Voice of an Angel--A Christian Romance Read online

  Sam couldn’t deny the fact she was still attracted to his take charge personality and his genuine concern for other people. Had it not been for their religious differences, she would have dated him again in a heartbeat. They had always gotten along well and rarely argued, leading her friends to believe they were a perfect couple. But now it seemed God had other plans for her life, and she knew she needed to trust him to fulfill her desires.

  Sam glanced at her alarm clock as the time slowly came into focus. “Ten o’clock.” She kept her gaze as the neurons in her brain worked to cut through the fog of sleepiness. What was I supposed to do this morning? She rubbed her eyes, and seconds later her brain engaged like a rebooted computer.

  “Oh my gosh, the audition.” The whites of her eyes grew larger as she tumbled out of bed and made a beeline for her dresser.

  How could I have overslept? Why didn’t the alarm go off? I can’t be late for this audition.

  She scrambled through her closet desperately searching for something classy to wear.

  What would dazzle the director?

  Sam didn’t want to underdress for the occasion nor did she want to appear as if she was going to a wedding. Her eyes landed on a ruffled denim dress, one she had worn to a concert with Peter and paired it with her blue lace up pumps. She slipped on the fitted dress and laced up her pumps before hastily applying eyeshadow and a bare lip liner to complete her look. Sam preferred the natural look, and even though she wanted to make a good first impression on the musical director, she hoped her voice would make a lasting impact.

  She snatched her purse and keys and slammed the door to her sister’s condo before hurrying to her white Honda Accord. Even though the car had almost two hundred thousand miles on it, it rarely needed servicing until recently when she had to have the starter replaced. She shoved the key into the ignition and prayed that her car would get her to the audition before it was too late.

  Sam turned the key, waiting for the familiar revving of the engine as it came to life, but only a loud clacking sound mocked her ears. “Please don’t fail me now. Please start.”

  Panic set in as she held her breath and engaged the ignition a second time, but only the sounds of a malfunctioning starter broke the silence.

  Sam pounded the steering wheel with her fist.

  “Lord, please make my car start. You know how important this audition is for me. Why are you letting this happen?”

  She glanced at her watch.

  Ten forty.

  She knew it was a thirty-minute drive from Anaheim Hills to the Langdon Playhouse, and that was without traffic. But with a defective starter, how could she make it in time? Catching a ride was out of the question as all of her friends and Kay were working. That left her only one option. Grab an Uber and hope she would make it in time.

  Sam opened the app on her phone and flagged the first available ride. The ten-minute wait felt like hours as she paced the driveway in front of her complex looking for a black compact car. Finally, her ride pulled up to the curb, and she scrambled into the car.

  Sam looked at the driver who couldn’t have been more than a few days past his eighteenth birthday. “I need to get to the Langdon Playhouse before twelve. How fast can you get me there?”

  The Asian driver with spiked hair pulled his lips into a wide grin. “Oh, I no drive fast. Very dangerous and no good for insurance. I get you there safely.” He gave her a slight nod and slowly pulled the sedan away from the curb as if he was taking his first driving test.

  Sam couldn’t believe her luck. Of all the Uber drivers in Orange County, she was lucky one to land one that drove like an old lady. Her hopes of getting to the audition were fading fast, but she wasn’t ready to give up so quickly.

  “Please, you don’t understand, I have to get to a very important audition. This is my chance to become famous. You have to get me there faster.” Sam looked at him with desperate eyes.

  The driver smiled into the rearview mirror and pointed to himself. “Aki is good driver. No accidents yet. I get you there safely.”

  Sam watched with disbelief as Aki kept the sedan barely over the speed limit. At the rate they were going, she would barely make it to the audition in time. She had to figure some other way to make him drive faster.

  “Look, I’ll pay you an extra twenty dollars if you can get me to the playhouse by eleven thirty.”

  “Twenty dollars? Oh sorry, if I get ticket, it will cost me more.”

