Authors: Calvin Wade
“
Perhaps Jemma has a point.
”
Two hours later, whilst my nerves were still frayed, the phone
rang.
“
Hello.
”
“
Dot, it
’
s Jemma.
”
I wasn
’
t ready for another argument.
“
Hello, dear,
”
I said frostily.
“
Look Dot, I
’
m sorry everything
turned a little angry earlier,
understandably emotions are running hi
gh. Believe me, if it was just
down to me, Richie would be having this treatment, but I don
’
t just
love your son, Dot, I know him too. He
is a very stubborn man. If he
has made a decision, there is not a chance that you or I will chang
e his
mind. If he does not want to have an
y more chemotherapy, we cannot
change that fact.
”
“
I wish we could, Jemma.
”
“
I know you do, Dot, but I was thinking, what we should do, is to
look to channel our energies into doing something positive.
”
It was a point I c
ould not possibly argue with.
“
Like what, Jemma?
”
“
Remember when Charlie offered to pay for a holiday for us?
”
“
Yes, I
’
m sure that offer still stands, but is Richie well enough to
travel?
”
“
No, he isn
’
t, but can you remember what Richie said? He said he
wanted to spend the time he had left surrounded by the people he loved.
”
“
I remember.
”
“
Well, maybe you and I should arrange a party for him. Think of all
the people you would invite to his funeral and let
’
s arrange something
where Richie gets the chance to see them. You invite family and family
friends and I
’
ll invite all our other friends.
”
I have to admit, my initial reaction was a little dubious. I was not
totally convinced that this was a good idea.
“
Will people not think it
’
s a bit s
trange, Jemma? Having a party
when your husband and my son is dyi
ng? Should we really be having
fun?
”
“
Celebrating, Dot. We should be celebrating. All the people that
are closest to Richie, should be celebrating the fact that they have had
the opportunity to know him and that they will get the opportunity to
see him one last time. Even if I say so myself, I think it
’
s a brilliant idea!
It
’
ll give him a lift, I know it will.
”
I thought about it. Jemma was right.
“
OK, let
’
s do it! I could book Ormskirk Cricket Club, that would
fit
about a hundred in, would that be OK?
”
“
That
’
d be ideal
, Dot. Try and book it
for three or four weeks time.
Time enough for people to make arrangements, but hopefully Richie
will still be well enough to enjoy it then. When you speak to people, tell
them to park up Brook Lane rather than in the car park, I
’
d like it to
be a surprise for him, but if Richie spots a load of cars he knows, he
’
ll
realise something is going on.
”
The idea was already starting to grow on me. I could see
it being
a lovely night and a night Richie would
thoroughly enjoy. I felt awful
about arguing with Jemma. I now unde
rstood that she would have had
nothing to do with the decision not to have further treatment.
“
Jemma, you do know that you
’
re a wonderful wife!
”
“
Not for much longer, Dot, sadly, not for much longer.
”
The numbers had been half punched twenty or maybe even thirty
times, but then nervousness had got the better of me and I had cancelled
each call. The final time though, I had been courageous, punched in the
whole number, battled with myself not to hang up, listened to the tone
and wiped sweat from my brow.
“
Hello.
”
I gulped.
“
Hello, is that Jemma?
”
“
It is, Kelly.
”
I was relieved. My biggest fear was that Richie would pick up. I
knew he would have subsequently hea
rd all about what I had said.
“
Jemma. I
’
m just ringing to say I
’
m so, so sorry.
”
“
How did you know, Kelly? Have you spoken to Amy?
”
I was immediately puzzled.
“
Know what?
”
“
That the cancer is back.
”
This was a horrible conversation. It made no sense and once it did,
I knew it would not be any better.
“
What? Who
’
s cancer? Richie
’
s cancer?
”
“
Yes. How come you didn
’
t know? You just said you were sorry.
”
“
I meant for saying I was pregnant. I
’
ve been wanting to ring
you
for ages, Jemma, but I
’
ve been putting it off and putting it off. I wasn
’
t
pregnant and nothing happened between Richie and I on the
‘
Sunny
Road
’
, but I guess you always knew that, didn
’
t you?
”
“
I did.
”
“
Is it testicular cancer again?
”
“
It is, but he has secondary lung cancer too.
”
“
Is it bad? Is he having chemo?
”
“
He was having chemo. Not any more.
”
“
Why?
”
“
He has too many tumours on his lungs, Kelly. It
’
s a particularly
aggressive form of cancer. Richie
’
s dying, Kelly.
”
“
Dying? He can
’
t be. It
’
s less than
twelve months since I saw him.
He looked great.
”
“
Believe me, Kelly, he doesn
’
t look great now.
”
“
Jemma, I
’
m so sorry. I truly am so, so sorry.
”
Not that I deserved it after everything I had put her through, but somehow, Jemma found it within herself to offer me a further gift of
her compassion.
“
Look Kelly, Dot and I are arranging a party for Richie, he probably
only has months, possibly weeks left no
w and we thought it would be a
lovely idea to have a party for him, where he gets to see
his old friends
one last time. I know more than anyon
e how important you used to be
to him, so it would be wrong of me n
ot to ask you. Would you come,
Kelly?
”
“
When is it?
”
“
Next Friday.
”
“
Could Roddy come too?
”
“
Roddy? The bloke in the hospital.
”
“
Yes. We
’
re together now. He
’
ll drive me up.
”
“
That
’
s fine. It
’
s at Ormskirk Cr
icket Club. Get there for seven
thirty, I
’
ll bring Richie in just before eight. I
’
ve been telling everyone
to park up the road so Richie doesn
’
t recognise the cars, but I guess you
guys can park right next to the entrance, if you like!
”
“
OK, that
’
s great. Thank you Jemma.
”
“
It
’
s OK. See you on Friday.
”
“
No, Jemma, thank you, really, thank you.
”
“
Lets just start afresh on Friday. I
’
ll look forward to seeing Roddy
again. He seemed like a good guy.
”
“
He is. Jemma
…
.
”
“
Yes.
”
“
One last thing
…”
“
Go on
…”
“
It won
’
t just be Roddy, I
’
m bringing. I
’
ll be carrying our other
guest, Jemma, I
’
m pregnant.
”
“
Congratulations. Are you happy, Kelly?
”
“
Jemma, I
’
m ecstatic. Present telephone conversation excepted, I am the happiest I have ever been. Roddy is a fantastic man, he
’
ll be a
fantastic father and every day I wake up, I just feel so lucky.
”
As soon as I said it, I knew I shouldn
’
t have. The line went quiet
and then I could hear some gentle sobbi
ng. Despite everything she did
for me, I always managed somehow to make Jemma
’
s life difficult. I
felt guilty. Even when I didn
’
t mean to r
ub her nose in things, I still
managed to.
“
Jemma, Jemma, are you there? Sorry, I didn
’
t think.
”
“
It
’
s OK. I
’
m really happy for you. I
’
ll look forward to seeing both
you and Roddy on Friday night.
”
It was my turn to start crying.
“
Jemma, I promise I
’
ll never hurt you again.
”
“
Kelly, thank you for saying it but you can
’
t promise that! Believe
me, even if you do, I
’
ll still love you. You
’
re my sister and no matter what
happens that won
’
t change. My love for you is unconditional.
”
“
I know I haven
’
t always shown it
Jemma, but I feel the same way
too.
”
“
See you on Friday, Kelly. Tell Roddy to drive carefully.
”
Caroline
Donna and I had gripped hold of each other
’
s hands when Richie
had arrived at the door and then disappeared. We had been standing
close enough to the entrance to glimpse his arrival and his subsequent
swift departure.