It Matters

Roger surveyed the furious fifteen year old on the opposite settee and considered his response. There was no doubt at all that, given a bit of focus, this teenager could one day be the new Near and he nearly said so. The sentiment died on his lips, unspoken, and he surprised himself with what he said in its stead.



"How about we arrange for you to have an internment in a hospital then?"



Jamboree froze, staring as if she was afraid that any response would dissolve the offer like some cruel pipedream. She slowly nodded.



Roger made a note.

"I will inform Near that your wish is to ultimately become a surgeon and you are to be removed from the candidates for apprenticeship to him."



"Thank you." Jamboree breathed and a lightness appeared across her features, in her whole demeanour, that Roger had never seen in the girl before. "I won\'t let you down. I will be the best surgeon that ever lived. I will make The Wammy House proud of the opportunities you gave me. I\'ll..." She leapt up and hugged Roger fiercely. Roger blinked. He couldn\'t remember a single child doing that before, at least not the ones over the age of ten.



For a few minutes after she had gone, Roger sat where he was, just staring into space. With the right kind of eyes, he could almost see, from the corner of his vision, a redhead bent over a game, smoking a cigarette. He didn\'t check to see what suggested it, not wanting the disappointment of confirming that this was purely imagination.



Instead, Roger whispered into the air,

"I never told Near, by the way, even after the week was up. He never knew." A little smile. "And I think that Jamboree will make an excellent surgeon."



It might have been an old man\'s fancy, but for a second he almost saw Matt\'s hand rise in acknowledgement, before he lost himself in the game again.