Harvesting Acorns (13 page)

“No,
I am not scared that she will not like it. I’m worried if I have chosen the
perfect acorn for her. It needs to be the most magical acorn, because my dream
for her needs all the power in the universe.” He said this through sobs and
Chloe sensed there was something bigger worrying James.

“Do
you want to tell me what your dream is for her?” she prompted.

James hesitated and tried to control
the sobs. Chloe put her arm around him and comforted him.

“Hannah
is very sick. She spends a lot of time in hospital and has missed lots of
school. I can’t see her anymore because she has to be kept away from everyone
because she gets sick so easily.” His little body was wracked from the sobs.

“It
is OK James, cry all you need to, it helps to get it all out.” Chloe stroked
his hair as he cried. When he had finished, he looked up at her, his eyes red
and swollen. Then he continued.

“Her
dad says it is called
Leukaemia
.
She needs to go to hospital again, the doctors say there is only one thing that
might save her, but it is very expensive. My dream is for her to get better. I
want her dad to find the money to make her better. He is very sad.”

Chloe’s
heart broke to see James’ pain and to hear his story and his unselfish dream.

“James,
I don’t know what I can do to help, but I would love to meet Hannah’s parents
and hear what needs to be done.” She didn’t know where this thought came from,
but it just tumbled out, like another puzzle piece. She did not know the
circumstances or anything about the family, but she saw how much it meant to
James.

She
had been a part of his acorn collecting, leading to this moment of him finding
the perfect acorn for his dream. She felt that whether she had chosen to or
not, she was now part of this and that it was far greater than she was.
Something huge was happening and she had been drawn into it, for reasons she couldn’t
even begin to comprehend. She just trusted that she needed to follow it and
honour whatever role she needed to play in it.

“There
is just Hannah’s dad, her mom died when she was born, it’s just the two of
them,” James explained. Chloe’s heart ached even more. But what could she do?

“Your
dream is very special James, and what you are doing is so unselfish. Let us get
you home, I will walk with you. I will meet you here again tomorrow.” They got
up and walked to James’ home quietly together.

Chloe
got home and into a hot bath. As she lay there beneath the bubbles, tears
welled from the bottom of her heart and she sobbed and sobbed. She didn’t stop
until she got out. She got into her nighty and gown, made herself some hot
chocolate and cuddled on the couch. She cried some more, the well of tears
seemed to be bottomless. James’ story, Hannah’s story, had both reached that
part of her that just wanted to make everything right with the world. That same
passion to help and to heal that had always been with her. That force she had
been running from because she had been forced to abandon it. And here it was,
refusing to let her hide anymore. Calling her out to the greatness that had
always been in her, waiting to be unleashed. She was frightened. What was
expected of her? What could she possibly do?

She
heard a voice in the stillness: ‘Write Chloe. It is your gift.’ She sat there
in the silence of her home, dumbfounded, spellbound and serene. She knew what
she had to do and did not question it.

The
next morning, she met James as promised. That day they were not collecting
acorns. Chloe asked him if he would mind taking her to meet Hannah’s dad. James
was a little unsure but agreed. Together they walked there and Chloe asked
James to tell her all about Hannah and their friendship.

“Hannah
is the same age as me. We used to be neighbours when we were about five years
old until my mom and I had to move last year,” he explained. “At first we didn’t
speak to each other much, but one day when I got home from school I saw her
having a tea party outside with her dolls and I was curious. We started playing
together after school sometimes.”

“When
did she start getting sick?” Chloe asked.

“About
a year ago, just after we moved away. I went to visit after not seeing her for
a while and her dad said she couldn’t have visitors because she was not feeling
well,” James answered sadly.

They
carried on walking and soon arrived at the home that James indicated was
Hannah’s. He knocked on the door and a man, not much older than Chloe, answered
the door. Although still in his early thirties, the worry showed on his face
and fatigue in his stance. He looked enquiringly at Chloe and then greeted
James warmly.

“Hello
Uncle Ben, this is Chloe. She has been helping me and I told her about Hannah
and wanted to introduce her to you. I know we can’t see Hannah, but I just
thought…” he stopped, stifling his tears.

“It
is so nice to see you James, hello Chloe, pleased to meet you I am Ben. Please
come inside,” he led the way through to the lounge.

Once
inside Chloe explained, “I apologise for my intrusion, I know it may seem odd
James bringing a stranger to meet you. It is just that I have spent a lot of
time with James lately and he is an incredibly special boy. I see how much he
cares about Hannah,” Chloe was doing her best to try to explain her visit and
not seem inquisitive about their obviously difficult time.

“I
don’t mean to sound nosey, but I would just like to hear about Hannah and what
you are going through, I understand completely if you don’t want to share with
a stranger.”

Ben’s
face softened momentarily and he gestured to her to sit down.

“I
trust James’ judgement. He has been a good friend to Hannah and I know how it
upsets him not to be able to see her. If somehow this helps him, I will be glad
to talk with you.” He offered coffee and when she accepted he went through to
make it and returned a short while later with coffee and rusks. He sat opposite
Chloe and they began to talk, immediately finding an easy rapport.

