The darkest hour can be lightened up
By someone's eyes
Peering into your heart.

***

This night was going to be one of those rare occasions when I could relax and enjoy the company of my people, far from fake smiles and empty flattery. Usually, my only escape was the solitude of my brand new, semi-furnished condo from the windows of which I could see skyscrapers and the sea - two things I still found fascinating, no matter how familiar they'd become.

Kennedy and his girl, Ellie, would have dinner with me in a restaurant downtown. I'd announce the date of my first arena show in my city - on Ellie's birthday in a few days - and the two of them would be thrilled for me because they knew the real Jim O'Brien, the small-town guy who lived and breathed music, and whose love for it was only dimmed by his love for his family and friends.

None of that happened.

It was close to ten p.m., the temperatures dropped, making the roads slippery and the pavements icy, and I was washing the blood off my friend's hands in the white-tiled hospital bathroom.

I shoved my shaky hands under the faucet and let the lukewarm water cascade over them. Then, I pressed my wet palms to my face and rubbed it, ordering myself to get my shit together.

Aiden needed me. The love of his life never made it to the fancy diner where we'd been waiting for her. Ellie had been stabbed on the dark street, and now, the doctors were trying to save her. I was in charge of helping my friend.

I splashed some cold water on Kennedy's face. Still out of it, Aiden was staring at his reflection in the mirror. I wished I could allow him to have a moment to collect himself, but Ellie's family must have arrived already, and we had to face them.

"Let's go, Aiden." I dried my hands with a paper towel and gripped the handle, ready to leave the restroom.

"Give me a minute."

Aiden pressed his forehead to the cold tiles and stilled. His breaths were irregular and shaky at first, but it changed in a while.

"I'm ready," he said, and I nodded, placing my hand on Kennedy's shoulder, gently nudging him forward as I opened the bathroom door.

The sight of two worried, pale-faced people greeted us as soon as we stepped into the waiting area outside the ER.

They were Ellie's adoptive mom, Louise, and Thierry, Louise's boyfriend and a chef whom I knew quite well.

To an extent, a gig in Thierry's bistro jump-started my career, making my band, Rebellious Hearts, reach fame and superstardom in record time.

Louise stared at Kennedy. Aiden and his girl lived together in Paris and got engaged, and Ellie's mother had yet to learn about that.

"Aiden?"

"Hello, Louise."

The awkward exchange was broken by the double doors swinging open. Two doctors appeared, and I recognized one of them. Doctor Morris treated Kennedy when he landed in the hospital after his father beat the crap out of him.

"Family of Ellie Donovan?"

"I'll be next to the vending machines," I said to Aiden. "Go."

As soon as they left, I dragged my feet to the steel box and punched some buttons to get myself a caffeine fix. There was no way in hell Kennedy would sleep tonight, and if he didn't, neither would I.

The dirty brown liquid didn't deserve to be called coffee. The disgusting taste coated my tongue, and I fought the urge to spit it out. Downing the contents of the cup, I swallowed a few times and leaned my forehead against the wall.

My mind was still reeling, and now that I was more alert, I thought about the next steps to take. I'd stay with Kennedy until his girl was out of the woods, and I had to make the call I dreaded.

I couldn't give the concert when one of my closest friends was going through hell.

My bandmates would understand. Fin joined us less than a year ago, but Jason and Nick knew Kennedy well. We'd have to postpone the sold-out show, and the mere thought of calling Wyatt made me want to throw up the shitty imitation of coffee I'd gulped down.

I could picture the throbbing vein on the forehead of Wyatt the fucker as he listened to me, twisting his golden chain around his neck, sprawled in his comfy leather chair in his high-rise office.

"Jimmy boy," he'd say, "you have contractual obligations." Jimmy boy would listen and agree with Wyatt's every word while dreaming of choking the fucker with the outrageously expensive chain he wore.

I sighed and changed my position, leaning against the cold wall this time and crossing my feet at my ankles and my arms in front of my chest.

"Hey."

The quiet voice broke through the haze reigning in my brain.

Apparently, fans could find me even here. Had it been any other day, I'd smile and greet and sign whatever the hell they wanted me to sign. Tonight, I couldn't bring myself to care about anything other than Aiden and Ellie and the tragedy that came to disrupt the fragile happiness of the couple who had already endured more heartache than most.

