by A. E. Radley
“It’s silly,” Olivia said quietly.
“I don’t think it is,” Nicole replied. “You don’t often get distracted so something must be upsetting you.”
Olivia placed her linen napkin on her plate to indicate that she was finished and debated whether or not to say anything further.
“I…” Olivia paused as she contemplated her words. “I met someone, she works for the airline.”
“Oh, yes?” Nicole smiled at the news.
“Yes, I told you about her, the attendant who helped clean my wound.”
“Oh, right, of course, the sexy nurse.”
“I left her my business card,” Olivia explained, ignoring Nicole’s comment. She paused as a waiter came and removed their plates.
At Olivia’s continued silence, Nicole prompted. “Did she call?”
“No,” Olivia shook her head. “I…and on the following Sunday there was a boy in first-class, about five-years-old. It turned out he was her son.”
Nicole frowned. “You’re losing me, darling. There was a five-year-old boy in a first-class seat?”
“Yes,” Olivia nodded to assure her that this wasn’t just another misunderstanding as it so often was. “His name was Henry and we had dinner together.”
Nicole stared at her incredulously. “You had dinner with a five-year-old boy in a three-thousand-pound first-class seat?”
“Yes,” Olivia sighed and closed her eyes for a moment while she arranged her thoughts. Nicole waited patiently, well-versed in an average Olivia Lewis conversation.
“He was frightened, you see. He’d never flown before. I didn’t know why he was on board but I later found out that he was coming to London for an operation. It seems he has a problem with his heart,” Olivia explained.
“Oh, how awful,” Nicole frowned. “So you had dinner with the boy?”
“Yes, and the mother, her name is Emily, well…” Olivia let out a long breath as she attempted to replay the events in a format that would make sense to a stranger. “He, Henry, woke up in the night. He wanted me to take him to the bathroom since he couldn’t find his mother.”
Nicole hid a smirk behind her hand. “Okay.”
“Emily came along and took Henry to bed and then we spoke in private. She hadn’t realised I had left her the business card because I wanted her to call me,” Olivia explained.
“Why else would you have left it?” Nicole asked, searching out the missing piece of the puzzle.
“Oh, yes,” Olivia remembered. “On the Friday flight, I overheard her speaking with her colleague and found out she had an ex-girlfriend and was in debt.”
“Right,” Nicole said but she was clearly still clueless.
“So, when I left my business card, attached to a tip and with the debt advice line on the back, she thought I was offering financial advice,” Olivia explained.
“You didn’t leave a note?” Nicole asked. “Wait a minute, you left your phone number for someone to call you…attached to some money?”
Olivia nodded. “Yes. But it’s okay now, I realise that was wrong.”
Nicole smiled. “Okay, so, she thought you were offering financial advice?”
“Yes, so I clarified the matter but she said she isn’t in a position to date anyone at the moment because her son is ill and she needs to focus her attention on him,” Olivia explained. “Which I understand, of course. But I’ve not seen her since then and I…I don’t know what happened to Henry. I don’t know if he had his operation, if he survived, if he is still in London, if he is in New York. I…I can’t find Emily and I don’t know who to ask. It’s disturbing my sleep. The not knowing.”
“I see,” Nicole nodded her understanding. “You want to know if Henry is okay, that’s perfectly natural.”
“But I’m aware that Emily doesn’t want to see me socially and essentially I’m a stranger to them.” Olivia pointed out.
“Did you argue?” Nicole asked.
“Not to my knowledge,” Olivia answered thoughtfully.
“Did she look angry?”
“No, she smiled; she thanked me a lot for watching Henry,” Olivia said after consideration.
“Okay,” Nicole said. “So Henry is five-years-old, give or take? Do you know his surname?”
“I believe it’s the same as his mother, White,” Olivia answered with confusion. “Why?”
“And he was having a heart operation in London?” Nicole continued.
“Yes.” Olivia nodded.
