We arrive at the hospital with the big bag of Marvel merch the guys signed yesterday evening... We get greeted by a woman and Chris introduces me... She hugs me and when i tell her my plan of taking photos for the kids and parents her face lights up... "They will love it..." She says and i smile... We have to walk into this room where we get disinfected and then it is time... We walk through the hospital wing visiting the sickest kids first...
I smile introduce myself to the parents asking them if they mind if i take photos and telling them they will get them all that it is a keep's sake... I smile taking photos of Chris, Seb and Mackie with the kids... The smile on their faces is amazing... But it also breaks my heart to see them so sick... My heart breaks even more when the mom tells me that the girl whose name is Jennifer will be no longer treated and will die soon... I have to fight my tears... It is just not fair... But the girl is just all smiles and hugs Chris, Seb and Mackie... The give her this shield with the autographs on it and her face lights up even more... She is just all smiles and i am in awe of her... We say goodbye to Jennifer and the parents and move on...
It is heartbreaking... After 4 rooms with kids so sick but so happy to see Chris, Mackie and Seb we go to a big room where the kids are gathered that are stronger... They run up and i smile and the woman who greeted us tells me all the parents gave consent for me to take photos... I take a photo and look up and see a boy in a room sitting by himself in the bed... I wonder why is not here... He is alone... There are no adults with him... I focus my attention on the kids and parents in the room again, but my attention is being drawn to the boy in the room... Alone... All alone...
When i have taken pictures of everyone and have taken a group photo i excuse myself because curiosity gets the best of me... Or maybe it is the fact that he looks so sad and is alone... I walk over to the woman, and she smiles at me... "Who is he...?" I ask pointing to the little boy, and she sighs the look on her face turning sad... "That is Jack... He is admitted 6 months ago... We asked him if he wanted to be part of the festivities today, but he didn't want to..." She says and my heart breaks... "Where are his parents?" I whisper and she sighs again... "Mom died of an overdose... Dad is unknown... He is a kid of the system..." She says and my heart breaks again... "Would it be alright if i try to talk to him... I promise if he doesn't want me there i will leave...?" I say and she smiles and nods...
I look at Chris, Seb and Mackie who are caught up with the kids and walk out the room and cross the hallway... I knock on the door and the boy looks up... He looks so tiny for a boy of 8 years... "Hi... Do you mind if i come in?" I ask and he shrugs his shoulders... I take this as an okay and tell myself as soon as he wants me to leave i will leave... "If you want me to leave, just say the word and i will go... Okay..." I say stepping in the room, and he looks up at me with his sad eyes...
"What have you got there...?" I ask him while pointing at the photo in his hand and he looks away from me and hides it... "Dont worry sweetheart... I won't take it away..." I say sitting down next to him... He pulls the photo back from under the covers and it is a photo of a woman and looking at him and the photo in his hand i think it is his mother... "Is that your mom?" I ask and he slowly nods... "My name is Ava... What is yours...?" I ask and he looks at me... "Jack..." He whispers so soft it is barely audible... "Well, it is nice to meet you Jack..." I say smiling and he just looks at me his eyes still sad and my heart breaks again all i want to do is crawl into bed with him hold him and tell him it will all be okay... I dont know what it is... Maybe the fact that we both lost someone due to an overdose... But i just want to comfort him...
"What was your moms name?" I ask and for the first time i see a spark in his eyes... I dont think anyone ever has shown interest in his mother... Probably because she was a drug addict and in most people's eyes, they are worthless... But people forget that even drug addicts have people that love them... "Maggie..." He whispers and i smile... "That is a real pretty name..." I whisper and the boy nods and a little smile form on his lips...
"Can i see?" I ask and he hesitates a little but hands me the picture... "You look like her..." I say and he smiles at me a real smile this time... The picture is old, and you can see it has been handled a lot... "Would it be okay... If i take a photo of the photo... Then at home i can make it all new again... I can put it in a frame for you..." I say and his face lights up... "You can do that?" He asks and i nod... "I can... I take photos from people for a living..." I say and pull out my phone and show him some of them... "Okay..." He says and i smile take the photo and walk to a place with good lighting and snap a photo of the photo... I walk back to Jack and sit down next to him and hand him the photo...
"People say my mom was a bad person..." He whispers and i can see the tears in his eyes... "Oh sweetheart... No, she was not a bad person... She was sick..." I whisper and he starts to cry a little... I can't stand it and i stand up put my camera aside and sit down next to him and pull him in my arms... He starts to cry harder and i kiss him on his little head... "It is okay sweetheart... Let it all out... It is okay... It is all okay... " I whisper holding him tight as he clings onto me...
I come to understand why he doesn't want to socialize with the others... It is a constant reminder he has no one... All the other kids have parents here for them... Wanting them and fighting for them to get better... Jack has no one and thinking about that i have to fight my tears...
I just hold him and let him cry... I think he hasn't been held in a long time... He clings onto me and all i think is that i dont want to let him go... There is a knock on the door and i look up and Chris is standing in the doorway... Jack doesn't look up and i smile at Chris with tears in my eyes... He walks over to me and cups my face wiping my tears away... "Jack... there is someone i want you to meet..." I say trying to sound normal and Jack looks up... "Hi..." He whispers and Chris smiles... "Hello bud..." Chris says sitting down... Jack doesn't let go of me and i dont let go of him... "I have something for you..." Chris says and hands him a signed shield... Jack smiles politely taking it from him... "Thank you..." He says and i smile... "Ms. Ava is going to fix my picture..." He says holding up the photo and i have to take a deep breath to fight my tears...
Chris smiles... "Well, if someone can fix it is Ava..." He says smiling and Jack smiles back at him... We sit with him for a while and then it is time to go... He looks so sad that we have to go... It breaks me to go... "I will be back sweetheart..." I whisper and kiss the top of his head again... "Promise?" He asks and i nod... "Promise..." I say and i sigh leaving him behind... I wave at him as we walk away... But he doesn't wave back... He has this sad look on his face again...
