The wish, p.21
The Wish, page 21
Ending the call, Alex goes to the bathroom. He needs to get his emotions under control, he needs to splash water on the tears that threaten.
Kelly is the first to arrive at the studio, an hour before Alex had told her to be there. She admits she has barely slept as she shows Alex the small posy of flowers she has picked up. One of the crew take them from her, promising to find a vase and hide them in an office where no one will go.
The curtains are closed, and Alex explains how Jesse and her family will be taken to two dressing rooms on one side of the building. They won’t know that Amy, Ryan and Luke are also coming, along with their parents. They will be kept as a surprise, as will the wedding dress, and one more surprise that Alex insists he won’t even share with Kelly. He asks her to play along and do as she’s told.
It soon becomes obvious no one has listened to the times Alex gave them. Jesse and her family arrive early too. Alex watches her closely as she gets out of the car. It is clear she is using all her reserves of energy to make the wish she wants for her family. Dean takes a wheelchair out of the boot of the car, but she refuses to get in. Dean wheels it into the studio behind his family. Sam runs ahead and is stopped by Steve as he tries to peek behind the big black curtain. Alex has them meet the crew, one of whom takes the wheelchair from Dean and puts it to the side of the room. Sarah, Charlie and Phil are identified as having worked on the wish and, as predicted, Jesse hugs them all long and hard. They give a layman’s explanation of what their roles are and what is going to happen. The Morgans understand that Alex and Steve will be co-directing what they are filming, and Jesse and Sam giggle with excitement when they are told they will be using the words ‘action’ and ‘cut’ to indicate when filming is beginning and ending. Dean asks where their scripts are.
‘Families don’t need scripts,’ Alex tells him. ‘You’re playing yourselves, remember.’
‘Can I get my money back if Sam says the wrong thing?’ Dean jokes, ruffling Sam’s hair.
‘Course you can, see me after,’ Alex replies.
‘Ooh,’ Mandy whispers to Kelly, ‘he has a sense of humour, who would have known?’
‘There’s a lot about him we don’t know,’ Kelly whispers back.
‘I hope you’re working on finding out all his secrets,’ Mandy says, giving Kelly a meaningful look.
‘Mandy, really, our relationship is strictly professional.’
‘Of course it is, how silly of me.’
Shown their dressing rooms – one for the boys and one for the girls – Sam immediately raids the chocolate bars on the sideboard along with fruit, cookies and cheese, a selection of healthy and unhealthy drinks. He insists on seeing Jesse’s room in case she has something he doesn’t. Kelly tells them Alex wants them dressed for a casual day in the park and leaves them to get ready. They’ve brought along various outfits. She tells them she will be back shortly to take them behind the curtain.
She returns to find the family dressed in summer clothes for a day at the park. Sam is hopping up and down with excitement. He’s insisted on putting on suncream – method acting, he tells them. He’s been doing some research. Kelly walks them to the curtain where Alex is waiting for them. He tells them to hold hands and close their eyes. When he says take a step, they can step forward a pace or two.
After a lot of coaxing, Sam promises to keep his eyes closed as he and Jesse stand between their parents. Finally, they’re ready. Alex and Kelly pull back the curtains.
‘Step forward,’ Alex says.
They step forward and instantly Sam screams out ‘WOW’.
In front of them, a still photo of Jesse covers the vast screen. She looms over them. Dean is immediately drawn to the screen and walks forward, as Jesse’s beaming smile envelops him. Dean’s eyes fill with tears. For the first time he understands the enormity of what Alex has achieved and created for his family, free of charge, without demands or drama – well, maybe a little drama. Once more, he fights down the feelings of shame and remorse at his behaviour. He and Mandy look at each other over the heads of their children. They both know that their daughter has made this happen – with Alex’s help. She’s built a legacy for them, a world they can enter when Jesse is no longer with them. It’s astonishing, and humbling. They begin to cry, but their tears turn to joy as Jesse and Sam whoop with excitement and laughter. They nod at each other: tacitly acknowledging that they’re allowed to enjoy this moment for what it is, revel in it, with no thought of what lies just ahead for them all.