“Okay, I have a friend who works at the National Health Service. I’ll see if I can find anything out for you. However, it wouldn’t be entirely legal.”
Olivia considered it for a moment, uncertain of what to do.
“Of course they wouldn’t give any sensitive information, only confirmation of where he is, if indeed they know that much.”
Olivia slowly nodded her head. “Yes, please see what you can find.” Olivia suddenly looked nervous. “But, what would I say?”
“Hello Henry, I hope you’re feeling better?” Nicole chuckled. “But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, we need to find them first. Leave it with me.”
“Thank you, Nicole,” Olivia smiled genuinely for the first time in a while.
“Well, it’s not like you to leave your number with someone. This Emily White must really be something.” Nicole grinned at her friend.
Olivia nodded her head slowly. “Yes, there is something about her that I find endearing. But the timing isn’t right.”
“Well, one step at a time, eh?” Nicole said and took another sip of wine.
CHAPTER 12
Simon Fletcher, Olivia’s PA, was signing for a parcel at the main reception desk as Olivia stepped into the building.
“Nicole is in your office, she said it was important,” he told her.
Olivia nodded and quickly walked down the long corridor. Every step of the minute-long walk she panicked about what she was there for and what she had found out.
Nicole was standing by the window looking down on a bustling Southampton Row below.
“Nicole?” Olivia asked, her voice slightly shaky.
Nicole turned around and smiled widely. “Come here,” she said.
Olivia put her coat and bag on a chair and joined her friend.
Nicole pointed out of the window. “What do you see?”
“London.”
“More specifically, what is that building there?” Nicole indicated a building not far away. Olivia smiled, she knew it well. The construction of the new wing had been something she had taken a personal interest in, convincing a large investment bank to donate an enormous sum of money for the state of the art facility.
“Level six,” Nicole said. “Bear Ward.”
“Unbelievable,” Olivia whispered as she looked at the building she had watched take shape from her office over the past five years.
“I know. Who would have thought he’d end up at Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital? A five-minute walk from your office. Sounds like fate to me.”
“How is he?”
“I don’t know his condition.” Nicole admitted. “They wouldn’t give me any information over the phone. I also don’t know when he might be released, so if I were you, I’d clear your diary and get over there quickly.”
Olivia balked at the idea. “But…I have meetings.” She looked at her watch in mild panic. “And I have…work to do and…and…calls to make.”
Nicole smiled. “Yes, and a ton of other excuses, too. But if you don’t go and see him now, you won’t know. And, trust me, not knowing is worse.”
A quiet knock on the doorframe caused both women to turn towards Simon. “Will you be wanting coffee?” he asked.
Nicole picked up her coat. “Not for me, thank you, Simon. I’m just leaving.” She collected her bag and turned back to Olivia. “Call me later and let me know what happens.”
Olivia watched her leave then turned to the hospital, staring at it for a few moments.
&nb
sp; “Olivia?” Simon asked quietly. “Did you want any coffee?”
“No.” Olivia whispered. An idea forming in her mind. “No, but I need you to clear my diary for the rest of the day.” She stepped towards her desk and paused. “What do you buy a child who has had an operation?” she abruptly asked.
Her PA stepped into the office. “How old is the child? Boy or girl?” He adjusted his thick-framed glasses and looked thoughtful.
“Five, and a boy,” Olivia replied.
While Simon was only in his mid-twenties, he was sensible and intelligent and always seemed to be a couple of steps ahead of Olivia’s rambling thought process, so she felt safe asking him such a strange question.
“Sweets? Toys? What does he like?” Simon asked with a smile.
“Giraffes. He loves giraffes.”
“Giraffes?” He picked Olivia’s coat up from where she had dropped it and hung it up in the closet. “Well presumably he has a toy giraffe already?”
“Yes, his favourite toy is a giraffe called Tiny,” Olivia agreed.
“Cute.”
