Page 56 of The Wish
The last of the breakfast trays are being wheeled from the ward when Alex arrives back the next morning. He sees Sandy talking to a cluster of nurses, charts being handed between them, and recognises shift change over rituals. He’s learning the ropes. Sandy sees him and calls out, ‘They’re waiting for you.’
Alex stops beside her. A flicker of concern dampens his sunny mood. ‘They?’
Sandy only nods, motioning him to go on down to Jesse and Amy’s room.
From the doorway, Alex freezes. Amy’s bed is missing. His heart lurches. He stares at the empty space, dread tightening his chest – until he hears Ryan’s voice: ‘About time!’
Turning, Alex sees Amy’s bed has simply been pushed next to Jesse’s. Jesse and Ryan sit together on her bed. Amy lies in hers, an IV line snaking from her arm, and Luke is cross-legged at her feet.
‘What’s going on here?’ Alex asks, unsure who to look at first.
‘Alex, I want you to sit down and not say anything until we’ve finished telling you what you need to do, OK?’ Jesse says, nodding at a chair positioned on the other side of her bed so that he will be facing all four of them – a teenage interrogation panel.
‘Umm . . . OK.’ Alex follows orders and takes his seat.
‘I said be quiet until we’ve finished!’ Jesse says to the giggles of the others. ‘You remember Sam’s drawings and Mum’s poems? And the photos and videos you’ve taken, right?’
Alex goes to says yes but sees the glare Amy is throwing at him and shuts his mouth.
Waving her hands over the drawings and poems on the two beds, Jesse continues. ‘I want you to take copies of all of these. And I’ve written down the songs of the Spotify playlists that my dad and I like to listen to together.’
Luke pipes up, addressing Alex sternly, ‘You got that?’
Alex once again goes to speak, stops himself and nods.
‘Now I’m going to tell you what I want you to do.’ Jesse pauses, taking several deep breaths. Her breathing’s more laboured than yesterday.
‘Because of my cancer my family’s been torn apart. My parents split up, but I know they still love each other. My little brother Sam feels alone because all they do is worry about me and he deserves so much more. He deserves to have a normal childhood. He deserves to be happy. He deserves the puppy he wants but is not allowed because of my suppressed immune system.’
‘That’s where you come in,’ Ryan adds.
‘Thanks, Ryan,’ Jesse deadpans. Then she looks straight at Alex. Her gaze is unwavering.
‘You know I’m going to die. When that happens, things will get a lot worse for my family but hopefully only for a little while. My real wish is for us – together – to create something that helps them through it. Something they can keep. Something that makes it a little easier.’
Alex’s throat tightens. Hearing Jesse speak so plainly about dying wrecks him. ‘Jesse—’
‘No, let me finish,’ she says, softer now.
‘Firstly, I’ve made peace with dying. The doctors and nurses can’t do any more, and I can’t fight it anymore. Believe me, I’ve tried.’ She looks at her friends. ‘We’ve all thought about it, haven’t we?’
Amy, Luke and Ryan nod. They show no fear, no sadness – just quiet understanding.
‘Everyone here on 6 East thinks about dying,’ Jesse continues, ‘or at least not being with their friends and family anymore. But you know what I think? I think death is just another transition to something unknown. My family will have to make a transition of their own that won’t include me, but they will always have the memories we have made, and with your help, Alex, they’ll get through it. They’ll be happy again, I know they will.’
Amy picks up the thread as if it’s been rehearsed. ‘So, here’s what we want you to do. Take copies of Sam’s drawings and her mum’s poems.’
Ryan chips in. ‘I know the pin number to the ward photocopier.’
‘Then, we want you to bring these and the videos and photos into the experience you’re filming for Jesse and her family,’ Luke adds. ‘However your company does it, just do it how Jesse wants, OK?’
Alex nods, already forming ideas in his head. ‘The poems – they need to be read aloud. Do you think your mum would read them? Or maybe you, Jesse?’
Jesse’s face lights up. ‘Mum. Definitely Mum. No one else.’ She extends her hand. Alex takes it and they shake. The others nod in approval.
‘You get it,’ Jesse says. ‘You see what we’re trying to do.’
‘I do,’ Alex replies. ‘Ryan, Luke – let’s hit that copier. We’ve got work to do.’
