Handprints ( #2 BOOK IN SERIES )

June (Part Two)

Tears are streaming down my face without me even realising. All eyes have turned their attention towards me and my heavy sobs.

"Are you her mother?" the doctor asks me which doesn't answer my question at all.

"Yes," I reply through sobs.

"I am Doctor Hanson and we are currently waiting for the test results to come back so we can then diagnose your daughter properly,"

"But you must have some idea of what is wrong?" I question him while trying to control myself.

"I'm afraid we can't discuss theories at this moment in time. Not until we have something solid. For now though there are too many people in this room," Doctor Hanson says, indicating that my mother and Mary-Anne should leave.

"I'll just be outside Kristen," my mum tells me.

"I better be going anyway. I had to leave one of the girls who is on work placement in charge while I came here which probably isn't legal. You'll let me know how she is won't you?" Mary-Anne asks and I see from the corner of my eye Cory nodding at her.

"Wait, can I talk to you outside?" I ask her before she leaves the room.

I follow Mary-Anne into the corridor, taking one last glance at Erin hooked up to the machines.

"Can you tell me what happened? She had a temperature this morning but other than that she was fine when I left for school," I ask her.

"It happened maybe about half an hour after your mum had dropped her off. I had left Erin sleeping in her pushchair in the dining room where it is quitter. She was already asleep when your mum left her. Normally I would make sure there is always someone in the dining room whenever any of the children are asleep in there. I had left Ellie, the girl doing her work experience with me, with Erin but then I need her help as two of the children were fighting in the garden.

Another child came running out while I was trying to break up the fight. She told me that Erin didn't look well; that she almost looks like a smurf and that got my attention. I went to check on her, hoping that this little girl was overreacting but when I saw Erin she was a sickly blue colour. I phoned an ambulance straight away and then I tried phoning you and Cory but I had forgotten you had an exam so I phoned your mum who then phoned the school.

Erin's heartbeat was so fast while we were waiting for an ambulance to arrive but then when it did come she had a fit. Luckily the paramedics were able to get everything under control. She's been stable since then." Mary-Anne tells me everything and listen very carefully to every word being said.

"Do you know what it could be?" I ask her, my voice shaking as I do.

"I don't know, I think you're best waiting for the results rather than listening to speculation. Now go inside and be with her," she instructs me so I do, not before I say goodbye to her.

When I go back into the room, I notice that the doctor is gone, leaving only the nurse, my mum and Cory left in there. I sit down in the seat which Mary-Anne originally occupied and watch the rise and fall of Erin's chest as she sleeps peacefully, even with all the machines attached to her.

"I'm going to get a drink. Do you want anything?" my mum asks us in a soft tone.

Shaking my head at her, I continue to watch Erin while Cory asks for a tea.

"What did Mary-Anne say?" Cory asks from the other chair.

I fill him in on everything, from Erin turning blue to having a fit.

"Poor little thing. How did this ever happen?" he asks as he watches over her as well, his voice cracking as he speaks.

"I've been asking myself that since we left the school. Why didn't we spot any signs sooner? Or done something when we knew she had a temperature?"