Page 22 of The Wish

H er legs curled up underneath her, The African Queen playing on a muted television, Kelly looks at her phone before slamming it back on the sofa.

Glancing at the television screen, she plays with the remote, volume on, volume off.

She picks up the phone and looks at the blank screen.

Grabbing a small piece of paper from the side table she jumps up, untangling herself from a blanket and goes to the window, staring out at the night sky.

‘Damn it!’ she mutters before punching in the numbers on the piece of paper.

Max raises his head at the sound of the ringing telephone. Alex is playing a shoot-em-up game and ignores it. Max gives a gentle woof. Annoyed, one hand manipulating the console, Alex snatches up the phone. ‘Hello.’

Silence. He stares at the phone to see if he missed the call.

‘Talk or I hang up,’ he says.

‘It’s Kelly.’

‘Who?’ he says, out of surprise. Kelly was the last person he expected to hear from.

‘Kelly. From the hospital.’

‘How’d you get my number?’

‘You gave your number when you signed in to be a permitted visitor for Jesse, before Dean . . .’

‘What do you want?’

‘You to come back and help Jesse make her wish.’

Alex says nothing. The silence drags on.

‘Look, I’m sorry for the way I’ve behaved towards you. I’ve spoken to Mandy, and she’s given her permission for you to help make Jesse’s wish.’

‘What about her father?’

‘Well, although you have permission from one parent, it might be best if you try to avoid him. Will you please come back?’

‘I’ll see you tomorrow,’ Alex tells her, disconnecting the call.

Turning to Max, Alex shakes his head. ‘Women,’ he mutters.

It is enough for Max, who goes back to sleep. Alex closes the game he was playing and finds the file he wants, marked JESSE .

Closing her phone, Kelly returns to the sofa, wraps herself in the blanket, turns up the sound on her movie. ‘Men,’ she mumbles to no one.