Amanda scrolled through all the pictures she found online and tried to absorb every little detail of the beautiful, well dressed woman whose images she had searched for.
There were photos from events, taken on the street by paparazzi, official album covers, big ones, small ones, a wealth of images she could browse through in her quest to know more about the world famous singer.
Not more than a month ago Amanda had no idea that Rose Delil even existed, but then she had entered her life with a bang and everything had changed, had been illuminated and improved.
Amanda could remember the moment all too well. She was in the small laundromat where she was working, Mighty Spin, and life seemed to drag its feet, as it did most often than not. She had just had words with some obnoxious teenagers messing about the place and behaving badly.
She had got rid of them but the feeling of uneasiness lingered. There she was, a woman in mid-thirties, not too bad but not great either, wasting her life away while watching people without a washing machine trying to clean their bundles of rags.
She was crumbling inside without a way to build herself up. That is when she heard her. Rose Delil’s voice filled the room from one of the phones belonging to the customers there.
She went closer and saw how the owner wanted to take it away but she gestured him to stop and she just sat on a chair to hear better.
Angels do walk among us. In this instance the angel was singing and was addressing Amanda directly. The divine voice sliced like a laser through all the fogginess and despair, waking up feeling in a heart that had felt brutified for way too long.
That evening at home she listened to that song on repeat until she fell asleep. Each time she heard it a bit more of the pain she was feeling faded away. The effect was nothing short of a miracle.
A few days later, empowered by the words of the song Amanda asked her boss for a raise. She had never done that in the three years she had been there. Surprised, but understanding he confirmed it with his Center and then agreed to it.
It was way higher than Amanda could have hoped for. When work was done he told Amanda that his family is celebrating his wife’s appointment as CEO of a new charity organization and they would be delighted if she joined them.
She was suspicious, but she hadn’t had the opportunity to dress up in so long that she accepted. At home she dressed up while listening to Rose. Now she expanded her song list. She had found an amazing playlist on YouTube and with every new song she felt like they were building her self up even more.
The party turned out to be lovely. Everybody was so nice, and her boss did actually have a wife that had become the CEO of a fancy new charity organization. When she was introduced, Amanda heard the encouraging lyrics of one of the songs in her mind, so she stifled her natural awkwardness, made polite conversation behaving as normal as she could without talking loudly and making self deprecating jokes as she would usually do at busy gatherings.
A nicely dressed man offered her a drink and asked all sorts of questions about her. She was flattered and a bit tipsy. When he offered to take her home she accepted gladly as taking the bus really did not appeal to her at all. Especially in that getup.
When he stopped in front of her apartment building she was thrilled to see him leaning over and gently kiss her. That is when she saw a tan line on his ring finger.
‘Are you married?’, the voice she heard sounded nothing like her own although she was the one that had uttered the words.
‘Oh, don’t worry about that! What she doesn’t know, doesn’t hurt her!’, his coldness made the frail bond that she felt for him crack and shatter.
‘I have to go!’, she made to get away but the seat belt pinned her into place.
‘Come on! Don’t pretend to be a prude! A woman your age?! You know you want it!’
And without waiting for a reply he got even closer and pulled her to him.
The old Amanda would have agreed, the old Amanda would have went along convinced that there wasn’t anything better for her out there.
The new Amanda though found strength where she did not know any existed and sunk her nails into the soft skin of his throat.
Mostly surprised than in pain he pulled back allowing her the space to undo her seat belt and get out of the car.
She ran into her building and once behind the big, secure door she allowed herself to pause and breathe.
He did not follow her, she saw him swearing and then leaving the parking lot in haste.
In her little flat she sat on the couch and was shocked.
She had fought back. For the first time in her life she had fought back and had refused to be made a victim of.
‘So that is how you do it and this is how it feels … to be in control of yourself and your life!’
She undressed listening to Rose and then for the first time in a long time she slept a restful sleep.
The following day, in work, her boss told her that his wife was so taken with her that she would love it if Amanda would come and volunteer a few hours a week with her. Learn the ropes, and if ever she is interested to change jobs, who knows.
Amanda accepted gladly with Rose quietly encouraging her.
Angles do walk the earth, and, shockingly, sometimes, they lie within.