"Hey Jessica!"

He was already sitting up on his bed when I entered the room that afternoon. The window blinds were pulled up and the sun shined brightly, playing off his skin and lighting his serene blue eyes. His once pale face was gaining color and his lips were drawn up on either side in what could easily be mistaken for a smile.. in fact, it was a smile. It was sight I'd come to expect over the past few weeks after our daily walks through the hospital hallways, and it never failed to brighten my day.

"Hey Matthew!" I returned to him as I pushed the wheelchair in beside his bed and locked the brakes. He stood up immediately, without my help and walked over to chair.

"You know dude," I said as I watched him ease his way down into the seat, leaning back as he situated the mask on his face, "you're really getting good at this."

He smiled up at me and I smiled back down at him. Our eyes locked and for a brief moment I thought I saw a glint of true happiness there. I sat down on the bed across from where he sat and took his hand in mine. "I wanted to ask you something this afternoon."

He gave me a questioning glance but nodded his head for me to go on.

"Do you mind if I bring along my video camera with us to film this? I really think it's something your mom would really like to see."

We'd gone on walks everyday I'd worked for the past three weeks, always at 2:30 in the afternoon, always when Matthew's mother had left to pick up his little sister from school. I wasn't too sure he'd even told her about the walks, but I knew from talking to her that she felt in her heart whatever I was doing with Matthew was bringing about the change in his health and in his attitude.

He looked at me for a moment as if he were thinking things through and then nodded with a small sigh. "Yeah... I think you're right. Sure, let's do it."

I stepped out of the room briefly and returned only moments later carrying my video camera. I smiled at Matthew as I went to flip it on but paused momentarily. "Now remember," I told him as I sat back down on the foot of his bed, "you say the word and I turn it off. This is about you and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable at all." He nodded and smiled up at me. I turned the camera on and pointed it in his direction.

"Hi mom," He said immediately without any cues from me. "Look at me! I'm sorry I didn't tell you before... but I didn't want to get your hopes up." He stood from the wheelchair and walked a small circle around it as I watched, teary eyed from behind the lense. "I can do this all thanks to Nurse Jess." He pointed over at me and motioned for me to flip the camera around, I did for a moment and waved hello before focusing it back on him.

"You ready to go?" I asked and he nodded. I handed the camera to Matthew and showed him how to use the buttons. "Here, you film for a while." I said as he looked up at me with raised eyebrows, "You sure?"

"Absolutely!"

I couldn't help but grin at the look on his face. He took the camera in his hands and started filming as we journeyed through the halls together. He pointed at things -- rooms, equipment, doors and explained them to camera. He introduced some of his doctors and nurses he met in the halls. It was awesome. He was talking and cutting up more than I'd ever seen in... well in years. We finally made it to the cafeteria where we typically stopped to grab a soda. I grabbed one for him from the fountain and sat down beside him.

"You having anything?" He asked as he sipped on his sprite. I shook my head.

"I had to give up soda... and caffeine! Ugh." I made a face at him and pretended to yawn as he giggled at me from behind his mask.

"Why'd you go and do a thing like that?" He asked pointing the camera in my direction.

"Well..." I said contemplating the idea of telling Matthew for a few moments before I decided to just go for it, "I'll tell you... but... can you keep a secret?"

He nodded eagerly and went to click off the camera. I shook my head, "No you can leave it on... we'll keep it as part of the movie maybe." He smiled.

"Okay," I smiled as I gathered up the guts to go ahead and spill the info, "Well... I found out a couple of weeks ago that I'm going to have a baby!"

"Really?" He put the camera down for a moment a grinned up at me.

I winked at him, "Yep and you're the first person to know... other than Aj."

He made a shocked face into the camera and I laughed.

"That's SO cool," he said as he reached over and gave me a hug. I hugged him back gently and he leaned back in his seat. "You're going to be such a great mom."

"You think so?"

"I know so!" I gave him a smile and thanked him for being so sweet.

"I always wondered what it'd be like to be a dad," He said as he laid the camera on the table, the record button still on.

"You'll be an awesome dad Matt." I said as I reached over and rubbed his bald head. It was true too, Matthew had spent a lot of time in the hospital and now that he was older he spent a lot of time with the little kids... they all loved him. I could see Matthew in my mind, a few years older, wiser... a father. He would be a terrific dad.

He shook his head and I knew in my heart what he was going to say before he said it. "I don't think so. I mean... I don't think I'll get to be a dad." I sighed not knowing exactly what to say. He changed the subject quickly.

"I bet you'll have a boy!" He interjected.

"You think?" I smiled allowing the subject to be changed.

"Yup."

"Well," I said... "If he's anything like you I'll be okay with that."

He laughed and I sighed. We headed back to his room together, he filmed more of the hallways as we went, smiling the entire way. When we finally arrived back in the room I helped him back to bed and we said our goodbyes to each other. I walked out of the room and stared down at the camera in my hands. I wondered silently to myself if Matthew was right. Would he ever get to be a dad? I wouldn't show the video to his mom... not yet anyway. I slid the camera into my purse and sat down in the breakroom for several minutes to collect my thoughts before I headed on to my next patient.