Page 12 of The Wish
‘Kelly, listen to me. I’ve been on this ward for over eight years and you, what, three?’
‘Nearly four,’ Kelly mumbles.
‘Right. Not long in my book. For the record, you are the best social worker I’ve worked with. You have compassion and empathy for everyone, including the staff who I know go to you for a sympathetic ear.’
‘Only sometimes, and only when you’re not around.’
Sandy smiles in acknowledgement. ‘What I’m saying is that, unfortunately, there will be many more like Jesse who will come into your life. You will make a difference. But it’s not easy foranyone. You need to help guide them through this crazy world we work in. Do you get what I’m saying?’
Kelly can’t make eye contact and looks around Sandy’s office seeing Alex’s helmet on the floor. ‘No,’ she groans, ‘he’s left his bike gear behind.’
‘I’ll take care of it,’ Sandy says, collecting the helmet and leaving her office.
Alone in Sandy’s office, Kelly cringes at the memory of her confrontation with Alex. She knows she wasn’t fair on him. She probably owes him an apology. She thinks about Dean, and his reaction to hearing of Jesse’s wish, and how unreasonable she thought it had been at the time. She’s no better, she proved that today. But the thought of Jesse and how little time she has left . . .
Kelly balls the tissue in her hand. Whatever she has to do, even if it means swallowing her pride and apologising to that jerk, she’ll do it. She’ll do everything she can so Jesse can get her wish fulfilled.
CHAPTER 7
Alex strides out of the hospital, his head buzzing with all the things he should have said to Kelly. He’s annoyed with her, and himself for letting things go too far. But mostly, he feels sorry for Jesse. Why didn’t anyone explain her vision to him before he met her? Possibly because Inspire a Wish, the nurses, Kelly, don’t have his knowledge of what’s needed to pull off such a huge undertaking. They don’t understand the enormity of the work; they probably thought it would only take a couple of days, tops.
The work. Alex has reached his bike now and looks at it unseeingly while his mind is lost in the intricacies of what Jesse had proposed. It’s not impossible, but itisambitious. Too ambitious? Although he has a niggling feeling that he’s not up to the task, ideas start popping up into his mind. The possibilities are endless, exciting, even – but does he have the capacity? The skill set?
It’s only when he’s about to get back on his bike that he realises that he’s left his helmet in the hospital. In Sandy’s office. He can picture it there, on the floor where he’d dumped it. Bugger.Bugger, bugger, bugger, he thinks to himself. He visualises Kelly’s face, her blue eyes triumphant, as she silently thrusts his belongings at him, then the humiliation of slinking back outside, his tail between his legs. But there’s nothing else to be done. He turns around and reluctantly walks towards the hospital entrance once more. He’s approaching the frontdesk when the charge nurse, Sandy, comes bustling up to him, carrying his helmet.
‘Oh, thank goodness,’ she says, ‘we wouldn’t want you out on the road without this!’
‘Thank you,’ he says, his face reddening. ‘Erm, I’m sorry about . . .’
She bats his apology away with her hand. ‘Don’t be. I think we all could have handled that a bit differently, a bit better, don’t you?’
‘Yeah,’ he agrees quietly. ‘Well, thanks again,’ and turns to leave.
‘Just . . .’ she calls after him, and he turns to face the older woman. She sighs and gives him a warm smile. ‘Just take some time and think about it, before saying no. Jesse’s a wonderful kid, and we all care so much about her. Maybe there is a way to help her? Maybe if you just think about it a little more?’
Alex nods his head. ‘OK,’ is all he can manage.
‘Well then,’ Sandy says, ‘I hope to see you soon. And take care on that bike of yours, OK?’
Alex takes the long way back to work. Finding himself riding alongside the beach, he pulls over and sits on his bike, staring at the blue water, the breeze creating white tops on the waves. Above him, a hot air balloon glides down the coast. He envies the people inside, travelling above the world without a care.
As the balloon disappears from sight, Alex knows it is time to face the music. That said, he’s in no hurry and takes his time, ignoring the horns blasting at him for going too slow. Back at work, Alex sneaks into the office and to his cubicle. Dropping his helmet beneath his desk, he quickly fires up his screens.
‘So, they didn’t talk you into donating your body to science then?’ Steve asks, resting his arms on the cubicle wall between them.
‘I know whose body I’d like to donate to science,’ Alex mutters.
‘That would be Ian’s, I’m thinking.’
‘Followed closely by a certain social worker.’
Alex hasn’t heard Ian approach and jumps at the slap on the back Ian likes to greet everyone with.
‘Everything all right then?’
‘No, not really. Look, Ian, I met the girl and she kinda kicked me out. I wanted to manage her expectations – her wish, well, it’s amazing, but far too ambitious.’
‘So, what you’re saying is that you’re not up to the challenge. I should have known. All sizzle and no sausage.’
