estranged from her family, which would explain why she was all alone. She had become a professional ballerina after spending years in college studying business. She had been raised by affluent parents who had wanted her to follow in their footsteps and were disappointed with the choices she had made, thus the reason for the estrangement. Amir saw several past boyfriends, but no husband
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