Alex slowly explains to them what they are seeing. Steve runs some video footage for them to see the park they know so well, they recognise the trees, roundabouts and swings. Alex explains that by walking around the stage in front of the screen, multiple cameras will capture them from all angles, all cameras immersing them into the scenes. The footage Steve and Alex filmed of the park, the beach, Jesse’s balloon flight, have been put into simulated software. What they re-enact today will be captured on film which will be edited together with the existing footage to create their story. Music has been embedded but can be adjusted, and Mandy has recorded her poems which will be used at some points, alongside shots of some of Sam’s drawings.
‘Where are the camera operators?’ Dean asks.
‘Over there,’ Alex says, pointing at Steve sitting behind the large console. ‘Everything is computer controlled; we’ve already set them to film, close up, move around, kind of like the Daleks from Doctor Who. Steve controls them and can take over if he feels he wants a different angle or wide screen shot.’
‘I get the picture, I think. This is incredible, Alex.’
Dean sees Sam sitting on Steve’s lap being shown the monitors he will watch and control. ‘I think you might have a new crew member.’
‘Happy to have him here anytime, never too young to learn,’ Alex tells him gruffly. He’s still a little wary of Dean.
Alex’s attention is diverted as the curtains open. They weren’t expecting anyone else.
Frank and Ian step inside the curtained area and look on. Alex walks quickly over to them, anxiety and concern written on his face. He’s primed for trouble.
‘Hi, Alex, do you mind if we watch? I promise we won’t interfere,’ Frank says.
‘Of course, come and meet everyone, then grab a couple of chairs and make yourselves comfortable. Good to see you Ian,’ Alex says.
Ian shuffles his feet. ‘You don’t mind me being here? I mean …’
‘You’re fine, I’m glad you came. You get to see what you told me to do, make Jesse’s wish.’
‘Thanks, Alex, I mean it. Thanks.’
The crew watch the interaction, not knowing what is being said or what will happen next. They all breathe a sigh of relief when Frank and Ian are introduced to Jesse and her family. Dean thanks them both profusely for their part in making Jesse’s wish. The crew roll their eyes as they hear this conversation, register Ian nodding and taking the credit.
Over the next hour, the family are filmed having fun in the park. They sit underneath trees and listen to a poem, the rotunda on the stage replaces the one filmed, and Sam and Jesse run to it and step inside. Dean takes Mandy’s hand, and they slowly walk to join their children.
The family is sent back to their dressing rooms to change into beach clothing. On set, they play on the beach and when Sam runs into the water a crew member to the side splashes real water onto him. Alex calls cut so they can set up another scene on the rocks and, while they position themselves, he tells Kelly the others have arrived.
On the other side of the curtain Kelly approaches Amy, Ryan, Luke and their parents, her finger held to her mouth indicating that they are to remain silent. Shown to their dressing rooms, they are asked to wait until someone comes to get them and explains what they are to do. The parents will be shown where to stand off-camera to watch the filming.
Jesse and her family are asked to change into other casual clothes. Next, they are going to be filmed visiting Jesse in hospital. Back on set they see the video of the room Jesse and Amy shared at the hospital. They are asked to walk over to Jesse’s pinboard and look at the photos. With the cameras rolling they look at the photos and cry out in surprise when one of Sam’s drawings flies off the screen and around him. They don’t hear the others enter the set, and the shock is obvious when Amy runs to join them.
‘Hey, girl, hi, Sammy, Mr and Mrs Morgan.’
Jesse squeals with delight as she and Amy embrace and dance on the spot. Their room continues to revolve around them, transporting them back to the hospital. Sam, Mandy and Dean hug Amy and they all talk at once. The noise levels increase as Ryan and Luke walk onto the set.
‘You two having a party without us?’ Ryan jokes.
The four friends embrace and chatter. The boys greet Sam, Mandy and Dean before the three of them walk off the set and watch from behind the cameras the beauty of friendships forged from the most difficult of shared experiences.
