Page 72 of The Wish
Walking slowly back out into the car park through the rain, Alex sits on his bike, staring up at the lights in Kelly’s apartment. Putting his helmet on, he slowly drives through the car park to the street. Something catches his eye in his side mirror. A wet, bedraggled Kelly is running towards him. Clicking his stand into place in one motion he steps off his bike, takes his helmet off, placing it on the seat. Swiftly he unzips and removes his jacket. As Kelly reaches him, he wraps her in his jacket, holding her close.
Kelly looks up at him.
‘I’m sorry, I’m so sorry but I didn’t know what to say, I wasn’t expecting to see you. You have to understand, my home is where I get away from my work, where I can pretend Jesse and the others don’t exist and I do that so well, the pretending. I have to, don’t you see?’
Tears now mingle with the rain running down her face.
‘But I should’ve helped you. I shouldn’t have been so hostile at the beginning, and I should’ve prepared you better, told you that you would fall for Jesse, like we all have. I’m so sorry, Alex.’
Alex attempts to wipe her tears away, chuckling at the futility of it as the heavy rain runs down her face. Letting her go, he straddles his bike. Then, placing his helmet on Kelly’s head, he encourages her to sit in front of him, nestled between his legs. Holding tight, he slowly drives to the front of her apartment building.
They walk up the stairs, his arm around her, her head resting on his shoulder. Walking her to her open door, he takes his jacket from her. Pushing her hair away from her face, wiping it with the back of his hand, he smiles.
‘I know I’ve broken every rule in the book coming here tonight, but can I ask you a favour?’
‘You can ask,’ Kelly replies with a smile.
‘I want your help with what I’ve done so far, I need you to see what I’m doing to make sure I’m doing the right thing.’
‘Of course I’ll help you.’
‘Ah, it means going to my home where all my equipment is. I can’t pack it up easily.’
‘You’re asking me to come to your place?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then you better give me your address. Let me clean up and I’ll be there.’
Kelly opens her apartment door and takes a step inside. ‘I’ll see you soon,’ she says.
She watches him walk away and disappear down the stairs. Closing her door she runs to the window, opening the curtains a crack to wait for him to appear and get on his bike. She feels genuine disappointment when he doesn’t look up at her. As he pulls away, he raises his right arm in a wave, as if he knows she’s watching him leave.
CHAPTER 30
Showered and shaved, in casual clothes and bare feet, Alex fills Max’s bowl with the appropriate dog food he bought on his way home. No one paid him any attention when he entered the supermarket, everyone there looking equally wet and bedraggled. Max has had a lovely run to the park in the rain and is feeling pretty good. He’s enjoying the amount of time Alex is spending at home. The doorbell rings and Max bounds towards it.
‘That’ll be Steve,’ Alex tells him.
Catching up to Max who stands impatiently, his tail wagging furiously, he opens the door. In the poorly lit entrance stands Steve, along with Sarah, Charlie and Phil.
‘Max, back inside, boy, go to the kitchen.’
Head down, tail down, Max slowly saunters away with several backward glances.
‘Hey, Alex,’ they all greet him.
‘I didn’t know you were all coming?’ Alex says.
‘Hope you don’t mind. I spoke to them this afternoon, told them your plans, and they asked if they could come and help.’
‘Of course not, are you sure you want to help, though? If Ian finds out there could be trouble.’
‘Let him try and do his worst. We’re here for you man,’ Phil says, showing off the three large pizza boxes he holds in one hand, and a carton of six bottles of beer. ‘Hungry?’ he asks.
‘Let me in, I’m getting wet out here while you all babble,’ Sarah says, pushing past Steve, Phil and Charlie.
Charlie follows Steve and Phil into the house, wearing a biker’s black leathers complete with a patch that makes Alex wonder if Charlie is part of a gang. He can only hope it’s the friendly kind, the kind that dresses up as Santa at Christmas and delivers presents to disadvantaged kids. He’s carrying a portable music machine. ‘Hey, Alex, I hope you don’t mind a bit of music while we work?’ He hits a button and rap music blares out.