“It’s silly.” Olivia sniffed.
“It’s ironic,” Simon corrected as he leant on the back of a chair facing her desk. “Well, there’s no point in getting him a toy giraffe, nothing will replace Tiny. How about one of those helium balloons? The ones with little weighted feet?”
“Why would he want that?” Olivia frowned.
“It would be shaped like a giraffe.” Simon clarified.
“Oh!” Olivia caught on. “Yes, I think he would like that.”
“But helium balloons fade so you might want to get him something more permanent?” Simon suggested as he got his smartphone out of his back pocket and started to type.
Olivia sat at her desk and moved the mouse to wake her computer up and opened her emails.
“Okay, here we go,” Simon said as he read off of his screen. “Giraffe-themed gifts seem to be big business! Books, mugs, water globes, cushions, balloons, rucksacks, keyrings, slippers, stickers, money boxes, bookmarks−”
“Money box.” Olivia’s head snapped up. “A giraffe money box. I couldn’t think of a way to explain my work to him so I said I looked after other people’s money and he said I was like a piggy bank.”
“Okay.” Simon smiled. “A giraffe money box, anything else?”
“The balloon with the feet.” Olivia looked thoughtfully at Simon. “And…something else. The giraffe rucksack.”
“Sure, money box, rucksack, and balloon,” Simon nodded. “Do you want a giraffe get-well-soon card?”
“Do I?” Olivia asked him curiously.
Simon shrugged. “It’s traditional, I guess.”
“Then one of those too,” Olivia said. “How long will it take you to get these things?”
“When do you need them for?” Simon regarded her with a knowing look.
“As soon as possible. Money is no object. I need these things today. This morning, in fact…Oh, and wrap them in giraffe paper.”
Simon smothered a smile. “Giraffe paper, no problem,” he said and made to leave the office.
“Oh, and don’t forget to clear my schedule for the rest of the day,” Olivia repeated as he got to the door.
“Of course.” He called back and left.
“Oh, and Simon?” Olivia looked up.
He poked his head back through the door and looked at her expectantly.
“Could I have that coffee?” Olivia asked him with a cheeky smile.
Simon laughed. “Sure, coffee, cancel day, giraffes, back in a flash!”
He returned quickly with coffee and a few minutes later Olivia saw cancellation notices being sent out regarding her afternoon meetings. She turned around in her chair and looked at the London skyline, her eyes drifting towards the famous Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital and remembered the years of fundraising efforts and the many meetings she had attended. When she had first begun working in the London office in Bloomsbury she was quickly informed of the importance of the historical London hospital and the special place the charitable trust held in Briton’s hearts.
The hospital was founded on Valentine’s Day in 1852 and was the first hospital providing services specifically for children in the whole of England. Through the patronage of Queen Victoria and Charles Dickens it quickly boomed from a ten-bed hospital to one of the world’s leading children’s facilities. Such was the public love for the hospital that playwright JM Barrie bequeathed the copyright to Peter Pan to the trustees of the hospital on the provision that the amount of money generated was never disclosed. Olivia’s father had begun working with the hospital when Olivia was a child and since then the family business worked closely with the board of trustees. It held a special place in her heart.
Now it seemed to come full-circle and, after so many years of looking after the hospital’s best interests, it seemed to Olivia that the historic institution was looking after something for her. Knowing that Henry and Emily were so close, she began to experience the familiar nerves again as she wondered if she was doing the right thing, specifically wondering if she would be a welcome visitor? Admittedly, she hardly knew them and had used her contacts to track them down in a manner which Olivia wasn’t one hundred percent sure was civil, never mind legal.
Lost in her work, it was an hour later when Simon walked into her office with his arms full. He placed everything on a chair and then, one by one, handed the items to her.
“One giraffe rucksack,” he said. She took the item and looked at it with a smile.
“One giraffe money box, rubber so it won’t break.” He took the rucksack back and handed her the money bank which she looked over with a nod.