As scenes are shot, reshot, played out in different ways, the parents stand together supporting each other, wiping each other’s tears, hugging and wordlessly acknowledging the pain they all know so well. Sam has been taken to sit with Steve and see what the camera is capturing.
With the hospital scenes shot, Alex asks Amy and the boys to join their parents: they want Jesse and her family to change one last time for another family picnic scene at the park. While they are changing, picnic food, drinks and utensils are placed on a large red and white check tablecloth on the floor of the rotunda.
The family come back and once again walk through the park to the rotunda and sit around the food. Jesse nibbles on a sandwich, before asking if she can be excused, she wants to go to the bathroom. Kelly walks off with her and Alex explains he is keeping the cameras rolling as it would be perfectly natural for one of them to leave the picnic and return.
Sam, Mandy and Dean are laughing, popping food into each other’s mouths, relaxed. Mandy and Dean have their backs to where Jesse will re-enter the scene. Sam sees her first.
‘Jesse, you look beautiful,’ he breathes.
Mandy and Dean turn around to see Jesse walking towards them dressed in a long, soft cotton dress, gathered gently around her neck, pinched into her petite waist, delicate spring flowers dotted over it. A dress in the style of the sixties – it suits her perfectly. Kelly has chosen well. A shoulder-length wig, the colour of her natural dark hair, with soft curls, frames her face, in her hand she carries the small posy of daisies.
Mandy collapses sobbing into Dean, who gasps for air. Jesse sits beside her mother who can’t speak.
‘I heard you whisper to Dad one day that this would be a lovely place for a wedding. I can’t give you a wedding, but will this do?’
The sobbing and whispers of amazement of the parents, crew, Amy, Ryan and Luke are picked up by the microphones, but Alex doesn’t care. He pans a camera around to capture everyone in the room witnessing a moment that they know will never really happen. Amy runs into the scene and joins the family, and the crew look to Alex for direction. Amy wasn’t meant to be in the family scenes at the park. He indicates to keep rolling, then motions for the others including the parents and any crew not operational to join the family in the rotunda.
It takes some time for everyone gathered in the rotunda to calm down enough for Alex to join them. He has one more scene to film. He asks that everyone except Jesse, Mandy, Dean and Sam leave the rotunda, telling them Steve will now direct them in how the final scene is to be shot. As Steve starts talking, no one notices Alex disappear.
With Steve behind the console directing the cameras, he calls action. Jesse and her family follow the directions he gave and slowly walk from the rotunda towards the middle of the stage. Behind them videos of the park play out, placing them in the scene, in the park. Several people are seen walking and running past them, many of whom have dogs running around them. Alex comes onto the stage from the far side and places a small puppy, a golden retriever – a miniature Max – on the floor and pushes the pup gently towards the family. Mandy, who is in on the surprise, sees the puppy first and takes out a packet of doggy treats. It is enough to get the puppy to run towards them.
‘Sammy, turn around,’ Mandy says softly. Jesse, Dean and Sam all turn as the puppy bounds towards them. Jesse grabs Dean’s arm as Mandy places a treat on the ground and steps back with Dean and Jesse, leaving Sam standing frozen, as the puppy gobbles up the treat and comes to him.
‘Somebody’s lost their dog,’ Sam says, bending down to pat and play with the puppy.
‘I wonder who he belongs to?’ Mandy says as she kneels beside her son and the puppy.
Twisting the collar around, she reads the small disc on the collar. ‘It says, “I belong to Sam Morgan.”’
Sam looks at his mother. ‘No, it doesn’t. Does it, Mummy? Is he really mine?’
‘No, my darling, he is not yours, she is, she’s a girl.’
Jesse and Dean kneel with them as Sam clutches the puppy to his chest sobbing uncontrollably.
‘How did you do this?’ Dean whispers to Mandy.
‘It was Alex’s idea, he got her for Sam, I just agreed, I hope you don’t mind.’
Dean hugs Mandy tightly and they topple over and now sit on the floor with Sam and the puppy, who jumps all over them, licking faces, barking with his small puppy voice.
‘I love you with all my heart,’ Dean whispers to his wife.
