Angel's Demon

11. Eighteen Years Earlier -2

Soon enough the first four children returned to the ward. Jock had already moved on to the next ward he was due to visit.

Another four children were wheeled away. When they returned, another four were taken. This continued until all the children had been taken away, and subsequently returned. It had never happened like this before — all of them being taken away on the same day. They discussed it among themselves and found that none of them had had treatment at all that day, only tests.

The next day the same thing happened, although the tests were different. They didn’t want to get their hopes up. For no one to have treatment was quite unusual though. Maybe, just maybe, their wish had been granted.

On the third and fourth days the children were taken to a different hospital for the same tests that had been conducted after Gina’s visit. They’d heard the rumours that something amazing and unexplainable appeared to have happened. However, to ensure the so-called miracle wasn’t due to equipment failure, the tests had to be repeated elsewhere. The children were getting really excited now. They felt great and knew that their wish had come true.

All the miracle children were discharged within a week of Gina’s visit. It was a few days longer than Gina had predicted due to the numerous tests they underwent. They were all in remission. Everyone was at a loss to explain how it had happened. The children had been interviewed, and each and every one of them told the story of the pretty lady with the balloons. She had given each of them a different balloon and asked them what they wished for most of all. They had told her they wanted to be well, and she had said their wish would be granted.

Of course, none of the doctors and specialists believed that the lady who had visited the children could possibly be the reason they were in remission. Many of the parents, however, were happy to believe in the miracle that their children firmly professed had happened.

There would still be regular visits to the hospital for follow-up tests, to ensure the children remained in remission. Apart from that, they were free to go about their lives like other children — going to school, playing with friends and whatever other things children their age got up to.

Soon enough the parents learned that Gina was the pretty lady who had visited their children. Each child had told their parents that her photo was on the Internet, and it was from that photo they were able to piece together the miracles that followed in Gina’s wake.

When Andy’s mum, Lilly, found out that Natalie Harper — of The Chat with Nat fame — was coming out of retirement for a live interview with Gina, she knew she had to be there. She’d need to dip into their savings account to pay for the flight and accommodation. This might be the only chance she’d get to thank in person the lady who’d saved Andy’s life. Lilly had to do this.

Lilly went to Natalie’s website and filled out the Contact Us form. In the description she wrote;

Dear Natalie,

My name is Lilly Sampson. I’m a huge fan and was so excited to hear that you’re coming out of retirement, even if it is only for the one interview.

I’d really like to attend the show. It’s a long way to go, so before I book my flight and accommodation I’d need to know that I can get a ticket. Why should I be given a ticket, you might be asking? Well, my son Andy had grade 4 glioblastoma multiforme, and we were told he wouldn’t live beyond his seventh birthday. Gina visited him and twenty-three other children at the hospital. All of them are now in remission, and I believe it is because of Gina. This may be the only opportunity I’ll have to see her in person, and possibly thank her.

I know there are probably thousands of other people who will be just as desperate as me to be at the show. I thank you for taking the time to consider the request of a mother who is grateful for the life of her only son.

Yours sincerely,

Lilly Sampson

Lilly was surprised when she received a response, and even more surprised when she was told that Natalie wanted to pay for her flight and accommodation. Someone would contact her in the next few days to make the necessary arrangements.

“John!” Lilly yelled, so excited she could hardly contain herself.

John came into the study, perplexed at what could possibly make Lilly so happy. She’d already been given the best present ever — Andy’s life.

“Guess who’s got a ticket to The Chat with Nat,” Lilly said, smiling.

“What’s The Chat with Nat?” John asked.

“Men,” Lilly laughed. “Don’t you know anything? Only the most famous talk show, with the most famous talk show host — Natalie Harper.”

“Oh, one of those women’s programs,” John replied.

Lilly picked up a notepad and threw it at John. He ducked and it hit the wall.

“What was that for?” he asked.

“Never mind,” Lilly said, somewhat miffed. “I’m not going to let you ruin the good news. I’ll call one of the girls instead.”

Lilly arrived at the studio in a limousine, courtesy of Natalie, two hours before the show was scheduled to air. She was going to be sitting in the front row, to the right of the stage. If time permitted, when the audience were allowed to ask questions, she might have a chance to say something to Gina. It was exciting just to be here, to be a part of this, and to be in the presence of two great women.

When it was finally time to be seated, Lilly walked down to the front row. She glanced up to see how full the studio was before sitting down. Some members of the audience were still filing in, yet she knew there would be no empty seats. A few of the people up the back looked like ruffians. Everyone loved Natalie though, and they might have been touched by Gina just like her family had. She mustn’t be so quick to judge by appearance alone.

The warm-up person came on stage and talked to the audience, making them laugh and clap their hands. Lilly wasn’t really paying attention. She just followed whatever everyone else did. Her mind was racing. Would Gina talk about the children she’d healed? Would she remember Andy? Would she give Lilly the time of day?

