Lewis had already made up his mind that he didn’t want to have children. However, he interpreted their declarations as a complete disinterest in romance. There was only one reason for making the hospital visit with them. Anne White was three years older than him, and he’d been completely shy of ever talking to her. Yet she was the only girl in the entire youth group who entranced him as much as Lynda had done.

It was a different affect, but equally chemically motivating. Lynda Fielding had been more bubbly and mischievous and full of laughter. Anne had been a quiet confident intellectual. Lewis had often looked at her across the hall, during youth group activities, had longed to talk to her, but had no idea what to say. She was ahead of him at her own school and might well think even less of him than Marjorie did. Yet here was a chance to go to the hospital and let her know that he was the only boy in the youth group who wanted to visit her. His mere presence would indicate that, without him having to find a word to express it.

He made his way to St Leonards Station Double on the pre-arranged Wednesday after school, via Swain Gardens Double as he was used to doing on the Friday evenings, and they walked over to the hospital, and took the elevator up to the floor of Anne White’s ward. Despite being pale with fever, she looked radiant, lying in the bed, talking mainly to her friends but not showing him any unpleasant response. Surely his presence at the hospital (with a girl he’d never spoken to) was far more unusual in her eyes than his willingness to walk home with a girl he’d spoken to for weeks. Yet Anne White seemed of different material than Marjorie Proude.

“It’s such a different life in here,” said Anne to Naomi, “I wonder how long before they’ll let me out.”

“I went to hospital in second class for an operation,” said Lewis, “It’s a place where one is both waited on like a king or queen and yet imprisoned like a thief or traitor.”

“That’s very poetic,” said Anne.

Lewis would go on to ride that compliment indefinitely. In the weeks ahead, he hoped that he’d be able to see Anne White again. Yet her year 12 studies kept her very busy, and her return from the hospital did not see her return to the youth group. He remembered his own father’s effect on his chances to see Lynda Fielding again and suspected that Anne White would find the Higher School Certificate even more restricting, especially if she was still recovering from a major illness.

In early September, when the Winter Months were over, Jenny Wilmer invited the youth group to a party at her heated backyard pool in Chelmsford Street Turramurra (Double). Lewis was beginning to feel uneasy attending the youth group. He had alienated the Proudes with his attempted courtship of Marjorie, and felt sufficiently negative emanations from other rare few girls who caught his attention to discourage him from approaching them. The only exception had been Anne White’s compliment. Yet she didn’t seem to be returning to the youth group.