Take a Chance (27 page)

As she listened, Jem noticed the small stack of get-well-soon cards lying on the bedside unit.

“Shall I set these up for you?” Jem asked, indicating the cards to change the subject after her sister had covered the snoring event thoroughly.

“Sure. I can’t see th
em from here,” Jess answered then groaned in pain as her awkward attempt to reach them accidentally knocked the pile to the floor.

“Don’t worry, I’ll pick them up,” Jem told her and knelt down to get the ones that had gone under the bed.

Jess pressed the button on her morphine pump and watched the top of her older sister’s light blonde head bob as she stretched to collect the cards.

As
Jem stood up she noticed Jess reach up with one hand to stroke up the nape of her neck. It was a gesture Jem had seen a thousand times before and usually ended with Jess twirling a lock of hair around her forefinger as she pulled it down over her shoulder. Not this time. Jess’s fingers touched bandages and pulled away.

She knows
.

Jem abruptly tore her gaze from her sister to the cards in her hand to stop the threat of more tears.
It’ll grow back
, she reminded herself harshly. She determinedly sifted through the cards until she came across one she hadn’t seen before. It was expensive looking and Jem brought it to the top and toyed with the cover, curious to open it and see who it was from.

“That one arrived just before I was transferred. It’s from Coco
but was handed in at reception,” Jess said, her voice sounding less tense as the morphine kicked in.

Jem opened the card and immediately recognised the fussy italic script.

“It looks like Mrs Jenkins handwriting.”

Mrs Jenkins was a society friend of Coco’s and
an inveterate gossip.

“Thank goodness
ICU is family only,” said Jess “although I wonder why it took Coco so long to arrange to have it sent.” She looked at her sister. “You did tell her straight away about my accident, didn’t you?”

“I told her the same day. Perhaps Mrs Jenkins wasn’t able to visit any sooner,” Jem answered, rather than mention that it was probably more likely that Coco had waited until returning from her Mediterranean cruise before doing anything about sending a card.

It took a few moments to read the contents.

Thinking of you Darling.
I hope you are better soon. All my love, Coco
.

Jess would have only been in Coco’s thoughts until the end of the phone call with Mrs Jenkins, thought Jem cynically.

“At least she made the effort to send a card,” said Jess and grimaced as she tried to ease herself higher in the bed.

Yes, a lot less hassle than flying to your bedside and
actually being useful. Not to mention she has the benefit of getting sympathy from her friends at the same time
, Jem thought darkly.

Instead of voicing her thoughts
Jem rushed to Jess’s side and rearranged the pillows for support.

“Is that better?”

“Yes thanks,” Jess answered as she settled back.

“Before I forget, I have something for you,” Jem announced then started rummaging through her shoulder bag. “Ah. Here it is.”

Jem handed Jess her cell phone and slipped the recharger into the top drawer of the bedside unit. “I’ve had it on hand for days in case you were transferred to a ward.”

“Great! Now I can order pizza
and play games,” Jess joked as she stroked the screen with mock affection. “Do you think I’ll be able to get hold of Jase?”

“Since he’ll be back tonight there’s a good chance he’ll be somewhere there is service at the moment,” Jess said.

“Would you mind if I phoned him?” Jess asked.

“That’s what I brought it in for,” Jem said. “Go ahead. If he picks up I’ll leave you to it.”

“You’re the best sister in the world,” Jess responded as she called up her husband’s name from the phone list.

“Remember that at Christmas,” Jem answered, smiling at her sister’s enthusiasm.

Jess held the phone to her ear and a few moments later Jase answered from Fiji.

Jem waited
for a minute to ensure the conversation could be continued, just in case Jase was in a meeting and had to cut the call short or there were any problems. When it was clear that Jess was happy in conversation she smiled and waved goodbye to her sister.

Everything will
be okay
.

That evening was spent as usual; with Jem working alongside Eben in the office after the children went to bed. Jem almost felt she was fighting a losing battle to stay on top of all the work generated by the presentation in the time she could spare to do it whereas Eben sat calmly beside her and covertly worked between games of free cell.

As much as they were both looking forward to Jason’s return from Fiji, they also dreaded it as it would mean the end of their time together. That reality went unspoken and the
ir nights had been spent in almost desperate love-making, with Jem hoping to store enough memories before Eben moved onto someone else and with Eben wanting Jem to talk of a future together.

Eben tried to prompt Jem’s thoughts in that direction by talking about doing things together after Jess was out of hospital but because he wasn’t specific Jem didn’t dare hope he meant it. After all she was six years older than him and would be leaving the country if she got the promotion. What would she do if she had to make a choice between him and her dream?

On Thursday evening they all waited in the arrivals area of Auckland International Airport for Jason to emerge amongst the other passengers. The children had been busy and to stop them from climbing over seats, chasing each other around and giving each other rides on abandoned trolleys Eben and Jem had subtly separated them.

Aidan now happily sat on Eben’s shoulders
while Daisy sat on the railing separating the passengers from those waiting for them. Jem stood behind her, one arm securely around her middle for support. Jeremy stood between Eben and Jem, his potential for mischief curtailed by the restraints on his partners in crime.

“Do you see Daddy?”

Eben prompted Aidan by pointing in the direction of a sports team dressed in matching track suits. Just behind them walked a tall, lanky, fair haired man in a bright multi-coloured t-shirt pushing a trolley.

“Daddy!
Daddy!” Aidan shrieked, bouncing up and down excitedly on Eben’s shoulders.

