Dedication: To Mistee of course, for the whole Joan/CBG idea...
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Birthday Wishes
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Once again, Joan had found herself alone. She had been sitting in the cafe for about an hour now, drinking her latte and listening to the music. It wasn't supposed to be like this, not today, not on her birthday. It seemed everyone in the world had forgotten... even Adam. He was probably off crushing metal with Iris, she had decided as she buried her head in her hands. Yup, today was going to be terrible.
Joan didn't look up when she heard the bell signaling another persons arrival. She knew whoever had came through the door was not there to see her. Depression was starting to sit in when a familiar voice whispered in her ear.
"Happy birthday, Joan"
She turned to see CuteBoy!God standing behind her.
"Thanks, but I'm really not in the mood..."
"Boy trouble?"
Joan couldn't help but laugh. A boy, one whom she found very attractive, asking about her personal problems... Sometimes it was hard to remember this handsome figure of a man was actually god in one of his many disguises.
"Got you to smile" he stated.
Why was CuteBoy!God acting so normal? He almost seemed... human. Joan shook the thought from her mind. God? Human? It would never happen... In the back of her mind she couldn't help but think of Adam and how much she wished he were the one sitting beside her right now.
"You're thinking about him again..."
"Yeah" Joan sighed.
"It's time to move on Joan."
"It's not that easy you know!" her hurt began to show through in her words.
"Calm down, Joan, everything's going to be ok..."
His voice sounded so soft and caring, not like the god she had had conversations with so many times before. There was something about him today, something Joan couldn't quite put her finger on.
Noticing the sudden depressed look on Joans face, CuteBoy!God knew it was time for drastic measures... He wanted to tell her everything that was going on, just to make her laugh for a brief second, just to see her smile, but he knew the moment was not yet right.
"Joan?" he asked, reaching his hand out to her "Dance with me?"
\\ Lying beside you, here in the dark
Feeling your heart beat with mine
Softly you whisper, you're so sincere
How could our love be so blind
We sailed on together
We drifted apart
And here you are by my side //
The music began to play as Joan, unsure of what to say, joined her hand in his and they began to dance.
\\ So now I come to you, with open arms
Nothing to hide, believe what I say
So here I am with open arms
Hoping you'll see what your love means to me
Open arms //
"You're a beautiful girl, Joan Girardi" he whispered.
"And you're god..." Joan was shocked.
"No, Joan..."
"No?"
\\ Living without you, living alone
This empty house seems so cold
Wanting to hold you, wanting you near
How much I wanted you home
But now that you've come back
Turned night into day
I need you to stay.//
"I'm a part of God, Joan. A form."
"A form of God? Right..." she wasn't sure what to make of it all.
"Think of me as a gift... for your birthday... a present you can keep forever..."
"My own personal piece of God..." she laughed "You're crazy"
She couldn't help but think about what he had just said... A gift? She knew there was something about him... this boy... he was... real... and he liked her... he knew her inside and out and yet still there he was, dancing with her on her birthday.
\\ So now I come to you, with open arms
Nothing to hide, believe what I say
So here I am with open arms
Hoping you'll see what your love means to me
Open arms //
When the song had ended both returned to their seats at the table. Joan he couldn't keep her eyes off of him. She had always had a crush on God in his CuteBoy! form... But today he was much more intriguing.
"So, I don't quite understand... You're not god? Yet you know everything he knows?"
"I am a piece of God, Joan, I know all about you, I too watched you just as God did, but things have changed, Joan, and I no longer have the powers I once did"
"So you can't read my mind? Or see me when you're not around?"
"Nope."
"Then how did you know I was thinking about Adam earlier..."
"Joan, when are you not thinking of Adam?" he smiled.
"Right now..." she smiled, slowly moving in to kiss him.
As their lips met Joan began to quiver. She was kissing an angel. And not just any angel, one sent down just for her. She knew she didn't deserve such a thing, but she was too amazed to care. This was the best birthday present she had ever been given...
There was a long pause as the two smiled, staring into each others eyes.
"So.." Joan broke the silence "What should I call you now?... I don't think I could take you home calling you 'God'" she laughed.
"Christian" he smiled, "My name's Christian"
"You want to go watch a movie, Christian?" she teased.
"Sure, what did you have in mind?"
"How about, A Walk To Remember?"
"Your favorite movie" he grinned.
"Hey wait... I thought you couldn't..."
"Old powers, remember that Joan" he cut in, laughing.
The two walked hand in hand out of the cafe. Neither had much to say on the walk to Joans home. She would have discussed herself, but he already knew everything there was to know about her. In a way, this was comforting.
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When they arrived at the Girardi house she hadn't expected anyone to be home. She hadn't gone over what she would tell her family if they asked about her mysterious new friend, she hadn't even thought it would have been an issue.
She opened the door and switched on the lights, still strongly gripping *Christians* hand.
"Surprise!" everyone shouted.
Joan looked around to see her mother, father, Kevin, Rebecca, Luke, Grace, Glynis, Adam, and Iris. The house had been completely decked out with cray paper and ribbon with balloons in each corner. A tear came to her eye.
"Wow, Um... thanks guys... this is um..." Joan was at a loss for words.
"I'm Christian, please to meet you all" he smiled.
"Yeah" she finally spoke, "He's a friend of mine" she looked at him, smiling, then turned back to the crowd.
Helen had put on some old music and there were chips set out on the stands in the living room. It had looked much like the night of her party.
"I have to go talk to Adam" Joan whispered to *Christian* when she noticed Iris had left the room.
"What are you waiting for?" he asked "Go"
She slowly made her way over to Adam.
"Hey Adam..."
"Hey Jane."
"Listen I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry for the way I acted about you and Iris. I should have been happy for you... well, I am happy for you."
"Thanks Jane... Is that your new boyfriend?"
"Oh, no that's..." She almost wanted to tell him the truth "Yeah, that's my boyfriend."
"I knew you liked him Jane, you could have been straight with me before" Adam was hurt.
"Before?"
"At the party, yo"
"Oh, Adam, he was just a friend back then..."
"It's ok Jane, I understand"
"You do?"
"Unchallenged" he smiled as Iris returned to his arm.
"Hi Iris" Joan smiled, for once not caring that the couple had been together. "Thanks for coming to my little surprise thing here."
"Happy Birthday Joan" she smiled.
Joan returned back to *Christian*. She knew better than to leave him alone near her mother. The results could be tragic. Then again, he was a part of god... he must know how to handle her family.
"Ok guys" Helen announced "This is the last song of the night, so share it with somebody special".
*Christian* and Joan exchanged a glance as the music began to play.
\\ It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart
Without saying a word, you can light up the dark
Try as I may I can never explain
What I hear when you don't say a thing //
"Adam..." Joan approached him, "Will you dance with me?"
"Sure, Jane."
\\ The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me whenever I fall
You say it best.. when you say nothing at all //
She looked over to see Iris dancing with *Christian*. She was glad she was given this once last dance to let go of Adam and come to terms with her new life, a life with an angel.
\\ All day long I can hear people talking out loud
But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd (the crowd)
Try as they may they could never define
What's been said between your heart and mine
The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me whenever I fall
You say it best.. when you say nothing at all
The smile on your face lets me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me whenever I fall
You say it best.. when you say nothing at all
(You say it best when you say nothing at all
You say it best when you say nothing at all..)
The smile on your face
The truth in your eyes
The touch of your hand
Let's me know that you need me.. //
--- That's All Folks ---