  Sam searched through her wallet and pulled out her largest bill. “One hundred dollars then.” She waved it in front of Aki. “I’ll give you one hundred dollars if you can get me to the playhouse by eleven thirty.”

  Aki’s eyes widened with excitement. “One hundred dolla’s?” He snatched the bill from her hand and flashed his brownish yellow teeth at her. “Aki now learn how to drive fast.”

  Sam sank deeper into her seat as Aki gunned the engine to fifty miles per hour, and the sedan shot through the winding canyon road toward the 91 Riverside Freeway onramp. The fastest route to the playhouse required them to transition through the 55 Newport Beach Freeway where there was always congestion. She could only hope there would be no traffic today.

  Her body tossed like a rag doll, the knuckles on her hand turning white as she tried to maintain a grip on the handrail.

  Please God, get me to the audition in one piece.

  “You okay?” Aki shouted above the hum of the engine.

  Sam nodded. “Yes, I’m fine. How are we doing on time?”

  Aki glanced at his clock on his dashboard. “We doing fine. Aki get you there by eleven thirty.”

  The tires squealed in protest as the Maxima swerved onto the 91 freeway and barreled toward the transition of the Newport Beach Freeway. Sam glanced nervously at her watch. The minutes were ticking away, and by her calculations, they would arrive with just enough time for her to audition, as long as there were no accidents.

  She closed her eyes and exhaled like a mother in labor as she tried to relax her body.

  Everything is going to be alright, Sam. There’s no need to worry. You’re going to nail this audition.

  She had to believe that. The next few hours would determine the future of her singing career, and Sam didn’t know how she would handle the disappointment if she failed the audition. Her thoughts were interrupted by the high-pitched sound of Aki’s voice.

  “Oh oh, this not good.”

  Sam’s eyes snapped open as her body lunged forward. She could feel the car’s momentum come to a halt, and she knew something was wrong.

  “Sorry Lady, but I see accident up ahead.” He pointed past the windshield toward the line of flashing lights in the distance.

  Sam’s throat tightened, and her stomach burned as if she had ingested a bottle of chili sauce. Her gaze traveled over the sea of cars, and she knew her chances of making the audition were slim unless she came up with some other plan.

  “Can we take the streets?”

  Aki sat quietly for a moment before answering. “Yes, Aki know another way. Aki no guarantee you make appointment on time, but we try.”

  “Yes, we have to try,” Sam said as she began to pray for a miracle.

  Chapter 9

  Joshua impatiently tapped his pencil on the clipboard in his lap. This was the seventy-eighth and final audition scheduled for the morning, and he couldn’t wait for everything to be over. While two candidates looked promising, the rest including the frumpy woman in front of him, needed to get a serious reality check and pursue some other passion.

  He squinted as another shrill sound assaulted his eardrums, and he wasn’t sure he could survive another minute of the woman’s voice. Even though he wanted to tell the woman she had a better chance of getting a job at Burger Basket, his professional attitude forced him to smile throughout her entire performance. Joshua would have gladly suffered through four long minutes of a shrieking air raid siren than torture himself by listening to the woman sing.

  He glanced at his w
atch.

  It was eleven forty-eight, and in twelve minutes the circus of performers would be over, and he and Mary would choose one lucky singer to join their prestigious group.

  Mary leaned closer and whispered into his ear. “I don’t know who told that woman she can sing. Doesn’t she have any sense of dignity?”

  “At least she has the guts to sing and be proud of it.” Joshua kept the smile plastered on his lips. “You couldn’t pay me a million dollars to get up there and sing with a voice like that.”

  Mary shook her head. “I can’t get over how their families shelter them from the truth. Don’t they know it’s creating a false hope?”

  Their conversation was interrupted by a final off pitch note.

  Joshua stood to his feet. “Thanks for auditioning, Morgan.” He glanced over at Mary. “You definitely made a lasting impression on Mary and me.”

