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Nick awoke with a start and broke out into a cold sweat, his heart beating wildly. He turned to the left when he felt a presence shifting around in his bed. However, instead of a naked auburn beauty, he found a small, giggling lump under the covers. A frantic Annie appeared in the doorway wearing a blue UK shirt and green plaid flannel pajama pants. It was a far cry from the lacy pink nightie in his dream, but still did nothing to help his throbbing morning friend. “Have you seen Drew?” she panted. He smirked and pointed to the lump in the covers beside him. “Oh, thank goodness,” she breathed as she crossed the room to the other side of Nick’s bed. “Apparently, he’s gotten tall enough to open doors now, and I didn’t even realize it. I was in the bathroom, and he was out in the bedroom playing. I came back out, and he was nowhere. Sorry.”

 

“No problem.” Nick shifted around uncomfortably and bunched up the blanket across his lap, so as not to embarrass himself, then watched as Annie went into full-on “mommy-mode.”

 

“Drew! Where’s Drew?” she called out in a sing-songy voice. “Nick, have you seen Drew?”

 

“Nope. Haven’t seen him,” he played along.

 

“Oh, Drew! Where are you?” she called out again as Drew shifted around and giggled. “Well, huh. I think I’ll just take a seat here and try to figure out where he could be!” She plopped down on the bed, her weight causing the little giggling lump to roll towards her and press up against her hip. “Oh my goodness, what is this?” she asked in mock surprise as she placed her hand on him. “I wonder if it can help me find Drew!” Drew stayed still and got quiet, which to Nick, was quite impressive for a sixteen month old. She stood up and called out for Drew again, this time with a little more fervor. Finally, two pudgy little hands appeared, clutching the edge of the blanket. Nick watched in anticipation, and Drew threw the blanket off his face, laughing wildly. He couldn’t help but join him in his laughter. “There you are!” Annie exclaimed. She brought her hands down to his stomach and started tickling him, which only caused him to laugh louder. “Alright, sweetie. Let’s leave Nick alone now and go get some breakfast, okay?” She bent down and picked him up out of the bed, then set him down on the floor and grabbed his hand to start leading him out of Nick’s room.

 

“He’s no trouble at all,” Nick said to the back of her head.

 

She turned and smiled. “Thanks. See you in the studio later?”

 

“Yeah.” Nick nodded and returned the smile. “I’m excited to hear you. Brian says you’re amazing.”

 

She blushed. “Well, like I told Brian, this is for church.”

 

Once Annie and Drew were out of the room, Nick picked up his IPhone and unlocked the screen. He still had a picture of Lauren set as the background. He immediately deleted the picture and threw the phone down on the bed angrily before getting out of the bed and heading for the shower. A few minutes later, he met Brian in the hallway on the way downstairs. “Good night?” Brian asked him casually.

He couldn’t help but think about the dream he had right before waking up that morning. He only wished he’d been able to finish it. “Uh-huh,” he answered quietly.

 

After a leisurely breakfast, they finally made it down to the studio about an hour later. Annie immediately went to the blue piano, where the sheet music was still spread out from the day before. “We’ll probably just end up getting familiar with the song today, then actually get into the studio and start recording tomorrow, if that’s okay,” Brian said. “Let’s start with some warm-ups.” He started towards the piano but Annie stopped him.

 

“If you don’t mind, I kind of have my own thing that I always do. Then, we can do something together. Is that okay?”

 

“Sure. Go ahead.”

 

Annie poised her fingers over the piano keys and played a single chord, then began singing as she played. It was a simple praise hymn that Brian was familiar with from church. He and Nick watched in awe as she sang.

I love you Lord,

And I lift my voice,

To worship you.

Oh, my soul

Rejoice.

Take joy my King,

In what you hear.

May it be a sweet, sweet sound,

In your ear.”

 

When she started repeating the verse, Brian joined her in harmony, and after the both of them had sung through it, Nick applauded reverently. “You guys sound awesome together.”

 

Brian grinned while Annie blushed. “I thought we would,” he said. They warmed up for a few more minutes, with Nick even joining in occasionally to add to add to the harmony, then started working on their song, titled “I Turn to You.” “So,” Brian sat down on the piano bench beside her and started looking at the sheet music while Nick sat in a nearby armchair and watched. “I was thinking I’d sing the first two verses, then you join in for the chorus and take the third verse, then you can help me ad lib through the bridge and end. Does that sound okay? If you have any suggestions, please let me know.”

 

“I think that sounds perfect. Let’s run through it once and see how it goes.” She played the intro and Brian started to sing.

“When I'm far away from Home
And the cold wind starts to blow
When I'm empty and alone
I turn to you

When there's hardness in my heart
And I can't see the truth
And I'm wandering in the dark
I turn to you”

 

Annie joined him for the chorus.

And here in your Holy Presence
It's all that I can do
I turn to you Jesus
I turn to you Lord
What else can I do Jesus?
I turn to you”

 

Then, she sang the third verse.

