Free Anthem for Jackson Dawes by Celia Bryce Page B

stunning.
    The whole ward seemed to pause as a number of eyes turned to gaze at him. Even the steady click of machines appeared to stutter for a second as if caught off guard by him.
    Megan smiled. He’d come to see her before he’d left. There was a tingle of happiness, an ache of regret. But Jackson headed straight for Kipper, who stopped complaining. The boy with the teddy bear gazed up at him. Thomas the Tank Engine stopped in mid-air.The mouse moved up and down but the child was peering past the shoulder of the physiotherapist.
    â€˜Hiya, Siobhan, what you got there?’ Jackson took the small pot of medicine from her hand and waved it under his nose. He closed his eyes as if it was the best thing ever. ‘Hmmm,’ he said, nodding. ‘Essence of strawberry. A hint of ice cream. A scatter of hundreds and thousands.’ He opened his eyes once more, made them enormous. There was a giggle from somewhere. ‘Can I have this, please?’
    Siobhan shook her head. ‘Now, Jackson, you know it’s not for you. Give it back this minute. You’ve got your own to take home with you.’ Her voice sparkled with amusement.
    Jackson frowned at her. ‘
You’re
going to drink it, aren’t you? I don’t believe it! A nurse! Stealing Kipper’s medicine?’ He held it up high, out of Siobhan’s reach.
    Kipper watched open-mouthed, eyes big as barrels. Her mum sat with a faint smile on her lips and pushed back a strand of hair from her face.
    â€˜I shall return this to its rightful owner,’ said Jackson, tipping the medicine into Kipper’s mouth before she could clamp it shut. Very gently he closed her mouth, his fingers resting under her chin, to stop her spitting it back out.
    The medicine was gone.
    Another giggle from somewhere. Thomas theTank Engine clattered into the cot side. The mouse rose and fell. The teddy bear’s cap slipped right off.
    â€˜See you later, Kipper! And if you have any more trouble with that Siobhan sneaking off with your medicine, you just speak to me or my friend Megan.’
    He moved towards Megan and laid his hand gently on her shoulder. It felt warm and nice, like the hand of someone old and wise and kind. For a moment, Megan thought he might want to kiss her again. In front of the whole ward. What would she do? Let him? Megan looked up at him, as if to say,
It’s all right, I don’t mind if you do
.
    But Jackson only smiled at her. ‘See you next time, maybe.’
    And he was gone.
    Megan sat at the Play-Doh table, protecting Kipper’s cat. Somehow, and she wasn’t entirely sure how, she found herself helping to make a miniature Play-Doh Brian. He was snow-white with blue eyes. They’d only just finished when Kipper had to go back to her bed so that some student doctors could have a look at her. It could take ages, but she made Megan promise to take care of her model.
    It was the day before Megan was due to go home and it seemed strange, the idea of losing the drip and stand, her constant companion for what felt like for ever, and to know that she could do ordinary things again.
    Ordinary things. What were they?
    She looked around at the ward. There was some singing going on. A mum and a nurse with a CD player, singing along with the music. Sitting on a blanket in front of them was a little boy copying them.
Wrinkle your nose
, they sang. The boy wrinkled his nose.
Run your hands through your hair
. He ran his hands over his bald head.
Let your whole self wriggle, wriggle, wriggle
. He flung his arms about, danced his head around and giggled, then clapped because he was so clever.
    His skin was a pale yellow and there were small ulcers around his mouth, but that didn’t seem to bother him. And when the music stopped with a fanfare and the adults applauded, he just yelled for more.
    The play button was pressed again and the song and dance routine resumed.
    Bored with waiting for Kipper, and with