Finally the warm-up man left and Natalie came onto the stage. The applause was deafening. Lilly wasn’t sure if the cameras were already rolling. She was star-struck. Someone could have stolen her handbag and she wouldn’t have known.

“Hello everyone,” Natalie called out to the audience, “and welcome to this very special interview.”

Natalie sat in her usual comfy chair. Wow they kept it, Lilly thought. Someone came and powdered Natalie’s face, to ensure there was no shine, and one of the crew adjusted her microphone. Natalie tapped her earpiece and listened intently as someone relayed last minute instructions to her.

Another crew member came out onto the stage and said, “We’re on the air in ten, nine, eight, seven, six,” he started backing away, towards the wings, and only Natalie was left on stage, “five, four, three, two, one.”

“On a day when we mourn, September eleven, someone brings a message of hope, peace and love,” Natalie began. “Today I’m going to interview the woman some people are saying is the next messiah, Gina Malakh.”

Gina walked onto the set, smiling and waving at the audience before shaking hands with Natalie and kissing her cheek. Natalie pointed to a chair and both ladies sat down in their appointed places.

Gina was looking at the audience. Lilly was willing Gina to look in her direction — she seemed to be looking at those rough types in the back row. Natalie leaned forward to try and attract Gina’s attention.

“Gina, how does it feel to have obtained celebrity status in so short a time?”

Gina turned to Natalie, a look of confusion on her face. “I’m not sure what you mean, Natalie?”

“Millions of people are following your messages and posts online. Almost that many again are posting information about you — about miracles you’re meant to have performed.”

“Oh. So celebrity status is all about how many people follow you, so to speak. I’m happy people think what I say is important. I only hope they understand my messages.”

“I have to admit that my researchers haven’t been able to find any concrete information about your past, prior to June, so we’ll need to do our research here and now. Let’s start with some basic information. Is Gina Malakh your real name?”

Gina leaned back in the chair and crossed her legs. “My full name is Regina Malakh, but everyone has always called me Gina. I like Gina.”

Natalie touched her ear, listening to someone from behind the scenes speaking to her, while maintaining eye contact with Gina. Gina smiled as she waited for Natalie to ask her next question.

“That’s an interesting combination of names you have, Gina. Roughly translated they mean queen messenger angel. Is there some significance to that?”

“You may read into my name whatever you wish. To me, it’s just the name that I was given when I was born. It was already chosen for me.”

“Where were you born, Gina?”

“In Eden.”

Again, Natalie listened as a voice spoke to her.

“Is that Eden in Australia or one of many Edens in the United States or Europe?”

Gina shrugged her shoulders and smiled. “Does it really matter? It’s just Eden.”

“Perhaps your name should have been Eve,” Natalie suggested, and the audience laughed.

“Ah, but I was born knowledgeable, not like Eve at all. I had no need to eat from the tree of knowledge, which no longer exists by the way.”

“How do you know it no longer exists?” Natalie asked, smiling as though they were sharing some private joke.

“I come from Eden, remember,” Gina laughed, and the golden sound echoed throughout the studio.

“Okay, you were born in Eden. Why is there no record of your birth, anywhere?”

“There’s only no record of my birth on paper. After all, if I hadn’t been born, how could I be here before you today? A hundred years ago in Eastern Europe it was quite common for births not to be recorded. Word of mouth was the way people learned that a babe had been born. Surely seeing is believing?”

Natalie nodded, and asked, “Do you have any family?”

“I have a very large family, though I spent most of my life with my mother and father, Helena and Danizriel.”

Natalie touched her ear again and pressed her lips together as she concentrated on what was being said. Her team of researchers worked hard with the information Gina was providing, yet it was still proving a difficult task.

“Is there something wrong with your ear, Natalie?” Gina asked, and the audience, including Lilly, laughed. “I could help.”

Natalie smiled. “Nothing’s wrong, Gina. Your mother, at least, we’ve found some information on.”

Gina sat forward on her seat, keen to hear what Natalie had discovered and if it would match up with her mother’s memories. She knew from what she’d seen written about herself on the Internet that sometimes things got distorted.

“It seems she owns a penthouse, although she hasn’t been seen there for well over a year. There are also credit cards in her name that haven’t been used for almost as long. Other than that we can’t find any record of Helena Malakh’s existence, and none for your father. Don’t you find that odd, Gina?”

“Not in the slightest,” Gina disagreed. “Have you asked me here solely to discuss my parentage and where I come from, or to find out more about the message I have been spreading around the world?”

“Originally I would have said your message,” Natalie confessed, “but when we can’t find out anything about a guest, and little or next to nothing about their family, you must understand we’re all curious.”

Natalie extended her hand towards the audience to indicate it wasn’t only her and her researchers that wanted to know more.

Lilly raised her hands above her head and clapped, in support of Natalie’s comments, wanting them to notice her. She could hear the clapping of others all around her. Everyone was keen to know more about Gina Malakh.

“Very well,” Gina laughed. The sound echoed, causing the sound technicians to shake their heads, wondering how to deal with the reverberations. “Please continue.”

“Where have you spent most of your life?”