He shifted near the walls on the outskirts of the room and watched as the crowds of people continued to file slowly into the convention center. His eyes filled with tears as he listened to the beautiful song that echoed through the room. He glanced down at the program in his hand in awe of all the stars who'd agreed to participate in the event. There were singers and celebrities from various parts of the country... all willing and eager to lend their hands and volunteer for such a wonderful and life changing event. He quickly scanned through the list of musicians playing at the show that night... Tammy Cochran, who's voice already filled the center was at the top followed by Leann Womack, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts and a whole slew of country artists whose names he recognized. Perhaps having the reunion in Memphis, Tennessee had something to do with it. He scanned the list until he nearly reached the bottom and gasped softly to himself when he saw their names... The Backstreet Boys.
He had to wipe a tear from his eyes as the memory of that day in the hospital came quickly flooding back to him. They had been so amazingly comforting and wonderful that day. He'd remembered them singing to her in her hospital bed, the dark haired Latino never releasing her hand as he crooned the words to her favorite song. He smiled as the memory of her favorite song came back to him. He'd sung that song so many times since then, to himself, to his dog... to her gravestone. He'd never wanted to forget the words again. It was their song now and he'd remember it forever. Knowing that they would be there that evening, even if he knew they couldn't possibly remember his daughter, or himself, gave him an overwhelming feeling of comfort.
He was shaken from his thoughts by a tap on the shoulder. He turned quickly to see a young girl, about 15 or 16-years old, beautiful brown curls and the biggest green eyes he'd ever seen... she reminded him so much of Lauren he had to catch his breath. He nodded his head at her and smiled, "Hey sweetheart... what can I do for you?"
She smiled back at him, her eyes shone like the sun on a warm summer's day. "Are you Mark Grant?" She asked as she tilted herself back and forth from her toes to her heels. He nodded at her again and couldn't help but laugh when her eyes widened as big as saucers. "You have to meet my mom!" The young girl proclaimed as she took his hand in hers and started pulling him towards the opposite side of the room where he noticed for the first time a very beautiful young woman sitting at a table next to a young man and a little boy.
They stood up as he approached the table and the young man offered him a hand. He leaned out quickly and shook it in return as the woman introduced herself, "I'm Stephanie Planner and this in my husband Allen and our children Michael, and you've met Emily," the woman said as he turned to offer his hand to her next, "I think... I believe... actually," she choked a bit on her words and her husband placed a comforting hand upon her shoulder, "I know your daughter saved my life."
They all stood there in silence for a few moments as it sunk in to Mark's head that this was one of the recipients... one of Lauren's miracles. He brought back his hand in a hurry as he took a look at her from a slight distance and asked very seriously, as a tear trickled slowly down his cheek... "Which... I mean... how?"
"My heart." She answered steadily in understanding as she placed her hand over her chest as if to show him it was real. "I'd only been given another week or two to live with the heart I was born with... the heart that failed me," she said as her own tears started to flow. "I'd honestly all but given up when we received the call that changed my destiny." She watched as the older man's tears flowed quickly down his face... she didn't really know what to say other than, "Thank you."
She reached out to him and he reached back to her and the two of them stepped towards one another for the first time since they'd met and embraced. He tried his best to hold back the rush of emotion that wanted to explode from within him the moment he held the woman in his arms. He could feel her heart... actually feel it beating inside this woman's body. A part of Lauren... now a part of Stephanie.
The two of them sat down together at the table and discussed the transplant... the death, the horrible memories and the memories that had come because of it all. Stephanie still didn't know what to say to the man who'd made the most difficult decision in his life, to let his daughter go, to watch her die and give her away to save others... the very decision that allowed her to live and watch her own children grow. She watched the two of them, 15 and 10 years old... she could never even begin to imagine her life without them. It was tough enough to believe they'd almost had to live their lives without her.
Mark took Stephanie's hand and led her over to the wall of art and photography. She gasped in awe when she saw all of the beautiful paintings and the pictures the young girl had painted and taken before her life was ended far too soon. She walked over to the black and white photo of the beautiful girl in the middle of the wall and studied it carefully... "Lauren?" She asked as she backed away and wiped the tears from her eyes. He nodded.
She glanced over the wall of pictures again and smiled... "It all makes sense now."
"Hmm?" He asked as he looked at her from the corner of his eye... too entranced in the photo of his daughter to take his eyes away completely.
"I love photography now."
He smiled.
"I never really had the knack for it before... or was even really into it at all... but now... well I love it." She placed her hand over her heart once more and smiled as she took in the photo of the bald eagle. She sighed deeply. This girl really was a part of her now.
He heard the words when she said them... he knew exactly what they meant and why. His daughter was a part of this woman now, living on through her... living on as her miracle.
