Chapter 0331
Fear drove all feeling from my body. Then, at once, in a wave, in all came rushing back, and I was moving.
Mark had turned to lead us, but he was too slow. I already knew the way, so I started to run.
My little girl was sick. I had to get back to her side as soon as I could.
It didn’t make any sense. I was just there with her, eating cookies and having fun. She had seemed fine then, in good health.
How could the illness set in so quickly? Usually there was at least symptoms before!
1 needed to get back to her. My poor girl was probably as scared as me. She never understood why her body would just stop
working.
I didn’t understand it either.
As I ran, two pairs of footsteps followed close behind. Nicholas had followed then. Good. If I didn’t have his presence nearby, I
might fall apart when the time for waiting began.
“I’ve already called the doctor,” Mark alerted them as they ran.
“Good,” Nicholas said.
Finally, we reached the hallway of my room.
“Paprika!” I shouted as we came closer. The identification answer. “Paprika!” I said again, in case they didn’t hear me the first
time.
One of the two definitely worked. They stepped aside as I came close. I shoved the door open, and Nicholas, Mark, and I flooded
into the room.
Charlotte and the nanny were standing beside the bed. Elva was within it. Her cheeks were pale, and her hair was damp with
sweat.
Only when I was at her side, did I stop to take a breath. I placed my hand to her forehead. She was burning up.
“Mommy...” she said, her voice so small and scared.
“I’m here, honey. It’s okay.”
“It hurts,” she said, and my heart cracked.
I looked behind me, seeing my heartbreak written all over Nichola s’s face.
Nicholas turned to Mark. “Where is that doctor?”
Mark brought his phone to his ear.
+15 BONUS
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Charlotte said. “We were having a tea party, and all of a sudden she collapsed.”
“I’m sorry,” the nanny said, sobbing into her hands. “I’m so sorry.”
It wasn’t her fault, but I couldn’t offer comfort to anyone but my whimpering daughter right now. I leaned into Elva. “Shh. It’s okay.
The doctor will be here soon.”
Charlotte touched the nanny’s shoulder. “It’s not your fault. Let’s go, and give them some space,”
1 gave Charlotte a grateful nod. Later, when and if the danger passed, I would apologize to the nanny and thank her for
everything she did. But for now, my mind was too filled with fears and worries.
Elva lifted her hand and I quickly took it in mine.
“Nick-lass?” she asked.
“I’m here, Elva.” Nicholas stepped into the new open space with the nanny’s absence. He placed his hand on the top of Elva’s
head. Elva closed her eyes, content for a moment, before the pain began and her eyes squeezed tight.
She sobbed and whimpered, and each tiny sound of pain and discomfort chipped away at my
heart.
The doctor showed a few minutes later. Nicholas and I stepped back to let her work.
“Nick...” My voice trembled.
He pulled me into his arms and tucked my head under his chin. He was being strong for both of us, I knew, because, and though
I’d never admit it, I felt the tremor in his hands.
We stood like that, unmoving, holding each other for a long time. The doctor checked Elva over. She asked her questions, then
she asked questions to Charlotte and the nanny too.
When the doctor returned to Nicholas and me, her face was grim. “The nanny assures me she
hasn’t missed any of her pills.”
“I swear,” I said. I’d been diligent with all of Elva’s treatments. She’d been doing so well since coming here, I wasn’t going to risk
anything.