I didn't make an effort to hide my annoyance when I looked at the girl.

"This is for you," she said, thrusting a styrofoam cup in my suddenly useless hands. "It's much better than what you were drinking before. I got it from a different machine, the green one. The green and...big one, you know? No, of course, you don't. Anyway, enjoy. It's good. Must be, if nothing changed."

I took the drink, catching sight of the delicate, almost tiny hand with beautiful nails painted in different colors. Then, my gaze landed on the girl's face, and I stared at her like a star-struck idiot.

She must have been younger than me, at least by a couple of years. Fresh face, no trace of makeup, and the eyes. God, the eyes.

Gray or blue? No, a mesmerizing mix of both.

I glanced at the cup of coffee I was gripping, not to give myself away that much. I didn't usually stare at beautiful girls like a creep.

That momentary pause was enough for the cute little thing to grab her stuff from a chair and dart out of the room.

I took a cautious sip of the more than decent drink and then swallowed the rest of it. After tossing the cup into the trash, I went after the girl. I might have been shocked and worried, but I wasn't an asshole who didn't thank people for their random acts of kindness.

I spotted her speed-walking along the hallway. "Idiot, idiot, idiot," the cute little thing muttered as her sneakers pounded the recently washed floor.

I bit my tongue not to laugh. Very few things in my life were genuine nowadays, but the girl's reaction was, and that alone improved my mood.

She slowed down at the end of the hallway. I took advantage of that and touched her shoulder.

The girl jumped in surprise and turned around. This time, I smiled at her.

She didn't seem to be a fan. Curiosity and nerves filled her stare. What if she had no idea who I was? The distant, thrilling possibility gave me the courage to speak.

"Thanks for the drink. I'm sorry for being slow; my friend's girl was assaulted, and he went to talk to the doctor. I'm a bit overwhelmed, I guess."

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my cell, unlocked the screen, and opened the contact list.

"Type it in," I said, giving the gadget to the girl.

"What?"

"Your number. I want to return the favor, just not here."

The cute little thing nodded just barely and went on to enter a series of digits into the memory of my smartphone.

"Is Doctor Morris the one treating your friend's girl?" she asked, her eyes glued to the screen.

"Yeah."

"I heard he's an excellent doctor. She's in good hands." She handed me my phone. "Well, it was nice to meet you. Hope everything goes well."

I checked the number to make sure it was okay. It was, but she forgot to type who it belonged to.

I touched the girl's wrist, grazing her skin just barely but enough to feel how soft it was.

"Wait. You didn't type your name."

"Ava," she answered, her voice a whisper.

"Jim," I said, expecting her to recognize me and change her demeanor.

It never happened. Ava's phone buzzed, and she gave me a small, apologetic smile.

"I have to go, Jim."

"It's alright. Thank you for the coffee and the number."

Shrugging, Ava said, "It looks like you needed it. Coffee, not the number," she added, blushing. "I'd better go."

She'd made a few steps when my voice stopped her.

"Ava."

"Yeah?"

"I needed both."

***

Hours later, Kennedy and I sat on a bench outside Harris Memorial, breathing in the frigid December air. Neither of us smoked, and talking was the only thing we could do to pass the time. I could use a drink, but I doubted Aiden would be up for that.

"A fucking coma, Jim. Why her?"

"It's induced. Shitty as it is, it could've been worse. You need to have faith, Kennedy. Someone told me the doctor was good. Ellie will be okay. She has to be okay to finally marry you, little fucker."

"That's what I'm telling myself, but then I close my eyes and see Ellie there, on the frozen ground. And where the hell was I, Jim?"

"It wasn't your fault," I said, draping my arm across Kennedy's shoulders. "Do you hear me? Ellie doesn't need your guilt. She needs your love and support, but not your self-loathing. Let's take it one day at a time."

Aiden exhaled. "Thank you. You have your life, and instead, you're here with me."

"It's what friends do. Life can wait."

Kennedy smiled a half-smile and shook his head. Silence engulfed us both.

I raised my head skyward. Just as expected, no stars. Only the darkness, and the hospital, and then, somewhere under the giant pile of worries and doubts, the gray-blue eyes that hadn't left my mind since the cute little thing said she was an idiot.

Little did she know that the idiot was I.