Lenore sat by the pool at the Idol mansion, her feet dangling in the water. She was lost in thought, and completely oblivious to the rest of the world.

Flashback….

Ray Parker came downstairs, only to find his youngest child, Lenore, running around in her bathing suit.

“Daddy!” The excited five-year-old shrieked. “We go swimming?”

“We’ll see,” Ray answered, picking her up once she’d reached him. “You’ll have to ask Mommy first.”

Lenore smiled and laid her head on her father’s shoulder. She was a suck and Daddy’s little girl.

Ray carried her into the kitchen, where his wife, Faye Aiken-Parker, stood by the stove making pancakes. He went over to where she was, still holding Lenore, and kissed her cheek. “Morning, Honey.”

“Morning,” Faye answers.

“Mommy?” Lenore says softly. “We go swimming?”

“Mommy has to work, Baby,” Faye tells her. “But, maybe Daddy will take you.”

Lenore looks at her father with pleading eyes.

Ray chuckles and kisses her head. “Daddy’ll take you, Sweetie.”

Lenore smiled big and throws her arms about her father’s neck. “Love Daddy….”

Her other siblings entered the kitchen then, and they all sat down around the table to eat the wonderful smelling pancakes.

Once breakfast was done, and everyone was ready to go, Ray took all six children to the Public Pool.

Jeff, the oldest at twenty-three, picked up his eight-year-old sister, Kayla, and carried her over to some lawn chairs near the pool. Amy, who was eighteen, followed Jeff, carrying their six-year-old brother, Brett. Finally, Clay, who was thirteen, followed suit, carrying their baby sister, Lenore. Ray followed all of them, carrying their pool stuff.

The older siblings, who were actually his stepchildren, set their younger siblings down, and helped them with their suntan lotion. Once everyone, but Lenore, was ready, he permitted them to go in the pool, provided the older ones watched the younger ones.

“Daddy,” Lenore whines. “Wanna swim!”

“After you get your floaties on,” Ray informs her. “You need them if you’re to go in.” he noticed then, that her one floatie had a hole in it. He sighed and looked at her. “Sit here on the chair, and don’t move,” he orders. “Daddy will be right back. Do not go near the water!”

Lenore nodded, and sat on the end of the one pool chair. She watched her Daddy leave, and minutes later, grew bored of waiting. She looked in the pool and saw all her other siblings splashing around. She looked around, but couldn’t see her Daddy anywhere. She sighs, and slides off the chair, automatically heading for the semi-crowded pool. She’d just reached the edge, when she heard someone yell her name.

“Lenore!” Ray yelled, spotting his youngest about to go in the pool alone and without her floaties. “Don’t move!”

Lenore turned and looked at her father innocently. She’d only wanted to join her siblings in the pool.

Ray stormed over to her. “I told you not to move,” he says angrily, then smacks her bottom good. “You never go in the water alone or without your floaties!”

Lenore began to cry, as her father picked her up, and carried her back to the pool chairs, they’d staked claim on.

Ray sat Lenore down on the chair. “You are not to move an inch until I say so,” he states firmly.

“Wanna swim!” Lenore wails.

“You should’ve thought of that, before you decided not to listen,” Ray retorts. “You can sit here and think about why you’re not to go near the pool alone.”

Lenore sat there in the chair and cried. She wanted to swim, and she wanted to swim now!

Clay eventually got out of the pool, and came over to where they sat.

“Aren’t you coming in?” Clay asks Lenore.

“She’s being punished,” Ray answers before she could.

“Why?” Clay wants to know.

“She tried to go in the pool alone,” Ray answers. “She knows the rules.”

Clay lifted Lenore up, sat down, and set her in his lap. He held her close and kissed her head. “I’ll sit with you, okay?” Clay tells her, but asks Ray.

Ray nods his approval, as Lenore nods to shows she understands and wants him there.

Lenore snuggles into her brother, and sticks her thumb in her mouth, sucking on it quietly.

