Page 55 of The Wish
CHAPTER 22
Parking his car once again in the main entrance to the hospital, Alex runs inside, returning with a wheel-chair. The security guard from the early morning stop approaches apologetically, telling Alex he can’t leave his car at this time. But he knows what Alex has just done for this girl, who he’s got to know over the past few years, and he wants to help. Asking for Alex’s car keys, he offers to park it for him, telling Alex to come to the security office next to the emergency department to get them when he is ready to leave.
‘Valet service. Nice. That’s never happened before,’ Jesse says, impressed.
‘Stick with me, kid, and you’ll get the VIP treatment,’ Alex tells her, giving the wheelchair a nice 360-degree spin as they head reluctantly back into the hospital and make their way to the lift.
As they arrive back at Jesse’s room, they find Amy sitting on her bed playing with a bowl of ice cream, pushing it around, showing no interest in eating it. Jesse calls out to her.
‘Amy, you’ll never guess where Alex took me!’
When Amy doesn’t reply, Jesse struggles to get out of the wheelchair, pushing away Alex’s help.
‘Hey, girl, are you OK?’ Jesse says as she shrugs off her coat, dropping it on the floor, climbing onto the bed with Amy.
‘How about I leave you two alone?’ Alex says, seeing there is no place for him in the conversation that’s about to happen.
‘Alex, wait, can you come back tomorrow morning? Before I leave,’ Jesse asks, stopping Alex in his tracks. He walks over to Amy’s bed.
‘Of course.’ He looks from Jesse to Amy and back. ‘Leave? Where are you going?’
‘Home,’ Jesse tells him.
Confused, Alex keeps looking from one girl to the other.
‘There’s no point in my being here, but I still need to see you about my wish.’
‘But Jesse, I’m not sure I can . . .’
‘Today, out there, I realised just what we have to do. Please, Alex, come back tomorrow morning.’
Alex stares at the teenage girl, with more bravery than he can imagine and barely manages a whisper. ‘OK, OK, I’ll be here. I’ll see you tomorrow morning, right now I have to find Kelly.’
For the first time since they have entered the room, Amy looks at them with a smile and in a quiet voice manages a joke. ‘Oooh, Kelly, I told you, Jesse.’
Making no attempt to hide his smile, Alex chuckles, ‘See you, girls.’
‘WE’RE NOT GIRLS!’ comes the exasperated chorus.
Still smiling, Alex waves to the nursing staff as he passes their station. The assembled staffs’ faces show surprise before exchanging looks as he strides past. They all know he is on the ward to make Jesse’s wish, have accepted his lanky and slightly gloomy presence. But seeing him bounce past with a huge grin on his face is something very new.
Whistling now, Alex makes his way down to the social work department. The receptionist sees his smile and, without question, buzzes him into the department from her desk, with a knowing smile. He remembers which office is Kelly’s, three down on the right.
Kelly is tapping away on her computer when she senses a presence. Looking up, she sees Alex leaning against the door frame, a silly smile on his face. She smiles back, waiting for him to say something or come into the room. Alex looks down at the well-worn carpet tiles that are so desperately in need of replacement. Kelly’s smile fades as she puzzles over what is happening. Before she can say anything, Alex looks directly at her, smiling broadly before turning and walking back the way he came.
Kelly trips over computer cables as she rushes to the door, only to see his retreating back and the door to the department closing behind him.
‘Damn it, I wish he wouldn’t do that,’ she says to the closing door.
‘Getting to you, is he?’ George asks from the office opposite. He has watched the interaction play out.
‘He’s so, so exasperating,’ Kelly stammers at him.
‘Looks like Kelly’s met her match to me.’
Shaking her head, still trying to process a smiling Alex, Kelly returns to her desk. Turning her chair around she looks out the window. Why does the sky seem bluer today, the sun brighter, the flowers in the garden below more vibrant? She finds herself smiling as she gazes out the window.
CHAPTER 23
