The Neverland Girl

by Dash Hoffman

  Callie worked to swallow the lump in her throat. “Oh Emma,” she spoke softly, “I would be very glad to be your friend. In fact, if it’s okay with your parents, I would be happy to come by and visit you from time to time.”

  Emma’s big, dark eyes lifted to meet Callie’s; her voice on the cuff of excitement. “You would?”

  “I would love to.” Callie beamed. “As long as your parents say it’s okay.”

  “It’s just dad and me.” Emma shrugged. “Mom’s away at work, but I’ll ask him. I’m sure he won’t mind.”

  As the idea took hold in her mind, she grinned ear to ear. “I’m so happy that I have a new friend!”

  “You do indeed,” Callie promised her, “and I’m so happy to have a new friend too.”

  Joshua came around the corner of the nurse’s station then, with another man beside him.

  Though his clothes were stylish, they were loose and fairly wrinkled, as if he had been in them a long while. His eyes had small bags beneath them, hinting that he hadn’t slept, or slept well, for a long time. A five o’clock shadow shaded his chin, and his shoulders sloped deeply. It looked to Callie as if it might be Atlas himself standing there before her, holding the weight of the world upon him.

  He listened closely to Joshua, nodding and absorbing everything that the doctor told him. The two men reached Emma and Callie, and their conversation stopped as fast as their feet did.

  “Daddy! Daddy, look, this is my new friend Callie!” Emma reached her hand out to her father, and he took it in his, holding it gently. “Callie, this is my dad, Liam.” She shot a grin at Callie, and Callie smiled.

  “Your what?” Liam blinked at Emma distractedly, turning his attention to her.

  Emma tilted her chin up to him. “My new friend. This is Callie. She’s a friend of Dr. J’s, and she said that if you say it’s okay, she’ll come and visit me here. Is it okay, Daddy? Please? Pretty please?”

  If it was at all possible, the little girl’s brown eyes grew even bigger, beseeching him.

  The man frowned and knit his brow. “Well, I’m not sure that would be a good idea, honey. We don’t really know this lady and she might not be able to come by and see you. We can’t ask strangers to do things like that.”

  “Really, it’s no trouble. I’d be glad to.” Callie assured him.

  Joshua held his hand up. “I’m happy to vouch for Callie. We’ve been very good friends since my early college days. She’s a wonderful lady, and I think it might be helpful to have someone else around here for Emma to talk with. Especially another girl. Actually, I think it would do wonders to keep Emma’s spirits up.”

  Liam sighed, the frown lines at the edges of his mouth going deeper. He pursed his lips thinly and looked from Joshua to Callie, and then finally to Emma.

  “It would… would it?” He asked hesitantly. He turned his gaze back to Callie then.

  “Are you certain you wouldn’t mind? You’d want to come here to visit with Emma sometimes?” His green eyes went dark with doubt.

  Callie nodded vehemently and rose to her feet, standing before Joshua. “Yes, I’d love to. Emma said she lives here, and she doesn’t really have anyone else to talk with. It would be the easiest thing in the world for me to come in and spend some time with her. I’d enjoy that.”

  Liam exhaled long and slow, rubbing his free hand over his face, massaging his eyes, and his temple on the right side. “All right. I guess it won’t hurt anything.”

  Callie and Emma shared a grin of pure delight. “Thank you, Liam. I’m really looking forward to it.” Callie reached her hand out to him and he took it, shaking it in resignation.

  “Why don’t I visit tomorrow, if it’s okay with all of you. I can come by in the early afternoon.” Her gaze touched on each of them.

  Joshua smiled and Liam shrugged.

  “That’ll work. Thank you, Callie. This means a great deal.” Joshua reached his arm around her shoulders and gave her a half hug.

  “I’m so glad to do it. Emma, you’re a sweet girl, and I would be lucky to spend time with you.” Callie smiled at her. Emma giggled and held her hands together in front of her nose, peeking over the top of them.

  “Thank you, Callie.” Emma replied , bright as the sun.

  “Thank you, too. I’m happy to have a new friend.” Callie felt as delighted as the girl looked; as if she had just made one of the best decisions of her life.