For the faith to move ahead
And to let go of the past
And to see me as you do
I turn to you”

 

When she finished the second line, she felt a chill run over her, and a single tear trickled down her cheek as they launched back into the chorus. Once they’d finished and Annie had played the final ending notes, again, Nick clapped reverently. “If you guys sound that good singing it the first time, I think you’ll be ready for the studio before tomorrow.”

 

They practiced for the next few hours, with Nick throwing his two cents in occasionally, until Annie excused herself to go put Drew down for his nap. Brian sat down on the couch opposite Nick and turned towards him. “So? What do you think?”

 

“I think she’s awesome. The song’s really nice. Of course, it’s not really my style, but I like it. I really do. Did you notice how she cried the first time she sang it? Those lyrics about moving ahead and letting go of the past.....”

 

“I kind of made her sing that part on purpose,” Brian admitted.

 

Nick nodded in understanding. “Do you think she will?”

 

“Do I think she will, what?”

 

“Move on. Let go of her past.....”

 

“Oh.” Brian sighed. “You know, I hope so. A woman like that doesn’t deserve to spend the rest of her life alone. That’s for sure. But.... I’m not sure she’s really ready yet.”

 

“Hmm....” Nick tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair nervously.

 

“Hmm.....what?”

 

“Annie’s really......nice. She’s also really cute. Though, I’m not sure cute really gives her enough credit. She’s a knockout,” Nick declared.

 

“Nick....”

 

“What? She is! You can’t blame a guy for noticing. Do you think that maybe she’d....”

 

“No.” Brian interrupted him.

 

“You don’t even know what I was going to say!” Nick whined.

 

“Yes I do. I know you, Nick, and my answer is no.”

 

“B-but--” NIck stammered.

 

“No. Were you not here with us in this room yesterday? She’s a grieving widow. She’s been hurt so badly, Nick. I can’t just sit back and let you...”

 

“Let me what, Brian?”

 

“Nick, you are a serial dater. You don’t know how to be alone. And your track record....well, it’s not great.”

 

“Don’t remind me.”

 

“Aside from Paris, I have never tried to interfere in your relationships and romantic pursuits, but--”

 

“I thought we agreed to never talk about her again.”

 

“Sorry. But like I was saying, I’m going to have to interfere this time. This is Annie we’re talking about.” Brian paused and sighed. “Besides, you’re not exactly...”

 

“Not what, Brian? Her type?” Nick huffed. “I’m well aware. You remember that song that was out a few years ago? I guess it was called ‘She’s So High’?” Brian nodded cautiously. “That’s the song I hear in my head every time she walks into the room. I mean, she’s a frickin doctor. She’s beautiful.....and smart.....an amazing mother....and then there’s her faith. So what if she turned away from God for two years? I guess somewhere along the line, I turned away from Him for a lifetime.”

 

“Nick....” Brian placed a hand on Nick’s arm.

 

“I mean, I remember my salvation. I was baptized when I was only eight.”

 

“I know,” Brian said quietly.

 

 

“But, I guess God’s been out of the picture for the past...I dunno...20 years?” Nick paused and looked up at the ceiling. “Do you think that’s what I’ve been doing wrong all these years?” Brian bit his lip. “Don’t answer that,” Nick recanted. “I know what you think, but I mean, after I cleaned up my life, do you think that’s why God would...”

 

“Why God would do what, Nick?” Brian asked gently.

 

“Nothing.” Nick tore his eyes away from the ceiling and turned his attention back to Brian. “Weren’t we talking about Annie?”

 

“Uh.” Brian cleared his throat. “Yeah. We were talking about Annie.”

 

“Yeah, Annie. I know I don’t really have a chance of an actual relationship with her, B-Rok. She’s just so much better than me.”

 

“She’s not better than you, Nick. It’s just that...”

 

Nick held up his hand. “No. She is. You all but told me that. I know you care about her, and that you’re concerned about her well-being, so that’s why I’m running this by you first. You’re right. She’s not ready to jump into something, and you know what? Neither am I. I just ended a three year relationship. I don’t need to jump into another one.” He trailed off and looked at Brian expectantly.

 

“Well, go on.”

 

“So, what I’m telling you is that I’m going to ask her out on a date. I think it’d be fun. Do you think she’s even been on a date since her husband died? I mean, she still wears her wedding band.”

 

“Probably not,” Brian said softly.

 

“So, she’ll probably turn me down anyway, but I’m going to at least give it a shot.” Nick shrugged casually.

 

“Um.....okay then. Ask her out on a date. You have my blessing. Just don’t do anything stupid, okay?”



Song Credits:
“I Love You Lord” is a traditional hymn. I couldn’t find the writer without a hymn book.
“I Turn to You” is actually a song by a comtemporary Christian group called Selah. Great song if you want to look it up on YouTube or something.
“She’s So High” is by Tal Bachman, and was one of my fave songs in high school.

P.S.- Of course it was a dream!  It was supposed to have been Annie’s dream, actually, but I had the idea of Nick waking up with Drew in his bed and had to go with it!