"Joyfully now to our princess we come
Bringing gifts of all good wishes..." -- Disney's Sleeping Beauty

  

A Life Ever Changing

by Angel

#35 Princess

   

"My mommy looked like she was hurt real bad.... "

Do you think I could spend some of my money and send her some real pretty flowers? She loves yellow roses and I think getting them from me would make her happier."

Auntie Helen said, "Angel, that is a wonderful idea, we could all send her some flowers and some gifts."

Auntie Harriet said, "I know she could use a few new nightgowns, those that hospitals provide leave much to be desired."

Auntie Helen picked up the phone and pressed a button and then said, "John, we are off to go shopping, please take us to my store." She hung up the phone and said, "Angel, we girls all have one thing in common. WE LOVE TO GO SHOPPING!"

We all got excited and auntie Harriet was giggling her head off which infected us all we soon were all laughing and giggling and on our way to do some serious gift buying and shopping.

We laughed we giggled and then Auntie Helen asked me, "Angel, where do you go when you sing?"

Auntie Harriet said, "What? What do you mean where does she go?"

"Haven't you noticed when just before she sings she takes a deep breath and her eyes begin to sparkle? She goes somewhere else and when she is done singing she looks around to get her bearings again."

Harriet said, "I never really noticed all that. I seen her take a deep breath and then she pauses for a second and begins to sing."

Auntie Helen looked at me and smiled, asking me once again where I went while I sang.

I answered, "I go within, and that is where I really am. When I go within nothing distracts me and I become one with the music. I am the music. I learned it after I prayed to God one day after the kids at school were picking on me real bad after school. They made me miss my bus and I had to walk home. Some of them followed me and then about halfway home they beat me up. After they left me alone I went into the nearby Church, Saint Bernard Roman Catholic Church to be exact. It is a very pretty Church and I saw a statue of the Blessed Mother Mary with candles in front of her. Mothers always love their children very much so I asked her to talk to her Son on my behalf. I figured He would listen to her better than He would listen to me. Then I went and prayed to God and His Son Jesus. I asked them for their protection. To thank them I sang them a song and it was then I learned how to go within. I wasn't taught or anything I just knew how to do it. I sang the 'Our Father' prayer and then to thank Mother Mary I sang her the 'Hail Mary' prayer. Ever since then I always go within to sing or pray or get away from those who are picking on me or beating me up. It helped me a lot at school and afterwards. You see when I didn't cry or try to run away the kids just stopped picking on me so much. They still beat me up and it hurt a lot, but I didn't cry so they got tired of it, I guess. I would just offer up the pain to Jesus and God. I hoped that they could lessen some other child's pain by doing that. I don't know if it works that way, but that is what I do. Jesus offered up His pain and suffering to God His Father so I figured it would be all right for me to do it, too. It helps a lot, you know."

Helen and Harriet just stared at me then! Auntie Harriet asked, "Angel, honey, why do you still refuse to sing at school then?"

I answered, "Because the sister's always want me to sing all the time! They always make me sing with the girls and the kids don't like it, especially the girls. You see the girls have a special group and they really didn't like it that a boy got the lead position especially a momma's boy like me. That's what they call me, you know, that and a sissy, a faggot, a geek and a few even nastier names. I always get picked on and beat up afterwards when I sing at school. So I don't sing there anymore. The kids don't want me to, so I don't." My aunties both hugged me and kissed me then. I liked that a lot!

Auntie Helen asked me, "Angel, how do you feel about singing with the all girls choir for a Church that represents a religion you don't even belong to?"

I laughed and I kept laughing Auntie Helen gave me one of those funny looks and that helped me stop laughing. I said, "They made me a member! They accepted me as one of them! That is a big difference from school. Maybe they don't believe in God and Jesus the same way I do, but they do believe! That is the biggest and most important thing, after all. You know at my Catholic school, I am treated so different. The sisters like me I guess, but they think I am strange."

I giggled then and so did my aunties. I said, "The sisters want to keep peace so they don't make me sing anymore. They do ask me to sing with them at special Masses that the kids don't go to, though. When the girl's choir doesn't sing and it is just the sisters and the priests. They like that and it makes them happy so I do it. Mommy lets me because she likes to go to these special Masses as well and she loves to hear me sing, it makes her happy, too."

Auntie Harriet said, "So, you will only sing if it makes people happy?"

I said, "Yes, why else would anyone want to sing? I sing my prayers a lot because I think God likes it better. The sisters told me that all the psalms in the Bible are really songs. I like that! When I sing my prayers, I know they are coming from within me and I think that makes them special and they mean more to God." My aunties just stared at me again!

The car started to slow then came to a stop and the phone buzzed. Auntie Helen picked up and smiled. She hung up the phone and said, "Let's go shopping!"

John opened Helen's door and I couldn't wait so I opened mine and got out by myself. I said, "Sorry, John, I just couldn't wait."

Everybody laughed and John just shook his head and said, "In the future, Miss Angel, the proper way to exit a limousine is to wait for the driver or someone else to open your door and assist you to exit."

I apologized again and said, "I will, John, and thank you for teaching me." He chuckled and we girls entered Auntie Helen's store!

