Wildcard: Volume One

“Believe it or not, talking to you helps. I like our chats.”

“Me too.” I hear Dad calling out for me and I cut the conversation short. My heart races as I waddle out to the kitchen. God, I hope he has some good news.

“How soon can you get them over here?”

My eyes widen. Is he serious? Of course he is, because Dad doesn’t joke about anything.

“You did it?” I gasp.

“If they can be here by Monday, then there is a chance he can be included. The actual trial won’t start for a few weeks, but he needs to be tested to make sure he’

s compatible. He’ll need to be here all next week.”

“Thank you, Dad,” I say. Fuck, I’m about to cry. I never cry. I walk over and throw my arms around him, and he hugs me back awkwardly.

Holy shit. Doing things for other people does feel good.

I organize everything from flights to accommodation. It strikes me that they probably don’t have passports, so I organize an appointment for them too. Luckily being a medical emergency, they can be issued the same day.

“Are you ready?” I ask Josh.

“All set. Just say when.”

I hang up and Skype Scarlett. She answers with her trademark smile.

“Hey,” I grin.

“You look awfully happy,” she says, narrowing her eyes.

“Why not? It’s a beautiful evening. I hear it’s nice over there too.”

“Are you kidding?” she snorts. “It’s been raining all day.”

I text Josh, and then I hear her doorbell ring. She looks surprised.

“Take me with you,” I tell her.

“What are you up to?” she laughs. But she obliges, carrying her laptop over to the door. “What if I had a desktop computer?” she giggles.

“Then you’d have your arms full.”

My view is of the front door as she opens it. I smile as I see Josh standing there. He hands her the box and says it’s from Ryder. She closes the door and carries me and the box back into the living room.

“I told you not to buy me things,” she groans.

“Shut up and open it,” I laugh.

Grumbling, she lifts the lid off the box.

“What the hell…” Her face scrunches up in confusion, and then disbelief. “What the fuck, Ryder? What the hell is this? We can’t just up and leave on a freaking holiday. I have work, and you know Jake isn’t well.”

“Scarlett,” I say. I wait for her to stop ranting. “Listen to me. My father managed to get Jake a meeting with a top professor who is doing a study for a new drug for Cystic Fibrosis patients. There should be a brochure at the bottom of the box?”

She lifts the brochure out and gasps.

“Professor Howes? Ryder, he’s the best of the best.” She looks at me with sad eyes. “I can’t let you pay for all this, Ryder. I just can’t . . .” She shakes her head, wiping away tears from her red, swollen eyes. Her hands tremble as she clutches the plane tickets and stares at them.

“Do it for you, Scarlett. Do it for Jake. For once in your life be truly selfish and take this for what it is: a chance to help your son. You owe me nothing, okay? We don’t even have to meet if you don’t want to—”