Jesse has remained standing, watching her family make a fuss over the new puppy. Her heart breaks with joy at the sight of her little brother with a puppy; hearing the words her father whispered to her mother. She looks at the faces of the crew, Kelly, Amy, Ryan and Luke and their parents, all of whom are crying and hugging each other. Finally, her eyes rest on Alex, standing to the side wearing the biggest smile she has ever seen on his face. With her last ounce of energy, she hurries to him, falling into his arms, exhausted, overwhelmed, grateful beyond words for what he has given her. It is her turn to sob with joy.
Kelly clings to Steve watching Alex and Jesse. He has stopped filming and allows himself to be caught up in the emotion of the day.
‘She isn’t looking good, Kelly, is she OK?’ Steve asks.
‘Yes, and no, it’s been a huge day for her, I think it might be time for her to go home.’
Dean looks up and sees Alex holding his daughter. He hurries over to Alex, who places Jesse in her father’s arms, where she belongs.
Dean holds his daughter close.
‘I think it’s time we took you home, honey.’
‘I think so too, Daddy, I’m so tired.’
‘I’ll get your wheelchair,’ Alex says.
Kelly has beaten him to it and pushes it over to Dean, who places Jesse in the chair as Mandy and Sam – clutching the puppy close to his chest – join them. Sam places the puppy on Jesse’s lap. It licks her face several times before settling down and falling asleep.
Amy, Ryan and Luke join them and gush over the puppy. Dean takes the opportunity to turn back to Alex.
‘What can I say to you? There are no words. Thank you doesn’t seem enough but I do thank you. For today, for all the yesterdays you spent with Jesse when I was too blind to see what she needed, what she wanted. I thank you and I apologise, from the bottom of my heart. You are one in a million. And as for the puppy, I should have made it happen, it took you to do it, for you to do a lot of things I should have done … thank you, Alex. I hope you can forgive me.’
Alex can only nod; he doesn’t trust his voice. He is surprised when Dean pulls him into a long, hard hug. Alex stands motionless, arms by his side. But Dean isn’t letting go any time soon and, finally, Alex feels himself give in to the warmth and affection being offered to him. Gradually, he relaxes and finds himself hugging Dean back. Kelly and Mandy look on, clinging to each other, laughing and crying.
As everyone chats, praising Jesse for what she has done in bringing them all together, Alex notices for the first time Sarah, Phil and Charlie standing on the far side of the stage in the shadows. He beckons them over. Sarah is struggling to keep it together, and it becomes obvious that Phil and Charlie have been greatly affected by what they have witnessed too: both men have red watery eyes and clear their throats several times.
Jesse sees Sarah, Phil and Charlie standing near Alex. Mandy takes the puppy from her lap, handing him to Sam, then wheels the chair over to them. Jesse struggles to stand up. Charlie gently pushes her back down.
‘I have to thank you properly and I should do that standing up,’ she says choking on her words.
‘No, Jesse, please stay sitting, it is us who want to thank you. We can’t tell you how much it meant to us to be part of your wish; it is our privilege so, thank you,’ Charlie says.
Sarah bends down and hugs Jesse, still crying. Phil gently pulls her away.
‘My turn,’ he says as he envelops Jesse. Charlie waits his turn and is rewarded with a kiss on his cheek. Dean joins them, both parents shaking the team’s hands and hugging them; they thank the unlikely trio for their part in making Jesse’s wish.
‘Frank, Ian, come and join us,’ Alex calls out.
The two men saunter uncomfortably over, both clearly overcome by what they have witnessed as well. Hands are vigorously shaken by the men; Mandy insists on a hug, as does Jesse.
The puppy lets out a bark.
‘I think she might need a trip outside,’ Alex says, ‘I’ll take her.’
‘I’m sorry to be the one to say we need to leave, but I think we need to get Jesse home for a rest,’ Mandy says.
It still takes a while for everyone to say goodbye to the Morgan family. Kelly tells them to go home, she will gather up their things in the dressing rooms and bring them over. Slowly everyone makes their way out of the studio. Phil, Sarah and Charlie remain behind to see from the technical side what they have filmed.