  Joshua knelt to look directly at Emma. “How was your visit to the playland?”

  “It was fun. I can’t wait to be well enough to really play on all of it though, but I’m happy I got to do some things.”

  “I’m glad to hear it. You needed some time out of your room, even if it wasn’t outdoors. I’ll have Abbie take you back now.”

  “Thanks, Dr. J!” Emma gave him a thumb’s up, and he returned it to her, and then glanced at the head nurse.

  “Okay, she’s all yours.”

  Abbie nodded and went to the back of Emma’s chair to wheel her away.

  Joshua looked to Callie. “Shall we go?”

  Callie nodded, picking up the bag of books. Joshua took it from her. She grinned at Emma once more. “I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon, young lady. I’m looking forward to it!”

  “Me too!” Emma beamed, waving her hand as Callie turned to go.

  Once the door of Joshua’s office was closed, Callie sat in a chair, and Josh took a seat opposite her. His friendly face turned serious.

  “Callie, I was really glad to support your choice out there, but I want to be sure that you understand what you’re getting into. I can’t divulge Emma’s medical information to you, but I’ll just say that the kids on this floor are really sick. I know you get that, but it can be difficult to be here and watch them and their families go through it. Are you sure you want to do that?”

  Callie’s mouth turned up at the corners. “I am absolutely positive. She’s delightful, and no matter what she might be going through, I know already that it would make me happy to do it. I think you were right. It could be really good for her, too.”

  He pressed his lips together thoughtfully and then nodded. “Okay. You know what you’re doing.”

  “Thank you.” She leaned forward a little. “So how are you doing?”

  Their conversation lasted ten minutes before he needed to get back to his patients. As Callie rode down in the elevator, her body thrummed all over, and her heart pounded; nearly every emotion in her heightened as she hoped that she could be a positive role model and friend for the beautiful little girl in the wheelchair on the fourth floor.

  Chapter Two

  Peter Pan

  Except for a quick spot of a rainstorm that had paused right over the middle of London and then gone along its way, the following afternoon was bright and sunny. Light glinted off of the puddles and wet cars, and raindrops glittered like diamonds all over the freshly bathed city.

  A little bell danced and jingled merrily as Callie slipped through the door of a bookshop tucked like a book on a full shelf into several other Victorian shops along the side street of Cecil Court. The little alley bore its nickname ‘Booksellers’ Row’, well.

  A kindly, plump lady with graying wisps in a halo about her head, and with a steaming cup of tea before her on the counter, peered over her half-moon spectacles at Callie.

  “Good day. May I help you find something?”

  Callie smiled. “I’m looking for a copy of Peter Pan, please.”

  The lady’s round cheeks swelled with her smile, and she bustled around the corner. “Yes, I have some new copies in just now. Quite lovely!”

  “Good! This one will be for a special young lady who hasn’t heard the story before.” Callie explained, following her into another room.

  “Oh! Goodness, well then we do need just the right one, don’t we! Never fear! I’ve got it!”

  They stopped before a dark wooden bookcase that towered over them; a guardian sanctuary of classical literature. Callie’s eyes f
litted over several stories she loved, but it was the book that the shop lady picked up that made her breath catch.

  It was emerald green; somewhere in between the color of a jungle in shadow and light, filled with life, mystery, and hidden adventure. It was covered in a soft kind of material, not quite velvet, but something similar.

  Embossed in big, shining, golden letters down the spine and across the front of it were the words, “Peter Pan”.

  The shopkeeper watched with a knowing grin as Callie reverently opened the cover and let her fingertips drift over the thick, soft pages; the edges of which were gilded in gold leaf.

  Colorful artwork opened windows of the mind to the story within, and a slow smile spread itself over her face.

  “This is perfect. Could you wrap it please?”

  “Certainly!” The lady took it from her with a pleasant chuckle and headed to the counter.

  Callie couldn’t wait to share the treasure with Emma, and introduce her to a world she had never dreamed existed.

