Ethereal notes wafted into Damon's ears from the living room, startling him with an instrumental shriek. Esperanza was on the couch, facing the television. On the screen was a picture of a white man with a mostly bare dome but long, straight blond hair flowing down the sides and a mustache on his lip. Judging by the text on the picture, his name had been Matthew Ward and the album from which the song had been taken was "Fade to White".
Damon smiled, amused in spite of himself. Just a month or two ago, he would have found this title offensive, but now it was just funny, and that in a strangely eerie and familiar way. Matthew reminded him faintly of Lazarus and now Esperanza did too, listening to this track. It was just the kind of music that Lazarus used to play. In a comically literal sense, she was even "fading to white", with the light from the television shining onto her face. There was no laughter in her eyes, though. They were closed and her expression was that of one listening very closely. Her left hand was even clenched into a fist. Something significant was happening here. If he listened more closely, would he catch a clue?
The whispering wind / Is calling out my name again / Will I hear what He says / Or will I turn and walk away? / My spirit cries / Open your eyes / Then I realized
There was a time / A woman came to me in grief / And though we spoke / Two different languages, I knew / The Spirit came / We both were changed / Then I realized
That I can call His name / And hear His voice / That I can break the chains / And make a choice / That I can stake a claim / I've found within His name / Releasing hearts of pain with love
Keep my ears / Always open to the wind / So when He calls / I can answer back again / Erasing lies / Look in His eyes / Then I realize
...
Lord, be the strength in my life / Make me strong / I long to do much more / Than carry on / Lord, release this vessel / I have always wanted to be used of You / Come use me as You will...
Like a gravity well, the words sucked him in. A tingle ran from his head to his feet and back again. The notes became ethereal once more, then his eyes widened as the music yielded one more haunting chorus.
Oh... / Gotta break those chains / Oh...
A couple minutes later, Esperanza opened her eyes and there was Damon, his jaw hanging slightly open. She blinked her eyes a bit, then laughed. "Honey, you look like you've seen a ghost."
He chuckled. "In a way, I kinda have. Something in that song just now seemed to grip you, and I'm not gonna lie; I felt it too. First 'Stubborn Love' and now this... Is it just my imagination, or is there something big going on here?"
She nodded. "More than you might know. I stumbled across this song earlier today and it hit me right between the eyes, so I had to give it a closer listen. Even the lyrics about 'a woman in grief' and 'two languages' can be applied to us, or at least me. You remember that experience I had a while ago?"
"Yeah...?"
"Just before that, Sophia had posted some things in a code that neither of us knew, by supernatural means. Apparently Grandpa had used it in his little book that Mom keeps. Even though neither of us could literally read it, we still got visions from it. As it says in the song, 'And though we spoke two different languages, I knew. The Spirit came, we both were changed, then I realized.'"
"Whoa..."
"Exactly. 'The whispering wind is calling out my name again. Will I hear what He says, or will I turn and walk away?' I've been spiritually deaf for a long time, but now I can hear again. I don't want to waste this second chance."
"That makes two of us, babe. I haven't been this sensitive since I was fourteen. If you're looking to go deeper with God, I want to come with you."
She brightened. "Well then, have a seat! We can seek Him together, maybe brainstorm next week's music while we're at it."
He didn't need to be told twice. He sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. The algorithm suggested another Matthew Ward song: "Soft Spot". The album: "Toward Eternity". The art showed a younger Matthew watching a band of angels perform onstage. They glanced at each other, smiled, and nodded. She clicked.
I knew that I'd see you someday / But I thought that you'd give me away
Cause I, I've got a big soft spot inside / If you touch it, it makes me cry / And I've got a big part of my eyes / Caught on the sight of you, whoa...
I've got a love that won't grow old / What I've got is much better than gold...
Looking at the picture, as the music waxed warm, it was almost like Lazarus was watching them from the gallery somewhere, perhaps even cheering them on. It might or might not make the cut for next week, but it sure was a fun way to start. The vegetables Damon had been chopping lay forgotten on the counter.