Eventually, Ray decides she’d learned her lesson, and helps her get her floaties on.

Lenore clung tightly to her Daddy, as he carried her towards the pool. “Swim, Daddy?”

“Yes, Baby,” Ray smiles. “We’re going to swim now.”

Lenore squealed as the water touched her feet. She loved water and loved swimming.

Ray smiles as he helps his youngest daughter swim and splash around. He loved the way she got so excited about everything – big or small.

They all swam and splashed around for a few more hours, before heading off for ice cream. After having their ice cream, they went home, and Ray put Lenore and Brett down for a nap. Though, mind you, he ended up napping with them.

End of Flashback….

Lenore wiped her eyes, brushing her tears away, as she continued to stare at the water. She hadn’t gone swimming even once since the accident. This was actually the closest she’d gotten to it. She hoped her brother wouldn’t get mad the she was by the pool alone. Unknown to her though, Clay stood watching her from the one back window. He was also thinking about the same day she was thinking about.

You tell me you’re cold on the inside How come the outside world Be a place that your heart can embrace Be good to yourself Because nobody else Has the power to make you happy

Clay sang the chorus to his sister, who sat down below in the audience again.

How can I help you Please let me try to I can heal the pain That you’re feeling inside Whenever you want me You know that I will be Waiting for the day That you say you’ll be mine

Clay moves to a different spot on the stage, and goes on singing.

He must have really hurt you To make you say the things that you do He must have really hurt you To make those pretty eyes look so blue

Clays walks back to where he’d originally been, in front of the judges, and sings the last bit perfectly.

How can I help you Please let me try to I can heal the pain That you’re feeling inside Whenever you want me You know that I will be Waiting for the day That you say you’ll be mine

All the ‘Clay Mates’ screamed and applauded loudly. Once they’d all calmed down, the judges spoke.

“Dawg, I know you keep trying to get messages across to someone,” Randy started. “But I think they’re getting a little old and going unheard. To me, the song choice could’ve been a whole lot better, Dawg.”

Paula was next. “Clay, you know that I love everything you do,” she smiles. “And I think trying to convey a message to someone is a wonderful thing.”

Lenore, who was getting to be an honorable judge that night, passed her notebook, like always, to Ryan.

Ryan, who was now standing in front of the judges’ table, took it from her. “Hiya Clay! I’m a judge! Hehe! Anyway, I disagree with Randy. I hear the messages only and know yah singing to me. I gets it,” Ryan reads. He pauses then continues. “Corny song. Should’ve sang I Want It That Way. You’re real good at that one! Love you!”

Clay smiles as everyone laughs. “Love you too, Honey,” he tells her. “And thanks a lot.”

Simon, who had heard Clay sing BSB songs to his sister before, spoke next. “For once….I agree with your sister,” he smiles. “A Backstreet Boys song would’ve been wonderful, compared to that, as she put it, ‘corny song’, you just sang.”

“Thought you didn’t like boy bands, Simon?” Clay teased.

“I don’t,” Simon replied. “But if I had to choose between the Backstreet Boys song you sing to her, or that ghastly song you just sang….” He pauses. “Well, I’d choose I Want It That Way….”

Clay just shrugs, then stands there smiling as Ryan gives off the numbers to vote for him.

After Clay, was Ruben, who smiled throughout his entire performance.

Smile Though your heart is aching Smile Even though your heart is breaking Ruben gave Lenore a warm smile and continued.

…. You’ll get by If you just smile Oh, smile

The three regular judges, and the one honorary one critiqued Ruben, then sent him on his way.

After the show, Clay playfully cornered his sister. “Hey, how come Ruben got a better review than me, from you?” He wanted to know.

Lenore smiled innocently at him and wrote, Like his song more ‘en yours. Yours sucked.

Clay looked at her in mock anger. “I’ll get you for that!” He declares.

Lenore shrieks with delight, as she takes off running, with her brother chasing her, and threatening to cal upon the tickle monster.