Page 41 of The Wish
‘That would be much better, perhaps Kelly should go with you?’ Sandy suggests. ‘And don’t forget the releases, Alex, you can leave Jesse and Amy’s with me, I’ll have their . . .’ She pauses looking at Jesse. ‘Their mothers sign them.’
‘Let’s go,’ Amy says impatiently, pulling Jesse along and forcing Alex and Kelly to scurry after them.
As they walk to the garden, Alex asks Kelly if there is a room in the hospital he could borrow as he needs some video footage of Jesse and her friends and family alongside the stills. He would need to hang a green screen, which he can bring in. She tells him the ward has a conference room which only gets used occasionally – she’s sure Sandy will let him use it. It is private and reasonably soundproof.
‘What about Dean? Can this work without him?’ Kelly asks.
‘I want to do what I can and then, with help from Mandy, you, whoever, maybe we can bring Dean in later. One step at a time, Kelly.’
Kelly smiles and nods. He’s right. And she’s pulled along by the girls’ excitement, and Alex’s determination.
Today, the garden is filled more with birds than people. Alex tells the girls to pick where they want their photos taken while he sets up a tripod. He wants to control some of the shots with a steady hand – close-ups, candid moments.
As he adjusts the tripod, Jesse picks up the camera, puzzled. It’s not like her dad’s, where you look through a viewfinder from behind. The viewing screen is on top. She peers down into it, trying to work out how to frame a shot.
Alex kneels beside her, showing her how to use it. Just as he’s demonstrating, Ryan and Luke appear with a nurse.
‘Excuse me, Jesse,’ the nurse says. ‘Ryan and Luke asked where you were. Sandy said you were down here having your photo taken. They want to know if they can join. It’s up to you. I can take them back.’
Ryan and Luke have already made themselves part of the action. Ryan dives into the bushes with Amy, both of them yelling, ‘Boo!’
‘I’ve got a camera. I love taking photos. Can I help?’ Luke asks Alex.
Jesse smiles, watching the chaos. ‘They’re fine. I want their photos. We’ll bring them back with us, won’t we, boys?’
‘I’ll make sure they behave,’ Kelly tells the nurse.
‘Hey, Jesse, take a photo of me!’ Ryan calls, now wearing Amy’s hat.
Alex shows Jesse how to press the shutter. She snaps the shot.
The next hour becomes a free-for-all. Jesse plays with Kelly’s hair; the teens trade off posing and taking pictures. Kelly ends up in some, both staged and candid. Jesse insists on taking photos of Alex and Kelly, catching them mid-glance, laughing.
Amy gets creative when it’s her turn. She lies on the ground, shoots from picnic tables, angles everything.
Then Jesse hears her name, and Sam and Mandy appear.
‘We were told you’d be here. What’s going on?’ Mandy asks, grinning.
They join in the fun, and Alex snaps a flurry of joyful moments: Jesse laughing with Mandy, Jesse lifting Sam, the two girls kissing Sam’s cheeks, a sweet family portrait.
‘Mandy, Sam, do you mind if I get a few shots of Jesse with Amy, Luke and Ryan?’ Alex asks.
‘Of course not. Come on, Sammy, let’s watch,’ Mandy replies.
Mandy and Sam stand with Kelly. The other three don’t need an invitation to join Jesse and for the next while the four teenagers do what teenagers do, joke, push, poke, hug.
‘It looks like the girls are practising flirting with the boys. Safe environment to do it in with us here.’
‘I think you’re right. I also think the boys are doing the same. This is quite a privilege, being here, observing them. I feel overwhelmed at what they are letting us in on, letting us witness.’
Mandy hugs Kelly, wiping away the tear that spills down Kelly’s cheek.
Jesse pulls Alex aside. ‘Can you take a picture of me with Mum and Sam?’
‘Sure,’ he says, and snaps away. At first, Mandy is hesitant, but then she warms up, and her resemblance to her daughter really shines through, the same dark brown eyes and warm smile. Sam starts goofing around and Mandy and Jesse join in. He takes shot after shot after shot.There will be some brilliant footage for the wish here, he thinks.
Jesse breaks away. ‘My turn,’ she says, holding out her hand. ‘I want to take some pics of my friends and you now.’
