Page 37 of The Wish
After a short while, someone comes to the phone.
‘Hi, Steve, is it? Well, my name is Ryan. I’m calling on behalf of my friend Jesse, she’s in hospital and one of your employees, Alex something . . .’
‘Oh, you know him, good. Well, here’s the deal. He’s meant to be helping my friend Jesse . . .’
‘Oh, you know about that. Well, good. So can you please tell him to stop being a moron, get his butt back to the hospital and get on with making Jesse’s wish.’
Ryan listens for a while.
‘Yeah, but he’s not going to let a little problem like her dad stop him from doing what he’s paid to do, is he?’
Ryan listens some more.
‘All right, thanks, Steve, I knew I could count on you. OK, you’re right, I don’t know you, but I was sure once I made this call, we could sort it out. Yeah, you have a word with him, andwe’ll see him back here as soon as possible. Thanks, Steve, you’re the man.’
He presses the end button on the phone with a flourish, grinning to the rest of the group.
‘“You’re the man”?! What are you thinking?’ Amy groans.
The others are in varying states of hysteria; Jesse is laughing so hard she has tears rolling down her cheeks.
‘He sounded like a dude, so I was trying to sound like him.’
‘Not a sixteen-year-old kid, huh?’
‘Hey, he’s going to tell Alex to come back.’
‘Thank you, Ryan, that was the funniest thing I’ve ever heard. But I’m pleased you’ve spoken to someone who might be able to get through to Alex,’ Jesse says, giving him a quick hug.
‘My turn,’ says Amy, taking the phone from Ryan.
‘Who are you calling?’ Jesse asks.
‘Your dad. Someone needs to set him straight.’
‘Please, Amy, don’t call my dad. You’ll only make it worse.’ Her stomach is in knots.
‘Are you sure?’
‘Yes, please don’t.’
‘Well, can I say something to your mum when she comes? Let her know that we are doing our best to get Alex to stay on the project and make your wish, and that it shouldn’t be us having to be the grown-ups, making your dad see sense?’
‘Yes, you can talk to my mum anytime about anything.’
‘You got it, sister.’
Ryan is on the bed next to Amy and they’re starting to play a video game. Luke has got his phone back. ‘Group selfie?’ he says. ‘Get in, Jesse!’
He holds the phone out and they take photo after photo, laughing together, making funny faces, pulling dramatic poses. When they’re done, they crowd round Luke’s phone, hooting at how hilarious some of the photos have turned out, applyingfilters and stamps, making the colours pop. Jesse sits back, observing them for just a moment, her friends, brought together by a terrible illness, but finding joy in being together. She’s so lucky to have them, so grateful.
‘Jesse!’ Luke’s voice brings her back into the room. ‘I reckon you should have this one made into a T-shirt.’
In the photo, Jesse is pulling a face, tongue sticking out, eyes bulging. She laughs and playfully bats Luke on the arm, turning away from her thoughts and back into the company of her friends.
CHAPTER 17
Her legs curled up underneath her,The African Queenplaying on a muted television, Kelly looks at her phone before slamming it back on the sofa. Glancing at the television screen, she plays with the remote, volume on, volume off. She picks up the phone and looks at the blank screen. Grabbing a small piece of paper from the side table she jumps up, untangling herself from a blanket and goes to the window, staring out at the night sky.
