Page 31 of The Wish
‘Aw, Max, what have I got myself into?’ he murmurs.
Max rises and places his two front paws on Alex’s lap. He’s rewarded with an intense rub behind the ears.
‘Fancy a late-night run?’
Before Alex can get out of his chair Max has bolted for the front door. By the time Alex gets there he is holding his lead in his mouth, ready to go.
‘Slow down, boy. How would you like a ride in the car?’
Alex and Max drive to a park Alex has spotted near the hospital which is sign-posted as dog friendly. He’s decided his buddy should try a new place to roam free.
Leaving the car in a suburban street across the road from the floodlit park, Alex and Max spend the next hour walking, running and playing. Alex can’t help thinking of Jesse, her family and the playground he and Steve filmed earlier that day. It’s well into the evening when Alex hooks up Max’s lead and together, they cross the street and walk towards the car. Night revellers walk around them, several of whom pat Max, and he obliges with a wag of his tail and a friendly lick.
‘Alex! Is that you?’ a voice calls out.
Five women are walking towards him in the dim light. It takes him a moment to recognise the woman who called out to him. Sandy.
‘Hi, what are you doing here?’ he asks.
‘I could ask you the same question. We’ve been out to dinner and are now heading to a club. I’d invite you to join us but I’m afraid dogs aren’t allowed.’ Bending down, Sandy pats Max. ‘He’s lovely. He is a boy, isn’t he?’
‘Yes, this is Max. Wow, you look different.’
The other women stand a little way off watching Sandy talking with Alex and Max.
‘Kelly, aren’t you going to say hello?’
Alex turns to see Kelly walk from the group of women, towards them. She looks very different away from the hospital. ‘Hi, Alex, how are you?’
‘Kelly, hello, this is a surprise. I brought Max here for a run in the park.’
Kelly bends down to pat the dog. ‘Well, hello, Max. My name is Kelly.’
Max wags his tail furiously, licking and nuzzling Kelly.
‘You like dogs?’ Alex asks.
‘You could say that. I paid for my university education dog-sitting and dog-walking. I didn’t know you had a dog, though.’
‘There’s a lot of things you don’t know about me,’ Alex says, cringing as the words come out of his mouth.
‘I imagine there is. It’s good to see you.’
‘So, you’re going clubbing?’
Kelly rolls her eyes. ‘Sandy thinks I needed to get out more. Normally, I’m a stay at home and watch a black-and-white movie kinda gal.’
‘Me too, I love old movies.’
‘One more thing I now know about you.’
‘Kelly, are you coming?’ one of the women calls out.
‘I’d better go. Have a great evening, I’ll see you at the hospital,’ she says.
Alex watches Kelly join the other women. Only when they are out of sight does he open the car door for Max to get in the back so they can go home.
CHAPTER 15