  Currents of childlike excitement zipped through Callie as she stopped at Abbie’s desk to ask where Emma’s room was. The nurse walked her to it with conspiratorial glee.

  “I’m so glad you’ll be coming to visit her. I mentioned it to some of the other nurses so they’ll know to expect you, and Dr. Macintosh told the other doctors on her team. It’s wonderful!” Abbie gushed.

  After a quick knock on the door, Abbie pushed it open and went in a short distance. “Emma, there’s someone here to see you.” She gave the young girl a smile and left them, closing the door behind her.

  “You came!” Emma squealed with a grin. She was sitting up in her hospital bed on the right side of the room. Across from her, on the left side of the room, stood an unused bed. Callie was pleased to see that the girl had the room to herself, though she wondered if it might be better to have the company of another child.

  Callie pulled up a chair beside Emma’s bed and sat. “Of course I came! I couldn’t pass up a chance to see you, and I said I would be here.”

  “I’m really happy you’re here.” Emma’s face shone as brilliantly as the sun did through her window.

  Callie noticed a textbook in the girl’s lap, and on top of it, a notebook. Emma held a pencil in her hand.

  “Homework?” Callie guessed.

  Emma nodded, gazing at it unenthusiastically, but with determination. “Yeah, I’ve been through this whole book once already, but I wanted to go through it again just to be sure that I got it all. I don’t want to make any mistakes or fall behind.”

  “I bet none of the other kids have done that.” Callie winked at her. “What does your teacher say?”

  Emma laughed a little then. “She says I’m doing well; that I’m ahead, but I just don’t want to lose that. I have to stay on top of it all, especially while I’m out of school.”

  “I think you’re right where you need to be, and I have no doubt you’ll stay head of the class.” Callie studied her curiously. “You must miss all your friends there.”

  Emma sighed and pointed to a laminated picture taped to the wall beside her. It was a photo of several students and a teacher, set onto a large white piece of paper. There were notes and signatures all over it in untidy scrawls, declaring friendships and wishing hopes of healing.

  “I miss them so much, and I miss being at school, but I’ll get back there. That’s them. They sent that to me.”

  “How very nice of them!” Callie grinned. “I’m sure they can’t wait for you to get back too. How are you feeling today?”

  Emma shrugged. “Not too bad. This is a good day, but even on good days it isn’t great.”

  Callie reached beside her and picked up the pretty paper bag from the bookshop, giving it to Emma. “Well, hopefully this will cheer you up.”

  With wide eyes and a grin, Emma reached inside the bag for the package. “You brought a present for me?”

  “I did. I think it’s high time that you had this.” Callie winked at her and leaned forward in her chair, watching as the girl began to unwrap it carefully. She pulled the tissue paper off and stared down at what she held in her hands.

  “Peter Pan?” She asked, looking back at Callie. Excitement flooded her voice, and shone from her face. “You gave me Peter Pan!”

  Callie laughed softly and gazed at the book fondly. “Well, if you’re going to read fiction, this is a great place to start. It’s one of my favorites.”

  Emma raised her eyes to her friend. “Then I bet it’s going to be one of my favorites, too.”

  “I certainly hope so!”

  “Will you please read it to me?” Emma implored breathlessly.

  Callie beamed. “How could I say no to that? I’d love to. You have to start it though.”

  Emma opened the book, fascinated. She gasped, tracing her fingers over the page before her. “For Emma, this is the doorway to a great adventure. Your friend, Callie Passerine.” She turned back to Callie then; her eyes alight with anticipation and the thrill of wonder.

  “This is the best present anyone ever gave me! Thank you so much. I’m so excited for it!” She handed the book to Callie and leaned into the stack of pillows behind her, gazing at her friend and listening, ready for anything.

  Callie turned the first few pages and began reading, her voice shifting as the different characters spoke, including the narrator’s voice as that of Mr. Barrie who wrote the book, and as they went on, page by page, Emma watched her friend with eager delight.

  The early afternoon sun had gone, and a nurse brought in Emma’s dinner. Callie started to close the book, but Emma pleaded with her to keep reading it, and Callie happily obliged.

