Page 48 of The Wish

Three months later

‘ A lex, there’s someone here to see you.’

Alex responds to the tap on his shoulder more than the words barely heard through the headphones and the screens in front of him which consume him completely.

TriOptics’ receptionist stands behind him with a huge smile on her face. Other heads pop up and look towards Alex, they’ve all heard her talking in a loud voice to get Alex’s attention.

‘What?’ he asks her.

‘There’s someone in reception to see you.’

She pauses before continuing.

‘A woman, a beautiful woman; she said her name is Kelly.’

‘Kelly, Kelly’s here?’ Alex asks standing, glancing at Steve who grins at him before throwing him a wink.

‘Yes, she’s asked if she can see you.’

‘OK, I’m coming.’

Pushing past the receptionist, trying to ignore the smiles and winks coming at him from everyone in the room, Alex rushes outside, the receptionist following quickly behind because she doesn’t want to miss anything.

Opening the door into the reception area Alex sees Kelly standing, looking at the door she presumes he is coming through. The receptionist nudges him.

‘I told her to take a seat,’ she says watching as Alex walks towards Kelly.

Unsure what to say or do, Alex returns the warm, loving smile coming from Kelly. He knows the receptionist is watching but doesn’t care and gently kisses her on the lips.

‘Hi,’ he finally says.

‘I hope you don’t mind me coming to your office, I was wondering if you would be able to have lunch with me,’ Kelly says softly.

‘Sure, absolutely, is it lunchtime?’ he asks, oblivious to what the time could be.

‘Yes, kind of, as long as I’m not interrupting.’

‘You can interrupt me any time, this is a wonderful surprise.’ Alex turns to the receptionist. ‘Would you tell Steve I’m going out for a bit?’

The receptionist nods and hurries back into the studio, eager to spread the gossip of Alex kissing a girl, oh and he’s taking her to lunch, who knows when he’ll be back?

Alex and Kelly walk a short distance to a nearby café, take a seat outside and quickly look at the menus waiting on the table.

‘How can you be here, aren’t you meant to be at work?’ Alex asks Kelly as he reaches for her hand across the table.

‘Yes, no, my boss told me to take a half day, I’m apparently spending too much time at work.’

‘She’s not wrong, is she?’

‘Well, these last few months, since you and I, well, I’ve gotten better, haven’t I?’

‘Yeah, you have and I’m very happy about that.’

A waitress interrupts and they both order an iced coffee and the same salad sandwich.

Kelly watches the waitress walk away. Alex sees a change sweep over her face. He registers how tightly she is squeezing his hand.

‘Kelly, what is it, what are you not telling me?’

‘It’s Jesse . . .’

‘What about Jesse, we saw her what, three days ago, she was fine.’

‘No, she’s not, Alex, she’s not.’

‘What are you saying? Kelly, please, what’s happened to Jesse?’

‘That’s the thing about Jesse, she’s very good at pretending everything is fine, she wants everyone around her to have a good time, but the bloods don’t lie.’

‘What are you saying?’

‘For the past four weeks Jesse’s tests have shown a decline in her acceptance of the transplant, the transplant from you. I’m sorry, Alex, her body has rejected your bone marrow.’

‘What does it mean? Does she need more? I’ll do it again, I’ll do it right now, Kelly we should go to the hospital and do this now.’

‘Alex, listen to me,’ Kelly says gently.

‘Her body has rejected the transplant, if we did it again, it would be rejected again and we’re not going to put her through that.

You gave Jesse and her family the gift of more time together, which they never thought possible.

You have to understand just how great a gift that was. ’

‘Where is she?’

‘Mandy and Dean brought her back to the ward this morning.’

‘Amy, does Amy know?’

‘Jesse spoke to Amy, Ryan and Luke last night, they are coming to see her this afternoon.’

‘Why didn’t you say something sooner? I would have been there for her.’

‘You were there for her, you’ve been with her more than anyone; she didn’t want you to know any earlier, she didn’t know how to tell you that what you did, going through all the pain of donating, hadn’t worked.’

‘She knew it was me? I thought only Dean and you knew.’

‘Alex, really, Jesse worked it out on day one when Sam told her you had an ouchy on your hip, just like he had.’

‘She never said anything.’

‘It’s not a conversation she wanted to have with you. She loves you more than she can say and didn’t want your friendship to be affected by you knowing that she knew.’

‘Can I see her?’

‘You know you are listed on her admission as family to be admitted any time of the day or night.’

‘Is she …’ Alex can’t finish the sentence.

‘Dying? Remember what I told you when you asked me that question once before. It only takes a moment to die, the rest of the time we are living. Is her time short? Yes.’

‘How short?’

‘Days.’

‘Here you are, two iced coffees and two salad sandwiches,’ the cheery waitress says, placing the drinks and food on the table between them. Looking from Kelly to Alex she realises something is up and silently backs away.

Kelly pushes back her chair, takes the two steps to Alex, and sitting on his knee she cradles his head into her chest, stroking his hair, letting her own tears fall.

‘Take me to her, please.’

The door to Jesse’s room is closed. Sandy sees Kelly and Alex stop outside, clearly hesitant to knock, to open the door.

‘You two can go on in. Amy, Luke and Ryan left a little while ago. There’s just Mandy, Dean and Sam with her but I know she would want to see you.’

‘Thanks, Sandy,’ Kelly says, quietly knocking on the door and opening it.

Dean, Mandy and Sam are all sitting on the bed and look up as Kelly and Alex slowly walk to the bedside. Alex stands at the foot of the bed. Jesse is so frail, so vulnerable, so perfect.

Sensing he is there she opens her eyes and smiles. ‘You came, I’m so glad you came,’ she says, her voice barely above a whisper.

‘Had to see my favourite girl,’ Alex replies, forcing a smile.

Jesse weakly turns her head towards Kelly. ‘Hi.’

‘Hi, Jesse, I found this one loitering around a café and we thought we’d come and see you,’ Kelly says.

‘Thank you. Would you all mind giving me a few minutes with Alex? There’s something I want to talk to him about,’ Jesse says, looking between her parents, brother and Kelly.

Alex sees the reluctance in Mandy’s face at leaving her daughter. Dean gently takes Mandy’s arm. ‘It’s OK, honey,’ he says to his wife. ‘We’ll be right outside. We can give her a few moments with Alex.’

Not trusting her voice, Mandy lets Dean guide her and Sam out the door, followed by Kelly.

‘Can you come close? Please sit here,’ Jesse says, patting the bed in front of her.

Alex sits, taking her hand in his, looking into the eyes of the wisest person he’s ever known.

‘I loved seeing you come with Kelly, that means you were together.’

‘Yes, we were having lunch when your name came up, as it does every time we’re together, so we thought we’d come and see you.’

‘Thank you for not asking me how I am. You know people still ask me that when, duh, it’s obvious.’

‘Yeah, people can be funny like that. So, how you doing?’ Alex says playfully.

‘Better for seeing you with Kelly. I think you’ve finally learnt the lesson of life, the meaning of life.’

‘Oh, have I, wise one? Why don’t you tell me what it is just in case I haven’t fully understood.’

‘That letting people into your life, letting them love you like I do, and loving them back like I know you love me, is the whole point of living, of life, and my final wish for you has been realised. Now you take this lesson you learnt with me and share it with another. I think you know who I’m referring to. ’

‘I think I do.’

‘So, Alex, if you want to be with her and I think you do, then do something about it.’

‘I will. I promise.’

‘Do you?’

‘I do.’