Page 78 of The Wish

‘Tomorrow morning. Mum is taking Sam to a movie, they planned it ages ago and I’ve told her she has to do it, and Dad said he has to clear some things up at his work so he can take some time off, and we both know why he needs to do that. I’m being discharged tomorrow afternoon, now they have my pain nearly under control. I could probably go home today but Christine wants me to stay.’

‘Yeah. OK. But we’ll have to tell Kelly and Sandy and a doctor or something.’

He looks at the IV connected to her arm, and she sees him looking at it.

‘Oh, don’t worry about this, it’s easily removed. Ten o’clock, will you be here?’

‘This is going to get me in all kinds of trouble, isn’t it?’

‘Yep.’

‘Your dad’s going kill me, isn’t he?’

‘Probably.’

They both laugh and are interrupted by Sandy knocking gently on the open door.

‘Break it up, you two. Sorry, Alex, but it’s late, Jesse needs her rest.’

‘That’s fine, Sandy, because me and Jesse have a plan,’ he says, standing up.

‘Shall I pretend I didn’t hear that?’ Sandy asks.

Jesse giggles. ‘Maybe,’ she answers.

Alex winks at Sandy and leaves the room. They have a plan, and he’s going to do everything he can to see it through.

CHAPTER 32

Kelly is sitting in her office, typing up her notes from her last meeting, when she hears a commotion outside her door. ‘I don’t care if she’s busy, I need to speak to her,now.’

Dean.

She stands up, but there is no time to prepare herself when Dean barges into her office, the receptionist hovering behind him, concern written all over her face. ‘Call yourself a social worker?’ Dean yells, pointing his finger in her space.

‘It’s OK, Rose,’ Kelly says to the receptionist. ‘I can handle this from here.’

‘Handle this?’ Dean yells. ‘I should be getting you fired! Where is she, Kelly, where’s my daughter?’

‘Maybe if you just take a seat, we can talk this through.’

Dean explodes, striding closer to Kelly. ‘Don’t tell me what to do, just tell me where she is and don’t give me the run around, I know something is going on here.’

‘She’s with Alex. She wanted to go somewhere with him.’

‘What? You just let her go out with that man?’ Dean looks incredulous. ‘Does her mother know?’

‘Yes, of course. She gave her OK. Jesse wanted to go.’

‘She’s a minor, Kelly, or have you all forgotten that? Jesus, I feel like I’m the only one with any sense round here!’ He rakes his fingers through his hair, exasperated. ‘Now, where have they gone?’

‘He’s finished the main part of her wish, Dean. He did it.’

‘What?’ Dean stands stock still.

‘Jesse’s wish, it’s well on its way to coming true.’

‘Is that what all this is about? Her stupid wish?’