Page 104 of The Forever Gift

‘It was your idea to allow Kayla to participate in Sports Day, remember?’ I say, which isn’t entirely true.

Gavin and I had a lengthy discussion about whether or not to allow her to take part after the school phoned me to let me know that, asAiden said, they were holding a fundraiser in her honour. Kayla was all for it, of course. Until she realised that she wouldn’t actually be able to take part in any of the games – just watch. But she hid her disappointment admirably and insisted she was well enough to go.

Gavin and I both reached the same verdict – that it was just too much for her – but Kayla enlisted the help of Jack who seemed to concur with our excitable fifteen-year-old that it wasn’t really a terrible idea. I had a million questions I wanted to ask Jack, but I found only a single desperate request tumbling out of my mouth.

‘Will you come?’

Jack looked shocked. And he didn’t answer at first. We’re barely speaking since our awkward kiss. He almost always has a nurse or a barrage of student doctors with him when he comes by to check on Kayla now. Kayla thinks it’s just coincidence but I’m pretty certain he doesn’t want to be alone with me. To say I was surprised when he rang me to explain that he’d moved a few things around and he’d be happy to join us for Sports Day is an understatement. I was so relieved at first. Jack will be there to keep an eye on Kayla if she becomes overwhelmed or tired and he’ll know what to do if she takes a bad turn. But it also means that Jack will be there watching me too. We can’t all fit in Gavin’s car, so Jack kindly offered to take Kayla and me with him. I know it’s for the best – Gavin would probably drive off the motorway with panic if Kayla so much as fainted. Jack is the best person to travel with. He’s also the worst and this is all so bloody intense I wish I had never agreed to any of it.

You’re doing it for Kayla. It’s all for Kayla,I tell myself as the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafts towards me instantly lifting my mood.

‘We’ll need to go soon,’ Gavin says. ‘We want to get ahead of the traffic. We’ll drop you to the hospital, Heather, and go straight from there.’

‘Thanks,’ I say, hoping Charlotte is going to pass me a cup of coffee soon. I can see three full cups waiting on the countertop and I don’t feel as if I can just take one, no matter how desperate I am.

‘Don’t we have time for breakfast?’ Charlotte says, unimpressed.

‘Toast to go,’ Gavin says.

‘I’m hungry,’ Molly says. ‘I want dippy eggs.’

‘How about a muffin?’ Gavin says.

‘A chocolate-chip one?’ Molly chirps, suddenly bright-eyed and awake.

‘That’s okay, Heather, isn’t it?’ Gavin asks. ‘I mean, there’s still enough for the kids at the school, right?’

I sweep my eyes over the countertop laden with confectionary. ‘There’s plenty. Actually, we could all have one now. With our coffee,’ I say, dropping a hint and practically pleading with Charlotte to pass me a cup.

‘I really don’t think chocolate for breakfast is a good idea,’ Charlotte says.

‘Please, Mammy. Oh please, please. I’ll be the bestest best girl today. Please. I super love Heather’s muffins.’

‘I don’t think a few chocolate chips is going to cause any cavities, Charlie,’ Gavin says, rolling his eyes. ‘Go on, Molly. But just for today, eh? It’s back to Mammy’s yummy five-grain bread tomorrow, okay?’

Molly sticks out her tongue and I don’t blame her. Yummy and grains should never be used in the same sentence. Molly hops down from her chair with a burst of energy that defies how lazy and sluggish she pretended to be just moments ago. She reaches the counter and looks up at all the treats, but she doesn’t reach up to help herself.

‘Would you like a chocolate-chip muffin or a chocolate brownie?’ I ask.

‘A chocolate-chip muffin,’ Molly says, her eyes twinkling with excitement. Her happiness is quite contagious, and I find myself looking forward to my muffin too.

I reach towards the back of the countertop and pick out the muffin with the most chocolate chips and I bend over to pass it to Molly. Unexpectedly, Molly wraps her chubby little arms around my neck and says, ‘Yummy. Thank you, Heather.’

Even more unexpectedly, I begin to cry as I hug her cozy little body back. ‘You’re very welcome, Molly,’ I say. ‘You’re such a good little girl. Just like your big sister.’

Gavin clears his throat. ‘Excuse me,’ he says, leaving the room, and I know I’ve upset him.

Charlotte goes after him.

‘You can sit aside me,’ Molly says, letting me go and pointing to the table.

‘Thank you, Molly,’ I say, taking a muffin with considerably fewer chocolate chips for myself and, unable to hold out any longer, I take one of the cups of coffee and I follow Molly to sit at the table.

‘I like Sports Day,’ Molly says, mid-chew of a huge mouthful of muffin.

‘Me too,’ I lie, prioritising large mouthfuls of coffee over bites of cake.

My phone beeps and I pull it out of my pocket, my face lighting up when I see a message from Kayla. I open it and it’s a photo of Kayla and Jack smiling excitedly with their thumbs up. Kayla is sitting in a wheelchair with Jack crouched beside her. I recognise the backdrop of the hospital canteen immediately. She’s dressed in a bright-red hoodie and black tracksuit bottoms. It’s the first time I’ve seen her in anything other than pyjamas in I can’t remember how long. She looks great. Hercheeks have a hint of colour and she’s wearing a new bandana I haven’t seen before. It’s red too and pretty. Jack’s legs are out of shot but it looks as if he’s in a tracksuit too. He certainly appears very different to how he usually looks. A banner streaks across the centre of the picture and the wordswe’re waitingsit in the middle in bubble writing followed by a multitude of emojis.

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