Page 34 of The Wish
Kelly sighs. ‘I think everyone has tried talking to him. He’s just not budging.’ She pulls the sleeves of her cardigan over her hands, a habit that she’s had since she was a child. ‘Last night, they almost came to blows. And that’s why Dean has told the staff not to give Alex access.’
George’s expression is serious. ‘You all want to help Jesse, but you’re coming at it from different directions.’
‘It should be what Jesse wants, right? She should have the final say.’ Kelly puts her head in her hands. ‘I just don’t know how I feel about going against her father’s wishes, however much I disagree with him.’
George nods. ‘What are you going to do?’
Kelly sits up, takes a long deep breath. ‘I have to talk to Jesse; I’ve got to tell her about her father refusing Alex access to her and see if there is something else, anything else, we can offer her.’
George reaches over and pats Kelly’s arm. ‘You’ve got this. And if you need some support, you know where I am.’
Kelly smiles wanly and stands up to do what she has to do.
In the hospital parking garage, Alex sits on his bike, helmet in hand, not knowing what to do, where to go. He’s been drawn into the world of Jesse, her family and friends, and then there’s Kelly. Why does she mess with his head?
‘You all right, mate?’ a passing stranger asks. In this location this is a perfectly understandable question to ask. Everyone coming and going from this car park is a patient, friend or family member of a patient. Compassion and empathy come with admission.
‘Yeah, fine, thanks,’ Alex responds, putting his helmet on and pulling the visor down, covering the eyes that threaten to make a liar out of him.
Exiting the hospital grounds, Alex turns away from the direction of his office and heads to the beach.
Kelly pauses in the entrance to Jesse’s room, unobserved.
Jesse is sitting on Amy’s bed, showing her Sam’s latest pictures. A piece of paper with neat feminine writing falls from the pile she is holding.
Amy picks it up and begins reading. ‘What’s this? Did Sam do this?’
Jesse looks up. ‘No, that’s from Mum, another poem.’
‘They’re so personal.’
‘Yeah, they are.’
‘Then why do you have them on your board where anyone can see?’
‘Dunno. I guess I can lie here, look over there and see them and in my head read them. I know them all off by heart.’
‘Oh, Jesse, that’s so beautiful.’
‘I’ve seen Dad look at them, but I don’t think he’s ever read them. I showed one to Alex and he seemed to get upset.’
Kelly shifts uncomfortably – maybe it’s time that she announces her presence.
‘I thought the last one you showed me was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever read. This is, well, it’s your mum and your relationship in the most beautiful words,’ Amy says, wiping a tear away.
‘I showed Alex the other one.’
‘You what? You let him read a poem your mum wrote about her love for you?’
‘Well, yeah, what with him losing his mum so young, I thought maybe he might like to read what mine writes.’
‘Or get totally freaked out and upset. I don’t think that was such a good idea, Jesse.’
‘What’s not a good idea?’ Kelly says, full of smiles as she joins the girls at Amy’s bed.
Jesse quickly grabs the poem from Amy’s hands.
‘Hi, Kelly, nothing, we were just talking,’ Jesse hurriedly says.
