EMBRACE YOU Lone(liness Book Two)(27)

"Are you feeling better?" he asks. His voice sounds much less affected than it has in previous days.

"I am feeling better. Still very tired, but much less...sick. I wonder how the boys are feeling."

"If they've been taking the antiviral stuff and drinking fluids, they should be feeling more human," Marcus says.

My phone rings.

"Hello?"

"Jo? Tim here. Linny ended up in hospital. He's badly dehydrated from too much vomiting. That's stopped, with the help of medication, but I expect he'll be there overnight. Stay home tomorrow and we'll just get back to our regular practice schedule next week."

"Oh, I hope Linny gets to feeling better. Please give him our love," I say. "I just did breathing exercises and drank lots of water today. How are you feeling? Better?" I ask.

"I slept a bunch. Drank lots of water and took my medication. I feel like I can eat something, so I'm heating up some chicken noodle and vegetable soup. You just take care of yourself and your family. I'll keep you apprised of Linny's condition. We'll see each other next week." Tim rings off and I set the phone down.



The next day is the same. We continue to recover from the grippe and Lizzie seems almost normal.

"Mummy better? Mummy p'ay?"

"Yes, luv. What would you like to play?"

Lizzie and I play with two of her dolls. This kind of quiet play is good for her. She's much less likely to develop a temperature this way, so I strive to find quiet activities she will enjoy.

After a light lunch, we get a phone call from the prosecuting barrister's office, telling us the juries have both returned with their verdicts. I have to tell him that we are all three sick with the grippe and unable to leave the house.

"I hope you feel better. I will call you and let you know what the juries decide."

"Thank you. I'll be waiting."

After lunch, he rings me back.

"Mrs. Hadley, both juries found them guilty. It's now in the hands of the magistrate. He'll decide what kind of sentence, if any, Miss Wells and Miss Stabb will receive."

"'If any?' You mean they could go free?"

"No. Well, yes. They would be required to go into inpatient treatment in a psychiatric hospital. You'll get word about their sentencing hearings." After I asked a few more questions I have, we ring off.

Marcus and I feel much better, although we are still coughing heavily. When Lizzie takes her nap after lunch, we doze off downstairs in the living room. When we wake up, Marcus decides he's able to get back to work. I stretch slowly and wake up as I hear him typing steadily. Upstairs, I check on Lizzie. She wakes and gives me a big grin.

"Mummy? How fee'?" she asks with concern.

"Mummy feels much better, thank you. How do you feel?"

"Fee' good. Up! Up!" She raises her round little arms, telling me she wants to get out of bed.

Downstairs, I work on more breathing exercises, thinking of what I could make for our dinner. As Marcus finishes an article and uploads it to his client, I put my hand on his shoulder.

"What do you feel like eating? I'm thinking of what we could have for dinner. I'm actually a little bit hungry!" I tell him.

"Flapjacks? Bangers and mash?"

"Flapjacks sound good, but bangers and mash...ewww! Too greasy. I'll mix the flapjacks. How about some fruit with those?"

"Perfect. Just one for Lizzie and two for me. I don't want to push my luck."

"Okay. Small dinner coming up!" I make the mix for the flapjacks and set it aside so I can cut up fresh fruit. We will be having orange sections and apple slices with our flapjacks. Heating the griddle, I pour the mix on and cook our dinner.

"Lizzie! It's dinner time!" I wait for a few minutes. "Lizzie! Luv, where are you?" I go into the living room and scream.

"Marcus! My God!"





Chapter 8





Marcus runs into the living room after me. We see our baby girl slumped down on the carpet and go to her, shaking her. She's as limp as a rag doll.

"My God, call the ambulance! I don't know if she's breathing!" Lizzie is pale and the skin around her mouth is a delicate, pale blue.

Just a few minutes later, the ambulance pulls up, its siren wailing. The EMTs run into the kitchen, through and into the living room. They begin working on the baby.

"Ma'am, we need to take her to the hospital. Has she had flu recently?"

"Yes, early this week. We thought she was getting better!"

"Mum, dad, bundle up and come with us. Have you been ill, too?"

"All three of us," Marcus says as he gives me my coat. I slip it on as the technicians bundle Lizzie onto a gurney and place an oxygen mask over her tiny face.

"Let's go. We'll want to get you checked out as well. She may have suffered a complication and we don't want you two suffering the same thing."

As we leave, I shut off the burner and put the food away.

At hospital, Lizzie is quickly checked over by the medical staff.

"Mum, dad, she appears to have contracted pneumonia. We will need to admit her to the Pediatrics ward so she can receive the medication and oxygen she needs. You are welcome to stay - and, in fact, I would rather have you admitted as well. I will check you two out as well."