  “Thank you Mr. Davis and Ms. Turner. You don’t know how much it means to me being able to audition in front of both of you. I won’t disappoint both of you. I promise I’ll sing just as good as Rachel. I have another song I can sing for you if you’d like.” She flashed a crooked smile and opened her mouth to continue.

  Joshua interrupted with his hand in the air. “Oh no, no, no. That won’t be necessary, Morgan. I think Mary and I have heard quite enough.” His gaze drifted next to him.

  “Yes, Morgan, Mr. Davis and I feel you have a unique voice, but unfortunately, it’s not what our group is searching for. I’m sorry.”

  Morgan played with her hands as she lowered her gaze to the floor. “Oh, but I thought you liked my singing.”

  “Morgan, can I be totally honest with you.”

  Joshua gave Mary a what are you doing glance, but she ignored him.

  “You look like a very nice girl. But the truth is, Women of Grace only accept singers with exceptional talent. And honestly, Dear, you should seriously consider a career in something else. With a voice like yours, you’d be lucky if the city gave you a permit to busk.”

  Morgan stood silent for a moment as her lips turned down into a frown, and she wiped a hand across her eyes. Seconds later, her chest pushed forward. “My parents say I have talent. You two don’t know what real talent is. Just watch, I’ll become famous someday, and I’ll do it without this crummy group.” Then she turned and stomped off the stage.

  “Whew, that was awkward.” Joshua sank back into his seat and pressed his fingertips together. “You could have let the poor girl down easy.”

  “And let her live in a delusional fantasy? Sorry, someone had to break the bad news, so it might as well be me.”

  “You were never one to mince her words,” Joshua said as he began gathering his belongings.

  “Sometimes we have to be direct when people are clueless. It’s saving them a lot of misery and humiliation in the end. Why give her a false hope?”

  “I get your point, Mary. I just felt sorry for the girl, that’s all.

  “Music is a tough business, and the sooner that girl finds out, the sooner she can move on with her life.”

  Joshua knew there was nothing to gain from belaboring the point. “Are we done for the day?”

  Mary glanced at the list in her lap. “Looks like it. Stephanie mentioned something about a woman she met at the playhouse, but it looks like she flaked out. I think that’s it.”

  “So it looks like it’s down to Susan or Karen. I’m leaning toward Susan. She may not have as much experience, but she’s got a strong soprano voice. I think she has potential. What do you think?”

  “I like Susan, but she lacks stage presence and confidence. On the other hand, you can tell Karen engages the audience. The only problem is, she isn’t a true soprano. She can’t sustain the high notes.”

  “I say we give Susan a chance. I think she’s workable, and I know a professional who can improve her stage presence.”

  Mary looked at him with questioning eyes. “Are you sure about this?”

  “I’m confident I can make her into a star. I believe in giving people a chance. You can fix stage presence, but you can’t fix a mediocre voice.”

  Mary stuffed a stack of papers into her portfolio and shouldered her purse before gazing into his eyes. “Alright, I’ll trust you on this one. You know how important it is we find the right person before we go on tour in a few months.”

  “I know we’re facing a deadline. But you know I always come through.”

  “You’ve always been good about that.” The lines on her face softened, and it seemed the tone of her blue eyes deepened. “Hey, what do you say we grab a bite to eat? I know a great sushi place down the street where we can have dinner and maybe catch up on old times.”

  Joshua was surprised by the sudden change in her personality. It wasn’t often she would let anyone see the feminine side of her. “Sure, that sounds great. I just have a few more things to discuss with Jacob in his office, and then I’ll meet you there in twenty minutes.”

  “Alright, I’ll see you soon.” As Mary made her way to the back of the playhouse, he couldn’t help wondering what hidden agenda Mary had for asking him to dinner. Was it work related? Or was it something more personal? Whatever it was, he would find out soon enough.