“I made an executive decision,” he told her with a grin and held up an item of clothing. “Giraffe hoodie!”
Olivia chuckled at Simon’s enthusiasm as he showed off the dark blue garment with a large giraffe print emblazoned on the front before holding up the hood to show two giraffe horns and ears.
“I know,” Simon said. “It’s adorable but don’t get excited because it doesn’t come in adult sizes.”
He handed her the hoodie and she examined it with a smile. “It looks perfect.”
“Great,” Simon held up two sets of wrapping paper. “Which do you prefer?”
Olivia looked at the choices and pointed to one. Simon nodded and then picked up two get-well-soon cards. “Giraffe with a bandage on his leg or giraffe with a scarf?”
“Scarf,” Olivia said after a moment of deliberation.
“Great, the balloon is on the way, I’ll get these wrapped up while you sign this.” He handed her the greeting card.
“What should I write?” Olivia looked at Simon with a frown.
“What’s his name?”
“Henry White.”
“How about ‘Henry. Get well soon. Love Olivia’?” Simon suggested.
“That’s all?”
“You could add that you hope he enjoys the gifts?”
Olivia nodded. “Very well.”
Simon smiled. “Everything will be ready for you in about fifteen minutes.”
“Good, make sure you bring a jacket, it’s a little chilly today,” Olivia told him as he got to the door.
He paused and turned around to regard Olivia with a confused expression. “I’m coming with you?”
“Yes,” Olivia replied as if it were obvious.
“Okay.” Simon shrugged and left the room again.
Olivia sighed, she knew it was a cop-out but she needed someone to accompany her. For her, it was a strange situation that she was heading into. Simon was chatty and friendly and could charm the birds out of the trees. Olivia knew that having him there would help any potential awkwardness that might arise. As well as helping her to identify any awkwardness that had already arisen, as she was often unaware.
Thirty minutes later, they had walked the short distance to Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital and were on their way to the Bear Ward for chi
ldren with cardiac conditions.
Olivia held a large, brightly coloured paper gift bag with giraffes on it which Simon had provided to carry the wrapped gifts in. Simon walked beside her with a giraffe-shaped helium balloon with weighted feet that made it seem as if the balloon was walking. Olivia had steadfastly refused to walk through the streets of Bloomsbury with the balloon but Simon happily stepped out with it making conversation with people as he went.
Approaching the reception desk on Bear Ward, Olivia slowed slightly as her nervousness started to amplify. Simon leaned on the desk and smiled at the nurse. “Good afternoon.” The nurse smiled at him and looked at the giraffe balloon.
“We’re here to see Henry White,” he said while Olivia looked around the brightly coloured hospital ward with interest. It wasn’t like any ward she had seen before with its murals and mood lights in the ceiling and she found herself comforted that Henry was being treated in such a friendly place.
“Henry and his mother are in room seven,” the nurse said and stood up to give directions.
Olivia tuned out the rest of the conversation and kept her head down as she walked behind Simon in the indicated direction. Suddenly she found herself nearly walking into him as he stopped and turned to face her.
“Do you want me to come in with you?” Simon asked her casually as he indicated a large cartoon bear painted on the wall next to him with an equally large number seven. Olivia nodded her head. He turned around and gently knocked on the open door to room seven and walked in with a friendly smile.
Olivia fell into step behind him and saw Emily in a chair beside Henry’s bed. The boy was asleep and his body connected to various monitors and machines by wires and tubes. Henry was pale and looked so tiny in the large bed and Olivia felt her breath constrict. She quickly looked at Emily who rose from her seat, she looked surprised and confused to see Olivia there, but not unhappy.
“Miss Lewis?”
“Hello, Miss White,” Olivia said. “I—I was worried about Henry’s condition, and didn’t know how to contact you to ask.”
“I’m Simon.” He stepped forward and held out his hand. “I work with Olivia.”