The fair haired man heard the cry, waved to Aidan and turned his luggage trolley in their direction.

Jeremy and Daisy also got excited once they saw their father and Jem had to hold them back so they didn’t get in the way of other passengers walking up the aisle.

Jason was greeted with hugs and kisses and Eben took over the trolley pushing since Aidan was clinging to his father like he would never let go.

They left the heated airport terminal and headed out into chilly night air promising rain. As they entered the car park Jem noticed that Jason was wearing shorts with his t-shirt.

“Aren’t you
freezing?” she asked.

“I
t wasn’t in Nadi,” Jason replied as he held Aidan closer to him for body heat. “It was twenty-nine degrees there. Although I now wish I hadn’t packed my coat and pants in my suitcase. The heat made me think I’d welcome the cold.”

“Guessed wrong huh?” asked Eben.

“Yup,” said Jason. “I guess to keep warm I’ll have to make myself a kiddie coat.”

Jason transferred Aidan to his back and bent down to pick up Daisy and Jeremy together and they somehow clung onto his sides. He then started walking with an exaggerated stagger under their weight and the children shrieked with delight.

“I hope you didn’t park the car too far away,” Jason puffed after a minute.

“Afraid so, it seemed five flights landed at once just before yours so we had no chance for
anything closer. We’re right at the back.”

Despite being given this information
, Jason decided to keep carrying the children. He was moving a lot slower and breathing a lot heavier by the time they reached Eben’s car.

“Are you
okay?” Jem asked him as Eben unlocked the boot of his car and she unlocked her car beside it.

“
I think I need something for energy,” panted Jason as he peeled off his reluctant children and set them on the ground while Eben put the suitcases in the boot.

As
soon as Eben moved away Jason hurriedly unzipped the biggest suitcase, tugged out a casual beige jacket and slid his goose bump covered arms into the sleeves. The only way the jacket would match his bright multi-coloured t-shirt was if the person was colour blind. Jem was prevented from the need to make a fashion intervention when Jase zipped it up and the t-shirt disappeared underneath.

“
So you need more stamina?” Eben asked Jase as Jem ushered the children into her car.

“Uh uh.
I heard about that from Jess this morning. I’m fine,” Jason replied, belying his statement with a groan as he stretched. He reached over and pulled Jem to him in an appreciative hug.

“
Thanks for taking her cell phone in,” he said as he released her. “How is she doing? Really?”

“
She’s doing much better,” Jem assured him, closing the car door so the children couldn’t hear the conversation. “Her bruises are starting to fade but I should warn you that they have taken away some of the bandages on her head.” Jem hesitated briefly. “It looks as though they’ve shaved all her hair off.”

Jason pressed his lips together, closed his eyes and nodded
to himself.

“I should have been
here for her,” he mumbled guiltily.

“
You’re here now and that’s what matters,” Jem told him gently. “Besides you’ll be seeing her before you even go home. I think that says a lot for your priorities considering how you’re dressed,” she added as an attempt at levity.

Jase felt the tense knot in his chest that had been sitting there since he had learned of
his wife’s accident start to loosen with the approval of his sister-in-law.

Daisy
opened her car door, unprepared to wait for the adults to get in.

“Did you get us presents Daddy?” she
asked, interrupting.

“I might have,” he answered
, willing to be distracted. Jase looked at his daughter. “But I only have presents for good children. Do you know any?”

“Me, me me!”
Jeremy, Daisy and Aidan shouted, waving their arms towards him in excitement.

“Well then. Let’s see,” Jase proposed as he rummaged in the top suitcase.

He withdrew three brightly coloured presents which he held up to show them.

“You can
open these now,” he told the excited children and passed one to each child through the open car door.

“Are
n’t you coming with us?” Jeremy asked his father upon noticing Jase had made no move to get into the front seat.

Daisy and Aidan paused
in their enthusiastic paper tearing to hear his answer.

“
Daddy’s going to see Mummy on the way home,” Jem reminded them. “If you’re quick through the bath maybe Daddy will read you a bed time story when he gets back.”

“That’s
a good idea,” Jason said. “I won’t be gone for too long. I just want to say good night to Mummy like you got to before I arrived. Now finish opening your presents and show Aunty Jem and Uncle Eben what you got.”

T
he children didn’t need to be told twice. They carelessly ripped off pieces of wrapping paper and dropped them. Jem mentally resigned herself to picking them off the car floor.

“I can’t wait to see Jem’s face,” Jase said as an aside to Eben.

Jem heard Jase’s remark and expected him to have gotten them something she would have considered inappropriate. She was relieved when Daisy held up a coffee toned doll with long dark hair wearing a
sulu
.

“Oh, she’s beautiful,” Daisy exclaimed as she stroked the doll’s hair. “Thank you
Daddy!”

“What did you get?” Eben asked Jeremy and Aidan over the door frame.

“We got drums!” Jeremy told him excitedly and held his up.

Aidan started hitting his with his hands. It was surprisingly loud for such a small drum.

“We can play music for you all the way home Aunty Jem,” Jeremy told her.

“Can’t wait,” said Jem through gritted teeth as loud random thumping emanated from the back seat of the car.

“Did you catch her expression?” Jason asked.

“Yes, she looked thrilled,” said Eben.

Jem narrowed her eyes at Jason and Eben who stood there with grins on their faces.

“You’re a bigger music lover than I am,” she finally said to Eben. “How about I take Jason to the hospital and you take the kids home?”