Wow, it was crowded with ladies and girls and even some men and boys! What an amazing store, so big that it would take us some time to cover the whole place! A pretty lady with just a hint of make-up on and dressed in a conservative business suit of a navy blue skirt, white silk blouse, a navy blue jacket with white hose and a pair of navy blue pumps, came over to us and said, "Helen, so nice to see you here, it has been a long time."

They hugged, cheek kissed and Helen said, "April, you look wonderful as always. The shop looks like it is doing very well, today."

April answered, "Yes, we are doing that promotion you suggested. The 'FATHER and SON SHOPPING DAYS', it has turned out to be very successful."

Helen said, "I can see that, I have never seen so many men and boys in the shop before."

April said, "Yes, with a two-for-one sale they can't resist nor shall I say the mothers and daughters can't resist dragging them to the store." They both chuckled knowing that if left on their own to decide the men and boys would hardly decide to go shopping for women's' and girls' items.

Auntie Helen motioned us over and did the introductions and I asked April, "How does the sale work that makes the men and boys come in and buy ladies and girl's clothes?"

April chuckled again. "The men and boys must be the ones to stand in line and pay for the items. That is the only way they can take advantage of the sale. We have even added a small amount of men's and boy's items for sale on these days. Normally, we offer only women's and girls' merchandise. As you can see, Angel, we have many men and boys being dragged around the store and I do believe the mothers and daughters really like doing this to them." We all laughed at this knowing that most men and boys hated to go anywhere near women's and girls' clothes.

Helen informed April that we were all here to do some "serious" shopping and April said, "Great timing, the store is open later for this sale event and Angel, you might enjoy going to the young miss section. We are promoting a new line of make-up for young girls and that includes a free make-over and if you are selected a free photo shoot."

I asked, "A photo shoot?"

She said, "Yes, we are in the middle of doing our young miss modeling hunt. This is a way we get mothers to give their approval for the initial shoot. They love to have pictures of their daughters all prettied up and we can then approach them if we think their daughter could model for us."

I laughed then. "I am already a model for Auntie Helen and a few other people so I don't think I would have time, but I would like some pictures to give to my mommy."

April looked at Helen with a very surprised look on her face and Helen only nodded not saying anything. April said, "Well, Angel, in that case come with me while Helen and Harriet do some shopping, okay?"

I looked at both my aunties and they just nodded and Harriet shooed me away with her hands and said, "I want to be able to surprise you so you just go along with April and we will find you in a little while okay?"

I said okay and went with April. She took my hand and led me through the store describing things and places as we walked. There was absolutely everything here! There was a big room that was just for children and little girls filled with jewelry and had an ear piercing station right there! All kinds of rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets, hair-clips, barrettes, gold and silver woven ribbons and bows. WOW! We continued to walk through the store and I was amazed at all that it held within its walls. A seamstress shop, and a beauty salon, places for fingers and toes to be sculpted and painted, decaled and jeweled. My goodness!

April walked me up to a section of the store where there were about twenty little girls all lined up while a few others were sitting at tables with their mommies talking to a few other ladies and filling out forms. There was a big curtain behind all this and I could hear much activity and a man barking orders to others. Flashes of light could be seen when it got quiet and I could not hear any orders being hollered out.

April walked me past this section to another room just past all this activity. I saw that this room was crowded with mommies and their daughters as well. There were several separate stations with one being separated from the others by a temporary wall with wheels on it. April took me to the other side of the wall and I saw one girl and her mommy sitting there.

A young lady was doing the little girl's make-up while chatting away to both the mommy and the little girl. The young lady doing the make-up looked up at April when we entered and they both just nodded and looked at the little girl sitting in the chair. April just smiled and gestured with her head towards me. The young lady looked at me, well, more like really looked at me for several moments and smiled nodding her head up and down several times. The little girl's mommy looked at me and gave me an evil really mean look! What was that for? GEEZ!

April interrupted the make-up session by saying, "Angie, this is Helen's niece, Angel, we will be back in a few minutes so hold the next girl in line for me, ok?"

Angie said, "Hi Angel, I can't wait to get my hands on you!"

The little girl's mommy said, "So, are we dismissed out of hand then?" She said this in a very mean tone!

April answered her, "No, not at all. You will be going to the photo section in just a few minutes, but if your attitude does not change I doubt your daughter will be called back for any further photo sessions." The lady just sat there with a stunned look on her face as April led me out of there by the hand. She chuckled and said to me, "I can't help it I just love to put bitches like that in line."

I giggled. "She was real mean and nasty did you see the look she gave me?"

April answered, "Yes, Angel, I did, she saw that you were much prettier than her daughter and she did not like that one bit."

I turned red then and just lowered my head. April saw this and lifted my chin with her hand and said, "Angel, you stop that right now! Being pretty is nothing to be ashamed of so hold your head up and just keep smiling!"

I looked at her smiled and said, "Okay, April, I am just not used to all this attention and compliments. Nobody ever said these things to me before in a nice way."

She looked at me with one of those questioning looks but when I did not say anything more we just kept walking. I kept my head up with a small smile on my face from then on.

  

  

  

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