He
explained that Hannah had been diagnosed with Leukaemia about eight months
before, a couple of months after first becoming ill. She had been through so
much testing and was now on medication that was slightly easing symptoms. She
was currently going through a bad patch and was in hospital. The doctors felt
her only chance of recovery was a bone marrow transplant but this held what
seemed like insurmountable challenges. Firstly, it was an exorbitantly
expensive procedure and secondly, if Ben, as her closest relative, was not a
match as a bone marrow donor, they would need to test family and failing that
she would need to go onto a waiting list to find a matching donor. There were
so few registered donors in the country so she would go onto an international
list and there were just so many children needing donors and so few people
knowing how important it was to register as donors. The need was just so great.

Chloe
felt that stirring within her again. Was this what she had been led to? Through
all the hard times she had been through in her career, the disappointment,
sense of failure and her resignation? Leaving town, arriving in the village, meeting
Phoebe and then the Taylors? Her new job? Meeting James? All of it leading to
this moment? She found herself blurting out her next words.

“Ben,
this is going to sound a bit strange and premeditated or journalistic. I assure
you it is not, I am astounded to find myself here about to say what I am. May I
do a feature article on Hannah? Something is telling me there are people out
there who could, and would, help if they just knew about her.” Chloe was
shaking inside. What was she doing? She had vowed not to write any articles
again. Ben looked at her a bit
sceptically
, and she
continued:

“Let
me explain, I am not looking for the next big story…” and she proceeded to tell
him her story of disillusion, giving up, leaving, arriving and finding what she
was running from had chased her down and arrived before her. By the end of the
visit some of the weariness had lifted from Ben’s face as he agreed to let
Chloe write the story. She saw a flicker of hope in his eyes and felt a bit of
fear that she may be setting him up for something she may not be able to
deliver. But something told her that if she did not at least try then all hope
would be lost. A little girl’s life depended on finding funds and Chloe had the
means and capability to reach people who may be able to help. She and James
left and Ben thanked them for the visit and for lifting his spirits. Chloe
walked James home and then went home to plot her angle on the story.

On
Monday morning she called a meeting with Edward Taylor and told him what she
would like to do and asked for his permission. Edward beamed.

“Chloe,
I have been waiting for you to want to write for us. I did some research on you
when you agreed to take the job and I have read some of your stories. You are
an amazing writer and it would be an honour for my company to be the channel
for your story to see the light.”

Chloe
was grateful for the opportunity and to have Edward’s support and enthusiasm.
She would not let it interfere with her editing duties and so she worked on her
story in every free moment she had in the evenings. The only time off she took
during the next two weeks was for her midweek dinner with Phoebe and Jean
Pierre and her time with James in the park on the weekend. They still collected
a few acorns here and there, but mostly they had begun picnicking and just
spending time together. James had taken her to meet his mother, Jessica, the
previous weekend, at Chloe’s suggestion; so that she would not have to worry
about the stranger James spent so much time with.  She also met with Ben a
couple of times just to get further information from him about Hannah, her
illness and her medical requirements. Ben seemed to relax a little more with
each visit and Chloe found herself enjoying his company and admiring the love
and dedication he had towards his daughter. She still had not been able to meet
Hannah, but Ben told her that as soon as Hannah had recovered from this latest
chest infection and was able to have visitors, he would invite Chloe and James
over to see her. She missed James so much.

On
her next visit with James, she told him this news. He was overjoyed. She also
told him she had a big request to ask of him.

“James,
may I please share your story about collecting acorns and your dream. I think
it will really help us to help Hannah. I think your story holds so much love
and hope that people need to hear about it,” she asked him hopefully.

“I
just want Hannah to get better. Whatever you need me to do, I will do it,” he
responded sincerely.

When
he consented she shared his hopes and found herself believing with everything
she had in Hannah’s cause and James’ dream. That evening Chloe phoned Grace and
asked her if she would mind if she interviewed them and shared their story to
give a bit of the tree’s history leading up to James’ beautiful endeavour.
Grace said they were willing to help in any way they could and was sure Joel
would not mind sharing either. Chloe set to work forming the outline of her
story, the course she wanted it to take and formulating the questions for her
interviews with Ben, James, Grace and Joel. She also did her research on
Leukaemia, bone marrow transplants and the donor registry.

Over
the next week she conducted her interviews and started writing her story. She
got permission from all of her interviewees to take photographs and she asked
Ben to take photos of Hannah for her. Ben told her he had an even better idea.
Hannah was well enough for a visitor. She and James were welcome to visit for
half an hour the next day and she could speak to Hannah as well about her
experience. Unfortunately, the next morning Hannah had taken a bit of a bad
turn and Ben had had to cancel the visit but he said he would drop some photos
off with Chloe the following day.

By
the time Chloe started putting all the bits of her story together she had a
wealth of information and viewpoints. By the end of the week she was ready to
submit her story to Edward for approval. He was so impressed and granted her
permission to make it a cover feature. He also contacted their partner
magazines and they agreed to run the story as well so that it would reach as
big a readership base as possible.

That
Monday the story hit the shelves. It told of a little girl fighting a deadly
illness; the astronomical costs of treatment needed to save her life; and the
plea for people to register as bone marrow donors to increase the survival
chances of children fighting Leukaemia and other diseases requiring bone marrow
transplants. It continued with the dream of a little boy to save his best
friend’s life and his acorn gathering project and plan to spread dreams among
as many people as he could and how his own altruistic dream had sparked an idea
of hope.

The
history of the tree and the first dreams it granted were told through the love
of the elderly couple who started it all and kept the tradition alive through
three generations to this point where their grandson wisely chose to share the
magic. It ended with contact details for the donor registry and a plea for
anyone to help with sponsorships towards treatment for Hannah.