  Chapter 10

  “Drop me off right here,” Sam shouted as the Maxima approached the historic white building that housed the famed Langdon Playhouse. Established in 1929, its horseshoe stage hosted countless plays and concerts for the Newport Beach community, and this would be Sam’s first visit to the historic landmark. Before Aki could finish his goodbye, she slammed the car door and rushed past a set of stained wooden doors which led into a quiet lobby. Her gaze darted around the large room hoping to catch a glimpse of Mr. Davis just in case the auditions went overtime. But there was no sign of life.

  Her stomach began to churn as she glanced at the time on her watch. It was twelve twenty, and even though Aki did a respectable job navigating around the accident, nothing could change the fact she was late for her audition.

  It was your fault. How could you oversleep? Now you’ve lost the opportunity of a lifetime.

  But Sam refused to acknowledge defeat. There had to be a way to get a second chance. She hoped that maybe Stephanie could convince Mr. Davis to give her a second chance.

  Maybe they’re still inside the auditorium discussing the auditions.

  Sam tried to remain hopeful. If God had brought her the opportunity of a lifetime, why wouldn’t he make it happen? Why would there be an accident that made her late? Nothing made sense to her as she walked with a hopeful heart into the auditorium.

  But as her gaze traveled to the dimly lit stage and back, her heart dropped like a stone. There was no sign of Mr. Davis or any auditionees in the three-story room. A wave of disappointment washed over her as the consequences of her late start and the accident set in. She had blown her biggest break, and who knew how long it would be before she would come across a similar opportunity. One, three, or maybe seven years later? She had come so close to fame, the good life, and living her lifelong passion. And now it had slipped through her fingers.

  A part of her couldn’t help imagining the thrill of singing onstage beside the famous women all fancied up in their flowing evening gowns. She knew the lyrics to most of their popular songs and had even chosen one to use for the audition. But the closest she would come to that dream was singing a solo alone on that stage.

  Sam closed her eyes and tried to imagine the moment. She pictured a sea of devoted fans waving their hands in the packed auditorium as she prepared to sing the hit song Your Unfailing Love. She could feel the energy of the crowd and the floor shake as the music started to play. The show of overhead lights dazzled the crowd as she gracefully walked through a pillowy layer of fog toward center stage. She could feel the silky softness of her lace gown caress her skin and her straight blonde hair flow freely behind her. Sam pictured a microphone in one hand as she prepared to sing. Then she tilted her head and let her silky voice flow pas
t her lips.

  Chapter 11

  “How did it get so bad?” Joshua looked at Jacob as if he had just been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

  His longtime friend ran a hand over his smooth head. “The theatre industry has been declining over the last ten years, and it’s been getting harder and harder for me to keep up with the mortgage on this place. I’m almost to the point of defaulting on the loan, and now that Peggy has health issues, I’m almost ready to walk away from this place.”

  Joshua could see the deep wrinkles around Jacob’s colorless eyes, and his heart sympathized with the magnitude of his friend’s burden. His father and Jacob had been longtime friends in the entertainment industry, and Joshua could remember the days of playing hide and seek in the auditorium when his father would visit.

  He wrapped an encouraging arm around Jacob’s hunched body. “Don’t worry, trust God with the outcome. If he wants you to keep this place open, he’ll make it happen somehow. Maybe we can look into a campaign for donations to help keep this place open.”

  A sigh escaped the old man’s lips. “That sure would be nice if the community could keep this place alive. It’s got a long history of providing happy memories for a lot of residents. If that doesn’t work, I’m pretty much finished. Peggy comes first before all of this.” He waved a hand across the room.

  “I’ll make a few phone calls and see what I can do.” Joshua patted the owner on the back. “Just hang in there, Peggy and the playhouse are going to make it.” He took a step toward the door. “Now, I’ve got a dinner date with Mary to get to.”

  “Tell her I said hello and that she should come visit me and Peggy sometime.”

  “I will.” Joshua said goodbye to Jacob and headed for the entrance. He knew Mary was probably at the restaurant already, and he didn’t want to keep her waiting. He figured they would probably laugh over the day’s auditions and discuss how to transition Susan into the group.