  A short while later, Liam came in with his own dinner, and Callie closed the book, looking up at him.

  “I guess we’ve been so involved that we didn’t realize quite how late it’s gotten. It’s time I was getting off, so you two can have the evening together.”

  Liam kissed his daughter’s forehead and his eyes scanned her face closely. “How are you doing today?”

  “I’m great daddy! Callie has just been reading me the most incredible story! It’s Peter Pan! There’s a boy there in the Neverland, and he doesn’t ever want to grow up! He took three children with him to the Neverland from right here in London! There are Lost Boys there, and pirates, and Indians, and gosh… it’s amazing!”

  Emma went off like a firecracker, and Liam’s face twisted into a strange expression. It was almost a combination of pleasant surprise and frustration. Callie set the book on the bedside table and rose to her feet, pulling her purse onto her shoulder.

  Emma reached her hand out to Callie’s arm. “Oh no, please don’t go! Can’t you stay and read a little more? We’re almost done, aren’t we?”

  Callie met Liam’s hard eyes and shook her head. “I’m sorry, I’d love to, but I should be going.”

  “She’ll want to be getting to her own supper, darling.” Liam cut in quickly. Then he looked pointedly at Callie. “I’ll walk you out. Emma, try to eat some, and I’ll be back in a minute to join you.”

  Emma nodded, and then smiled wide at Callie. “Thank you so much! I loved it!”

  “You’re very welcome. I’ll see you soon.”

  “I hope so!” Emma replied as Callie stepped out from her room.

  They went into the hall and Liam made a move to close the door, but it didn’t shut all the way. He stood beside it and met Callie’s eyes coolly. His tone was serious, leaving no question of doubt in his words.

  “Miss Passerine, it’s very nice of you to come by and see my daughter, and we do appreciate it, but I have a rule about the kind of things she reads or watches on television. We don’t go for any kind of nonsense. None at all. She reads her schoolbooks, or educational magazines, and that’s it. We don’t have any use for fairy stories or make believe nonsense. Nothing of the kind! I’m not at all pleased that she’s been listening to Peter Pan. Utter foolishness.”

  A torrent of emotion
s ripped through Callie; each one different, and all of them headed in their own directions, racing against the others, every one trying to get to her mouth to come out before her brain could choose the best one.

  “Mr. James,” Gentleness had won out, though only barely, “it’s a wonderful story, and Emma thoroughly enjoyed it. I understand that you want to be careful about what your daughter takes in, and I do wish to respect that, but Peter Pan is a story that generations of children and adults both have loved. I don’t think it would be detrimental to her.”

  Liam scowled, folded his arms sharply across his chest, and shook his head. “That’s not the point! We are facing a very serious situation here with Emma’s illness! We’ve got a lot going on, and we need to keep our heads out of the clouds and our feet on the ground. We have to remain focused. We have to take everything very seriously right now. The last thing we need is to get all caught up in silliness and rainbows when there are much more important things to think about and take care of! Can’t you see that? Can’t you see that this is no ordinary challenge she’s facing? She can’t just let her imagination go wild, giving her unrealistic ideas, outlandish expectations, or any kind of false hope! I cannot afford to let her get confused and hurt. Build up fake dreams only to see them torn down by reality! The best thing I can do to protect her is to keep her mind on the matters at hand! Don’t you see that?”

  Callie watched him and listened closely. She let him take a few steadying breaths before she answered him.

  “Mr. James, what I see is a young girl who loves to imagine and dream. She is so smart, and she knows full well what she’s facing here, and I can see that like you, she does take it very seriously, but she’s also a child, and she needs to be able to play, just like any other child. That hasn’t changed, even if she’s laying in a hospital bed. If her version of playing is to listen to a story and enjoy it, then maybe that will let her be a little bit more like a regular kid right now. You saw her tonight. You saw how much she loved it, and how excited she was about it. She wanted you to enjoy it too, and feel the same excitement she felt. That’s why she told you all about it. She’s sharing her playtime with you, even though the playtime is just a book. Maybe you could reconsider and give her just a little room to be a kid.”