Chapter 21

After nearly four emotionally grueling hours, Jon set out from a patient’s room towards Melissa’s office hoping to clear his head. He walked in a daze stopping a few times to get himself redirected, and finally ended up outside her office. He paused a minute before knocking as he listened to the music from inside the slightly opened door. He was pleasantly surprised to hear not his own music, but a ballad that he had never heard before. Jon knocked on the door, waiting for a response.

“Come on in,” she called from the other side of the door.

Jon pushed the door open, and found Melissa typing on her laptop, and on her phone. She smiled when she looked up and saw him and waved him in gesturing to the empty chairs across from her desk, and Jon gratefully took a seat.

“Yes, Mr. Matthews, I will make sure there are enough copies…Yes, I will pull up the reports from the last meeting…No, I promise you will have them in time…” Melissa said in to her phone. She scribbled onto a nearby scrap of paper and handed it across to Jon.

Hi :-) I have to take this call, but I’ll be off in a minute...

He smiled and watched her in her element. She had cleared almost all of the papers off of her desk, and had neat piles of reports and financial summaries lining the side of her desk. As she continued to type her phone vibrated on the desk and she flawlessly responded to the text without missing a beat of her phone call.

“Ok, Mr. Matthews that is everything that you needed. I’m just about done and I will have my assistant take them to you. I will be leaving the office shortly but feel free to call be back with any questions before then…you too…Bye” Melissa hung up the phone with a sigh.

“Well it looks like you’ve had a productive day,” Jon said trying to muster a smile.

“I did. I’m almost done here. Finally, I thought it would take forever. Thankfully it’s only quarterly, that I have to do this so extensively. And what about you playing hooky? I had a frantic text from Angela thinking she lost you. Are you ok,” Melissa asked just noticing the pained look in his eyes.

“I don’t know how you do this here. I think it was starting to take a toll on me so I set out for some solace. There’s just so much pain here, but I’ve never seen kids in such high spirits, so happy. It’s hard to see room after room of sick kids, some of them are dying and they know it. It makes me wanna run home and hug my kids and never let them go,” Jon said with a distressed look.

“I know exactly what you mean. We get a lot of volunteers, but not many come back for a second visit. Most transfer to another department, and some are scared off all together. The thing that makes my job doable is that I see what kind of difference we make for these kids, and some of them get better, and we get to see them leave, and come back months later to visit. But kids are the hardest to see sick, the really little ones especially,” Melissa said trying to offer an encouraging smile.

“I saw so many kids that were the same age as mine. I think about what they’re doing now, or what they did over the weekend, it’s just so unfair. I guess I was just naive enough to think that this wasn’t really happening. There were so many diseases and disorders that I have never heard of. It makes me so grateful for my kids and their health. One day here puts my entire life in perspective. It’s hard to see all the sickness and pain, but at the same time how could I not come back to do more?”

“Well since you put it that way, are you really interested in doing some work here?” Melissa asked selfishly intrigued at the possibility.

“Absolutely. I almost feel guilty that I came alone. I will most definitely be back,” Jon said smiling and looking much more relaxed.

“In that case, would you mind filling this out? It’s a volunteer application thing. This way I can be legal and hand in all the information I need. You don’t want to get me in trouble now do you?” Melissa said offering him a clipboard.

“Absolutely not, but I cant remember the last time I had to fill out an application,” Jon said smiling as he took the application from Melissa and got to work. “Now are you really almost done here, or is that just what you were telling dear Mr. Matthews?”

“No, I’ve probably got like a half hour or less left to finish. I promised I’d be ready for dinner didn’t I? Oh my gosh, is it really almost four? I just noticed the time. You lasted longer than most. Any thoughts about dinner?” Melissa asked as she continued to input information.

“Well I’m not from around here missy, so it’s up to you. Although I was thinking didn’t you say that Tommy and Angela own a restaurant? Or maybe Richie told me, I don’t remember now.” Jon said putting his completed application back on her desk.

“Yup his parents gave it to them before they retired shortly after Tommy and Angela were married. Its called Gracie’s a couple blocks from where we live. It’s a little drive from here, if you don’t mind, I know you’ve got a drive home.”

“Not at all,” Jon said.

“Well, lemme call Tommy, he’s working tonight. I’ll make sure he saves us a table,” Melissa said dialing her phone.

“You think of everything don’t you?” Jon asked, and she smiled as the phone rang.

“Hi Katherine, it Melissa how are you…I’m good thanks. Is there anyway I can snag a table for tonight, I know it’s last minute…there’s two…I’m not sure what time, I’ll be leaving work within an hour…thanks I appreciate it, if there’s any problems just blame it on Tommy…ok thanks again Katherine I’ll see you later. Bye.” Melissa hung up the phone and turned to Jon. “Ok, were all set. She said there’s not too many reservations for tonight, since it’s Wednesday, so she’ll reserve a table for the night.”

“You really know how to get something done, don’t you? Fascinating. I think I still have a little bit of business to attend to I’ll be back in a little bit,” Jon said standing to leave.

“Sounds good, I shouldn’t be much longer. Gina is right next door, I don’t know if you saw her yet today. She’s the one that was probably following you on her lunch break. She can direct you where you need to go,” Melissa said turning back to her computer.

Jon left her to her work, and Melissa started putting his information into the system before she would turn back to the monotonous reports. She was just finishing up the last bit of work when there was a knock on her door. She double-checked the last bit of information as she called out.

“Come on in,” and she looked up hoping to see Jon. Instead she saw Peter, one of the patients in her doorway with a beaming Angela standing behind him. “Peter what are you doing all the way down here?”

“Jon asked me to ask you to come to the common room. He said it’s important,” the boy said smiling.

Melissa looked at Angela who seemed that she was about to burst out of her skin. “Ok Peter, I was just finished. How’s that for perfect timing?” Melissa said emailing her reports to her assistant. “How are you feeling this week, I don’t think I’ve seen you since I’ve been back from vacation.”

“I’m feeling much better, the doctors say that I can probably go home by the end of the month. Those are pretty flowers Miss Melissa,” he said smiling.

Melissa got up and walked to the door. “Thank you Peter, and that’s great news. I’m very happy for you. I have to make one quick stop next door, and then you can lead the way.”

“Ok Miss Melissa.”

Melissa poked her head in next door, “Gina I just sent you the final copies, did you get them?” Gina nodded from behind her screen. “They need 15 copies, and 15 more copies of the reports from the last meeting too. I’m going to the common room, if you need me. I’ll be back to check everything out before I leave.”

“Gina I’m sure that’s all good and well, and probably very important, but may I suggest that you accompany us,” Angela said from behind Melissa.

Melissa gave her friend a skeptical look, but nodded at Gina. “If Angela says it’s a good idea, a little break can’t hurt. Come on,” Melissa said to her assistant. “Ok Peter, we’re ready, lead the way.”

With that Peter navigated the group of women through the hallways to the common room. Melissa walked in the side door with Angela and Gina and stopped in her tracks. Jon was sitting in front of a group of 10 or so kids and their families with his familiar black acoustic guitar and microphone.

“Well, it’s so nice of you to finally join us, Miss Melissa. We’ve been waiting for you,” Jon said smiling making eye contact from across the room. “We even saved you a seat right here in front.”

Melissa was still frozen in her tracks; this was like a dream come true, her own private concert. She felt a shove from Angela and made her way to her seat in the front.

“Now that we’ve got a full house, I can start. I’m gonna take some requests, but this first one is dedicated to Miss Melissa,” Jon said not yet breaking eye contact with her. And with that he began to strum, before he closed his eyes.