Henry opened Beth's door and called out, "Beth! I have a huge surprise for you!"
A pillow hit him square in the face. His smile turned into an awkward, slightly scared grimace as he picked it up and tossed it toward the chair.
"It's getting irritating, isn't it?" Henry said, sitting beside her.
"Yeah, a starving artist is annoying me," she quipped.
"First of all, I mean the chemo—the side effects are a bitch. And I'm not a starving artist; I never was… well, there was a time I almost starved, but that's another story."
"Okay, sorry. And yes, the chemo is… is ahhh… an annoying, irritating bitch. But what's the surprise?"
Before Henry could answer, a giggle echoed at the door. Beth's eyes widened as she stared at the laughing girl.
"Hey, you ruined the surprise!" Henry said, playful but exasperated.
"Sorry, it was hard to keep it in. Hi, I'm Taylor, I'm here to cheer you up," she said, entering the room with her usual calm confidence.
Beth just sat there, eyes wide and mouth opening slightly, overwhelmed.
"Beth, you're staring," Henry snapped her out of it—and she screamed.
"AHHHHHHHHHH!"
The scream alerted nurses, patients, and visitors. Footsteps and murmurs flooded the hall as staff checked on Beth, monitors were reviewed, and curious visitors peeked inside. Henry and Taylor tried to explain what happened, but news of Taylor's presence spread quickly.
Within minutes, the ward transformed. Henry watched as children lined up along the hall, holding small handmade signs. Nurses clapped along with the rhythm. Even a few visitors joined in, their phones out to capture the rare event. Taylor strummed her guitar and began to sing.
"🎵 You belong with me, oh-oh… 🎵"
The kids squealed, some singing along off-key, and Beth's eyes lit up from her bed. "She's… she's really here," she whispered.
Henry moved quietly between the beds, handing out tissues, keeping small children from leaning too close, and guiding curious staff who peeked too far. "Careful, careful," he muttered, smiling.
Taylor switched songs seamlessly, pulling the children into clapping exercises. One boy mimicked the strumming on his desk, and a nurse quietly beat the rhythm on a clipboard. The ward was chaos, but a joyful, infectious kind.
Beth laughed, a full, bright laugh that had been missing for weeks. "Henry… she's amazing!"
"I know," he said, brushing a stray curl from her face. "And you get to enjoy it."
Taylor leaned down, her voice softer for the sick children at the back of the room. "Alright, everyone, quiet down for a minute. Let's do something special." She played a gentle melody, a song slower than her usual pop hits. The children hummed along. Staff exchanged amazed glances. Even the monitors seemed to hum softer, the machines fading into the background.
After a few songs, Taylor stepped back, letting the kids clap and cheer. Some of the older patients tried to sing along quietly, shy smiles breaking across their faces. Henry handed Beth a small snack he'd brought along, watching her eat between laughs.
"I'm going to grab a drink from a vending machine and check on the others," Taylor said lightly, setting her guitar case aside. "Be right back."
Henry stayed by Beth a moment longer, letting her calm down. "Feeling better?" he asked.
Beth nodded. "Much better… thank you, Henry. And for bringing her."
"Not just me—Taylor made it special."
A few minutes later, Henry left the ward to find Taylor waiting just outside, leaning casually against the wall.
"Hey," she said, smiling.
"Hey," Henry replied. "Thanks for doing that. You really made a difference."
Taylor shrugged. "I love it. Kids like Beth… they remind me why I started music in the first place."
Henry chuckled. "Yeah, but a full-blown concert in the ward? That was something else."
Taylor laughed softly. "Guess I got carried away. But it felt right."
Henry nodded. "Next time, maybe warn the nurses first."
Taylor winked. "Where's the fun in that?"
They walked back together